A couple of spare hours Thursday afternoon - enough time for a quick blast over to Caernarfon - basically a 2km ferry glide against wind (SW4) and tide (Rich's idea, after he realised that we had never visited by kayak) which was a good workout, and blew the cobwebs away.
Did a tour of the harbour (plenty of grockles), and then down to Plas Menai surfing on the following sea, and testing out a prototype paddle:
Yes, it is ugly, and made of scrap (stitch and glue plywood with a bit of mat and resin), but worked very well, and rather proved Robin Ruddock's theory about Irish paddle profiles.
Tea and scones, and some entertainment from beginner windsurfers and sailing instructors, before starting back to Foel with the tide now ebbing and steepening the waves as the wind picked up and gusted more strongly. A familiar effect as South Westerlies are funnelled into the Menai Strait.
Some of the waves were a bit more challenging than others - as Rich said, they seemed to be 'hunting in pairs' - but then, that makes it proper sea kayaking.
About 11km paddled in 3 hours door to door.
Did a tour of the harbour (plenty of grockles), and then down to Plas Menai surfing on the following sea, and testing out a prototype paddle:
Tea and scones, and some entertainment from beginner windsurfers and sailing instructors, before starting back to Foel with the tide now ebbing and steepening the waves as the wind picked up and gusted more strongly. A familiar effect as South Westerlies are funnelled into the Menai Strait.
Some of the waves were a bit more challenging than others - as Rich said, they seemed to be 'hunting in pairs' - but then, that makes it proper sea kayaking.
About 11km paddled in 3 hours door to door.
