While one after the other hurricane rages in the Caribbean it seems that the jet stream brings the remnants of them to Europe. The shipping forecast gives gale warnings in all of the sea areas around the British Isles. The famous tidal races of Anglesey are off limits in these conditions. But amazingly the ASSC staff almost always find some 'sheltered' locations to paddle on the sea.
Two days were 'safe' enough to paddle out to Penrhyn Mawr. With a neap tide and high waves this is the closest I ever came to 'play boating' in a sea kayak. The 'tricky' thing is only that it would be very difficult to spot any capsizes and 'swimmers' in the wave swept tidal race. Malin from Norway will have to accept that it will take a very long time for her to experience this kind of rough tidal race conditions again; she did quite well. Phil pulled off a genuine tidal race loop and pop-out; down a freak steep wave right in front of my eyes.
The coast guard had some interesting item in the Maritime Safety Information broadcasts. Apparently the survey vessel Trinity had lost a helicopter from the deck during the storm off the Skerries; it's wreck reported at position 53° 25" 56' N, 004° 38" 19' W.
The international sea kayaking community has changed forever by the 'arrival' of Freya from Germany. She already made quite an impact at the Jersey Sea Kayak Symposium earlier this year. Now in her very custom built Nigel Dennis Kayaks Explorer sea kayak she definitively made her 'statement'.
Thursday 16 September 2004
CG 24hr: S/SW-6/7 occasionally 8 on western headlands; decreasing 3/4 overnight; sea state: rough to very rough.
HW: 12:13
Friday 17 September (Trearddur Bay - Porth Dafarch)
CG 24hr: SW backing S-4 increasing 6 to gale 8 overnight; sea state: moderate becoming rough to very rough overnight.
HW: 12:47
Saturday 18 September (Cameas - Porth Wen - Bull Bay)
CG 24hr: SW-5/7 locally gale 8; around Anglesey 5/6 this morning, decreasing 4/5 overnight; sea state: rough.
HW: 13:15
Sunday 19 September (Holyhead - Church Bay)
CG 24hr: W-4/5 backing SW-5/6 during the day; 6/7 overnight; sea state: moderate becoming rough to very rough around Anglesey.
HW: 13:54
Monday 20 September
CG 24hr: SW veering W-5/7 occasionally 8 over exposed waters; sea state: moderate or rough.
HW: 14:49
Tuesday 21 September (Trearddur Bay; surfing)
CG 24hr: NW backing W-5/7 occasionally 7 at first; sea state: moderate, occasionally rough at first.
HW: 15:46
Wednesday 22 September (Penrhyn Mawr - North Stack)
CG 24hr: W-5/7; sea state: moderate.
HW: 17:06
Thursday 23 September (Penrhyn Mawr)
CG 24hr: W veering W/NW-5/6; sea state: slight to moderate.
HW: 18:35
Friday 24 September
CG 24hr: NW-4/5 decreasing 3/4 during the day; SW-4/5 overnight; sea state: slight to moderate.
HW: 20:06
© A.M. Schoevers