Dodging

North West Sea Kayakers has been a little dormant recently so it was pleasing to 20 paddlers meet at the Anglesey Outdoors Centre for a weekend of paddling fun. As soon as we started to congregate in the Paddlers Return Bar, the plotting and scheming began.

On Saturday I went with a small group to The Skerries the long way... from Porth Dafarch. An unexpected southerly breeze greeted us at the waters edge and provoked the race at Penrhyn Mawr into a mischievous state. It was a forbidding scene with dark grey skies and a choppy sea.

The wind had settled down by the time we had arrived at South Stack but by then we could see that we would need to wait for one of the Dublin ferries to pass. As we drifted on the tide past North Stack we saw another ferry approaching. Our patience was being tested as we were eager to head on. Having confirmed with port control at Holyhead harbour that there was no more traffic, we resumed our course.

An hour later we arrived at The Skerries. At high water the beach near the light house is submerged. We landed on the rocks and had our picnic lunch.

I called port control at Holyhead harbour before starting our return. We timed our passage so that the two ferries would pass in front of us before we reached the tide races at North Stack and South Stack.

We arrived back at Porth Dafarch in warm sunshine and celebrated a splendid day out with others from the meet on the balcony with beer and snacks. Other groups had also been to The Skerries from Church Bay, and another group had fun rockhopping and exploring between Rhoscolyn and Trearddur Bay.

After the evening meal and traditional slide show, it didn't take many beers before we were all fast asleep.

Before heading home on Sunday we spent the day rockhopping along the shore between Rhoscolyn and Rhosneigr. The sun was climbing high into a hazy blue sky and it was difficult to leave our sheltered, comfortable lunch spot at Cymyran.