The PSK Hub – Performance Sea Paddling Stuff
The Puffin TT is a bit of a bastard really. It hurts. It is 3 hrs and 30 km of uncomfortable. It starts off nicely, promising good views, good training and a good challenge. But of course it saves up the worst bits for the end. You start from Menai Bridge with the tide running …
Originally this was part of the ‘Things To Do’ series of posts added during the early Covid-19 lockdown. However I think it still has a few useful ideas to consider as we now paddle post-restrictions. Some sea-kayakers can be a little ‘sniffy’ about inland paddling, unhappy to be away from the stomping grounds (and selfie-spots) …
Continue reading “Things To Do: #19 – Paddle Coast To Coast”
by John Willacy – Skye Circumnav 2021 — Attempt 2 – The Reprise In 2017 I set out on an attempt to circumnavigate the Isle of Skye, however I was unsuccessful. So there was unfinished business to attend to of course, it’s taken until 2021 to have another go. Waiting For this attempt we travelled …
This was a training session we paddled at Broadford on the Isle of Skye as we waited for a gap in the weather for my Skye Circumnav attempt in 2021. As the wind was determined not to give us a break, we thought we might as well get into the spirit of things – it …
The Rhoscolyn Beacon Sess. Last night we took the weekly group session out of the Menai Strait and headed for Rhoscolyn Beacon. The Beacon sessions are always a firm favourite: a change of scenery, different flow patterns and different courses of course. A change is as good as a rest as they say. Though I …
Three? Three?? This week the group session returned to The Swellies. We had plenty of sunshine and were also joined by Mike Conroy ‘fresh’ from his Anglesey Circumnav only a few days prior. The gentle flow tempted ‘us’* into a Brittania Bridge TT sess. Easy peasy Start/finsh at Price’s Point with 2 turn points: Brittania …
Decisions, decisions… Conditions made for a few distractions tonight. The training plan was for: 5 x 8′ on – 2′ off or A bit of fun in the Wind Over tide (WOT) below the bridge. Better still, do 8′ on 2′ off in the waves, paddling hard, pushing through the waves and chasing the packets. …
This week’s group session was working down at Brittania Bridge for a bit of a change. Warm-Up Paddle down from Menai Bridge slip to Gored Goch for initial warm-up (WU) and then 2nd WU from GG to the Brittania Bridge (BB) Orange buoy (Anglesey shore) – 2 min on 1′ off at ‘fast-cruise’ pace. Any …
Frustration Loop. The session was a dozen laps of Ynys Gored Goch in the Swellies. Paddling on the flood, each lap of the island is around the 4 mins mark and means a challenging climb against the flood tide at the top of each lap. Today the stiff W wind also complicated the climbs somewhat. …
Today Storm Eunice was blowing through. Should I paddle or not? I took some time to think it through… Today the water was intriguingly high for a mid-spring tide (only a 9.3m) – it’s not often you see the wheely-bins afloat! There was plenty to learn and new things to see. So to see I …