LLEYN PENINSULAR
Contribution from Adriam Williams
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Ian`s kayaking experience is primarily on white water and he asked me to arrange a sea trip for him to experience the difference. Agreeing dates was a bit of a problem but after deliberation we agreed on the weekend of 20 - 21 June 1998. Peter my long time kayaking friend also said he would come along but as the weekend approached Ian said he couldn't come because he forgot he was partaking in a Polaris bicycle event the weekend after and it would be too much for his financial resources to travel from London on two consecutive weekends. Peter pulled out because he was taking his son night fishing. After all the preparation I had put into this trip I decided to go alone. Besides, solo sea kayaking seems to be the next progressive step for me to take.
Travel arrangements changed as I left for the Lleyn at 7.00 a.m. on Saturday and arrived at Port Colmon about 10.30 a.m. There were two other sea kayakers (husband & wife) unloading their equipment and they had planned to potter about the coast. I didn't travel all they way to do that and stuck to my original plan. I asked a local man if I could leave my bicycle in his garage. He kindly agreed and I drove the 7 miles to the start point at Aberdaron. I arrived at about 11.00 a.m at Aberdaron and planned to get on the water at 12.45 - as I had some spare time I went into the local hotel for a coffee. Talking to the barman at the hotel he informed me that slack water in Bardsey sound was 2 hours after high water and 2 hours after slack water. This confused me as the book I had worked from to judge slack water at Bardsey Sound was 4 hours before local high water which meant that I should be crossing at 13.34 hrs. I hastily got out my planning details out and re-checked my calculations. Calculating the local information I had I should cross the sound at 13.49 hrs a variation of 15 minutes. The wind direction of WSW 4 changing to SW 4-5 could make a slight difference to the timings as the wind is behind the ebbing tide and if it turned then it would be behind the flood. This slight variation made me feel a bit uneasy and I decided to get on the water a bit earlier than planned and paddle out to the headland and take stock of what was happening in the sound. I was on the water at 12.20 p.m. and paddled steadily towards Pen - Y - Cil. On my way out to the headland I saw a fishing boat taking holidaymakers to Bardsey pulling out of Porth Meudwy. On arriving at the headland the water in the sound looked OK and without hesitation I got into a good paddle rhythm and quickly started across this potentially difficult stretch of water. The signs were good as two sailing ships moved northwards through the sound. Nearing the Island the lighthouse located at the southern end came into view and started to wink at me as the flashing light pulled me ever nearer. On arriving at the Island the fishing boat was anchored about 100 metres off shore and was unloading people onto a smaller craft to take them onto the Island. My arrival seemed to attract quite a commotion with the holiday makers who came onto me and stared to ask me a myriad of questions about the crossing etc. The crossing from Aberdaron only took 1 hour and I unloaded my kettle and cooker from the kayak and made myself a nice cup of tea. Whilst some holiday makers were waiting to be collected to be taken back to the mainland I walked to the other side of the Island.
Bardsey is an attractive Island which had around 100 seals in the small bay near Henllwyn. It is 1.5 miles long and half a mile wide but the two miles separating it from the mainland is infamous. In the last century apparently Bardsey was once a thriving community were 80 people shared the Islands 12-15 houses all reliant on fishing and farming for their livelihoods. Fortunes have fluctuated since, the school closed in 1947 when there were only three families in full time residence - that became one family in 1972. Today the permanent residents include: a shepherd and his wife and young son, three graziers, an accommodation and visiting officer and her partner, one warden and one ecologist (10 people in total).
After my break I circumnavigated the Island and headed back to the mainland. The weather forecast that day was thunder showers and as I looked over my shoulder I could see a storm brewing as the sea mists were coming in very quickly. It was decision time do I make a hasty retreat across the sound or get off on the Island and wait the storm out. I decide on the first option and after setting my compass for the mainland I paddled quite hard across the sound whose flow was now building up and pushing northwards. Thankfully the mist didn't come as far as me and I was halfway across the sound and saw a small fishing boat enter the sound from the west. I waved to signal I was O.K. but to my surprise the fishing boat changed direction and came towards me. He asked me if I was O.K. I said yes and asked him if he had caught a lot of lobsters as his boat was filled with lobster cages. He said he had had a good day and then asked me where I was going I told him Porth Colmon and he said that was a long way but the flood would push me in that direction. That was what I had planned and as the wind had changed to a SE direction 4-5 that again would help. I passed through the overfalls known as the "Tripods" as the rain beat down on me and was making good progress towards my destination. There are very few easy get out points along this part of the coast the first one would be Port Oer which is a sandy horseshoe beach. I decided to stay well out in the main stream to take advantage of the currents and moderate winds. On approaching the headland near Port Ore I saw two other kayakers coming out of the bay and stopped briefly to talk to them. They were the same kayakers I saw that morning and they told me they had paddled around the coast line looking for seals. I left them and stayed out in the mainstream to cover the last couple of miles back to my destination. On arriving at Port Colmon I changed into my dry cycling clothing, got my bike and cycled back to Aberdaron to get the car. It was an easy ride and I quickly covered the 7 miles and was back at Port Colmon before the other Kayakers and loaded their equipment. All that remained for the day was to pitch the tent in the campsite at Port Colmon and cook myself a meal.
A very good paddle which gave me a lot of satisfaction as the planning turned out to be very good. Also, as this was my first solo sea kayak trip it added to the sense of achievement. I though I would be more concerned about being on my own but once I got started I didn't really think too much about it and just enjoyed the whole experience.
Day Two 21 June 1998 - Trefor Pier to Port Colmon - 13 miles (approx)
I set my alarm for 8.00 a.m. and would decide what I was going to do after looking at all my options. The surf was running and I had taken my surf kayak but I decided to do another sea trip. I telephoned the Coastguard to check on the weather forecast: showers with the wind in a SW direction force 6 on exposed headlands. This meant that the wind would be against me and the tide for the whole of the trip. Wind against tide meant choppy conditions but I decided to go ahead with the plan and my fall back would be that I could abandon at any time if the conditions proved too much.
I arrived at Trefor at 9.30 a.m. having left my bicycle at Porth Colmon and was on the water 20 minutes later. It was calm in the sheltered bay at Trefor but as soon as I went under the pier the wind slapped me in the face and remained there for the next 5.5 hours. There was a swell of about 4 foot which periodically soaked me. As I passed the high cliffs pulling out of Trefor the quarry seemed to be camouflaged in the background - apparently the quarry is still operational producing granite slabs for cobbled drives and roads. There was no point in hugging the coast because the swell would have made it difficult so I decided to stay about 1 mile out to get the maximum benefit from the current. I was making good time and using land marks to gauge progress. As I approached the headland at Nant Gwrtheyn there was a small fishing boat getting thrown around whilst the two fishermen hauled aboard a large fish they had just caught. I pulled along side and said that was a big fish they told me it was a tope weighing about 15 lbs and would I like it! I laughed and said I have no where to put it and continued on my journey. I decided to head straight for Port Dinllaen which was 6 miles from Trefor across a large horseshoe bay. It felt like an open crossing as the kayak danced with the waves. On my right there was a sailing yacht coming in very fast diagonally across my path. It was listing quite severely in an attempt to get full speed from the strong wind I closely watched its progress as it came nearer to me and had to alter my stroke to prevent a possible collision as it came within 20 ft of my bow. I don't know if they didn't see me but I think my look probably told them about how I felt about that silly manoeuvre which resulted in them coming so close. The name of the yacht was "Jasperoo" I had plenty of opportunity to remember the name because it crossed another two times tacking to make forward progress. The woman on board stared at me continuously and I can only assume that she was wondering what a sea kayak was doing out in this exposed bay in such conditions. There are numerous buoys in the bay with some sort of electronic device attached to them. I used them like lampposts to chart my progress towards my first stop at Porth Dinllaen. On reaching Porth Dinllaen which is a very beautiful bay I pulled into a small beach next to the lifeboat. There was a couple of families enjoying the sun and lovely location and again I unpacked my cooker and quickly brewed a cup of tea. The crossing from Trefor had taken 1.5 hours which was good considering the strong wind and choppy seas.
Whilst I relaxed and enjoyed my break I could sense people looking at me and one person slowly meandered to the edge of the water to look at my sea kayak and nervously started to ask me questions about my trip. As it turned out this person was from Stoke on Trent where my son is currently studying in the university. He told me that he has always fancied kayaking and I encouraged him to join a club and have a go. I wish I could have a pound for every time people have told me that and I've come to the conclusion that there must be a lot of frustrated people in this world who just think about doing things but never actually get round to it because for whatever reasons. This life is not a rehearsal so people please do what you want to do not what you think you should do. I wander as I go about doing my own thing if I am turning into one of those characters you see around the place but never approach them because you are not sure what sort of reaction you will get. That is enough philosophy - on with the trip.
I pulled out of Porth Dinllaen passing a few seals basking in the warm sun who appeared to be flaunting themselves to an audience of people watching from the rocks. Coming around the headland heading towards Tudweilog the wind again welcomed me with a further challenge by increasing in force. Progress seemed slower as the landmarks lingered for longer periods. A small fishing boat was laying its lobster pots in the bay and on one occasion turned to come towards me. I continued with my paddling keeping the shaft low out of the wind and digging the blade deep to give me the stability. I felt by showing the fishermen that I was in control would dispel any concerns they might have for me. I deliberately kept out from the bay because I wanted to avoid any eddies and rips which are often in the bays. The coastline wasn't particularly interesting and I wanted to push on as fast as possible because the tide would be turning soon. I was glad when I pulled into the large bay of Porth Colmon and gritted my teeth to cross to my egress point. This last hour had been extremely hard and to occupy my time and take my mind the boredom I sang out loud to myself. It does work but its a shame I don't know all the words to the songs and have to make up whatever comes into my mind at that time but the strange thing is that the words for the same song are always different.
I arrived at my destination 5.5 hours after starting which is an average of just 2 miles an hour. I normally paddle at 5 miles per hour but the wind was so strong on this trip that progress was slow.
All I had left now was to cycle the 19 miles back for the car. Fortunately the strong SW winds would be behind me and the 19 miles would soon pass. Before I started the trip I had to make a telephone call to the coast guard to tell them I was of the water and every thing was O.K. I telephoned and by coincidence spoke to the same woman who I had reported to in the morning. She asked me if I had enjoyed the trip I said yes but the last hour was very hard. She said that the wind had picked up to which I had agreed and was a contributing factor as to why it had been so hard near the end.
I continues on my cycle back to the car and as I was half way up the 1:7 hill approaching Lithfaen I saw another cyclist going over the summit. I decided to catch him up and worked the legs even harder only to find that when I went over the summit he had disappeared around the winding roads. I assumed that he was on a road bike to be going so fast and my mountain bike was at a disadvantage I flew downhill out of Lithfaen and spotted the cyclist already on the next climb out of the village. This was my chance and I caught him before the top of the next hill. His name was Gareth and he told me he was the only cyclist on the west side of the Lleyn and lived in Morfa Nefyn. We talked continuously over the lasted couple of miles until I turned of the main road into Trefor to get my car.
Another trip over. All that remained now was to collect all my gear from the campsite and travel back to Wrexham to be with my family.
Apart from the trip from Trefor to Port Dinllaen I wouldn't recommend this part of the coast. It is not interesting enough although the experience of paddling by yourself is very fulfilling but it does mean that you have to be sure of your tidal calculations and have confidence in your own ability. An excellent weekend and I feel that I have crossed the barrier to make trips on my own however, when I have money I will invest in a VHF radio for added safety.
j06 Jul 98