ron-t kayaking blog
08 October 2016 ............ Cemlyn to Carmel Head
Another day of the same weather - grey, a big cloud sheet covering the country, and an east wind.
Good tidal timing for a trip along the north coast of Anglesey to Carmel Head.
At the back of my mind was the thought that it might be possible to get out to the Skerries, but the tidal timing wasn`t good enough for that, and I didn`t get there.
However something that was concerning me was the amount of tidal current I had met the previous day, far more than I had anticipated for the predicted very small tidal range.
And to add to my concerns, the soon to start flood tide would be flowing against the east wind, so a fairly chunky sea was on its way.
It was a fairly easy going paddle along the coast with the wind behind me and the last of the ebb current, and soon enough I was beyond the various bays and beside the rocks and caves and cliffs that dominate the coastline for the next few kilometres round Carmel Head and down towards Church Bay.
The first of many caves -
As I was approaching Carmel Head I was still wondering if it might be possible to get out to the Skerries, and I headed out to see how I would get on.
However once out a bit, it was clear that the tide had already turned along there, and there were areas of quite chunky seas developing - I wasn`t making any progress forward, and I was increasingly surrounded by the chunky seas, so headed back in.
It was a bit of a struggle getting round Carmel Head against the current, but got round, and pulled into a narrow bay, landed on and pulled my boat up a lot of boulders, and climbed up a steep grassy bank on to the top of Carmel Head.
I am not sure how high it is, I think I would have been about 50 or 60 metres above sea level, and the sea looks quite calm from up here, although you can see quite a chunky area just out from the cliffs.
A closer view of the Skerries -
There was a lot of more chunky stuff around West Mouse -
In the other direction, looking south over Ynys y Fydlyn down the coast towards Church Bay.
One of the things that was noticeable from up on Carmel Head was that the sea was a lot calmer to the southwest of Carmel Head than it was in the sound between Carmel Head and the Skerries, so I wondered if it might be possible to paddle out in a curved ferry glide towards the Skerries.
So once back down and back in my boat I tried it out.
Fail !
Far too much current, and I just got washed backwards into the sound.
Today the Skerries were a no-no.
Back into the coast, and headed down towards Ynys y Fydlyn - just before you get there, there is a big cave.
It isn`t a blind cave, there is a small opening through to the beach behind the rock outcrop, but it doesn`t stop you enjoying a cave experience.
There is a small arch just out from the shore on the north side of Ynys y Fydlyn - in calm conditions you can paddle through it, but I have seen it in stormy conditions from the shore, and the way the sea crashes through it is a bit mind blowing.
There was quite a strong current and a bit of a race round the outer point of Ynys y Fydlyn, and it took quite a bit of effort to get through it, but once there I headed right in towards the shore - somewhat bizarrely, just out from the shore, there is a very deep cave in the south side of Ynys y Fydlyn.
It doesn`t seem logical to have a cave there - it is close to the beach, it points in to the beach, and so can`t get any significant wave action.
Very odd - but it is a very deep cave - I think there is a small opening right through Ynys y Fydlyn.
You can go a long way in -
Time to head back to Cemlyn, and a nice run through the race on the point of Ynys y Fydlyn. Looking back towards Carmel Head and the Skerries.
More caves as I headed around Carmel Head -
Some of the local residents having a nosey at me -
Now an interesting find - a birds nest. Not any ordinary birds nest - but a huge birds nest high up on the cliffs.
Not being a birdy person, I have no idea what kind of bird would build that - I would love to know. Here is a magnified view of it. I think it would be about 600 - 700 mm high, and built with quite thick sticks of some kind.
A last look across to the Skerries before getting too far along the coast too see it properly - funny how this photo makes the Skerries look so close.
The journey back was really unbearably slow - against the wind, against the sea, and I think against the current.
I have a recollection that during the later part of a flood tide along the Anglesesy north coast there is a reverse current that starts an hour or so before the current further out reverses - and it certainly seemed that I was going against the current.
When I first came round Carmel Head I was fairly being carried along by the current, despite the wind, however after a while I just got slower and slower as the reverse current began in earnest, and the east wind was getter stronger and stronger.
So it was quite a relief to round Cemlyn Point and head into the bay.
One of the things that became increasingly clear as I headed along the coast past West Mouse was a line of very chunky sea all along the horizon from the Skerries eastwards and well passed West Mouse.
If I had got out to the Skerries, I would have been coming back into that sea, and it would have been very unpleasant.
So a bit dissappointing that I didn`t get out to the Skerries, but at the same time I was quite relieved that I hadn`t.
And around Carmel Head it is a superb bit of coastline, and worth the effort of the trip.
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