ron-t kayaking blog
27 October 2017 .............. Cemaes to Middle Mouse - sort of
What a strange day - in theory it was ideal for a trip along the north coast - not a lot of wind, close to Neaps, a flood tide until mid afternoon, blue sky and sunshine .......
It didn`t quite work out that way - it was fine heading out of Cemaes Bay, with Wylfa Head catching the sun nicely -
By the time I got to Llanbadrig Head I was into a very lumpy sea coming from the north west that tossed me around - however it wasn`t beyond my comfort zone, so I headed on and out to Middle Mouse.
No pictures for quite a long time now, it was just too rough.
So eventually I got to within maybe 200 metres of Middle Mouse - and I met some very strange conditions - all the way across the sea was coming from the northwest - but then suddenly, just before I got to Middle Mouse, it was coming from the east.
The flood tide was still coming from the west, meeting this sea coming from the east - and there I stopped, somewhat stuck - the flood tide tide pushing me eastwards, the sea pushing me westwards.
It was a very odd situation to be in - I couldn`t turn to head towards Middle Mouse, because that meant being broadside on to this very unfriendly sea coming from the east.
I couldn`t paddle away against the flood tide.
I hummed and hawed - managing not to freak out - and came to the conclusion that if I sat there for a couple of hours, the tidal current would drop, and everything would be normal again.
However that would be a bit tedious, and eventually managed to do a sort of ferry glide towards Wylfa, gradually escaped the worst of the sea conditions. and was able to turn southwards and head back to the mainland.
So I paddled back across towards Dinas Gynfor in the very lumpy sea, but then it happened again - about 200 metres or so from Dinas Gynfor I ended up in the same situation - the flood tide was carrying me east as fast as I could paddle against it, the sea was coming from the east again.
So there I sat - well perhaps sat isn`t the best word - there I was stuck again, getting attacked from behind unable to go anywhere.
It probably took me about ten or fifteen minutes to get far enough west that I could escape the clutches of the sea, and slowly head into Porth Llanlleiana.
Time for a tea break I think.
Quite a long one - by the time I was set up to get back onto the water, it had all calmed down a bit - all looks quite peaceful, doesn`t it.
I headed eastwards towards the headland, and round Dinas Gynfor - it was quite lumpy still, but not enough to make me turn round.
Looking down towards the headland Torllwyn which is the last headland before Porth Wen, but too much of the day had gone by now, so I didn`t go there.
The sea looks quite calm now, but notice the big swell climbing up the rocks on the right.
Porth Cynfor, or Hell`s Mouth, has a fearsome reputation for the roughness of the sea there, but I have never seen it rough, whenever I have seen it is has been completely calm.
Just in to the right, and there are some rather odd holes in the rock face - are they made by limpets - there were a few limpets around there - do limpets eat their way into the rock ?
Just out from Porth Cynfor I found a cave - very narrow, and very deep - however it was catching the swell, and the sea was surching in and out, so deeper investigation wasn`t possible.
Something else I found that I haven`t ever noticed before was a small lagoon - Anglesey`s answer to the Blue Lagoon in Pembrokeshire, though not as big.
When you were inside it the water was surprisingly coloured - a sort of turquoise colour -
Then I found another cave - again very narrow, and quite deep -
This one was sheltered from the swell, so could get inside it.
It was too narrow to use the paddle, so pushed myself in with my hands on the rocks on each side.
I hope you appreciate the arty reflections off the deck of my boat and off the paddle.
I don`t remember ever seeing all these feature around Porth Cynfor before, so it was quite interesting, I also found a bit of rock hopping which was fairly challenging, as the waves coming through were a bit unpredictible.
Heading back towards the headland of Dinas Gynfor, and I was wondering if I could now get out to Middle Mouse - it was catching the sun beautifully -
However the closer I got to the headland the more chunky the sea was getting, so I decided against going out.
I was glad I decided against it, the whole way back to Cemaes the sea was really quite lumpy - there was some kind of a touristy or fishing boat a bit further out, and it was pitching and rolling quite a lot.
I really don`t understand why the sea was the way it was, there wasn`t much wind, yet the sea was behaving as if there was a lot of wind.
So it was a strange sort of day, quite challenging at times, but I survived - the Anglesey north coast can produce some really difficult and challenging conditions, but I think these were the strangest I have ever met.
Back on dry land and all packed up, and a late afternoon view out to Cemaes Bay.
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