We had grand intentions of posting every day while we were in Wales, but between spending most of each day on the water and most of each evening preparing for the next day, we consistently ran out of time. So over the next several days, we’ll try to catch up on a host of posts we weren’t able to create then.

First, why Wales? We chose to go to Anglesey (in northwestern Wales)  because it’s one of the world’s great sea kayaking destinations. It’s the location of the Penrhwyn Mawr, South and North Stack tidal races, and the strong currents under the Menai Straits, which Justine Curgenven introduced to a wide audience in This is the Sea 2. It’s also home to many great high-level kayak coaches, including Phil Clegg, Peter Jones, Nick Cunliffe and Nigel Dennis, as well as the kayak manufacturers Sea Kayaking UK (formerly NDK) and Rockpool. And it’s a spectacular place of steep cliffs, craggy shorelines, strong tidal streams, and a thriving sea kayaking community.

Phil going over our options for the first couple of days in Anglesey.

We arranged to spend seven days working with Phil Clegg, BCU Level 5 Coach and owner of Sea Kayaking Anglesey. We asked him for a combination of things: tips on better reading the water in a tidal environment; opportunities to paddle some of the famous places and features of that area; reflections on coaching to aid us in our own progress as instructors; better insight into the four-star remit in the water it was created for (without being restricted to that remit); and  the opportunity to complete our BCU four-star assessment, if conditions allowed.

Here, in brief, is what we got. Our first day was windy, with powerful, long-period swell, so we spent time getting warmed up by paddling in the wind and surf and off Trearddur Bay.

Strong wind and lumpy water on our first day in Anglesey.

This was an opportunity for us to get a feel for the equipment we were using as well as get comfortable paddling open water again after a long winter of indoor paddling. It also gave Phil a chance to assess our skills. We’ve paddled ocean surf before, on both the east and west coasts of North America, but  we were reminded again about the sheer power of open ocean waves.

Some welcome sun for our surf time at the end of our first day.

Phil makes it look easy in the blustery conditions.

We worked on techniques and tactics for paddling in wind, leading around rocks with swell, performing rescues in the conditions and, of course, did some surfing.

Looking west towards the Menai Bridge from our put-in.

We spent the second day in the Menai Strait, which separates the Isle of Anglesey from the rest of Wales, to take refuge from another day of high winds. We paddled against the tide in both directions, exploring currents and surfing on standing waves (including the Swellies).

Playing in the tidal current above the Menai Bridge.

Water flows into and out of both sides of the Strait, making this a fascinating place for exploring the ever-changing height and speed of the water. This and our day at Trearddur Bay were perfect warm-ups for paddling Anglesey.

Our put-in near Point Lynas (in the background).

On day three, we planned and executed a journey from Point Lynas down to the little rocky island of Ynys Dulas. This time, we were responsible for figuring out what route to take and how long it would take.

Pat and Sharon check the chart and tidal flow information before beginning the crossing to Ynas Dulas

This was an exercise in anticipating how tide would be affected by headlands, bays and other features and, in turn, its effects on a relatively short journey down the coast with one crossing.We stopped often to look at texture changes in the water and other signs that indicated what was going on with the tidal stream and how that would affect our route. Add a substantial wind, and it meant a long day of fairly hard paddling, often accompanied by particularly friendly seals.

Landing for a well-deserved lunch on Ynas Dulas, which features an early 19th Century tower shelter for lost mariners.

Seals were our lunchtime companions.

These three days were a reintroduction to coastal paddling–a warm-up for the days to come, which we’ll address in the next post.

(Thanks to Phil and Pat for some of the photos in this post.)