Author: Justine

Yesterday was a really big tidal range with a high tide of 9.7 metres in Liverpool. Perhaps more importantly for us, the low tide was REALLY LOW! Only 0.4metres… That meant that the standing waves at the Swellies in the Menai Straits should be really well formed and calling out to be surfed! The only problem was that action time, when the waves form was about 6.30pm — about the time it gets dark! But we couldn’t resist such a big tide. Barry also wanted to check out a different wave, a bit higher upstream from the ”Swellies wave’, which he’s only seen ‘working’ (i.e surfable) when the low tide is REALLY low. It was working well last night, with the tide tanking through there, making it hard to get onto the front wave. The traditional Swellies wave is still my favourite though, and on our way back, in near pitch dark, it was steep and powerful. It was a bit scary, to be honest, especially when we could only see each other if we were very close. After Barry capsized and rolled, which I didn’t see, we decided to get off the water, and go for a well deserved Pizza-and-a-Pint!

Cackle TV is going to sell and distribute the new seakayaking film “Eastern Horizons” in the UK. Europe & Australasia. Bryan Smith & his wife Lise-Anne Beyries from Reel Water Productions in Canada have been spent a lot of the last 18 months making this new entertaining seakayaking DVD, which is released this month.

The creators of “Pacific Horizons” (which is also available from CackleTV) moved over to North America’s east coast from Georgia to Newfoundland to bring you another inspirational and breathtaking sea kayaking adventure film. Eastern Horizons blends the rich history and culture of the sea with world class sea kayakers, idyllic destinations, incredible wildlife and compelling stories of people who’s lives are deeply connected to the Atlantic Ocean. From the rich marshes in North Carolina to the icebergs in Newfoundland and from the urban landscape of New York City to the remote fishing villages of the Magdalene Islands, this film is a must for everyone interested in the ocean.

You can read more about the film HERE, and you can now pre-order it from my website. The DVD should be available to ship on 25th March, or soon afterwards.

“Pacific Horizons”, “Eastern Horizons” and the “This is the Sea” series can also be purchased at a reduced price if you buy more than 1 DVD at a time – click here to go to the UK/ Europe / Australisia store. For example you can buy any 2 DVDs for £35.99, or any 3 DVDs for £52.99, with free shipping anywhere in the world.

“This is the Sea 4” is still doing well at film festivals. The South island circumnavigation film won second place for ‘best Adventure film’ at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival recently. First place was awarded to ‘Solo’, the film about Andrew McAuley crossing the Tasman Sea.

In the US, “Eastern Horizons” is being launched by Bryan this weekend at Canoecopia.

Last weekend Barry and I visited ‘Another Place’, a series of 100 cast iron statues placed on the beach at Crosby by artist Antony Gormley. I remember hearing about the statues when they were first put there in 2004, and finally found myself close enough to Liverpool to enjoy a stroll along the beach with a difference. The statues are identical and are spaced along a 3km section of beach. They all stare out to sea – some of them almost completely buried by water at high tide. I found it really evocative to see all those mesmerized people fascinated by the magic of the sea.

THE SEA ON THE WAY OUT, BARDSEY IS BEHIND THAT WAVE!

Everyone I contacted to ‘play out’ this weekend was busy or away, but I decided not to let that stop me having a wee adventure. On Sunday morning, I packed the van and drove down to Aberdaron at the end of the Llyn Peninsula. The white water at the tiderace off Pen y Cil headland was very clearly visible from a mile and a half away. The conditions were sporty enough for me to phone the Porter family who live on the island to tell them I was on my way – they promised to look out for me and to get the kettle on as I drew close. I had a fun paddle in the end – a force 4 wind which was almost a headwind kicked up a few big waves, but I enjoyed the heightened awareness that comes from being solo.
STEVE GIVES 2 SICK SHEEP A RIDE BACK

I was met by Steve and his son Ben on their quad bike and escorted to their farmhouse for the promised cuppa. It was a beautiful day and I took a walk up to the top of the island and looked back at the whitecaps in the Sound. The sky was so clear that I could see Holyhead mountain and the hills of Ireland from up there. I was invited to stay overnight with the Porters and had a great evening. Ben took me out in his rowing boat to check his lobster pots. He had one big lobster, but it was a female which he had to put back, and a few other lobsters which were too small to keep. Oh well, no lobster for dinner this time!
BEN ROWING BACK AFTER CHECKING HIS POTS
THROWING BACK A LOBSTER THAT’S TOO SMALL
After dinner, the stars were out and I had a look at the craters of the moon and Saturn’s rings through Steve’s telescope.

The next morning, before I headed back home, I “helped” the family to round up the year old ewes, so Steve could shear around their bottoms! I didn’t offer to help with that task, and headed back across a roughening up sound about 9.30am. The current was strongly pushing me in the wrong direction this time, but I ferry-glided across the Sound and ended up about a mile downstream of the headland I wanted to go around to get back to Aberdaron. The eddy close to the land carried me back to Pen y Cil headland and I had to work hard to surf against the tide to get around the corner, then i was home and dry, with a following wind to push me back to the beach.

Bardsey island is one of those special places which relaxes me and makes me feel happy just to be there, and it’s usually quite an exciting paddle to get there…. I’m sure it won’t be long before I return!
BEN AND JO ROUNDING UP THE SHEEP