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The wind keeps on blowing on Anglesey and we decided to do a repeat of our downwind paddle along the North Coast. This time we launched at Cemaes Bay and had a couple of fun surfs to the beach, before heading east to Point Lynas. The tide, wind & swell pushed us along, making it a fast, fun ride. It felt more like paddling on a trip since we were making good speed and didn’t have to go back to where we started! The swell was almost as big as last week although because the tide was with us this time, the waves were a little less steep and intimidating. We reached Point Lynas far too quickly and I wished we could jump on a boat and be taken back to Cemaes so we could do it all again! In other news, my latest film, “Islands of Fire” about kayaking in the warm, clear waters of Sicily won 2nd prize at the Italian Film festival in Milan! Buy the 30 minute film now as a HD digital download….. or look out for it on ‘This is the Sea 5’ in 2012!

Don’t forget we have 11 different sea kayaking and canoeing DVDs for sale in our webstore… Perfect Christmas presents, or if you are feeling generous… the “This is the Sea” box set is just £49.99 for over 8 hours of inspiring sea kayaking films.

Winter is definitely on it’s way. I was considering getting my pogies out as we launched our kayaks from Cemaes Bay this Sumday lunchtime. My hands felt the chill as we paddled directly into the Northwesterly wind through some messy surf. Barry and I were joining our friend Roger Chandler from “Coastal Spirit” for a days’ paddling. Roger’s partner, Sonja, wanted to walk their dog while we paddled in what she (very sensibly) considered crazy conditions! Sonja kindly dropped us at Cemaes so that once we’ made it out of the bay, we could turn east and  paddle one way ‘down wind’ to Bull Bay. Going down wind is all very well… but the tide was going the other way!

A few days of strong winds had been kicking the sea up so there were white horses everywhere, and swell crashing into the rocks. The wind wasn’t as strong as forecast but we were carried along quickly by strong eddies close to shore. The sea was exciting – the swell mixing with some rebounding waves, but in the eddies (with the wind and tide going the same way) it didn’t feel too worrying!

Roger and Barry work in this area quite often, taking groups out when the typical SouthWesterly winds batter the west coast, but leave the north coast relatively unscathed. They quickly realised that the ‘crux’ of our paddle would be trying to get around the Northernmost point of Anglesey, near to Middle Mouse, where the tide would be flowing quickly against us. The opposing wind and chunky swell would make it ‘interesting’ and we didn’t take for granted that we’d be able to paddle around!

We could see the whitecaps from quite a distance away. There was no chance of ‘sneaking round’ the headland out of the tide because 3 or 4 metre high waves were crashing into the rocks close in. So we headed into the main flow and some intimidating looking waves. I was making very little progress against the current and needed to catch and surf some waves to make significant ground. That was a bit scary though as some of the waves were steep walls of whitewater that would munch you up and spit you out. On one occasion I aborted from a wave that I didn’t like the look of, only to have it break on my side and turn me around so I was facing back the way I’d come! Fortunately none of the really big ones broke on me, although Roger wasn’t so lucky and had a ‘combat roll’! It worked when he most needed it!

Eventually we all made it around the headland and landed for some very welcome lunch at the brickworks. A few more exciting headlands later and we arrived in Bull Bay for a hot chocolate with big grins. Thanks for Sonja for the photos from land! The video is unedited raw footage from one of the headlands (not the roughest one). It never looks like it feels anyway! Roger’s blog about the day is here.

Cackle TV are delighted to be releasing the entire “This is the Sea” collection as a DVD box set. It’s now possible to own all 4 DVDs in a snazzy box so they sit nice and prettily on your shelf. The DVDs contain over 8 hours worth of award winning sea kayaking films showcasing some of the world’s most outstanding sea kayaking destinations. Cutting edge documentaries of expeditions, breathtaking action in tidal races and an insight into sea kayaking’s most colourful characters. Packed with adventure, wildlife, action, stories and talented paddlers – these films will inspire you to get out on the water.

The box set is competitively priced at just £49.99 or US $75 (saving £30 or $45 on the retail price of the DVDs). Kayaking destinations include Norway, Antarctica, New Zealand, the Faroe Islands, Israel, Japan, Baja, California, Florida & of course Wales & Scotland. Perfect for Winter weather!

The box sets are right now being made and we expect to have them in stock by the first week of December. You can pre-order now if you want to  be sure of having one under your Christmas tree.

If you’ve already got some of the DVDs, and want to own the box set, then no problem!  Just buy the “This is the Sea” DVDs that you need to complete your collection, and we’ll send you a box to put them in for free.  Please just say that you’d like a boxset in the ‘instructions’ when you check out!

Huge thanks to Rapid Media, publishers of “Adventure Kayak” magazine (and other paddlesports magazines) for sponsoring the design of the box set, and to Beth Kennedy for coming up with the great artwork.  “Adventure Kayak” is a great magazine, published in Canada, but available as a download all over the world! You can even get an app so it comes straight to your Ipad or Iphone.

Pre-order the PAL box set (UK, Europe, Australisia)

£49.99

$74.95