Every now and then I say to myself "I must camp out under my tarp this year sometime...'

This year I may even do it. The things that put me off are a) midgies, b)wind and rain, and c) midgies.

Last night with a fair weather forecast and no midgies here, I put said shelter  [a Decathlon Tarp] up for a trial run.
I had to use 2 old ally poles from another tent for this construction and kipped out in the garden for the night.

Quite peacefully, [well a bottle of Sir Trevor Macdonalds night serum did help], but around 4am I realised it's a lot colder than sleeping in a tent and I had to slide into my bivvy bag for extra warmth.  However on a kayak trip my fleece undergear would help with this.

The tarp is quite bigger than a 'normal' backpacking one, but is useful to make a beach shelter for group cooking, and the extra weight is negligible when you consider how much you can pack into a sea kayak.

Then, sad person that I am, I bunged a load of basic kit under it for a practice packing session; well the Piel Island trip is only 2 months away, and who knows what else I may get up to.

For the gear freaks: Rab Generator top, Rab Survival Zone bivvy bag, Thermarest ProLite 3. TAR Chair, Tesco Ultralight down sleeping bag, Alpkit Gourdon 20L drybag, Exped drybag,  Jetboil, Trangia 27 with gas converter, Vango 2 Man shelter [Just in case], Ajungilak pillow, 2x Nalgene bottles one with LED's built into top.

The dog can come but he has to paddle his own bloody boat this time.

10 of us from FoA/Liverpool CC met up at Llanddonas beach Anglesey with the aim of circumnavigating Puffin Island.
21km, with a reasonable weather forecast, the only doubts being that the wind and the rain could rear their heads at some times.

We set off into a slight headwind, making good progress along the cliffs for about 8km, then the wind came up a bit and we had to get the rate up to go through the channel between the lighthouse and the coast to our lunchstop at Penmon Beach.

Whilst we feasted, Aled Williams [ex Rockpool Kayaks and probably one of the most experienced sea paddlers in the UK] turned up in one of his new Tide Race kayaks, and had a brief chat. We set off again, but this time the sea was definitely more choppy, and with the tide coming out of the Menai Strait made the paddling more difficult, and very exciting.

It was rapidly becoming the sort of conditions that experienced sea kayakers revel in, I felt a bit uneasy, but made it through ok, never feeling that a capsize was imminent, and as we approached the Island the waves and swell went down.

Then my first problem occurred; whilst on the beach I had moved my footrests forward 1 slot as they didn't feel right with the shoes I had on. BIG mistake. I was now very uncomfortable in the boat, and starting to get twinges in my thigh muscles. In addition I got cramp in my left hand that was so bad I had to call for help as I couldn't grip the paddle. Keith and Mike who were the most experienced of the group came to my aid whilst I waited for the spasms to go. [If this had happened in the tidal race I would have been in deep trouble] This cramp recurred about 4 times and each time I needed help, for which I wholeheartedly thank those people who came to my assistance.

The footpeg problem got worse, as did the weather, heavy rain, and eventually I needed a tow to a small beach to readjust them. From then on I was more comfortable, and the cramp in the hand went away, and we cruised with the tide back to the start point.
I then managed to fall in as I was trying to surf in on an 18" wave. Doh!

It was definitely a trip to reinforce the safety aspect that you should never paddle alone, especially on a day when the weather was so unpredictable, and the state of the water could change in an instant. The new Aquanaut was definitely put through it's paces, and I now feel more confident in it. I'm still not happy with the paddles I've got though, I think they may be too long.

Next Sea Blug: Intermediate Sea Kayaking course with Nigel Dennis Sea Kayaking at the end of July