Wales. Not Whales
Back with a bang. Blurry from the weekend. Jez was up at 2am to get us back to Hartland Quay to dump the ginger in the water and start the crossing to Lundy. This was going to be a week in the open ocean, where we wouldn’t be able to anchor; so that means constant sailing through the night. We had barely started and I was already falling asleep in the kayak. I actually started sleep talking. I know. Worrying.
We were being pushed in every single direction. This was one of my most irritating days on the expedition. I was navigating using a compass but we were almost going round in circles. There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could aim for. I just had to follow Jez but we were being drifted so far away from him. The tide then changed and we hadn’t made the point we needed to so that we could use it. We finally called it a day and head for Lundy. An island with only 28 residents, filled with puffins and seals, that has been owned by Kings and pirates, costs £5 to step onto, with a little local tavern that we settled into.
The next few days were filled with tankers, odd tides, the open ocean, boiling hot weather, seals, sailing the boat through the night, lots of custard creams, puffins, calm seas and the sighting of Wales. On day 21 of the expedition, we were finally whizzing along the Welsh headland. And after a day of headlands we were suddenly crossing Milford Haven shipping channel. At this moment, 100′s of birds flew around Sean and me as we paddled across. Previously before that, Sean and I got uncontrollable hysterics. And previously before that we had put my paddle in the sky for a feed. Jez was livid. The one moment on the whole trip we just needed to keep going, Sean was being slow. Luckily Jez has immaculately timed it and while Owain peered through a set of binoculars, we missed two tankers with perfect timing.
We celebrated the Welsh arrival with cake and bubbly. The following days saw caves, ship wrecks and rumours of a Maco shark in the area. And then Jack Sound. A perilous channel with strong currents and rocky obstacles. This was our final task before steak in St. David’s. Bring on two days of rest. Rare meat. Onion rings. Beers. Interviews with Simply Swim. Cathedrals. Ice cream. Errands. Shopping. And Haribo re-stock.
And a major route change. We would now be leaving the Welsh coast and heading for… Ireland. Bring on the Lucky Charms, leprechauns and four leaf clovers. So we are now sitting above ‘Friday While’, waiting to board and to venture back to Jack Sound. And the next leg of our journey.
Ireland.
We will be in the open ocean for the next five days. And will report back on the other end.
Let the journey continue.
