Carpe Paddlarum

I got a text message asking if I wanted to go out and play with some of the usual suspects who have been putting up the fastest times on the Menai Challenge in recent weeks. It was an "après travail" paddle, so the last 30 minutes in the shop were spent loading a couple of boats on the roof as Ben was joining us.

This one wasn't an attempt on the aformentioned challenge, but simply a bimble up the straits around Ynys Seiriol (or Puffin Island for those who don't speak Cymraeg) and back down to Porth Penmon. Puffin Island is the 9th largest island off the coast of Wales.

It all started well, I texted to say that we'd arrived and we had, just not in the same lay-by as the other four. So we moved around the corner, got changed and carried our boats down to the waters edge. It was a big tide and a long carry.

We launched our boats and just paddled along at a leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery, inspecting the wreck of the 471 ton sand dredger Hoveringham, which is revealed at low water and on low springs easily accessed by kayak. It's teeming with marine life.

And on this occasion even had a few of the "redactum maculosus salsus mare canis"  in residence.

As we passed between Penmon Point and Perch Rock, a small pod of porpoise passed us, but alas I was too slow in snatching my camera from the deck bag and so their passing went unrecorded. We paddled up the east side of Puffin Island, named after the now much reduced colony of Fratercula arctica (Puffins to you and I), rather than the Puffinus puffinus which is the latin name for the Manx Shearwater and a completely unrelated species. The puffins numbers were greatly reduced following the accidental introduction of the Rattus norvegicus (Brown rat and coincidentally the title of one my favourite albums in my teens, by the popular beat combo, The Stranglers). Strangely, the largest bird population found on the island now is Phalacrocorax carbo, the Great Cormorant.

We continued to the North Eastern corner and found an abundance of Halichoerus grypus, Atlantic Grey Seal. Although we approached quietly a number of them still took to the water, but they soon became their usual inquisitive selves.

We sat with the seals, watching them watching us, watching them watching us for a short while before we moved on.

We paddled back past the lighthouse as the sun was setting.

The plan was to be back in time for pysgod a sglodion, fish & chips for the non Cymraeg speakers, in Menai Bridge, but we dawdled and enjoyed the scenery as we passed the wreck of the Hoveringham again.

The title of todays post, well, I'd used Carpe Diem just over a year ago, and I don't want to be too repetitive, so I cobbled together some of the pidgin latin I could remember from my alma amater, Eastbrook Comprehensive I've used the feminine genitive plural, "Carpe paddlarum", "Sieze the paddles". I'm happy to be corrected & educated by any latin scholars out there.

Thanks to John, Pascale, Aled, Marcus & Ben for their company. If paddlings not your thing and carpe paddlarum doesn't apply for you, still Carpe diem, sieze the day and make every second count. You're a long time dead!!

Our Current Stock of Used & Ex-Demo boats & some clearance deals.

We have the following boats available at present, both part-exchange boats & ex-demo boats:


River & Play Boats:
Pyranha Molan Medium - Lime/Yellow.
Excellent condition, very light use, taken as a P/X. £550

Jackson 2Fun - Purple
Ex-demo, has a few Stanley scratches from sitting in the eddy. It's a Cross-linked model with sweetcheeks & happy feet. £550


Wavesport 4-Play - Yellow/Orange
Another P/X boat, go old school with the extra length and cartwheel your heart out on Stanley £250

Wavesport Fuse 56 - Citrus 2010 Model WITHOUT the new white outfitting, it's just been sat around for too long, it needs a new home. Reduced from £799 to £639

Wavesport Diesel 60 - Citrus 2010 Model WITHOUT the new white outfitting, same again, it's been here gathering dust for too long, we've wiped it down so it's not dusty when we ship it out. Reduced from £849 to £679

Sea Kayaks:

P & H Capella 161, composite construction with green glitter deck, yellow trim, white hull. Ex-demo, well used some star cracks in places, but a bargain at £949. Drop us a line if you'd like to see more photos.

Wilderness Systems Zephyr 16.0, yellow. A part-exchange in stunning condition, includes a Yak Spray deck used a handful of times by the original owner who upgraded to a glass boat. £875

NDK/SKUK Explorer HV Red Deck, Black Trim, White Hull. Another part-exchange boat well used, but well maintained, it has a wire skeg and we've just replaced all the decklines. £1099

P & H Delphin 155, cosmetic seconds, just a couple left, one in Sunbeam & another in Electric Blue. RRP £1299, just £999 each.

Rockpool Alaw, Blue Deck with glitter & Kelp graphics, cosmetic second, some picking of the glass matting on the hull in the cockpit area. Just £1,995

Sit-on-Tops:

Feelfree Nomad (Mark One) these don't have the wheel in the keel, they're 2 years old taken in P/X for a double and are available at just £275 each.

We've a package deal on the Feelfree Mokken 10, one available in RED comes with a Stohlquist A-Sea PFD (£65) in Cactus, a Feelfree back rest (£35) and  Feelfree paddle (£55) for just £649.

Clothing & accessories:
We're offering the Peak UK Tourlite Hoody in Lime or Orange reduced from £109 to £80 while stocks last.

We've also got Peak UK Tourlite Shortsleeve cags in Red or Blue reduced from £65 to £45 while stocks last.

We have Rab Womens Microfleece in Sizes 8-16 in colours Cayenne, Lilac & Sage reduced from £40 to £30 while stocks last.

Nookie C1 Paddlebags suitable for paddles up to 56" (142cm) in length, Ideal for open canoe paddles & split touring paddles, reduced from £39.99 to £25.

We may have a few more clearance bargains to add in later this week, add us as a like on facebook for instant updates on our latest offers.

Reed Chillcheater goodies on Sunshine Island

They've finally arrived. We've got Reed cags, deckbags, spraydecks, replacement hatch covers and more all available in store on sunshine island (admittedly a little grey today, but dry in the main).

15 litres, waterproof and tough PU coated nylon deck bag. Six point deck attachment. Fully taped seams just £28. You couldn't do it yourself for that price.