Jersey - Tour de Rozel

Pretty Jersey Cows

After managing to find lovely Jersey ice cream every day, I was surprised at the lack of Jersey coos around the place. We had only seen the odd one or two, certainly not enough to supply all that ice cream. I always thought Jersey coos were pretty coos so I was pleased when, coming into St Helier, tucked in a wee field between a couple of houses, there they were hiding, lots of them!

Checking out how much tide has still to come in

Today's trip is out to the Tour de Rozel. We made our way along to St Catherines again, happy in the knowledge that with all those coos the ice cream shop with the big dollops at the top of the slipway wasn't about to run out of ice cream, something to look forward to at the end of the day!
Agnes took us for a gentle paddle out past the breakwater and up the coast towards Rozel. The water was lovely and calm when we stopped for some lunch. We finished lunch and the tide had turned, what a difference in the waters. Masses of water was swooshing at great speed through a narrow channel, playtime!

The water seemed to keep changing with the flow going one way and the waves coming from the side.

By the time we were to turn back home, we paddled further out and rode what was like a travelator all the way back down to St Catherines and of course our ice cream!
Yet another great day's paddling!

Jersey - Ecrehous and back - the long way!

Lots of bonsai paddlers!

 After having had another long and tiring previous day, I wasn't sure I was going to be fit today, but I'm always amazed at how good it is to get back in the boat and get the old joints moving again.
Our adventure today was to be a trip out to the Ecrehous, a lovely little group of islands about 6 miles from Jersey, a little further from France.

Getting closer

 Heading out past the long breakwater at St Catherines, we set off under the watchful eyes of John and Eric. It was quite sometime before we saw the first glimpses of the islands, but eventually they did come into view a bit clearer.

France off in the distance

The waters round the islands are beautifully clear, reminding me a little of the skerries round Arisaig except the beaches are pebbly.

We had a quick stop on the islands getting to have a wee keek into one of the houses whilst we were there.

Could be described as bijou!

 Big problem with the Ecrehous, no trees or bushes, and every rock you tried to hide behind seemed to be in full view of other visitors!!!

We were soon heading back out, cutting through the small outer islands then making for St Catherines again. One of the websites states the travel time from St Catherines to the Ecrehous is 15 minutes - not in our kayaks it wasn't, it took us almost 3.5 hours to return, thanks to the 5knot tide. We kept adjusting our angle, but we were still going to miss St Catherines. John said to aim for the castle at Orgueil, we'd paddle up the eddy from there. We seemed to have paddled for miles, seeing our destination and never quite reaching it, not much fun for me due to the aforementioned lack of hidey spots out on the islands! Hubby dear had paddled just ahead of me to help me out of the boat and I think must have announced my dilemma to everyone on the pier who seemed to jump out of my way as I sprinted (as best as I could!) up the hill to the loos.
We had a look at one of the paddlers GPS tracking thingies. A lovely straight line on the way across, but a HUGE curve on the way back. It really did show how strong the currents are there.
The good thing about this get out is the icecream shop at the top of the pier - massive dollops - fantastic!
We had to stop and have a look at the sandcastle built by Simon the sandwizard it was absolutely stunning!

 

Jersey - Wheeeeeee!

Looking for rough water

I crawled along for breakfast, I think yesterdays rough water rescues has taken it out of me, but todays sessions should be easier - rough water handling!!!

Richard from Cornwall

Hubby dear keeping his feet dry!

Showing off as usual

Back down to Corbiere, of course still no drysuit, but thankfully, the water is considerably warmer here than in Scotland! When we got there, there was a distinct lack of rough water so we had a wee paddle up through the rocks til the tide turned. We then headed back down by the lighthouse where Richard from Cornwall put us through our paces in the now lumpier water, vectoring, breaking in and out round the rocks, then again backwards, hitting targets and lots more besides!  

Now his feet are wet!

Richard sitting pretty

Quick bite of lunch, then off for our afternoon session, surfing down at St Ouen's Bay. Paul, John and Tracey were there giving us hints and tips. Again there wasn't a lot of surf, but enough to give us a wee taster, a real good giggle, a fine chance to go "whee" lots and true to surfing form, we surfed til we dropped with just one last go - OK, just another last go, - right, this one has to be our last go, OK, this is really our last go!

Missed that one!

Wheeeeee!

Yet another great days paddling before going onto a buffet, then dancing til the wee hours down the road at the Corbiere Phare.

Jersey - Pancakes? Yes please!

 

Pancakes, this way!

 Up and raring to go, we made our way round for breakfast. One of the noticeable things here is the noise that so many kayakers can make! Everyone telling everyone else about their previous days adventures and finding out where they were going that day. It's such an exciting, happy noise!
Our adventure for today was starting off with a drive to the north of Jersey, to the beautiful bay of Greve de lecq. We put in here, had a short paddle along to the east a bit, before turning back and landing for a cookery demo.

More beautiful blue waters

Up in the viewing gallery

The "kitchen" was set up on a nice flat rock with a rocky viewing gallery running round the back. The theme was "one pot cooking". This activity came highly recommended so we were fair looking forward to it.
Paul got various stoves set up and explained the different benefits of each one. He then went on to show us how to use one pot for making some delicious  camping meals, explaining that pre camp prep goes along way to making food even tastier whilst out in the wilds. He finished this off by making some very tasty pancakes which I had the honour of dotting with chocolate buttons! Maybe I should take up cake decorating as a career, oh wait! that's what I'm retiring from on the 2nd of August - yippee!

On the receiving end of a decorating lesson!

Tasty Jersey bean hotpot

Leaving our diningroom

It was then a short paddle back to the beach before zooming off for our next destination.
Our afternoon session was down at Corbiere lighthouse for a rough water rescue session with Irish Mike. This would obviously mean a wet session. Did I mention I wasn't allowed to bring my drysuit? I did however have my non dry, dry trousers.

We put in next to the lighthouse, where we were given a wonderful demonstration as to why you don't risk crossing the causeway at the last minute. The tide was just beginning to wet the path when the first boats were launched. By the time the 3rd had put in, the water was swooshing extremely fast across it.

We were paired up, poor Mark from Cornwall being paired with me! Now anybody who cares to read these blogs will be well aware of my AWOL roll! It hasn't returned! No matter what I'm trying. I've decided good support strokes are much more important and an ability to get rescued! I even managed to talk Mark through a successful roll! I did however manage a self rescue clambering on the back and getting in. We then headed out a bit further for more work on rescuing and getting rescued in bumpy waters. Poor Mark did get a bit confused with one rescue, I think between my Scottish accent and Mike's Irish one, we might have been speaking gobbildygook!
Back off the water, I sloshed back up the hill with terrible water retention in my ankles, at least until I took off my swamped dry trousers!
Yet another fantastic days paddling which had built up a thirst which could only be quenched with some lovely cold cider before dinner and evening entertainment.