Great Orme Sept 2025 by Mike Alter

Aside from one day of the most recent club trip to Anglesey, I haven’t been in a kayak/sea kayak for several years. As such, Keith’s recent advert for a great weather trip really appealed. Great weather means flat calm, doesn’t it?

The plan was to meet at Llandudno RNLI station, where there is ample free parking and an easy launch.

The ample free parking was slightly complicated by the RNLI having an open day and fun run, but 5 paddlers met there and got on. One paddler thought the sea looked so flat that they didn’t need to wear a spray deck. However, even though it looked calm, they soon decided to land and go back to the car for their deck. [NB just for clarity, a spraydeck is mandatory for all club trips at sea]

All on the water, with some taking layers off due to the heat, we headed over to the pier before our trip around Great Orme – hopefully stopping on some of the beaches.

As we rounded the first headland, the wind picked up, as did the swell. Deffo a day for decks. And we couldn’t stop on any beaches due to the seals resting there in the Autumn sun. To give them space, we headed out a little, but that put us in some confused water, battling against the flooding tide. We all survived and headed towards West Shore, where we found a rapidly shrinking beach for a late luncheon, even later elevenses.

Heading back before the tide turned against us, we zoomed back with the wind, tide and waves at our backs. Sadly, no seals this time, but no time for stopping.

We soon returned to the rather quieter RNLI station, where we got out and popped along to the beach cafe for post paddle drinks. The hot chocolate had a mountain of cream sitting atop a raft of marshmallows.

A great 18.5km trip! Ormes in good sunny weather, and so nice to be back out on the sea

Mike, Eamon, Adya, Catriona and Keith.