An early Saturday morning last weekend saw my brother Nick and I heading down the M4 to Oxwich Bay on Gower for a paddle whilst the tide was right.  We're enjoying/enduring a heat wave here in the UK and light winds - great for kayaking if a little warm.

The beach was quiet when we arrived, just a few divers gearing up to explore the wreck that lies on the sea bed off the point.  Great to be gliding out over slightly ruffled water and a tiny swell.  The water's so clear at the moment due to the calm weather and it was easy to see the bottom in several metres of water.  Approaching Oxwich Point it became clear that conditions were a little different up there - bug overfalls develop here and it was just getting going. Going out and turning west the tide was with us and we shot through the short seas into the longer swell the far side.  Once out of the bay it's a different world - just us, the waves, a lot of jagged rocks and not many landing options.  Much more serious.

The beauty of kayaking is the kayakers relationship with wildlife.  Animals take a totally different appraoch to you and seem to accept you as another water-dweller.  We were delighted to be paddling along with three seals once round the Point (one bull, two cows), and it was fantastic how close they came to us out of pure curiousity.  Beautiful creatures and a priviledge to share their patch with them.