'The Twist' goes to Mojácar,again.

   At the extreme southern end of Mojácar beach, past the last of the hotels, bars, shops etc., and where the seafront road swings inland and starts to climb into the mountains, there is another little sheltered bay created behind a rock and concrete mole - much the same as the one I went to with The Twist a couple of weeks ago.  This was my kayak paddling destination early yesterday morning - to try a new spot and to try out a recent birthday present.

I reached there at about 0745h. and there was already quite a contingent of sea anglers fishing from the mole.  I was glad of the shelter provided by the mole for launching as there was a bit of swell coming from the north east  and a bit of a breeze from the same direction.

Clear of the mole the sea was quite choppy.

The birthday present was a kayak drogue - sea anchor, sea sock, drift anchor, parachute brake are also among many terms used for this bit of kit, but I'm sticking with 'drogue', as it's the shortest.  I'm familiar with drogues being used on yachts and motor boats in heavy weather at sea, but I'd never come across a kayak drogue and, for the sort of quiet paddling I do, I did wonder whether I would ever use it.  So I did a bit of research and discovered that drogues are used quite regularly by sea anglers fishing from sit-on-top kayaks - mainly to slow down their drift across fishing grounds when it gets a bit windy.  This was a bit of an eye opener and, although I'm not an angler, I could now visualize occasions when I might want to use a drogue in open water.

This is the kayak drogue and towline as received.  It was labelled as an 18 inch (457 mm) drogue which is the width of the large end when folded flat.  When opened out it is like a very large fabric funnel.  The loop at the smaller end is for the attachment of a trip & recovery line.

Update (several days later):  I've only just noticed that the loop of webbing at the smaller end isn't actually showing in the photograph!  It is there, as seen in the next one.

My internet research revealed that a kayak drogue, just used to slow down drift, doesn't necessarily need a very long towline.  So I rigged mine on the end of my 4 metre long bow line (the blue one) and used the line supplied with the drogue (the black one) as a trip & recovery line.  Drogues, when no longer needed, tow through the water easier pointy end first.

The first trial with the drogue wasn't a great success, as there wasn't enough wind to cause my kayak to pull hard enough to open out the 'funnel'.  Later, when the wind freshened considerably, it worked very well as rigged.  The Twist was almost stationery in the water with the bow pointing up into the wind.  It was a very comfortable feeling and I think that this drogue will become a standard bit of kit on both my kayaks.

Recovery of the drogue, pointy end first.  Apparently, among kayaking sea anglers, the jury is 'out' regarding whether a trip & recovery line is really necessary.  It should be possible to just paddle forward, pick up the float on the towline and just lift the drogue straight out of the water.  That would avoid the possibility of the trip & recovery line fouling the drogue and preventing it from opening - more experimentation is obviously needed in the way the drogue is rigged.

After about 1½ hours of pleasant paddling and messing about I was back on the beach.  The shelter from the mole was again welcome, as nearer to the car park the bigger surf would have made landing tricky.

From this point northwards, there is at least 5 kilometres of hotels, apartment blocks, bars, restaurants, clubs and all the various shops which make up Mojácar sea front.

The Twist is not a 'thing of beauty' but she is nimble, responsive and feels safe.  That odd looking bow lifts reassuringly over swells and waves.

The view to the south, from where I was parked.  This proved to be a nice place for kayaking.  Just a bit removed from the main tourist drag, a decent car park (if you get there fairly early) where it's possible to park close to the water and a nice stretch of coastline to paddle along if the conditions are right.  I did get as far as that biggest rock sticking out of the sea before the wind freshened too much.

The view to the north from where I was parked.  People are now starting to arrive on the beach.

As I was packing up, this sea angler, on a sit-on-top kayak, came paddling in.  We had passed each other within hailing/waving distance earlier on and had exchanged greetings.  I hadn't been the only kayak on the water that morning.

'The Twist' goes to Mojácar.

  I made an early start yesterday morning and took my little inflatable kayak to Mojácar beach.  Some months back I had earmarked a likely looking sheltered spot for kayaking and wanted to give it a try,

 I arrived at approx. 0730h and the sun had just come up - as usual.

Despite the early hour there weren't many parking spaces available on the sea front.  I was lucky to find one within easy walking/carrying distance of this little haven.

I launched in the far corner of this bay, which has been created behind a rock and concrete mole. Getting on the water elsewhere would have been a little tricky, as swells, insignificant once away from the beach, were causing a nasty draw-back on a beach that shelves quite steeply at the waters edge.

Got onto the water about 0800h.  Far too early for a life-guard to be on duty up on that seat!

Those aren't rocks in the water - they are cork floats marking the limits of a 'no bathing' zone where hired play boats and kayaks are launched.

But nobody wants to hire craft this early in the day ..........

.......... nor make use of all those sunbeds.

In fact the beach was pretty deserted everywhere.

Open water with just a hint of a swell.

Feet up - enjoying the moment!

For the safety of bathers there is a 'no go' area for boats between these yellow buoys and the shore.  I don't know whether 'boats' includes kayaks and suchlike.

Back on the beach just after 0900h, as the day starts to heat up.

Temperatures are easing a little now that we are into September but it is still very uncomfortable being cinched up in a buoyancy aid for too long.  It's akin to wearing a zipped up, quilted, body warmer on a very hot day!

I am very grateful to whoever decided that building this mole, on an otherwise exposed bit of coastline, was a good idea.  It has created a nice sheltered spot for children to swim, and for kayaks, of course!

There is another sheltered, but smaller, bay on the other side of the spit of sand linking this mole with the shore.

A lonely kayak -and equally lonely looking sunshade has now appeared on the far beach.

Half an hour or so later, as I leave for home, the beach was getting busier.

This was a good spot for a nice quiet paddle around - but only if you get there early.

Twisting in Garrucha Harbour

   Been back on the water with my Twist today.  Open water sea conditions, due to a run of days with fresh onshore winds, haven't been ideal for me lately, but I thought it would be nice and sheltered in Garrucha harbour  for a pootle around - and it was.

   There aren't any suitable places within the harbour to launch a kayak, so I started from a sheltered stretch of beach just outside the entrance.  The sun was just coming up as I parked on Garrucha seafront and unpacked.  An early start enabled me to get on the water by 8 o'clock - and off again before the sun was too hot.

0730h and the sun's up - just.

0800h and Garrucha beach is pretty deserted as I get onto the water. 

Also pretty deserted in the fishermen's part of the port,

Behind these boats is a covered area for drying and mending nets.

Maritime rescue vessel.

The commercial part of the port was busier.

   The Dutch cargo ship "Moezelborg" arrived while I was there.  I watched the tugs nudging her into a berth to load gypsum.  A variety of cargoes used to be shipped out of Garrucha, now it is almost wholly gypsum.  A constant stream of heavy lorries bring it to the dockside from a mine inland.

Space here for another ship.

Onwards to the pleasure craft marina.

Among all the plastic boats was just one traditional looking craft.

Heavy lifting rig to launch and recover very big boats.

Office of the Garrucha port authority.

Leaving the harbour and heading back to the beach.

0930h and a few people on the beach now.

Aquatic play area.

Looking back at the port of Garrucha - been and seen it all.

The Second Outing of 'The Twist'.

   I took my Gumotex Twist inflatable kayak down to the coast early this morning.  A little beach, just outside the entrance to a small harbour at Villaricos, looked promising as a launching place.  Villaricos has two little harbours, one at each end of its seafront promenade.  I was by the southern one.

   The problem of carrying a camera and other bits of 'stuff' in this little kayak has been resolved  .......... bought a buoyancy-aid jacket which has pockets.  Here's a few photos from this mornings trip :-

Good morning world ........

........  it looks a nice place for a quiet paddle.

Early morning dippers (people, not birds).

Preparing to enter the harbour.

Going in.

Inside the harbour.

Fancy a trip in a glass-bottomed boat? 

About to leave the harbour.

Going out.

Open water

Dodging rocky outcrops.

And there are plenty of rocky outcrops to dodge around.

Heading back to the beach (that's our trusty little van all alone there).

Ready to pack it all away again.

This was a good place for a peaceful little bimble on the briny!

   In a few days time this bit of coast won't be so peaceful.  The 2017 Villaricos Dreambeach music festival starts soon.  As I drove away on the coast road, I saw the big stages going up along the shore, car parking being marked out, camping areas prepared and hundreds of porta-loos being unloaded.  Thousands of young people (mainly) will be soon be arriving for six days of dancing and jiggling to that chest-hurting beat of electronic music.  Bless 'em!

Beating the Heat

   The purchase of a lightweight, single-seat, inflatable kayak (see My Kayaks and My Kayaks Photo Gallery pages) has enabled me to get back on the water again for quiet paddles ........ just for short periods.

   Early yesterday morning I had a trial run with it.  Left home just before 7 o'clock and was on the water, on Garrucha sea-front, a few minutes past 8.  Unloading, inflating and carrying down to the water took about 15 minutes, which is a lot, lot quicker than with my folding kayak.  I was off the water and heading home again before the day got uncomfortably hot.

   On the water, despite its small size, the Twist performed well.  It was comfortable, rode reassuringly easily over swells and can turn on a sixpence.  It does yaw a bit when paddled hard, which is only to be expected of a kayak only 2.6 metres long (even shorter waterline length), but, with my quiet paddling ethos, that is inconsequential.  Although not a contender to my Valkure 1 folding kayak, the Twist looks as if it will be a fun craft for any opportunity of a quick paddle.

   Sorry there aren't any photos of the maiden voyage.  The Twist does not have a secure, dry cockpit like that of its predecessor.  Stowage of a camera needs a bit of thought.