Big water fun at Pladda.





The weather forecast:    South East Force 6, heavy rain.

           Work cancelled.

Perfect!

Grieg and I headed to Pladda for some gnarly paddle play. Not a force 6 to start, we launched at the Yellow Port out into 1m waves and surf and maybe a force 4.


 Staying off to the west to keep out of the flat water downwind of the Island we moved south and then across the causeway around to the east side into sheltered seas. Great place to get in some rolling practice before heading out into the big seas at the exposed south side of Pladda. The south side of the Island is rocky and unforgiving in strong onshore winds, large breaking surf onto the rough shore leaves us with a sense of caution and awe. Not a place to go swimming. Reflected waves mix with the wind waves and the sea gets chaotic and big with the wind rising.
2m waves with some breaking tops give us a great thrilling time, try as I might the photos just don't do it justice.


This was definitely the most intense part of the trip, but the best fun, well that was going downwind heading back North. Surf fun, the wind starting to ease again and the waves big and fast.
As we reached the side of Pladda all the fun was too much and our adrenaline fueled heads where starting to overheat, so rolling and rescue practice looked like the only way forward!


Going for a roll.



Self rescue practice.


Heads starting to cool off now....


More self rescue.



Wait for it.......





Fantastic day for a lark about, the return to land was again surf fun and we played for a while before finishing.

Happy days.






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