SWYD Sprint Triathlon

Was up early on a Sunday morning to walk over the island to be a Marshall on the run course of the Sprint Triathlon. It was apparently the third race in the super sprint series, and an Age Group qualifier for the European Sprint Championships.

I reported in at the transition area in the main car park, collected my Hi-Vis and goody bag and headed out to my Marshall spot. We had been given What Three Words locations and mine was on the corner where they turned off Friar's Point back down towards the prom. It gave me a bird's eye view of the swim phase.

It was a lovely sunny day but quite breezy. The 750m swim started at 7.00am, and was a triangular course around two buoys out in Whitmore Bay. There were lots of safety boats and kayakers, which was just as well as the wind direction was not with the swimmers on any of the legs, and at least 6 contestants had to be rescued early as they couldn't make it against the wind around the first buoy. The lead swimmers had finished in 10 minutes. The final swimmer, who had been doing breast stroke, took just under an hour. 

The bike course took them out and back along Ffordd y Millennium, back into transition, and then onto two laps of a run course along the prom, halfway along the causeway and back, up onto Friar's Point and back down to the finish by Transition. The lack of a detailed briefing meant I only knew it was two laps not one when I saw the leaders go through for the second time. A guy on a bike did come to check on me during the race, and confirmed that the final runner had finished so I was free to collect my T-shirt and head home. There were cameras on motorbikes when the leaders went through so I'm going to watch out for it in mid July on S4C.

First Tour Guide Trip

 Did my first solo tour guide trip to Flat Holm. Two guys interested in photography and a father and nine year old daughter were the paying passengers on the BIV boat. Rosie (star of Susan Calman's Grand Day out to the Bay) filled us in on details about the Bay and warned us we might not be able to land due to the brisk NE wind.

The nine year old girl was terrified on the way out as it was definitely a very wet roller coaster ride. We did get to land and hand out life vests over to the Woody's Lodge guys who were leaving. Simon did let on to me that if there had been more life vests on board, we wouldn't have stayed!

The photographers were no problem on the tour but Dad, having been given permission to ask questions, did nothing but ask, but didn't seem interested in any of the answers. His daughter was equally afraid of the gulls so I had to keep the tour short and sweet.

When it came time to go home the rib took two attempts to tie up at the jetty and we had to board at the front as the back was awash with water. Made it back OK through.

2023 Gull Count

Was one of the 2023 Flat Holm Gull counters. It was really tough going with the wild turnip having taken over large swathes of the island. Walking through it trying not to stand on nests, whilst being dive bombed by the gulls was the order of the day.

First 12 hour trip to the island and it was weird seeing the tide out and Castle Rock's gap capable of being walked through.

I did over 13,000 and was totally knackered when we finished.

The numbers were down on last year but that may have been because of the difficulty in counting. The drone couldn't fly because of the wind, so the number comparison couldn't be done. So this years count will not be last after all.
 

Flat Holm Tour Guide Trip

We organised a trip to Flat Holm for the newbie tour guides. We were the second of the two BIV boats going over to the island. We were collected at Barrage South, and went over to the island in convoy. It was a bit bumpy and quite wet even though we were in the wake of the first BIV boat.

Simon took us and the paying customers on his island tour. There was wild turnip all over the place. It looks like rape, which is part of the same family. The Wild peony, which grows in one small fenced off section of the island was in bloom. The area by the farmhouse was covered in bluebells. Most were British but the invasive Spanish have reached the island and hybridisation is happening. The birds were quite feisty as they had started laying eggs, but not too feisty.

Decided that I was ready to do a tour guide trip on my own.

Wonderwool

 Day trip to Wonderwool with Liz, Fi and Sian. I was the chauffeur on the drive to and from the Royal Showground at Builth Wells. So many stalls with so much wool, knitting and crochet stuff. Plus a lot of rare breed sheep.

I did manage to buy something as there was a tremendous stall run by Little Grandma's cooking. Jars of horseradish mustard, Indian spiced chutney, and Lemon ginger chilli made their way home with me.

The Small Space

 

Fi had booked The Small Space on Island Road for Nick's 65th birthday party. 25 people max and Sian wanted people to come dressed as an animated character. I borrowed Tan's Tigger ears as I'm not a fancy dress person. Tan went all out as Woody from Toy Story. Tasty buffet had between the two halves of the Magic Show. The magician was very funny and a talented magician.

First Flat Holm Trip

Booked onto the Bay Island trip over to Flat Holm leaving Barrage South just after 3pm. Parked in the small car park near Penarth Marina as suggested by John Treby. As I walked through the marina to the pick up point, Cardiff Cruises were manoeuvring their new landing craft to join up with the Lewis Alexander. It's amazing to me that the whole marina/barrage area just didn't exist before I went away to University. 

When the rib arrived there were only two other passengers on board. We locked out at 3.30pm. We passed the Barry lifeboat making its way back to Penarth Marina from Welsh St. Donats. With Barry Harbour not having been dredged for the summer season, the lifeboat sits on the silt at the bottom at very low tide, so has to relocate to Penarth Marina. It was definitely bouncy as we crossed its wake.

Simon, the permanent warden, met us at the jetty, where I left my waterproofs, and, after the safety briefing, took us over to the Barracks. As a FHS member I didn't have to pay the £5 landing fee. 

The gulls were quite chilled so I didn't need the folding walking stick. Simon gave us a guided tour, and once that had finished and the ladies had had a drink in the Gull and Leek, I showed them the Victorian gun battery by the lighthouse. The ammo stores steps were no quite finished (Woody's Lodge are doing the work) so couldn't go down. Did catch a glimpse of the Marconi monument. There were rabbits everywhere.