Sea Kayaking Isle of Man - Kayak Fishing.

There's no doubt that for me sea kayaking is about rough water, fast moving tides and strong winds. This is what we experienced as we headed out from Niarbyl on the west side of the Isle of Man on Sunday. As force 5 to 6 north westerly winds battered the Niarbyl rock formations, we headed directly outwards on course for Ireland. This must have looked a bit odd, and perhaps even reckless, to those on the shore near the Niarbyl Cafe. We just wanted the waves on the nose so that we would have an exhilarating surf back to shore.
The trouble for us is that on occasion, even on the Isle of Man, we get flat calm days. We've probably cancelled more trips because it was too calm rather than too stormy! Monday was one such day but we now have a solution. Ian and Jess have been kayak fishing for a while using crabbing hand lines with feathers and a weight attached. I wasn't persuaded but Ian bought a line for me and so in the still calm weather Monday bought, we headed out for Chicken Rock Lighthouse. We were quickly rewarded by the sighting of a pod of dolphins in one of the almost permanent tidal flows which sweep around the rock. It didn't take long for us to begin hauling out pollock from the same spot. I am now a convert to the sport of kayak fishing, and I need never dread again those flat calm days.
(Top photo by Ian Smith)
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