Just home after a splendid couple of days guiding a team of students through the Menai Straits in open canoes. A kit intensive few days, but all very rewarding. I learnt more about the Menai Straits as well as a few things about fishing too!

Some students had asked if we could organise a fishing expedition, as this weekend the plans and ideas were brought into fruition. With John’s expertise, of the Straits and the groups keenness for fishing, we travelled through the notorious waters and camped for the night on a small island.

While I know a fair bit about canoes, I had a lot to learn about fishing and all the associated ‘tackle’ as I believe it’s called! With some well laden canoes, over night camping gear, food, sleeping kit and fishing rods, we set off in the pouring rain from Menai Bridge, into a howling headwind on Saturday. As we shot through the bridge arch on the tide, and bounced over the boils and eddie lines of some confusing water, it started off not quite how we’d imagined it during the planning phases!

Late in the afternoon, as we neared our island, the clouds finally relented and the day finished with a welcome burst of sunshine which dried us out before we reached camp.

Despite our best efforts, and some heroic tussles, we didn’t managed to land any fish. But nobody really minded – we were all there for the adventure and prudently, we’d brought supplies with us to cook in the evening.

Even some night fishing heralded no results, so we returned to the campfire and then to our tents. I’d set an alarm for 8am, but was woken by the team well before 7am, who were up and rearing to get going! It was a stunning morning and John provided some great coffee, so I didn’t really mind the early departure from my very warm sleeping bag.

The sun felt warm as we struck camp and repacked the boats ready for round two of ‘Man vs Fish’ – (a match that the fish won!).

This time, we had both the tide and the wind in our favour, so it was a much easier journey after the hard work of the day before, battling into the wind. And of course, the sun helps.

After trying our luck in a few eddies, we let the tide take us back under the huge span of Menai Bridge where we were re-united with dry land. A brilliant journey….