Hi - two questions - we want to go to the bitches for a weekend - can anyone advise if a Riot Air will be ok - we're reasonable standard and did years of wave skiing in Australia - thanks, secondly, where's the best place to stay at the bitches?

Paul

Any playboat will work fine at bitches - and afaik there is a campsite nearby. Be warned though - it can be a dangerous place for the uninitiated, if you've not been before find someone who has to take you out there.

More info here:
www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/bitches.htm

I normally camp at Whitesands as its in the next bay around and on a surf beach! Its not far to drive from there to St Justinians where the launch is!

Las time we walked up the footpath and slept in a field under the stars aswome clear night! or sleep in the car or theres several b&bs in St Davids

Paddle out about 3 hours before high tide in Milford Haven Or before if you are using short boats the race will start flowing about an hour after that so you should be by the island then paddle up to the last bit of land then start the long ferry over to ramsey. If the tide has started flowing then you will soon be paddling through waves haystacks boils etc!

It is a great place and one of my favourite places in the Uk for paddling due to it never being the same

Your best bet is to go out on a smaller tide to start with just to get a feel of the place it can be very weird and if theres wind against tide it wont be very pleasent out there so stick with surfing

You need people to have a decent roll and the ability to hold breath for abit swims can be long drawn out affairs so take a towline(especially by the main wave) the hole isnt so bad as it is closer to the island so rescues arent always as long best bet is not to swim though as you are a mile out to sea in very fast flowing water!

when you goin as it could be worth checking the tides on
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast/data/2006080...20060804.shtml#graph

These will be in GMT so add an hour onto the times for British Summer Times
and check out the spots guide on this site and my photo album of the place

Enjoy the bitches
it cleanses your soul! but be safe

Thanks both of you!

so have you got out yet? if so how did you find the place? if not i should hopefully going down sometime in the near future before i go back off to uni