Windy day in Rhosneigr

 It seems to be a bit of a theme this academic year! Our geology field trips are marred by strong winds. We started as we would go on, on Llanddwyn. We had the sea being blown into our faces at times! 

Our trip to the Cemaes area was even worse. Any stronger winds and we would have had to cancel it. The Rhoscolyn trip was the exception. The weather was fab! But now we were gearing up for the trip to Rhosneigr. And the forecast was a bit like that for our Cemaes trip: just on the right side of acceptability. And the tide was such that we needed to start later than usual.

I drove the SOS 4WD there, picking up one student along the way. We had a good chat in the car. And we were the first on the scene. 

I had been worried about this; only days earlier I had completely lost my voice, and now I needed to shout over the wind to a whole group of students. But it was ok! We had decided I would do the introduction, and the spiel at the second outcrop we would reach. After that I would leave it to the men. So I was sure that that early on, I would manage! And I did. We found a sheltered spot for the introduction. And the second outcrop wasn’t that bad either. 

Dei holds forth about hornfels

Hornfels invisible under lichen

The later in the day, the more exposed the outcrops were. Jaco had to do a fair amount of shouting! And our last stop was the beach. The sheer number of windsurfers and kite surfers emphasised just how suboptimal the weather was for what we were doing. We looked at the beautiful deformed turbidites on the beach, but then called it a day. Another year when we don’t get to see the beach conglomerates! But they have been there for some 470 million years. They won’t be impatient. 

Turbidites in a mudstone background 

Students on beach, surfers in sea

When I got back to my office I was zonked. Being that buffeted by the wind is tiring! But we did it. I think I have to miss the next trip as I am otherwise engaged. So only one more for me! Let’s hope we get a break from the wind then…