tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84626665033284196672024-03-28T10:54:43.360+11:00Misty Hill BlogTimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-59436495181849112212024-02-01T10:29:00.011+11:002024-03-08T09:55:24.157+11:00A Perfect Days Sea Kayaking?<p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I'd day dreamed before I got there of the perfect combination of tide and wind sweeping me NW from Eddystone to Cape Portland then WSW across Ringarooma Bay to Waterhouse. I then measured the distance, 70+km, gulp and thought 'that'll never happen'.<br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hah, the elusive sea kayakers dream of perfect conditions! </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Somehow it all came together, maybe if you day dream enough, dreams do come true.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The forecast promised light to moderate South Easterlies backing steadily around to eventually a strengthening North Westerly late in the afternoon. I’d better be sure to land at Waterhouse before then, the thought of plodding against a 10-15kn at the end of a long day was not attractive. Let’s work back from a planned landfall at 4pm. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The tide too matched the dream. Navionics predicted the flood stream in the middle of Banks Strait starting about 9:30am, I suspected I would be getting a lift with the tide along the coast before then. Tidetech confirmed this, indicating I’d pick up the flood stream off Cape Naturaliste, Musselroe Point section of coast about 8.00am.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKxl-GJzclu7VQk6ncIIAwhhUH9BJNz0hTfpSk54CfhSLm4h3AKrt6LM1Leo2NwZRyPalj_-O2nMsOtsypU4sEv4gCXLyigK4mUZOz1Jcv2pmkwc9IdUu40nYyCi8G_Zqq-iE1l2ChaTVDGBbGADezhxJyQxjwnjL9RAgHZxu58wghaBsvrDtL5bKg_QO/s3139/IMG_4479.jpeg" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; font-family: -webkit-standard; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="3139" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFKxl-GJzclu7VQk6ncIIAwhhUH9BJNz0hTfpSk54CfhSLm4h3AKrt6LM1Leo2NwZRyPalj_-O2nMsOtsypU4sEv4gCXLyigK4mUZOz1Jcv2pmkwc9IdUu40nYyCi8G_Zqq-iE1l2ChaTVDGBbGADezhxJyQxjwnjL9RAgHZxu58wghaBsvrDtL5bKg_QO/w400-h330/IMG_4479.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My float plan for the day. Features I'd be passing, as I’m not using paper maps, timing and the odd bearing if needed. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">‘Would it be too dark?’ at 5am I wondered? I knew it would be too dark to see the compass but would it be light enough to make out the coast ahead? It was, just. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">There was no discernible glimmer through the clouds in south eastern sky but a waning moon lit a glistening path ahead. I could just make out where the darker grey strip of land petered out between the differing shades of lighter grey of sea and sky. Small dark shadows flitted ghostily across the sky in front of me, shearwaters silently heading out to sea. <br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So, on the water at 5am, sail up, rollicking along with the 8-10kn SE wind, the forecast was spot on, so far. Aiming for the vague difference in greys ahead and appreciating winter Wednesday paddles for the familiarity of paddling in the dark.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A stop in glorious sunshine at Musselroe Pt for a cuppa and couple of big cheese, peanut butter and salad rolls setting off again and I was still ahead of my planned schedule.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">From there the flood tide picked up strongly. Perfect timing to be whisked up the coast early on the flood stream, there was only one noticeable race and associated overfalls and jobbly tidal water off the unnamed point just north of Little Musselroe.<br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Another stop on Cape Portland for coffee and cake and to consider the crossing to Waterhouse Point. The wind had now backed to the NE, lighter but still a sailing breeze. An hour ahead of my schedule and the flood stream near enough at its peak I left for Waterhouse Point, a bearing of 235deg leading the way until land ahead could be seen.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Years ago Lynne and I had crossed Banks Strait to catch the flood stream around Cape Portland where we stopped for lunch and then wondered why we were moving along so well crossing Ringarooma Bay. Ah duh, of course the flood stream but so strong despite such an open body of water. Tidetech, was predicting ~0.6kn north east of Waterhouse Point at the end of the flood.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The crossing went smoothly, a quick stop for a stretch and a muesli bar every hour and suddenly the beach was close enough to be picking a spot to land. The wind though backed west of north a touch too far and I had to take the sail down. So close but so far from having sailed the whole day.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">3pm, an hour ahead of plan and the celebratory wee dram before the drudgery of lugging gear and boat up the beach. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">What a day, a perfect day.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p> <p></p>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-65606497791928456662023-07-24T04:11:00.001+10:002023-07-27T19:25:25.348+10:00 Ullapool! And The End of an Era. <p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Crossing The Minch from The Shiants to Rubha na h-Aiseig on Skye went smoothly. The sea was exactly that and the south-westerly headwind was gentle enough to be pleasantly cooling. For a long featureless crossing the time went remarkably quickly.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In theory the tide should have been taking us south-west but there was no noticeable drift all the way across. We’d timed the crossing to be off the point of Rubha na h-Aiseig at about 1300, the Tidal Atlas indicating the stream changed north-east sometime between 1230 and 1330. A couple of kilometres from Eilean Trodday, the island about 2km off the point, we could see a beach that offered the chance of landing as after nearly three hours in the boat lunch was very much on our minds. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But…..it slowly dawned on us that it didn’t seem to be getting any closer. Out came the GPS and sure enough we were down to less than 4kph. Damn, the north-easterly stream! </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Muesli bars were eaten and bearing away to the east to go with the current also enabled us to put the sails up, our speed doubled and in the lee of Eilean Trodday we sped up even more. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fours hours after leaving The Shiants we found a beach just inside Kilmaluag Bay to land and finally some lunch.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Our camp for the night at Staffin was about 10kms further south. Along the way was a spectacular section of cliffs boasting basalt columns that rivalled those on Garbh Eilean.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_93ce_b946_554b_af9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-y3vsGZ3XCMYkHfbaEaAk4IfW8k41yWroOsQN_KeAWHGJUsi9zTi3_GpxjtttKBeeh5_19h_TGHSwIm1MUy6M09nXtm" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e0af_9394_5b17_3765" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-w7Rob_0YqNkAUvaqgTmUlv2oSot8p8akSBgPGdcbbowCcgxcu0IWqCq_zVrW8xU1UnuoYfMI7TlYKLZMRJ9edFxzqRlA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_40e5_de56_3f9d_6116" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wXi2wqoW-s7RrxZqhD0alo70ZuzYehLNfUN1N2meH5U4ZPJyzc1GC_1tXyLlNKDNKMwUlTWyaDawqtfk6X-XvaOUMAXA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_a065_e1ed_11bd_9fe" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wLDazrs0tYGzZ0HZFWcEYdcBEQ81uEwy7sjC5lrw5Ic_CT0bYst_8CffwVDpciWh230LjeHtf8fDJOIKDIOKLfcqTY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Nesting fulmars.</p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br><img id="id_1c60_aa9e_2563_893b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zpow92b6_Rh6ztZpUGxGqwNGwVi8yghqbqOpA0HfYI89UycGx2gBJSD96q7R9PHsSeHp1ecxLefmlN7a0z8lCoPboCyA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Pulling into the beach at Staffin, the jetty busy with fish farm workers, local families and tourists, suddenly there was a shout. There were the very friendly locals who had tried to help us with new golf cart wheels in Uig last Sunday. It was great to catch up and thank them again for their efforts.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The next day south along the coast from Staffin, across to Rona through Caol Rona, the channel separating Rona and Raasay, to continue south along the eastern shore of Raasay was a day to forget.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was one of those days when if bike riding you’d have stopped to make sure the brakes weren’t rubbing. Or for us in a kayak, do we pull up the rudder to detach the line of creels we seeem to be dragging along behind us? Paddling uphill, through treacle - all day.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With relief we found a grand spot for the tent near the light on Eyre Point. The farmer there didn’t mind us camping right on the point - but the resident Arctic terns did …. we paddled a few hundred metres back and settled in.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Eyre Point was also decision point. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Do we head south through Kyle of Loch Alsh, Kyle Rhea towards Mallaig, Ardnamurchan, Sound of Mull to pull up in style on the beach in front of our friends’ place in Appin. A distance that we could achieve if focused and not held up by weather. Timing could possibly be tight. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Or head north, as planned, to Ullapool. A shorter distance, easily achievable in the time we have left, too easy perhaps we’d really have to be lily dipping to use up the time. Surprisingly we could extend our hire van booking by a few days with a nominal increase in cost enabling us to arrive in Appin in plenty of time and with wheels. Wheels that open up the opportunity to roam and visit more old friends before the seasonal imperative of southerly migration to the warmer climes of Devon and Tim’s Mum’s 90th birthday.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Paddling south and pulling up on the beach at our friends place was very persuasive. What better way to deliver the kayak to its new owners, rather than in four pieces out of the back of a hire van. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So too was heading north, a gentle figuratively downhill cruise to the end.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">South it was. Charts and Tidal Atlas consultation began, we could easily make the tide through Kyle of Loch Alsh but not today through Kyle Rhea.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Suddenly decision reversed. Head north, are we sure? Yes! Right, wrangle the van hire booking, new dates confirmed, old booking cancelled. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Chill, lily dipping our way to Ullapool. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The Inner Sound between Raasay and Applecross is a submarine exercise area, muscle flexing of a live firing variety rather than the lifting of weights.</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_40bf_ccac_d2a8_b4e1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zmgDzrScIeGmnGDhbRMI10oZC9Jelo2EXw1yCCTfdMpQ9VcoxC5YpEHbl6-Krvz4GH89QNiKP0noJhIS3QYRIpxZLcPw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">“Considered to be clear of shipping” Oh good that is reassuring.</font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">UK sea kayak ‘pilot’ Tidelines has this to say. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><a href="https://tidelines.org.uk/pilot/?nomap=t">https://tidelines.org.uk/pilot/?nomap=t</a></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;">“Inner Sound testing area:</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> Underwater weapons testing is carried out in the Inner Sound (MOD BUTEC). If leaving the shoreline, it may be prudent to monitor VHF channel 13.”</span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_5cef_89ce_ff91_eda2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xIRDTOOIEgTM-tdAo1mtcHXOkhEO3rN9DrzSGkTNUCqRz0rMzqBZZVJDMlwJh1BbscaOOGWNp54gQ7uMNJj8eH7oO9Ag" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">The submarine exercise area monitoring buildings. We’re no doubt on some sort of hit list now for this photo.</font><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A short sharp very heavy shower had done its torrential thing on us just as we took down the tent at Eyre Point. Great. Fantastic. A soaking wet tent to put up at the end of the day.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">En route to our camp at </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Ardban and its </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">lovely beach we explored the narrow channel, drying at low tide, that splits the Crowlin Islands.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img id="id_ba3_7678_7e7d_e00b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wYOumv8Bm9HDe0K4MAqVM2yPYjntPtl1VhSU4dxChkaAWGJUxvuKBQu7dlKbnZ2QwbrMNb0BEpX_5N_UNWAx0GZrSd" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>The southern end of the channel made a great lunch spot. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We then paddled north up the eastern side of the Crowlins against a fresh northerly wind, and relieved, turned south to investigate the northern end of the channel under sail.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img id="id_efa0_27f_572_d024" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xIUNOWmdxMt4vWQXlEg8U_Gb1XosNo_Qh0SSZBuTZIpsISGYYRT--iD5EezhRmskg7ueYEElYMiqFCS1yB0VZ0tL1Z0A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>After two kms gentle sailing, another heavy torrential squall bore down on us from the <i>south !!</i></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img id="id_427c_eb86_cb4e_886" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zpsr64I9IW5kvE9AbnHVW06JyzsqtpHFYFzNoWMZaIG4qbo4u4gR6fwidced4UvsgTm2YQ6qCWjFFpi84PtARrcdU_mA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Within minutes we were now sailing, fast, back the way we’d come!</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br><img id="id_d0b2_8dc2_7e_50b0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-y9vawAA6p3qe_SbT9S4BsjAk3_WWgXPu6-hWCbRrSnQeKAvoV8oBbI1Y2grW5-CGBTeJUxVCfODMUGdbs5Bt0QQn0b" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br></span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A perfect storm of unpleasantness. Another squall with a chilly north west wind just as we arrived at Ardban, us very damp and getting cold in old slightly leaky dry suits and a tent with pools of water inside. We need shelter, now. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We forego our preferred tent spot on the exposed bank above the beach with grand vistas across Inner Sound to Raasay and find a hollow out of the wind just big enough for the tent and dive inside to mop out the pools of water with our pack towels. </span></p><p class="p2" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As the restorative powers of coffee and cake take hold and we’re warmed up, we set off dressed in full waterproofs and wellies to explore our new surroundings. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The drizzle and wind abate to the point that our little sheltered hollow having done a sterling job sheltering us on arrival has outlived its utility and we’re looking longingly at the bank above the beach. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I’ll bore you again with the practicality of a free standing tent, lifted in entirety with sleeping mats and other gear inside to our proper place of great views and nae midges. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br><img id="id_c8ea_b203_4430_914e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z7vtBzybH5d4cDJpytQy5Ux6gmAHjf7gnzlS6cu5msfYpM8HWwB4cEEBBhWlcPPr4jE8LTZZDaN6pfjjt41wmiroSrxA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><img id="id_b850_7328_d0d4_a7f2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wtjW1k_7tIgGWTGTj_AoUTlGM0k2erSxwomn0gAQLMnRYrdBHXtQ0gqtr3YXWBCmTRUqpCBlK1U-FhHBedgynnaXjJ-g" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_f278_eaed_ddd5_fffd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z-gsN67roei91SBc_LGebLSK_UG2-3KPa1iL9XPCL0-WlzLz7VTTv1LBocrSg-kHDMoK6yORaBGUf6DnqnW4MP9aWS" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Ardban, such a lovely spot that we stayed three nights. If we had wanted to stay longer perhaps we should have bought the white house on the left in the picture above. For sale last year for £150,000, access only by sea or a 2km walk from the road, but it does have mains power.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">The days based at Ardban were very relaxing - beers in the Applecross Inn, the best hot fresh fish and chip lunch from the mobile food van across from the pub and massive bacon rolls one morning on our way to the Heritage Museum. </font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">We love the little local museums we find along the way as they always offer a fascinating insight into the local community and it’s history. </font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">This one was no exception, in addition once we got chatting to Margaret we got some local gossip too and Lynne had some spinning lessons. </font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_f53e_834a_8f2_5da2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-womb8GGAuwygM4OVEOeByTy5vmaqrjH1kgzOSAzJNOTp4_X1gQCpOOgzpIfao508v63djTHaTJqViUTg6g_2WCJz1umg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">First carding to straighten and separate the fibres.</font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font><img id="id_a9a_9722_f9dc_27cc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-waghaf1ehBjW3orCJXEfw8nKeyTMo41jg16HMTB2pYnAJfQSQvYB6A87iIgjhiyNL5huDRWOdLzonmCWXYrMHU6FE6" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_a53c_b82c_31fc_e548" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xuKhFbDOrimQNgBPXRBOzKi6YrgxDRGS8h8nA0F3RqA3JyvfvYuRODrH0WVHhgUb-JI4Cxl9yHjUFn60WxT-df6OkOPg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Then a delicate coordination of fine finger work and feet on the treadle. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Onto Gairloch for petrol for the stove and another fantastic museum. A big step up in quality and quantity from Applecross, winning a Museum of the Year Award in 2020. The building a nuclear bomb proof bunker from the 1950’s very cleverly and attractively adapted to display an extensive range of the local history. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">The dominating centre piece on the ground floor was the complete light array from Rubha Reidh (pro. Rube Ray) lighthouse. The massive construction of bronze and glass the largest the Chance Bros. ever made.</font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">We discovered we had missed an exhibition, ‘The Spirit of Beyond : The Shiant Isles’ </font><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">by local artist Alison Dunlop of drawings, watercolours and photographs. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Amazing pieces of work. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_6a9_c53f_9cb_301c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zvqPK7S7evQ3z5nuol3IMv95tRnvcTYzaTE2dT8vp15_pUDSuHqndf8sTPga79wQgjDoHLsSq9IUgRSdwrbTqPXVTHeQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Graphite drawing of the Eilean Garbh cliffs, 100cm x 152cm, £8,000.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Slightly more within our price range was the book published to accompany the exhibition which will sit on our bookshelves at home as a tangible memory of our visit to that magical place. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_a70e_d582_c688_be89" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wQxkhxcDDzR_ub9-NOF3ldfauEc3FgLurhl8y5hYg2zM3TtKWG4nqXbPSf_vNBtlLPJr5EvxX4kf-PB8knODaSNwSXaw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In the tent that night looking at the map it dawned on us that our lily dipping way to Ullapool may not be quite so straightforward and relaxing. The point of Rubha Reidh sticks well out into The Minch and could easily have some tidal considerations. Sure enough it did, 3kns at springs and we weren’t far from springs. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Suddenly all attention was on the Tidelines sea kayak ‘pilot’ and the Tidal Atlas. Easy, we just have to be there as the north-easterly stream drops off around 1230. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Easy, though, it certainly wasn’t. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were moving fast sailing on the westerly breeze and northerly tide, but the seas were the roughest most uncomfortable seas of the whole trip. A large north-westerly swell was thrown up in confusion as it rebounded off the cliffs and clashed with the northernly current. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We corkscrewed and lurched north with trepidation, if it’s like this here what’s it going to be like off Rubh Reidh?</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The nervousness increased as a couple of dark and threatening squalls appeared north and west of us adding to the undercurrent of menace the sea always seems to exude on grey overcast days. We lurched onwards with little choice. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The first squall passed well in front of us but the second showed itself with a few pattering rain drops then heavy drizzle and poor visibility that added to the murkiness of the day. Thankfully though there were no accompanying squally blasts of wind.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Rubh Reidh lighhouse came into view and a fringe of white water around its surrounding rocks but the seas off the point didn’t look any worse than those of the last couple of hours. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><img id="id_a3d1_b9ca_3c58_5521" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zamLK-qYTCXD_eiIS-zZ1qsNPXlDWBMtkrhF9BdGPSlFVcZiSnZc7zBnLrDPpI2VlvyGL5GabqzKq19jqdNH1cVRfK" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Rubh Reidh lighthouse.</span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br></span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">As we followed the coast eastwards away from the tide and lee shore the seas abated and we were able for the first time today to paddle with some semblance of rhythm. There was nowhere to land for lunch and a cuppa around Greenstone Point or the nearby islands so on across the mouth of Loch Ewe to Slaggan Bay. Despite only 26km to our camp here we we both felt knackered from being thrown around by the unruly seas for most of the morning.</font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody">The following day couldn’t have been more of a contrast, a very civilised south-west wind blew us speedily over smooth water across Gruinard Bay around Cailleach Head and into Annat Bay. Slabby rocks provided a reasonable landing a couple of hours after high tide. Perfect, we had to launch the following morning a couple of hours before high tide for t</font><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">he last couple hours paddling of this trip. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Ullapool high tide at 1040 and the beachside campground. The sea though didn’t want us to leave giving us a headwind all the way and despite double checking the tide times an ebbing flow from Loch Broom. </span></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font></p><p class="p1" style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br></font><br></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-72987785787393086182023-07-17T00:37:00.001+10:002023-08-18T17:51:21.724+10:00The Magical Shiant Islands<p></p><p><img alt="" id="id_af1b_bfb6_1f7e_453b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-za9U4V6zwFRhbO7Y8_LePKiGROehZb6X_neid2cOx7WP3_bQNZDW-GPPn2pg0bVrAmv9nlUEjotLcqtOPgwhx0DhikSA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0T6dNxmh9aCY1vlDq0r5CugygGLIzOjU8wUu9JitUqnZTbaW-rhdlGPx9C4IdCq2ybI4X2AMG-sYDO8y7PKJsMo7TZxgxbRdJErQeq69PEOsRp738t5YbaCfPQYG-z9TPjW6VPGUoVDpIW1KBE2TKjrT_nIBCyHxErybz3jDQPZfd0EG4kVN7pUOkJC9H" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0T6dNxmh9aCY1vlDq0r5CugygGLIzOjU8wUu9JitUqnZTbaW-rhdlGPx9C4IdCq2ybI4X2AMG-sYDO8y7PKJsMo7TZxgxbRdJErQeq69PEOsRp738t5YbaCfPQYG-z9TPjW6VPGUoVDpIW1KBE2TKjrT_nIBCyHxErybz3jDQPZfd0EG4kVN7pUOkJC9H=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>The welcoming door of the cosy bothy.<p></p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvdKVHoR1WDiv1D0QMoyZ4NAe-4LYlQAiEaPlA-Q39CCA6UmjKvXuXh1VdnL3KZIMXEblm5pYJVmDunyCJjkRIwtv23cfz4VejjPsNCfoyjbNUEAO8q9MfkQgZ7Hw5bL9qla4OW71RGiE2xkYoxs_tdeEABJPS33AWL4nG9RywmNTibOx6vJt5KE9Cl7ys" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvdKVHoR1WDiv1D0QMoyZ4NAe-4LYlQAiEaPlA-Q39CCA6UmjKvXuXh1VdnL3KZIMXEblm5pYJVmDunyCJjkRIwtv23cfz4VejjPsNCfoyjbNUEAO8q9MfkQgZ7Hw5bL9qla4OW71RGiE2xkYoxs_tdeEABJPS33AWL4nG9RywmNTibOx6vJt5KE9Cl7ys=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>As best we could, we tried to replicate the cover of Adam Nicholson’s book ’Sea Room’.</div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_1552_ad51_c400_f056" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z4AX4ukOzScG3V9GBNrcS_hQ0ElUEjJF9EffoJU-AoM2VYcFJVkUfr2Q35s1ZbLdNzYVRIxyhAOYacgyxKLNzL6q_Uvg" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></div><div><img alt="" id="id_70c3_e4ae_9c85_90a2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xiEuh56mCrZW-UrhBLmZpz8fgdg0pnhM05WRACirVk-oD4MgWr263dt0bQG8_BM4glfCaPc9F15K0GTKD1PvsIkrOF2Q" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRziIANsCjW8Tu8pe3gpPMIeA35ZABbPAerUhOtMHrZSOQP2rQsyisTYcbsosMNXdZow2IlJTGIcuPbhf-NFM0LQlHTnRgdtOdKycLKstHJ_Gv72anXJuYbJA0bXjyFwThYQfY1VUbFlDJSRviunKGjLsZjbcUEOlztgGr5xiypm8hUqKu6Cfew5H1419p" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRziIANsCjW8Tu8pe3gpPMIeA35ZABbPAerUhOtMHrZSOQP2rQsyisTYcbsosMNXdZow2IlJTGIcuPbhf-NFM0LQlHTnRgdtOdKycLKstHJ_Gv72anXJuYbJA0bXjyFwThYQfY1VUbFlDJSRviunKGjLsZjbcUEOlztgGr5xiypm8hUqKu6Cfew5H1419p=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div></span>Sentinel puffin viewing its domain.</div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_ef56_5a76_4ea4_51af" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xrB_cXFK4IMhiirM5Mb4OMA3BcFQkPuzlIKYmNA37_ijuTRnGJb9uSjHY43nLtHlHRqVk_Acq41lPpVYcs227_ynwuGQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><img alt="" id="id_3753_a146_bd88_f277" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zA9H5FDSaLcM-Jr5eevn9HZpGIFZuajSd1KqDjb82wuj65mczYc_tR8aZbyVnePynDz9no6w0bHsgyMtKjEX78iGm3" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_d01d_c629_51c7_aaeb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-w5Q-EQE2UvivJzOyl5rPVw51G_uN7Q4FV2hIFcn6w6Mwftn8FB0x0ao1s10Xn0XDWanH1tDsDAxYEux9ShXQrpiOpX" style="height: auto; width: 341px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGhuxi5259a68dJF8XAUH_CzgPO64aAs9FfRMIWNC-iAJXIkIiX-uzrXtCXRCQUnzdcMxT6xqKAQWRsfEHrmYB3WsIAlLQh14nFinkio44K9p-mnXbPGPQEFCWRMPYTIoGSWChNdIJa802jHa2_3AjSwlsMBr5MrJ7wx0O_d9r8VEGOKM9ymQh8JwZAQyO" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGhuxi5259a68dJF8XAUH_CzgPO64aAs9FfRMIWNC-iAJXIkIiX-uzrXtCXRCQUnzdcMxT6xqKAQWRsfEHrmYB3WsIAlLQh14nFinkio44K9p-mnXbPGPQEFCWRMPYTIoGSWChNdIJa802jHa2_3AjSwlsMBr5MrJ7wx0O_d9r8VEGOKM9ymQh8JwZAQyO=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The scree slopes of Garbh Eilean the home to hundreds of thousands of nesting guillemots and puffins.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8KdMeeMWmrouB278iVqpPye_pcElcv1mg2pfVZbXKWzC9pPThkdMG6Co9YG1EJ0q3MNThHkU7J19Ng-6qlHqGImNcaiWbqiMW9Ar7MtcqNmpWqp0PXwSY_enQ0EAFLQbxqZ6SiGNu3KxSlif0K8YoSD5AzyiKCiNY3CMDC45aGbR5XOZaEg3YEmDkdNRQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8KdMeeMWmrouB278iVqpPye_pcElcv1mg2pfVZbXKWzC9pPThkdMG6Co9YG1EJ0q3MNThHkU7J19Ng-6qlHqGImNcaiWbqiMW9Ar7MtcqNmpWqp0PXwSY_enQ0EAFLQbxqZ6SiGNu3KxSlif0K8YoSD5AzyiKCiNY3CMDC45aGbR5XOZaEg3YEmDkdNRQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Eilean an Tighe from Garbh Eilean.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_72a8_da1f_31a3_1f17" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-ymMjhisKY1KUkJFMOXR5vRK1fBSBmAnODC6oC5SDKlaitdyNAzc4lyN3CYFgYaeLIU4EeepUqC56mKICK5ozZSN2wL" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKaCtsPw7EF6GBqIL2P82m9Qq7Z6qxxYGtdB3eD4SVb6cKclcQ0hDMazENd5d48QnUINilsaVTyU1BTPQfzTT_XKxTpE8INX6z11_W60VVkunKG1dcgE5NtG_pWXKvJrPCZJbxXVDU6Kmy5Pd8YmnQ6-y5Lki2-ihEfL0kT-9-JpaWyRufpSy-zL8Pdh8b" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="913" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKaCtsPw7EF6GBqIL2P82m9Qq7Z6qxxYGtdB3eD4SVb6cKclcQ0hDMazENd5d48QnUINilsaVTyU1BTPQfzTT_XKxTpE8INX6z11_W60VVkunKG1dcgE5NtG_pWXKvJrPCZJbxXVDU6Kmy5Pd8YmnQ6-y5Lki2-ihEfL0kT-9-JpaWyRufpSy-zL8Pdh8b=w640-h420" width="640" /></a></div> Map of Settlement Patterns on the Shiants, from ‘Sea Room’, by Adam Nicholson.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_4583_3430_5ea_7f0b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zb5Am5V1R31TR3vkDf02ufWP8oVHeoHdveaRdfbqs23dGWxBMc9_KzUhhiySFNa1JsyidX8a48nCOnci2RGoBAr074HA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgifR-4iGKWsbZzzhJTPhyl-F5iyy-M146OxTjsRfiS5QBcOcGR_JhZLWCeADtk_xVxTEqtXTEUFUikbe1XwnUFyAjUXyzcMUFhkHVck0PSdnn1MbmNXrUVid5Jp9ctAxCXW389D2gKmYawMH5hi5TTqKlbjTumlottMjsghIDP8JyrNeyGFy4Kwq7lBco2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgifR-4iGKWsbZzzhJTPhyl-F5iyy-M146OxTjsRfiS5QBcOcGR_JhZLWCeADtk_xVxTEqtXTEUFUikbe1XwnUFyAjUXyzcMUFhkHVck0PSdnn1MbmNXrUVid5Jp9ctAxCXW389D2gKmYawMH5hi5TTqKlbjTumlottMjsghIDP8JyrNeyGFy4Kwq7lBco2=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Bahg, the natural harbour (in settled conditions) on the northern shore of Garbh Eilean.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></div><div><img alt="" id="id_d870_31f_ad2f_f84f" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-y_4iXcL3cOedV0woYnkFTwxEWj432kZHZ_s3CepD1MOiv7TlVWI-PspmsFWrY89Q92Rd8gT4E83-tRxd3tdsQjf0gZ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_31f3_d18_7df7_ae9d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wCz5QpqUpofZE16bDFvXmOBuRY3tYtweMzhTquGKM4fVq8AoM0VDok2O8sJAQf2j_SFayOhRJRUSRH9UqyrorYyDXXTg" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizAMLzFr0H53vP-gR-SaRbCdZGTVhL_Ks5B3KlEQv6CfSwgoD8IIVVT2WE_dPabHwxz5yecM6YZ9ltgiNv2w3QuTriytfIQAjbDkFOPExCA8t43UH3seTFT6AJ33JNz0l1GYEIDMZXKJNnTfQxjkQMeDyirENVswzEKzfjUTQ5p9E0bXWXvuRhVvFIbzjL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizAMLzFr0H53vP-gR-SaRbCdZGTVhL_Ks5B3KlEQv6CfSwgoD8IIVVT2WE_dPabHwxz5yecM6YZ9ltgiNv2w3QuTriytfIQAjbDkFOPExCA8t43UH3seTFT6AJ33JNz0l1GYEIDMZXKJNnTfQxjkQMeDyirENVswzEKzfjUTQ5p9E0bXWXvuRhVvFIbzjL=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Note the extensive ‘lazy beds’ developed by 18th century occupants of the Shiants.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_a777_9912_3990_2b9a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zGCGd60UQsf3nLhkeBsD40YUVxUDzgWhvRXVZhq_V4nCKFBXQIqTHK0Ogh-M-GPJCat-xhuz4qxz0fryjafIFyXst90w" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmkIuYIf_NTbbHZPZX7oYdmtcFm4U__p-7LtMEKtQwtRIiEnXYeUfEBcNAYX40IVhXVitZ5gMGRBpCf6dIhPeIN5qg9VtMAcJQ_u0PZ3W_DbeGZ0_eQ7Qa3i14rATGOBtlBFGA2R5vJ0VOb3gguHku0ecvdFiNR3-de7ItzcaLEFphqHQy2eii7vdVT7ND" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmkIuYIf_NTbbHZPZX7oYdmtcFm4U__p-7LtMEKtQwtRIiEnXYeUfEBcNAYX40IVhXVitZ5gMGRBpCf6dIhPeIN5qg9VtMAcJQ_u0PZ3W_DbeGZ0_eQ7Qa3i14rATGOBtlBFGA2R5vJ0VOb3gguHku0ecvdFiNR3-de7ItzcaLEFphqHQy2eii7vdVT7ND=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>To the west of Bagh, a steep valley on Garbh Eilean runs from north to south separating the western third of the island. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt3e18Ielev_Wfx-4_ulSVvOaHUjuxZ9xi6_rX1DipFxBig6JYKifwO8b0eVObPMMNIglAJ7EsMWiNkn0D9gczkvRK099TnE6xVoBpssznLp_BM_siH2rWGLKte-B8v2kAFu_9dOECqABiTl01ZbKF976rmVFb5M1WvBK13NITYzp44DbYgCSA4WIqWZhy" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt3e18Ielev_Wfx-4_ulSVvOaHUjuxZ9xi6_rX1DipFxBig6JYKifwO8b0eVObPMMNIglAJ7EsMWiNkn0D9gczkvRK099TnE6xVoBpssznLp_BM_siH2rWGLKte-B8v2kAFu_9dOECqABiTl01ZbKF976rmVFb5M1WvBK13NITYzp44DbYgCSA4WIqWZhy=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>This valley, Annat, was also well-settled, possibly since Neolithic times, and remains of a rock wall runs from the cliffs at the north to the tiny harbour and sheep pens in the south, still used today. </span><br /></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span><img alt="" id="id_398e_2169_4371_4768" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z7LtSqgXZsOqFTpM4IgsCJBPfr6HybPAXg_P-QeiVqbZPUf6cOEEQsEdwJLb7d2zfLrMjYySBJDPYuUKInoU6HxM79" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" height="640" id="id_b6a4_f0ce_8f03_713a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-w0hNKjn9wepA3DIYGo3f-znhWhcgiCqMMmUUHdrpyj2f8p09MeCENSDj_mX3MIcNkhO4rm8ysgz6oA9R8GLA8GGwVnCg=w480-h640" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" width="480" /><br /><img alt="" id="id_99dd_c71f_c496_cdcb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yw27eepm9UyJvezfY3WGoMV0UUoyqJDSdCoB-LWWDpQOEQ_iFRqO1w0hG2qI57LRnXhEFhl5k9g252-Wrdp4m8VTA_cQ" style="height: auto; width: 299px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></div><div><img alt="" height="481" id="id_be7d_fe34_41ad_3dc9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-x_9wRLk5gYRtewnSLYF0lvVzpjxVI4JZ8HlGHlHd9_ezQVA5bj6KOFaat5616dib_R9BYY3Jw3ls458TWNPbqCiWRv5g=w640-h481" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" width="640" /><br />The Sound of Shiant<br /><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_3a08_efad_3033_bb2b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xfHAC3GnD3A-oKek0Jh9UQbnhcaJvgdzl1I9Q09v5jV6Z9WvwEmp9LGwwYcdDHzRBPQX4rrPCa4P-9n0EGppss18Jj" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />The massive basalt columns of Garbh Eilean.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_e1cc_9596_629e_ff58" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-ww2f02UGl8bveZJRp5Dv0pcNs6QdrdOvldJxgTJM_0sFDSHqSXTfm0JWWvpddHG5voypH6iL2uSJEwBfA-uvBIJIaC" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><img alt="" id="id_6369_f4c4_a36f_1956" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xtwCn-kCrhQsfn60tqWMB4hZXvQwMbM-0v6zRh-mv3WrE10iIjGzjC03FLywThHg_x7Nm8Riz3NZX-Ljhd7tMIfGlFKw" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXe7GHG1IigEHWDZgopqCN0yv8x-CEBN1aIN0SQTu4ZLUegcWcByAor5TcWaB0mK7OzmibIGFe-ofaH1GRHfSbEa-_tJeksYCMJZicnptIeBB-vrXOA49VihRLfCb48gD0udYJj5qpX8jXyxn5zY8WCfd06dZFLJ0ySA69sBWnFB5LJ-H76bmi_ZChpqRM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXe7GHG1IigEHWDZgopqCN0yv8x-CEBN1aIN0SQTu4ZLUegcWcByAor5TcWaB0mK7OzmibIGFe-ofaH1GRHfSbEa-_tJeksYCMJZicnptIeBB-vrXOA49VihRLfCb48gD0udYJj5qpX8jXyxn5zY8WCfd06dZFLJ0ySA69sBWnFB5LJ-H76bmi_ZChpqRM=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Remains of Iron Age house on Garbh Eilean.</div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_b874_37f2_a8db_716c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xbCyi-MPQ8SdUBb8mc4PsyJaWmG4_oqKb99ZcRKPvvxXTqkrmdgO6uFUoiA2DsGYf9X5aRdHyDcbCbRVfatckpTvotJA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUaPAZ--35zpyLMTAB-TIH2eBVPbldxcRbvkS0XKA6t05KvGCpqV1UEQllMTwORbZIwEQJmrWXUo0NheyktB9_WU1e1frXbVcmiPPeNtaDs1cpNtjA-OlI7thKp9sGy-BFV2LFLgmqIs-EPslLY197bjogUHzi_oHui3qehYcoHAWizwcyLb7wkwSLMMQb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1020" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUaPAZ--35zpyLMTAB-TIH2eBVPbldxcRbvkS0XKA6t05KvGCpqV1UEQllMTwORbZIwEQJmrWXUo0NheyktB9_WU1e1frXbVcmiPPeNtaDs1cpNtjA-OlI7thKp9sGy-BFV2LFLgmqIs-EPslLY197bjogUHzi_oHui3qehYcoHAWizwcyLb7wkwSLMMQb=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Looking west to the offshore rocks of Galta Mor and Galta Beag. </div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_8e6b_1964_fec9_3b1b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yaA5e8mgILU66ahP9kK8CD4z3J33AlRZfWEehjlJ7e04g9zBKOl0CeCr21lRaHsTv9toRcX3FiRBkgNqJW2SwvQL6tEQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipq2nUS09PkEI3wR8pP111-1tvqRGlq7RDceJYnKyxt6qQMcgxz2QlkS3cHrbftNLhJMWT8GzcCL_u-x7r-Xm2H7_atCdNRizfhOlFowNfi683S6XsKt-vf_6gIbLbhUCIKW1BeMmjmwzJFi-__KgwLHKvF5_WLap8fFGgFNWF5IhIPmSsa0MtObmGqsnJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipq2nUS09PkEI3wR8pP111-1tvqRGlq7RDceJYnKyxt6qQMcgxz2QlkS3cHrbftNLhJMWT8GzcCL_u-x7r-Xm2H7_atCdNRizfhOlFowNfi683S6XsKt-vf_6gIbLbhUCIKW1BeMmjmwzJFi-__KgwLHKvF5_WLap8fFGgFNWF5IhIPmSsa0MtObmGqsnJ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>With Great Skuas patrolling ….And swooping at us!</div><div></div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_bed6_a70f_7c60_b669" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zLi4podrNYfGOu-nROg1uJ6DaSltPVNtBOSmG6cvcvO0Vv4EYIyHdXdg4WwBfX9Fz7erGz9jHnPTGvkFVaPYZe0m03" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzasXGpFbxwHkC0UbmJN8JZZw28qMvqTG3JvEssUCP4jMlfasxcUBlhW3HnuAguUMARlMjTMdPutpyZdcRMdVQLGU17De6d9lP9BNwmge3hAYscTlkTXX2XGx1_-XN-o490TQWyKUEqQuO8_n4rqdtGACVu3NVTunXgdH3GBU9czSNafQ_yIg0fLolZ1Gb" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzasXGpFbxwHkC0UbmJN8JZZw28qMvqTG3JvEssUCP4jMlfasxcUBlhW3HnuAguUMARlMjTMdPutpyZdcRMdVQLGU17De6d9lP9BNwmge3hAYscTlkTXX2XGx1_-XN-o490TQWyKUEqQuO8_n4rqdtGACVu3NVTunXgdH3GBU9czSNafQ_yIg0fLolZ1Gb=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Eilean na Tighe from Garbh Eilean. The bothy is clearly visible, our kayak on the beach beyond the bothy not so visible.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" height="481" id="id_134d_b674_1a35_9d15" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wsSeUflTiDG7QWURKD7QnK3gCDpirRd6wJVhH40m1V3Xbn4Zs9gwhQarUDIgm2yE4qJCBrs6f1y1WKx4Myt7RpcjRP=w640-h481" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" width="640" /><br /></div><div>From Eilean na Tighe</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTgBLVgOjqlAgLypzrbMZbSzlhpqDhdJsCww_gMojGmWm1Jv5WFAukn7ZDsV79kUXY8-BQ5qZF0VyJMBTQNeAO0ruHcRFmqmHEWLGxzr_CUV9QOmsc5s9-wqrmNnk0LJgTzHxUEj1rqZljlxRbn9nLXi34D0t41YshaU2NUVacfN4O_6j30TwQBV8XFqwH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTgBLVgOjqlAgLypzrbMZbSzlhpqDhdJsCww_gMojGmWm1Jv5WFAukn7ZDsV79kUXY8-BQ5qZF0VyJMBTQNeAO0ruHcRFmqmHEWLGxzr_CUV9QOmsc5s9-wqrmNnk0LJgTzHxUEj1rqZljlxRbn9nLXi34D0t41YshaU2NUVacfN4O_6j30TwQBV8XFqwH=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>The precipitous path from the landing beach up onto Garbh Eilean. It is much more precipitous than it looks!<br /></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE69vJ2_JLt8gt5rY-9BNp1SD1lYjd7DWo0Kv9OtwvjDegtigVO67ixpNTE1SqO97M4YQq24iIBb9lfT9UXGzL4tsHzV8-RAhDsAfKtDLYNHEiuECD2XD-FD0Q4_ylZT8SbSOAk3wjmYLnwNoAKiilTgrNkPW7RNlLWg99sYOHE_UrZZNi4IJo7TyV3vKr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgE69vJ2_JLt8gt5rY-9BNp1SD1lYjd7DWo0Kv9OtwvjDegtigVO67ixpNTE1SqO97M4YQq24iIBb9lfT9UXGzL4tsHzV8-RAhDsAfKtDLYNHEiuECD2XD-FD0Q4_ylZT8SbSOAk3wjmYLnwNoAKiilTgrNkPW7RNlLWg99sYOHE_UrZZNi4IJo7TyV3vKr=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Eilean Mhuire from the precipitous route up Garbh Eilean. </div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_9d53_f38a_e8b2_fa63" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-waxNV2kaBstfEvBvJ2FikKGvu_wVekE3hIg5HZFUUmEt5e-1m7JFDRhnep8JflaSKkBxy78RC0UGHSziLKoASojh-m2Q" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-ZeVH2BwihhLvKVSNI1qI5ez7gOAgPTaNtW8pCicNhUjxypcftO-H67zWd-vfrVk9oI6tBAGpoPzKS8GROiwY-HqA07WTZqF62meE5YLXCdV7fnrslCa8HJ_WQRDhoBXdj7FyFFNILU9OtrsFGk7BFmjRZtxdfcEToyqlzGQGW7_z4RGisMZh9He-M_OV" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-ZeVH2BwihhLvKVSNI1qI5ez7gOAgPTaNtW8pCicNhUjxypcftO-H67zWd-vfrVk9oI6tBAGpoPzKS8GROiwY-HqA07WTZqF62meE5YLXCdV7fnrslCa8HJ_WQRDhoBXdj7FyFFNILU9OtrsFGk7BFmjRZtxdfcEToyqlzGQGW7_z4RGisMZh9He-M_OV=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Landing beach between Garbh Eilean and Eilean na Tighe.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_bd1a_d06f_d017_e115" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zVRKsQdMQxDpo8ViluMWhp0O07T8lSYLvIcwATdxk3gwuKX7XvOvwDJUvMRnpqu93Ur-c3_NnPMz9Ayz8Cl3TdKl3tdQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXay29aNI7nKnLyiMetmAW0EBDhMJq5uiFGM3RkSiXN-2qSxv6Fug2LY-wkUOeK3BGGDHpP1MoDtrBr7v6zMs5zylF-Nd9chW7xhDbzM7e8h_LbZ8YlDuGcPPRUlBQrMHMGDFH1MXHbuc8fdaVykkUv2v1KePC7m8mXTLjSQ-E9S7qey7rrc8ukL68Dgr8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1020" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXay29aNI7nKnLyiMetmAW0EBDhMJq5uiFGM3RkSiXN-2qSxv6Fug2LY-wkUOeK3BGGDHpP1MoDtrBr7v6zMs5zylF-Nd9chW7xhDbzM7e8h_LbZ8YlDuGcPPRUlBQrMHMGDFH1MXHbuc8fdaVykkUv2v1KePC7m8mXTLjSQ-E9S7qey7rrc8ukL68Dgr8=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>The view west from the landing beach to Galta rocks.</div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_9dc_4dad_e32_4fd3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zh_d7nHR_W_eXtQgm7GxKnCuPCvTezmUXaroY9tft0faTsddz4eKYfaOdsrZ0xkFQqO3RJ1Fwkp0FCwrXcJfD_MiB5Jg" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqmSffCVTbfhhEQlzyuusFJ84DSDKj7Tn6D1-Wt-tyZpa-3n3wQXqgKEJ8Z6Ey6LOWwHeW7KTZZqe2N13MHCIIbB5i8tSfVDZTtyCtAUHJOunKzb3R7Crdokc0m8OrA-Wif44n49tbYHfi4tBsyviItMohIoB6PstsairNcDxQQB1Gutmtu15dzrf5n3oA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqmSffCVTbfhhEQlzyuusFJ84DSDKj7Tn6D1-Wt-tyZpa-3n3wQXqgKEJ8Z6Ey6LOWwHeW7KTZZqe2N13MHCIIbB5i8tSfVDZTtyCtAUHJOunKzb3R7Crdokc0m8OrA-Wif44n49tbYHfi4tBsyviItMohIoB6PstsairNcDxQQB1Gutmtu15dzrf5n3oA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>The arch, Toll á Roimh, through the eastern peninsular of Garbh Eilean.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsRbPqixncXVNXCuNHyYQ-_0lfaeqTgfQM2x2Gpzne7PCCUStkBzYvKHGBomvc6QLd170Eu0aVjJMf8ky5QUQsUiBU7mvDWmufuEHZ9VZu6VmtAXhE1OVLAuhWXSoRxwr2Nepbh5v5Ee9v6PtBlSF_rQzeiUoJwb3f4hfP2_oq40PSF1kTa0ypKzPvFYZ3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="2976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsRbPqixncXVNXCuNHyYQ-_0lfaeqTgfQM2x2Gpzne7PCCUStkBzYvKHGBomvc6QLd170Eu0aVjJMf8ky5QUQsUiBU7mvDWmufuEHZ9VZu6VmtAXhE1OVLAuhWXSoRxwr2Nepbh5v5Ee9v6PtBlSF_rQzeiUoJwb3f4hfP2_oq40PSF1kTa0ypKzPvFYZ3=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div>Paddling through Toll á Roimh. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_e398_c294_684c_7230" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xwjyj8Bc-QGRksWCNhM1rKpxdrKJ3zNYevXVSB_w6lfkUsMJ50X_Jx9muk3gWfVFCwb32Ph8IAhGSCYkUFCB2MjtFziA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />The Blue Green men like us so much that they made an offering of a full jar of peanut butter.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_1ae1_5f1f_6df6_507" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yQdGglOxZuDTXf6GMpiqDypxt3lswrWNqEgJupERfHXrp1zsDCr9hSPE7W6lHIO9PtMjGm9-6Bz25LXayUpHSm5eHBmA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />The Shiants far behind us as we cross The Minch back to Skye.</div><div><br /><br /> </div></div></div><br />Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-66081037894414337762023-07-12T05:37:00.001+10:002023-08-18T20:31:35.031+10:00Aground in Uig<br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It all started with a message from a friend.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><br /><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-weight: bold;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><i>“ Fabulous dark-sky pics Lynne- fits with book I am reading and can’t put down, ‘Sea Room’ by Adam Nicholson on the Shiants… incredibly beautiful wild place and incredibly harsh history.”</i></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The Shiants, we thought… Remote, bound by weather and strong tides that rightly give the waters surrounding these elusive islands, shall we say, a reputation. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A mythical reputation too.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><img alt="" id="id_40aa_d427_6bff_a691" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wveEpI1x_siB-oIewsvI0JI-_y6MPtVYn4-bXYdGSZO9rxJ8s6QPlVm1CA2tAvnivQw9ms5dzQrA-1rroDWn37fEdboA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">But, there’s a few days settled weather coming up and we’re only a few days off neap tides. Also not that far from Uig and the CalMac ferry to Tarbet on Harris. And Tarbet is less than 30km from The Shiants by the shortest route.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We couldn’t get the ebook version of Adam Nicolson’s ‘Sea Room’ through the Tas Library Libby app but they did have another of Nicolson’s books, ‘The Seabird’s Cry’. </span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHv5k1WwEx-8OuoT0I5qaGZhri5y5SF2sXgO0UxYNJzlM5Jnk11c3S2uUtpWyMrakrkf0tNvLFgG_k785lgK6OdK_8AmpYQEUgcxwLY83PU1__chsAm9oUY1GuIiZNXhtgfjSQtGw-wK-g1YqInJBuQtSXBe5HnZhSm7eHsu1JHPzEfyCa-oyvI3DcL1Lp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="878" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHv5k1WwEx-8OuoT0I5qaGZhri5y5SF2sXgO0UxYNJzlM5Jnk11c3S2uUtpWyMrakrkf0tNvLFgG_k785lgK6OdK_8AmpYQEUgcxwLY83PU1__chsAm9oUY1GuIiZNXhtgfjSQtGw-wK-g1YqInJBuQtSXBe5HnZhSm7eHsu1JHPzEfyCa-oyvI3DcL1Lp=w475-h640" width="475" /></a></div></div></div></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A wonderfully evocative mix of classic literature, poetry and science all tied together by wonderful writing. Each of the ten chapters focuses on a particular seabird, most of which we are seeing on a daily basis.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were hooked, the ebook of ‘Sea Room’ was bought, we both started reading it and from then on all thought was on getting to The Shiants.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img alt="" id="id_b746_7365_8d13_a66e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wjcHoGJr-4KyJ11RCBTo9ENu7v88kriYQKW_moXbi2O363Axv0EZN7SvuB5e6KF6h0CSZb2DLEYqNeM-0gKcqZPpzPCA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdC1tckuAPFDjBrFy_o83DXN9ydRYPjSi0k3o5dfPirB1yUJqPSN5poQs7lr4k_K3t5NjHhr4IBumKn0mQ4dmzOXidpTE_D7QWM7w4juN4ohyUAxzlsrb3KzTx0xplQZ8UvJJDh15FE5y-pBd4Oyssz9MAqZAhZzvRGJiICibcuD-rl2ql5S2yYf-goAzj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="870" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdC1tckuAPFDjBrFy_o83DXN9ydRYPjSi0k3o5dfPirB1yUJqPSN5poQs7lr4k_K3t5NjHhr4IBumKn0mQ4dmzOXidpTE_D7QWM7w4juN4ohyUAxzlsrb3KzTx0xplQZ8UvJJDh15FE5y-pBd4Oyssz9MAqZAhZzvRGJiICibcuD-rl2ql5S2yYf-goAzj=w472-h640" width="472" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Planning, ferry times, slipways for landing and launching, checking tides, food for us and fuel for the stove and of course obsessively checking the weather forecast.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The biggest variable, the weather, of the settled variety was holding.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were on the water at Stein at 6:30 </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">rounding Waternish Point </span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">at 8:30</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">, again just as the northerly flow dropped away and just before the southerly flow began. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk3hIwYPrtZkpKmZtQCCNIPv8XzrJqRgtAOpmCdhU27PB2raTxPJ7peIwbkhny9gD9d7uYs8NvPp4nt9OoMauuIqucoweKTFYMkqWJqj6euaEELgGBf4yBvI8tegGiGKr_EUFY0PAZ7hFRDhpmmD65FTrQDM1C0rx6m2KZbO2dotfVJcm48BfIXa6Dot7j" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgk3hIwYPrtZkpKmZtQCCNIPv8XzrJqRgtAOpmCdhU27PB2raTxPJ7peIwbkhny9gD9d7uYs8NvPp4nt9OoMauuIqucoweKTFYMkqWJqj6euaEELgGBf4yBvI8tegGiGKr_EUFY0PAZ7hFRDhpmmD65FTrQDM1C0rx6m2KZbO2dotfVJcm48BfIXa6Dot7j=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Waternish Point</span></div><p><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghdJvtuJV_dWLYTlCn01VXAVnDOtSD9VVtnlCZqllhrQmFi3SZ9rHdW_qO6l2c0wqwXm1YIBBoQwirl3_K27-XDBZYPe62TW3jJJ5Ue7m6obnAGR9zouSsmihzhZopFEjU6rumW4MxN1eydgwVcgGkCW1208Z9cV8wIu19X_GeNlz8sTqG4Fa8HmL3jwNH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghdJvtuJV_dWLYTlCn01VXAVnDOtSD9VVtnlCZqllhrQmFi3SZ9rHdW_qO6l2c0wqwXm1YIBBoQwirl3_K27-XDBZYPe62TW3jJJ5Ue7m6obnAGR9zouSsmihzhZopFEjU6rumW4MxN1eydgwVcgGkCW1208Z9cV8wIu19X_GeNlz8sTqG4Fa8HmL3jwNH=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></span></p><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Comfy early lunch on the decking of a locked up house on the Ascrib Islands, sat there </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">watching baby seals in the channel in front of us. The Ascrib Islands are home to significant breeding colonies of common seals. Then just after midday we’re hauling the kayak up the boat ramp and along the road towards the ferry terminal in Uig and the </span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">14:15</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> ferry. </span><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh885V3Bim4tMP6YWHzLtEjgU1b1yOZGSe7YGJkyOmKXcS1YPlJ3N8MNcM0PEgZTdcH6N9Kp3FMsff_jEUbx0nkuJdESm3b11YExOYB0x-0IwrzqPeYC-n3FgzXl8n8FoIr5VHURu5liMQr6Bc2PG4uupY8XFeItXomMkwjY90DgL2MjG_pdKpjufxycmC9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh885V3Bim4tMP6YWHzLtEjgU1b1yOZGSe7YGJkyOmKXcS1YPlJ3N8MNcM0PEgZTdcH6N9Kp3FMsff_jEUbx0nkuJdESm3b11YExOYB0x-0IwrzqPeYC-n3FgzXl8n8FoIr5VHURu5liMQr6Bc2PG4uupY8XFeItXomMkwjY90DgL2MjG_pdKpjufxycmC9=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Then we’re shipwrecked. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">On land, on the side of the road, 50m from the CalMac ticket office. One of the wheels on our trolley has disintegrated. Listing badly to starboard towards the broken pieces of plastic and the remains of the rubber tyre, an immovable 100kg of kayak, paddling gear, camping gear, clothes and food.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img alt="" id="id_885a_aca7_2c4f_f3cb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wpGAWGObQDA7rJmF3tQD-dg1mJlVhilpn-rgdPOa-BRYGW2cNtyqh0IOgSsJC3NNDX_GQCOYGiOQiundwHRX4l2v4ZaA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Across the road we spot a 16” wheeled child’s bike lying abandoned and rusting in long grass in front of a house. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I walk over and knock on the door wondering whether with just two Leatherman multi tools the bearings can be disassembled to allow the wheels to slip onto the trolley axle. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As I’m explaining our predicament to the women in the doorway and enquiring whether the child’s bike could be for sale Lynne calls be back. A car has stopped in the middle of the road, the very friendly and helpful locals who live 20mins away have two golf cart wheels and they’ll go and get them for us. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I wonder back across the road to the bemused women and explain, thanks but we’re all sorted now. Sorry to bother you. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So we wait. Lynne buys tickets that are valid for the afternoon ferry, which we may still just catch or the next at 5:15 tomorrow morning.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The very friendly and helpful locals return as promised and with a little Leatherman work the new wheels are fitted to the trolley and the kayak lifted on. But we’re not going anywhere, the weight of the boat alone is enough to almost destroy the new wheels before we even attempted to move it. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Right, chill, breath. Missed this ferry so plenty of time until the morning to get rolling again. We wander over to the campground, book in then explain our predicament to another local. They don’t of course have two suitable wheels but are full of good ideas. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The easiest and most prolific source of wheels in a tiny place such as Uig which is really just a ferry terminal with a few cafes and a servo attached are wheelie bin wheels!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We wander back into Uig armed with a heavy soft hammer that the local had lent us. His instructions on how to remove wheelie bin wheels also included the coverage of CCTV cameras around the terminal.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As luck would have it we found two broken bins behind one of the cafes, the axle on one so rusted that the plastic wheels were split and useless. The other with a few whacks with the heavy hammer a perfect donor to our cause. Back to the kayak, a bit more artisanal work with the Leatherman and we were rolling into the campground. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrePxDHLh0sY8K9VxIAj-5rm4Rql_tGMLq4WjSya9akDS23sTj4q8Qb8f4EWjo1SMjlt8JQf_v_OLYG8e3xGWkte1jrmZFUt_4_SCcW35oaUMUku-5-POVhF4948G2IrPTXHi2D-npc3UKq5bMSlLVkWzW4wRqPH6EQCSbcaQDdJCFNUtorTMcSKxIaBrF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrePxDHLh0sY8K9VxIAj-5rm4Rql_tGMLq4WjSya9akDS23sTj4q8Qb8f4EWjo1SMjlt8JQf_v_OLYG8e3xGWkte1jrmZFUt_4_SCcW35oaUMUku-5-POVhF4948G2IrPTXHi2D-npc3UKq5bMSlLVkWzW4wRqPH6EQCSbcaQDdJCFNUtorTMcSKxIaBrF=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Relaxing in the campground after all the trolley wheel drama.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"></font></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><br /></font><img alt="" id="id_48cf_8109_e15_b4a5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zORP2sJ55efeFRMt5jOF-LhoUCHyd3kqW3F_YSy1qqvxDc4xQszTs8IpA2TaNJD3z13Lsh116bC_diQfNaTdvjFLELRA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatn87hyffr52Y_JSVIkHLQqWqfIo3QplMjZKq5O4I_KpJR-jor0VhWR412CXLx5TtT1Kip5TecoM0ivnkD51eEzXOEC4dNp45s3SBleM8NrUorpY6ON7osx6v7ruiuaGH53uLDvjglT03qQXPbng96rUCgIIl0RplYbpZtFw1Qe4r9mDLnrb1vvWh1iCz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatn87hyffr52Y_JSVIkHLQqWqfIo3QplMjZKq5O4I_KpJR-jor0VhWR412CXLx5TtT1Kip5TecoM0ivnkD51eEzXOEC4dNp45s3SBleM8NrUorpY6ON7osx6v7ruiuaGH53uLDvjglT03qQXPbng96rUCgIIl0RplYbpZtFw1Qe4r9mDLnrb1vvWh1iCz=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The stove went on for coffee at 3:15 the next morning and we’re first on the ferry at 4:30.</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Last off but no hurry, we wheel the kayak around to the slipway and are first in as the only grocery shop in Tarbet opens it’s doors at 7:30. </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Food stocked up and we even found the right 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey map sheet covering the Shiants in the newsagent. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKf9zGxAujdrEKac2G1k9liDViUUp6DX6rj1l2o_Pisc7aA_k0HQkjLzRVhaKZK1JJyfX2f4zhkm32F9f2Cyrqfa1o4MInQjd5UZ1u2hLYdASlscDkwv2G8hY7lnL1TYz1Vv_zF-bAZXDS_Mpvts7NvfVAgRBq4HeH8QK3CSKNMG4mQygQCYd7oyIcYCMg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1182" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKf9zGxAujdrEKac2G1k9liDViUUp6DX6rj1l2o_Pisc7aA_k0HQkjLzRVhaKZK1JJyfX2f4zhkm32F9f2Cyrqfa1o4MInQjd5UZ1u2hLYdASlscDkwv2G8hY7lnL1TYz1Vv_zF-bAZXDS_Mpvts7NvfVAgRBq4HeH8QK3CSKNMG4mQygQCYd7oyIcYCMg=w640-h360" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Waiting for the tide in Tarbet.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The northerly stream begins at 10 so we slowly packed the boat, put waymarks in each of our GPSs at our destination just in front of the bothy on Eilean An Tighe, tidied everything up and were paddling away into a stiff breeze right on time. The wind funnelling into Tarbet was an easterly headwind but as we neared the Sound of Scalpay we started getting the true southerly direction, just as forecast. With sails up and the tide behind us we shot through the Sound and suddenly there they were on the horizon, our first sighting of the Shiants.</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We had a couple of options in mind. To head north west to Loch Bhalamuis where we knew we could land, wait there for the end of the northerly stream to cross the Sound of Shiant in a south south easterly direction. A touch longer route overall, slightly more prudent in regard to the tidal stream but slower and perhaps not such fast sailing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Or just head straight for them, an 18km crossing but with the 10-12kn wind just on our right shoulders and using the northerly stream to best effect we’d be moving fast. We would though be approaching the islands on the third or fourth hour of the tide just when in theory the currents are at their maximum so any overfalls or other tidal jobbly water would be most active. The wind was forecast to slowly weaken though reducing the chance of wind and tide causing a little mayhem.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was a perfect day, blue sky and hot sun, smooth seas, it felt so good to have our destination finally in sight after so many days of working to get to this very spot.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">To head straight for the Shiants was an easy decision. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I mounted my GPS on the deck in front of me and told it take us to the waymark at Eilean An Tighe and off we shot on a bearing just shy of due east. Almost straight away it was evident the current was trying to take us north east so most of way across the boat was pointing a further 10-20° occasionally 30° to the south to allow for the drift. After an hour or so the lovely sailing wind started dropping away but still filled the sails. After a couple of hours it was smoko time, it seemed a long time ago that we’d had breakfast on the ferry. While we stowed paddles, chewed on a few muesli bars and rested the GPS told us we still moving along at 7-8kph!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCYIfsX6qQNVmgCA4MHVoNMy6lvlBip2fEu06pI4g9USk6RbPNwiFBSiQdxHOGaeZ3GNga0LyjnoXx3r1_JEIXvk6VPJ8sxphaweqs25BuOh0BZK1CNvWQY2KeZdHA2KtK3VfyKI9Tze27Ws1VGK6lQtvD2aHJoK14557JVkSeaKVoOVOcvrsQGGnx3cav" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCYIfsX6qQNVmgCA4MHVoNMy6lvlBip2fEu06pI4g9USk6RbPNwiFBSiQdxHOGaeZ3GNga0LyjnoXx3r1_JEIXvk6VPJ8sxphaweqs25BuOh0BZK1CNvWQY2KeZdHA2KtK3VfyKI9Tze27Ws1VGK6lQtvD2aHJoK14557JVkSeaKVoOVOcvrsQGGnx3cav=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Nearly there, half an hour or so to go.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /><img alt="" id="id_b389_8a_60dc_a2d3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xi35jKePnmKWNiEHl24hzkxsbzzfuytkGtwaxjKrPHH9RFEPdfbFRYS73SYmvwajaZoRP6UxqXggUPHIw-uc1ZbMOo" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRqfVDmmYKBlB1sz9KRevhp0bcbrzVJNKOMCHeYZF0qe1TilW7jv8DGA3IYEgPitxnJwtPIXIg5KMtRimJ4bXPHdu-1oXwO6d44Etrq7SICUlV2ZLvjm96iJBfkKHr5CFzIg8a-h9uEXy2r_6zN2ZfrJ2kZGPD2ty9cObZBuqGkhOkcWaJAA-2sFzrhv5v" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjRqfVDmmYKBlB1sz9KRevhp0bcbrzVJNKOMCHeYZF0qe1TilW7jv8DGA3IYEgPitxnJwtPIXIg5KMtRimJ4bXPHdu-1oXwO6d44Etrq7SICUlV2ZLvjm96iJBfkKHr5CFzIg8a-h9uEXy2r_6zN2ZfrJ2kZGPD2ty9cObZBuqGkhOkcWaJAA-2sFzrhv5v=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Getting closer.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /><img alt="" id="id_25ca_482a_6c23_4663" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xhRyO4oJUOcPzD7-rsnZwqcbkTvEDvjY0QeTlQppspdtREGq6eTA0PJWpT7hQJ2Ve1E1QObaElQdDDw2lis9qr2flm" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_45bd_42ea_a560_a644" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yC6WSTpmn1OWXCWNTeYPDJOzEbdkEjZSlewbl3VKkm7tC1CcHfhCiQ4NUSl2l31Lx4jNOLFxnZVFu0cI-dC5sD5libyA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipAatq5UGvhgzUCXPHlSMbHM9jIYq_dzCyx-HXc0rGdygzxE--Dai2FdbV3yA0Offoa5bg1bVKIpIjmbxU1qKNNrrhzPPm3qZPyKE7ijH5XjnQEC1iJwrmiahH2DilSrTe6z7P8uaKhQUIr9ruisr5P_IN6QYRFX0BccfppuACiDPizkPfNhjqRpSyC0DI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipAatq5UGvhgzUCXPHlSMbHM9jIYq_dzCyx-HXc0rGdygzxE--Dai2FdbV3yA0Offoa5bg1bVKIpIjmbxU1qKNNrrhzPPm3qZPyKE7ijH5XjnQEC1iJwrmiahH2DilSrTe6z7P8uaKhQUIr9ruisr5P_IN6QYRFX0BccfppuACiDPizkPfNhjqRpSyC0DI=w640-h429" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhI6U21TOTdstzIeXKXxZcfpWKPcsKthQbHsLzvnV_kMyn6FSSmTiDZUvI5liSjtjA0TQCZwT7Tc1Wi1NPnrmJJTEZH-aOWPdiZ0WQ76NJsVO8TfQvSYHlNxBlRky6gesZWWSv-BLtVxa7GTmiLc6BLJT4A4p9fJQV6iUoKHJ32NjlSuxBtwX630iaCn84" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="429" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhI6U21TOTdstzIeXKXxZcfpWKPcsKthQbHsLzvnV_kMyn6FSSmTiDZUvI5liSjtjA0TQCZwT7Tc1Wi1NPnrmJJTEZH-aOWPdiZ0WQ76NJsVO8TfQvSYHlNxBlRky6gesZWWSv-BLtVxa7GTmiLc6BLJT4A4p9fJQV6iUoKHJ32NjlSuxBtwX630iaCn84=w640-h429" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Time for a wee dram. <br /></span><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">1:15 just before high tide we crunched up on the pebbly beach in front of the bothy. The wee dram on landing at the end of the day never tasted so good. </span></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-77454748255746275392023-07-12T04:00:00.001+10:002023-08-18T20:27:14.193+10:00Neist Point and Beyond.<br /><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We finally escaped the alluring clutches of Canna but it didn’t let us go easily. 15km of headwind plodding on a messy sea across to Skye. Then, just as the long anticipated land ahead seemed in reach and two hungry paddlers were anticipating lunch and a cuppa we slowed to a crawl against a strong counter current. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The Tidal Atlas notes only a 0.2kn south-easterly flow between Skye and Canna at the time but…we were pushing much more than that. It was just after slack and so close to shore too. We are smack bang in the middle of springs with a tidal range of 4 to 5m so there’s an awful lot of water swirling around.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img alt="" id="id_49b8_50ca_7428_398c" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z3ICZj3N76j25kZLMvtaB1tkC6sIpUsQFwfgNP1jcvQxWCNcfhhurVtzKsFKwcg2qtGIW-r1xRFIWMAIww-s6ID766Yg" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Smoko time was declared and a few muesli bars downed while paddling slowly forward so as not to lose ground to the wind and current.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hugging the coast we eventually turned into the shelter of Loch Eynort looking for somewhere to land along the rocky shore. The days of easy and frequent landing on white sandy beaches are largely behind us. The shoreline of this part of Skye, if not bound by spectacular cliffs dropping straight into the sea, is a rocky mess of boulders backed by steep grassy hillsides. There are the occasional pebbly beaches and we could see some in the distance down Loch Eynort. Not wanting to go that far out of our way we perched the bow up on some boulders and clambered ashore. Lunchtime! Four hours in the boat. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Off towards Loch Bracadale along a familiar section of coast having passed this way in 2019. Talisker Bay after about 10km offered the first landing and camping spot but we continued on into Loch Brachadale. The further we paddled today meant not quite such an early start the next morning as we had a date with the tide off Neist Point.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The Pesda Press sea kayaking guide describes Neist Point “as a very active piece of water, try your best to be there when the streams are changing direction.” Also that “On springs the rip off the Point extends 3km to the NW during the north going stream.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The Tidal Atlas told us the north going stream started at 0550 and finished at 1110. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>From camp to Neist Point was about 25km, we knew we’d have the tide with us and the forecast light southerlies meant a sailing breeze too. We thought it better to be a bit early to catch the last of the northerly stream so aimed for 10:30 off the Point. An easy three hours we thought, on the water at 7:30. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A cruisey paddle was certainly what I was seeking, both my wrists had become quite painful after our lunch stop in Loch Eynort. Strange for them to be complaining so much so suddenly but wear and tear has to catch up on the body eventually perhaps, ~380 paddle strokes a kilometre is a lot of repetitive movement.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Paddling with an unfeathered paddle and topped up with Ibuprofen I paddled gingerly away from the beach at 7:30 hoping my wrists would behave.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sure enough a zephyr of a southerly rippled the smooth waters of Loch Bracadale, the sails went up and my wrists weren’t hurting too much. A good start to the day. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The sea stacks of ‘Macleods Maidens’ off Idrigill Point are the prelude to a sensational section of coast with soaring cliffs, caves and arches. Numerous waterfalls streak the cliffs with lines of white as they cascade 100s of meters into the sea.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG9flOJ-81oyS3c8fB2JmHy3iUh3VwtHDqPIdINIKQJqs0pNEhikxtC_fJ02rviyLK9tOakyUr5OoMHi7M8A6zkwNw3CBTa1kHzwRo9JMUCVQHFDNVDNVjm3OeJRcf24UckedQo7JMxzjl_pL1Sgffz-ZiZImreCNqO_S3gqzNsHKyI5imIw17zHlKaiq2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG9flOJ-81oyS3c8fB2JmHy3iUh3VwtHDqPIdINIKQJqs0pNEhikxtC_fJ02rviyLK9tOakyUr5OoMHi7M8A6zkwNw3CBTa1kHzwRo9JMUCVQHFDNVDNVjm3OeJRcf24UckedQo7JMxzjl_pL1Sgffz-ZiZImreCNqO_S3gqzNsHKyI5imIw17zHlKaiq2=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></div></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Macleods Maidens.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With time to spare we sailed at full speed with both sails up through two big arches and just simply stopped paddling at times soaking in the view while the tide and wind carried us north.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img alt="" id="id_182f_db45_93b4_a074" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-ytuMhaqB00OW8wCf6R5v5PkCbhFlvBv9bGKw4O4aEn2wJWmG_v6CM9VXLx4gBRTKjPMcKhFGYagI6-UdxvRrAhfrRn" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Rounding Hoe Point, Neist Point lighthouse comes into view with its cluster of white painted keepers quarters huddled around its base. Then the massive, impressive prow of Waterstein Head. What a panorama! </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Cute lighthouse too, a Stevenson of course.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw8kKGDjUm0Dsep5M6HdfyIssnEJp0MEssr-wNRDr_5QWiwpHNOlXnK193Sesnc3u1DY4gTzrNFUIbWq1JO2MzkpPowB0pXlkvqxEsjKQxo7Gu8CExxPEWm8dw8VlaJYLhu2QG5qRV2lJ9dQjFdsyn1JA0Volx8ZFwz0f6fB9Jb_NGXVEE-AmG0c3XutRC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgw8kKGDjUm0Dsep5M6HdfyIssnEJp0MEssr-wNRDr_5QWiwpHNOlXnK193Sesnc3u1DY4gTzrNFUIbWq1JO2MzkpPowB0pXlkvqxEsjKQxo7Gu8CExxPEWm8dw8VlaJYLhu2QG5qRV2lJ9dQjFdsyn1JA0Volx8ZFwz0f6fB9Jb_NGXVEE-AmG0c3XutRC=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Neist Point.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Off to our right in Moonen Bay there was a large area of disturbed water sprinkled with white caps. The tide was up to something but we couldn’t work out what. The southerly stream off Neist Point is so strong it forms an eddy that fills Moonen Bay, an eddy roughly 4km long and 2km wide. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were picking up speed now and as the northerly current squeezed past the Point all was smooth and under control. Not so a km or two ahead where we could see white caps and disturbed water. It didn’t look too bad. Suddenly, as is always the case, we’re in the middle of it. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t that good either. The sail came down damn quick as we lurched and see-sawed through metre high breaking standing waves that seemed to be coming from everywhere all at once. A boiling sea. Very disconcerting. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Heading in close under the cliffs it was a lot calmer and normal paddling resumed. It was just after 11, in theory the northerly stream should have dropped right off. Looking out over the sea we really couldn’t work out</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> whether the northerly stream was still going strong or the southerly stream had cranked up early.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A few hours later as I was chatting with a local fisherman at Meanish pier, I asked about the tides off the Point. He rolled his eyes and said “I haven’t worked them out, they’ve a mind of their own.” He recounted pulling a line of pots, extra heavy ones given the currents, and the whole line, pots and rope came up bundled in a big knot.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We thought we’d have a day off at Meanish to give my wrists a break but as they had hardly complained all day and the tide to round <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Dunvegan Head was just right the next morning, we couldn’t resist to keep moving. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We also have a focus to keep moving, our location, the tides and the weather forecast are aligning over the next three or four days for an unplanned challenging side trip to take on the Blue-Green Men.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">On a totally mundane level the campground at Dunvegan charged us £27 for a patch of grass but a shower and clean clothes were much appreciated. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="width: 298px;"><img alt="" id="id_33f5_a627_d074_973d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yDcUT8luya69TQ6REgC04NaBFF2-iNNBIsCs9Hrq7k2O-B0e7cYYJwfj6qgBhPRCC5jR3yw0qqAj9wxgvEW65n6aY4" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /></span></font><br /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></span></p><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px;"><font face="UICTFontTextStyleBody"><span style="width: 298px;"><img alt="" id="id_6863_9511_8402_7aa1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zg3MXlYoQYzfAoYAY-_InhEfiXRpxXusmaMZxxD5tq8lt27fcYpqF-CfDhFcmU3rb5AhBfoYNLZKoStQ0iNCbNoDOoLQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /></span></font><br /></span><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sailing along in a stiff breeze between Dunvegan and Stein - bang! - dismasted! The mast is well over 20 years old and broke at a weak point caused an old screw hole, the hole would have let water into the internal hard wood dowel. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhARGD51jV_AmM24nr-uByXncoEI7BF_3wJRwcz-ADCrEKULniU685Prlnf9j706gx-ekdAuJ1R2Qi9q6Oz3VlJnjtqM3Oys_HdZ-dWKkvGGCgU1GMAyjM4LJkSbklsPQiNoMSrzRnw87n3W_ypzxjVCriK6w3qTBLC7udVX2SoJO7GcTgayPwmQaaY3jFp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhARGD51jV_AmM24nr-uByXncoEI7BF_3wJRwcz-ADCrEKULniU685Prlnf9j706gx-ekdAuJ1R2Qi9q6Oz3VlJnjtqM3Oys_HdZ-dWKkvGGCgU1GMAyjM4LJkSbklsPQiNoMSrzRnw87n3W_ypzxjVCriK6w3qTBLC7udVX2SoJO7GcTgayPwmQaaY3jFp=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-IO3av0ea_Ax2q39wJeiytq2g5kvIFnqZM_JB2yoboQyKe6lw3ylUtVObMXyjZv-jyiLQb-0_lnYbT89lxNBnukCm1R4nDOJfXPr8sJBY1pz7FsvWsRvrNt7jEyvAEvwOqX4Ra8L4zPw8B_-GEMPO3td1Kfgs_Wl1_1KDoJleLJamuoHWwJ8js8TRTa6G" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-IO3av0ea_Ax2q39wJeiytq2g5kvIFnqZM_JB2yoboQyKe6lw3ylUtVObMXyjZv-jyiLQb-0_lnYbT89lxNBnukCm1R4nDOJfXPr8sJBY1pz7FsvWsRvrNt7jEyvAEvwOqX4Ra8L4zPw8B_-GEMPO3td1Kfgs_Wl1_1KDoJleLJamuoHWwJ8js8TRTa6G=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2yGFBZJJ3ycugBVmmbsElF_o3UGTl-DvPerU1M2rdKVzPm-5tXF5m6HqwxmF5gSNFLwfpCOWhiyeK7GrxWEdLe6LkC4GrBK6gqUYtFnZZKz6zUcVoj_Z03IX3trqGRNjoAI2-MWQ8WWy5-lK5sr1KGy4gGgztwRjKLnvyQk5NCOoxtfJJDPJJnw2bo6Ln" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2yGFBZJJ3ycugBVmmbsElF_o3UGTl-DvPerU1M2rdKVzPm-5tXF5m6HqwxmF5gSNFLwfpCOWhiyeK7GrxWEdLe6LkC4GrBK6gqUYtFnZZKz6zUcVoj_Z03IX3trqGRNjoAI2-MWQ8WWy5-lK5sr1KGy4gGgztwRjKLnvyQk5NCOoxtfJJDPJJnw2bo6Ln=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With landing spots hard to find the slipway at Stein in Loch Bay would enable us to launch at low tide the next morning for another date with the tide to round Waternish Point and on to Uig.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We can thoroughly recommend the Stein Inn - </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">great atmosphere and decor including some challenging modern art. The food was to die for!</span></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-48779274371419560942023-06-27T02:06:00.102+10:002023-08-18T20:37:14.840+10:00Canna - Go AnywhereThe two weeks of hot sunshine at the start of the trip seems like a distant mythical dream now.<p>There’s a fair bit of sun still but rain and drizzle squalls constantly roll in from the west and south-west, the wind determines whether progress is made, or not.<br /><br />An Laimhrig is Gaelic for ‘anchorage’ or ‘safe haven’ - the name given to the community buildings at Eigg’s harbour. They embrace a café, gift shop, groceries, bike and kayak hire as well as an adjacent building with showers, laundry and drying room. <br /><br />Since our last visit in 2019 £1.2 million has been spent on upgrading An Laimhrig for the benefit of locals and tourists alike. Reopening last year it certainly offered a safe haven for us and our needs. High tech too, no fiddling with £ coins for showers and laundry, just swipe your card.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7RjeDRP5Qp2h2S11ywzlzYNnYCNcYLd4rbyqwDo-egQj6Xg9WpUH2d2ohKeTFyMpQM9CA8SAiEMPrYO7L4h87Cqm3YQi5Ga7caoF1bhRrdXAs6zyRTckvCdgV6dIZCmvBASTM0ttD74Bobp_4pNdTq9ksFhnaY0KgMiElsH5YxPVKzVOsq16DneCDUvA/s4032/IMG_3729.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_7RjeDRP5Qp2h2S11ywzlzYNnYCNcYLd4rbyqwDo-egQj6Xg9WpUH2d2ohKeTFyMpQM9CA8SAiEMPrYO7L4h87Cqm3YQi5Ga7caoF1bhRrdXAs6zyRTckvCdgV6dIZCmvBASTM0ttD74Bobp_4pNdTq9ksFhnaY0KgMiElsH5YxPVKzVOsq16DneCDUvA/w640-h480/IMG_3729.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />All the comforts of home. Hot chips, beer, guide books, maps and mobile reception for wx forecasts.<br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_dKwTYCg_gb6VpPZ0M7WLsasLcASsTt6k5yghVf1R8UoPrJ4jt5eLHRTvTrKwe3nvsFRf0nEfs590VM3m7ylqigXdhtf3gz4zgFnCqOBKrs7n1Z8Mdlffh9FsvGiP89CxnkfVe-lE-XtQzpU1k1ptPZAuauJI9vRHJSiMVXinVwbySy74y5yaB_raOCM/s4032/IMG_3739.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_dKwTYCg_gb6VpPZ0M7WLsasLcASsTt6k5yghVf1R8UoPrJ4jt5eLHRTvTrKwe3nvsFRf0nEfs590VM3m7ylqigXdhtf3gz4zgFnCqOBKrs7n1Z8Mdlffh9FsvGiP89CxnkfVe-lE-XtQzpU1k1ptPZAuauJI9vRHJSiMVXinVwbySy74y5yaB_raOCM/w640-h480/IMG_3739.jpeg" width="640" /></a>Looking north-west to the cloud topped mountains of Rum from near the 400m summit of An Sgùrr on Eigg.</div><p><br />With clean bodies, clothes and a food restock we launched for a stormy crossing to Loch Scresort on Rum.<br />Arriving at high tide we tried to find a wild camp away from the head of the loch. With a ~3m tidal range the shallow rocky shore would dry a long way out at low tide, leaving us dependent on high tide for our departure. There was nowhere. Different geology and vegetation from our previous year lovely camping on machair. A rocky foreshore and rough very tussocky grassland behind, it was like trying to find a tent spot on a button grass plain. <br /><br />Closing in on the official campground we spotted a patch of sand and although we knew departure would be somewhat tide dependent decided it would have to do. It turned out very ok, easy to get the boat above HW, a short carry and a little day shelter for campers, but at £25 a night a very expensive patch of grass!<br /><br />The boat dried nicely in the breeze and intermittent sunshine that afternoon enabling a patch to be glassed over a hole we’d put in the hull when leaving Eigg that morning. <br /><br />Rum’s mountainous skyline dominates the view from just about anywhere around the The Small Isles, they loomed impressively over our camp on the shores of Loch Scresort too. The scramble along the Rum Cuillin ridge attracts the more intrepid walkers and the many low level walk options draw in everyone else. Then there’s the bird watchers. Between 1975 and 1985 82 young white breasted sea eagles from Norway were reintroduced to the island. There’s also a colony of 60,000 pairs of Manx shearwaters.<br />The island is now owned and managed by NatureScot for long term ecological studies particularly of red deer. <br /><br />Like much of the rest of the west coast of Scotland, Rum’s indigenous population of ~400 was evicted during the clearances in the early 1800’s to enable sheep grazing and the creation of a sporting estate for the rich English land owners.<br /><br />Loch Scresort is dominated by Kinloch Castle, built in 1900 it stands as an idiosyncratic testament to extreme wealth. Technologically advanced for the time with a phone system, its own power supply, modern plumbing but also pet alligators in a heated aquarium. <br /><br />Kinloch Castle is now closed and abandoned. There used be tours of the building and part of it was used as a hostel, where for a premium over the cost of a dorm bunk, bedrooms with four poster beds were available.<br /><br />Despite being closed and half heartedly fenced off who could resist squeezing through the fencing and peering through the windows?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06zsnW5LRDwIPBqu-6-U1cyibczdkwNIf0-FhI70lnEmWkwT1YeCPHe-dDLv-awNPRhbnL4q7Wspi8yrX1_9KHK4eNC9PROlmv_UAgMEaZNUUCRJTBm1iSSiGGRodCX9OpelT7bcZ5-lS1FoGS_LeCpS16ltRyFI5YGi3YmB0lkX7tPcJxZxd65ZgnD4g/s4032/IMG_3741.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06zsnW5LRDwIPBqu-6-U1cyibczdkwNIf0-FhI70lnEmWkwT1YeCPHe-dDLv-awNPRhbnL4q7Wspi8yrX1_9KHK4eNC9PROlmv_UAgMEaZNUUCRJTBm1iSSiGGRodCX9OpelT7bcZ5-lS1FoGS_LeCpS16ltRyFI5YGi3YmB0lkX7tPcJxZxd65ZgnD4g/w480-h640/IMG_3741.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2YT_sebMA6mX4h8QPe-HSDyQbDdXrd6rkM-MJZUBLch2HxpyrawnXyNpF74dnXHznq8doq9bAOHXjm7ZA_FcM3zzDb1oRYE5ly2QjNXKp6vj5-pyKGEvppKohRBO5-dXA9_MSNIjAb-4990fc1KiKEO6_2vMyZ1_iYj41F06Wz4bUVzZNsCtFH3Fl4dg/s4032/IMG_3742.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2YT_sebMA6mX4h8QPe-HSDyQbDdXrd6rkM-MJZUBLch2HxpyrawnXyNpF74dnXHznq8doq9bAOHXjm7ZA_FcM3zzDb1oRYE5ly2QjNXKp6vj5-pyKGEvppKohRBO5-dXA9_MSNIjAb-4990fc1KiKEO6_2vMyZ1_iYj41F06Wz4bUVzZNsCtFH3Fl4dg/w480-h640/IMG_3742.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTw_cNfz29r4D4BsrgsnO_8-pwK8NCru4hr9N0nREE1LeZsNpyb2lfLrqvz-gJNs0ZmxL1tMEhsRRGoIa8EwDtm_TSgxHldg1t7WyLW0dSqaO5DCNuGoW5-zYleGOxl1IWDPauC3Z_Y3gi5ZfHunEeGCp4nvhfdCOXgSdn_rGRHXEs9RPMXvKxHnvuM78/s4032/IMG_3743.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTw_cNfz29r4D4BsrgsnO_8-pwK8NCru4hr9N0nREE1LeZsNpyb2lfLrqvz-gJNs0ZmxL1tMEhsRRGoIa8EwDtm_TSgxHldg1t7WyLW0dSqaO5DCNuGoW5-zYleGOxl1IWDPauC3Z_Y3gi5ZfHunEeGCp4nvhfdCOXgSdn_rGRHXEs9RPMXvKxHnvuM78/w480-h640/IMG_3743.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksGrPQF8M23pHtjelNcHcHlEhfRqtGSPxWRNNedSkz8sib3L_AEuJ6IoefYzFArLBJqRAxyv9SqFiCt2GEvYdcUlQOCQf90yEYPkGuqcIlLl__ol8qhVJnDoezz3Ccjm5RpfiNYj2QAnZzvrxcTFKQJaZY9MVyGPJX1T8KUEGjOmP3EWJsb3-dSdRzKd/s4032/IMG_3746.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ksGrPQF8M23pHtjelNcHcHlEhfRqtGSPxWRNNedSkz8sib3L_AEuJ6IoefYzFArLBJqRAxyv9SqFiCt2GEvYdcUlQOCQf90yEYPkGuqcIlLl__ol8qhVJnDoezz3Ccjm5RpfiNYj2QAnZzvrxcTFKQJaZY9MVyGPJX1T8KUEGjOmP3EWJsb3-dSdRzKd/w640-h480/IMG_3746.jpeg" width="640" /></a> <br /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>For some, its grounds for Heritage listing are not so much for architectural merit but more for its representation of a certain type of social lifestyle that existed in the era it was constructed.<br /><br />Others are not so keen.<br /><br />Jim Crumley, a Scottish nature writer, described Kinloch Castle as "a monument to… colossal wealth and ego and acquisitive greed… It is a building without a redeeming feature.. a loathsome edifice. It perpetuates only the memory of the worst kind of island lairds… a hideous affront, but nothing that a good fire and subsequent demolition couldn’t rectify".<br /><br />Me, well I think I’m with Jim.<br /><br />The following day it was really wet and wild, we weren’t going anywhere even just 11km around the coast to camp at Kilroy beach to save another £25!<br /><br />The next day though we were at Kilroy for a late lunch contemplating the next 5 or 6kms to Guirdil. Even on the sheltered north-eastern shore of Rum we’d been pushing into a reasonable headwind but <br />we’d been making good progress <br />on smooth seas. We knew though that as soon as we rounded the headland west of Kilroy it would be full on, straight into the south-westerly wind, sea and swell. At least the sun was shining.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgJWB4FyQCkcV8sGKShuWEsKQycAfQUaDeSbijTPCSRZuQhZJ0oNfAFkfNeEruDtw5wzwteQzPbyz2j5l4HbFOuHD16FACBd8yGQFzA68sbvjAWbWNf2GVbYzsxKNqrjT99j2FfusNf0rlt4b6IzOX8rwL_PO9fuS8n4CU64v0tx0cAy7X1NPtHSM9v-c/s4000/IMG_3785.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgJWB4FyQCkcV8sGKShuWEsKQycAfQUaDeSbijTPCSRZuQhZJ0oNfAFkfNeEruDtw5wzwteQzPbyz2j5l4HbFOuHD16FACBd8yGQFzA68sbvjAWbWNf2GVbYzsxKNqrjT99j2FfusNf0rlt4b6IzOX8rwL_PO9fuS8n4CU64v0tx0cAy7X1NPtHSM9v-c/w640-h428/IMG_3785.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Looking for a landing spot amongst the rocks on the approach to Guirdil. Bloodstone Hill dominating the skyline.<p><br />It wasn’t long though before we were pulling the boat up the steep pebbly beach out of reach of the surging waves. Or at least trying to. With feet slipping in the wet pebbles down towards the sea with every heave of the boat up the beach it was a three steps forward, two steps back effort.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Cz7EJl7Z1XAc8Y2CrzJEHJJBRP1XxpZGEDeyQ4duSD-e1P_cWebIem4Yfx5Xun9QMDDqpNlsnU9jfZ9U4O1NZeCk1KTmpi1rFcmWwh5ny8Vgtj4byJu-wLKk1KXmrq6tZTE9Pby5gLM2ALY5DC4__Bt4A2Y7zDwKd4Ywja2cHg-VivVWTu_Q4u6nY2UV/s4032/IMG_4786.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Cz7EJl7Z1XAc8Y2CrzJEHJJBRP1XxpZGEDeyQ4duSD-e1P_cWebIem4Yfx5Xun9QMDDqpNlsnU9jfZ9U4O1NZeCk1KTmpi1rFcmWwh5ny8Vgtj4byJu-wLKk1KXmrq6tZTE9Pby5gLM2ALY5DC4__Bt4A2Y7zDwKd4Ywja2cHg-VivVWTu_Q4u6nY2UV/w640-h480/IMG_4786.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Guirdil bothy (in the photo above) managed by the Mountain Bothies Association looked comfy and well maintained despite high usage, being only a few hours walk from Loch Scresort and the ferry from Mallaig.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7bki7yhpR8o1hWDdtD3sjkD-hgdI3nsJjVTaZE1vG0EfBfkOqCT7HHhngqH_W1p4vCYWqw8X90lRA7D_ouB2jE6W9Xmd6H9j5pfbFu7QK_-IHFYIdCDzKWeaUXcW0MPTHN0N9mEZxGy-dO4DxvrSPHOLy7BcoFd5e0rGFlh_4yVF2dfTiVyfmzP-CqVY/s3804/IMG_4783.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2853" data-original-width="3804" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7bki7yhpR8o1hWDdtD3sjkD-hgdI3nsJjVTaZE1vG0EfBfkOqCT7HHhngqH_W1p4vCYWqw8X90lRA7D_ouB2jE6W9Xmd6H9j5pfbFu7QK_-IHFYIdCDzKWeaUXcW0MPTHN0N9mEZxGy-dO4DxvrSPHOLy7BcoFd5e0rGFlh_4yVF2dfTiVyfmzP-CqVY/w640-h480/IMG_4783.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />Despite its homely comforts we’re generally happier in our tent, the bothy was a lot further away from the kayak too, so we soon set up amongst the ruined settlement next door.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN40gqwVR90uhZHrD5-6HTUvfCSAeWn_8pa0YyFB-hRmlEmY8odh7wFzTOy-A-db4BRxZn8SfMRJheheOEdvyMB-HUcHzvwc-BnMpm1EVUHKwNMSJGS3VEfzDVBB4gz7Gpn_gTGvz4kKhUPC0kD6yrP362hctzkt1NMweoc1rfw-qVpKINTwYrRQ-l8pdl/s4032/IMG_4665.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN40gqwVR90uhZHrD5-6HTUvfCSAeWn_8pa0YyFB-hRmlEmY8odh7wFzTOy-A-db4BRxZn8SfMRJheheOEdvyMB-HUcHzvwc-BnMpm1EVUHKwNMSJGS3VEfzDVBB4gz7Gpn_gTGvz4kKhUPC0kD6yrP362hctzkt1NMweoc1rfw-qVpKINTwYrRQ-l8pdl/w640-h480/IMG_4665.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Canna beckons on the horizon. Only 4km away we were tempted to cross that afternoon but given the wind and sea it would have been a bit of a battle and Guirdil was such a dramatic and interesting place to be.<p></p><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM30PmcUlWMncapHatPquXHPrcFkmU8hm9yIgl0D_CyRZlTp39Qkgd79vP9jwSvzT3P9uY6cv3KTAm7m9tub3ahPdL7NC2dOr2BxO20YiLU53jJLxQCj6TUAuungPPiNPsuq7HvKNOj1hGWin4ZD-L0nsn9qfdVmY5rjwYktFrnPSLgqB-GLjONaofLo-U/s4032/IMG_3770.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM30PmcUlWMncapHatPquXHPrcFkmU8hm9yIgl0D_CyRZlTp39Qkgd79vP9jwSvzT3P9uY6cv3KTAm7m9tub3ahPdL7NC2dOr2BxO20YiLU53jJLxQCj6TUAuungPPiNPsuq7HvKNOj1hGWin4ZD-L0nsn9qfdVmY5rjwYktFrnPSLgqB-GLjONaofLo-U/w480-h640/IMG_3770.jpeg" width="480" /></a><br />A piece of bloodstone with Bloodstone Hill in the background. Sorry for the poor photo, pushing the depth of field capabilities of an iphone camera.<br /><br />We got chatting to an archaeologist staying in the bothy who told us about bloodstone, (confusing name as it’s jade green in colour not red). Bloodstone was sought after in Neolithic times for axe and arrow heads. Only found at Bloodstone Hill on Rum it was traded throughout the west coast of Scotland. <br /><br />Despite the forecast 10-15kn south-westerlies it was completely calm in the morning though the wind did pick up a bit as we crossed to Canna.<br />An easy half an hour or so later and we we bobbing around off the sea stacks Dùn Mòr and Dùn Beag (Gaelic <br />Mòr = big, Beag = small) surrounded by puffins. The air full of them wizzing past with a frantic whirring of wings, many others floating contentedly around us. The summits of the sea stacks were busy with puffins constantly coming and going from their burrows in the thin layer of soil topping the impressive igneous stacks.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEeRIr1tVLyguxA7JjVRDt7ISn-tc2wamije0jHvyzsSz2UFoVvrSPeguWfYAkpF6mZ4j2slOqGCqLhTROT-AWFc3yxaO00WqX8yW311R07TMoML1Dsln5Ip52WK3G_9QaYP021mn-usYYtyiY05ybgTycAA-ZY70QJDFmUUzl7OM1QgP_H6IBpcCtdNG/s4000/IMG_3803.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNEeRIr1tVLyguxA7JjVRDt7ISn-tc2wamije0jHvyzsSz2UFoVvrSPeguWfYAkpF6mZ4j2slOqGCqLhTROT-AWFc3yxaO00WqX8yW311R07TMoML1Dsln5Ip52WK3G_9QaYP021mn-usYYtyiY05ybgTycAA-ZY70QJDFmUUzl7OM1QgP_H6IBpcCtdNG/w640-h428/IMG_3803.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Dùn Mòr and Dùn Beag from the sea. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbBVKpsWgfGbc8Xwy7cEbDaMHR9uwUU5BBM3QHkCPkapXNiXq0AHz6KLvvum6dJi5LlqYAUn0pq-3cUqtTpN08Ngv5XqQZh_9UKjIC9bsUMiepqfnLvHuEGNZwv6tnFo5_bSJapy9hsKU1RKsTI1qMtPHDCosdkekzR76eKje4zrz6TphaaRyBW68Ii_h/s4032/IMG_4818.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbBVKpsWgfGbc8Xwy7cEbDaMHR9uwUU5BBM3QHkCPkapXNiXq0AHz6KLvvum6dJi5LlqYAUn0pq-3cUqtTpN08Ngv5XqQZh_9UKjIC9bsUMiepqfnLvHuEGNZwv6tnFo5_bSJapy9hsKU1RKsTI1qMtPHDCosdkekzR76eKje4zrz6TphaaRyBW68Ii_h/w640-h480/IMG_4818.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />And the next day from the cliff tops, Rum just visible through the drizzle.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTHbBaLWlva9K6CHjH6a1MI_Hk5tLgaGMXFRlc8JoYvtaN_SGmBltwuAD75XreUzZAx8rTwMhvvme0drb7GUp-T-1KrOh-hH-9-_hwNHdpXVCeCtazQJFF2hJtChLy2CmpbczDQ9O5NESWRWnFEPFDIdIjqHkqAhyUR1_8-L91PtZX4c_Z7ooOUAI2RbN/s3919/IMG_3805.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2939" data-original-width="3919" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTHbBaLWlva9K6CHjH6a1MI_Hk5tLgaGMXFRlc8JoYvtaN_SGmBltwuAD75XreUzZAx8rTwMhvvme0drb7GUp-T-1KrOh-hH-9-_hwNHdpXVCeCtazQJFF2hJtChLy2CmpbczDQ9O5NESWRWnFEPFDIdIjqHkqAhyUR1_8-L91PtZX4c_Z7ooOUAI2RbN/w640-h480/IMG_3805.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />The bombproof anchorage of Canna harbour.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUEX_EJaRb1cUAC1iK-cp3WZl5RRDzfVnBzT4tPZGq2DSR--xlsyiTOrVil3vrrCqRpHw9mt8qvUZJDQ31v78jm_vBkoNN7v4sM2yVzpNx249CnsoZkhh5qX6qadOcIe8CoMJAJTPRC6NfKgfkaxlrjAUYKWTDemVm3lADAEW_zAEE_vZRnyAtZwXN1S2/s4032/IMG_4831.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUEX_EJaRb1cUAC1iK-cp3WZl5RRDzfVnBzT4tPZGq2DSR--xlsyiTOrVil3vrrCqRpHw9mt8qvUZJDQ31v78jm_vBkoNN7v4sM2yVzpNx249CnsoZkhh5qX6qadOcIe8CoMJAJTPRC6NfKgfkaxlrjAUYKWTDemVm3lADAEW_zAEE_vZRnyAtZwXN1S2/w640-h480/IMG_4831.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />Views from our campsite on Canna. Looking west over the beach where we landed, sse to Rum and east to a rocky prow with Castle No. 11 (Coroghon Castle/Prìosan á Chorra-Dhùin) <br />perched on its side.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRLLm7JDxByw_p8AcDzBZAalUcb8UO5gy2JCiUUtdTcJm39XK65P6KIO6or5ZTLTToYdMXGbwFG4elSTQZPKBlGjIHxmKUjYCgaZnbgfLKafVFnRPxBKLeVjNkhWwTxg399qHOS4d01LiQVvMyye2Fy9lOgUkU4RH3zWsDLMasHTKeYiGgFGMRXEqXHMS/s3840/0306B1C7-4D13-48AC-A6E2-D59BB973703A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRLLm7JDxByw_p8AcDzBZAalUcb8UO5gy2JCiUUtdTcJm39XK65P6KIO6or5ZTLTToYdMXGbwFG4elSTQZPKBlGjIHxmKUjYCgaZnbgfLKafVFnRPxBKLeVjNkhWwTxg399qHOS4d01LiQVvMyye2Fy9lOgUkU4RH3zWsDLMasHTKeYiGgFGMRXEqXHMS/w640-h360/0306B1C7-4D13-48AC-A6E2-D59BB973703A.jpg" width="640" /></a> The Canna community shop is only a few minutes walk from our tent. It’s small but well stocked and has free wifi as there’s no mobile reception on the island. Just what we need as the way the forecasts are looking we'll be here for at least a couple of days. The shop, open 24 hours, works on an honesty system. If paying by cash just put your money in the till and help yourself to change, paying by card punch the total into the eftpos machine and swipe.</div><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7x5SG2zdfzDyAB4vY3de5ckQGtTBx1u3h4RiRmahJb4xj9Vrs4j-wZUGH9XZPPi99AnzBB5pW0WGd_gai2Y_4z7otwkAUfz6U7PLeFwVNtJk7k7xtsFMFqqZcxupZBcK7Ft4g_3PYFgagUucxKk8WdOqXDLdGTmU6uxwIXvwcX96J-YzMHdAbnqn7Bsg/s4032/IMG_4826.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7x5SG2zdfzDyAB4vY3de5ckQGtTBx1u3h4RiRmahJb4xj9Vrs4j-wZUGH9XZPPi99AnzBB5pW0WGd_gai2Y_4z7otwkAUfz6U7PLeFwVNtJk7k7xtsFMFqqZcxupZBcK7Ft4g_3PYFgagUucxKk8WdOqXDLdGTmU6uxwIXvwcX96J-YzMHdAbnqn7Bsg/w480-h640/IMG_4826.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />Returning to camp with full water containers along what is called Saturnino’s path.<br /></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWSMGT10tvKJFQlrC-6ZmwRgI7qxWdbFahER-t97swxwEVnay8WtOZgRWc85fpe8qpLCkdNfT1Vl6kYiL5lEacJxw6aCnuHmtMuiAfd1IYGjBkRBgMJpE6vjfutiHybXABSYACgRkrxeI8v2CSExT9FIYwtA6WLV_fz9fDFx92R1vCwWwFplmgOGBXVy8J" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="1015" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWSMGT10tvKJFQlrC-6ZmwRgI7qxWdbFahER-t97swxwEVnay8WtOZgRWc85fpe8qpLCkdNfT1Vl6kYiL5lEacJxw6aCnuHmtMuiAfd1IYGjBkRBgMJpE6vjfutiHybXABSYACgRkrxeI8v2CSExT9FIYwtA6WLV_fz9fDFx92R1vCwWwFplmgOGBXVy8J=w640-h194" width="640" /></a>The Canna Cafe, we can thoroughly recommend the Canna beef pie!!</div><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-69632569637597403872023-06-25T20:59:00.001+10:002023-08-18T20:38:30.827+10:00 Eigg-ed On - A Two Whisky Day<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After over two weeks of sublime paddling in hot, settled weather and light easterly quarter winds, it’s about to change. If we had any complaints it would be that it was far too hot at times. It’s been so settled that looking at the forecast has been a bit of a formality.</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The forecast for tomorrow is much the same as it has been for the last couple of weeks but after that the winds are consistently southerly, south-westerly 15kn and up through to early next week. And rain, lots of it!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Camped on Lunga in 2019 we’d been tempted by Coll and Tiree on the horizon to the west and north-west of the Treshnish Isles, a crossing of 13km, but the wind had prevented us getting there. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This year camped on Lunga again, an easy crossing to Coll was planned for the next day in perfect weather. And it still could have been, but given the windy forecast into the foreseeable future our movements while there would be quite limited and we could potentially be stuck waiting for settled enough weather for the 15km open water crossing back to Ardnamurchan and the mainland.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The washing of bodies and clothes, </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">petrol for the stove and a food stock up </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">planned for Coll and Tiree would have to wait too,. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So onward then to Kilchoan, the nearest petrol, (we were a bit low) then as we headed west along the <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Ardnamurchan coast, shock horror the second headwind of the trip. It soon died away though and by the time we reached the lighthouse on the Point of Ardnamurchan we were bobbing around on glassy seas basking in hot sun. Again.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq_FbkH8jH9q7bPkNKzqAU-X9l9mBDR06_kcVP_3KUsVWG8hXfN1TcrLUaaL-ABh6-OX7y0f6TTXUbhjcdS1gsyo9A61wgplS2kMmiMrsjuGPygSB2p2NpjdE0IQDoqpoP5IptWSnrj6Ksqoh7Q15QGDr3wWl2ineCcKimsi7dCa9aQ1JZ5qQodgj0Ce1/s4000/IMG_3734.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="4000" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQq_FbkH8jH9q7bPkNKzqAU-X9l9mBDR06_kcVP_3KUsVWG8hXfN1TcrLUaaL-ABh6-OX7y0f6TTXUbhjcdS1gsyo9A61wgplS2kMmiMrsjuGPygSB2p2NpjdE0IQDoqpoP5IptWSnrj6Ksqoh7Q15QGDr3wWl2ineCcKimsi7dCa9aQ1JZ5qQodgj0Ce1/w640-h428/IMG_3734.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><img alt="" id="id_d2d_f551_77ad_871" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81pjPgJaBAwiDlmurT30PwLikPtBEZhLUplT-SEtIaIX5sGtU_wMa9HbK1hAGF75idSSMd8WKrXlzWhMRhyDowU42j-a" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />For the lighthouse nerds. Ardnamurchan lighthouse and keepers cottages were designed and built by Alan Stevenson in 1849, the only light and cottages built in “Egyptian style” in the UK.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With the lighthouse behind us the bow of the kayak crunched into the sand of Sanna Bay and a lovely level patch of machair just above the beach provided yet another fantastic campsite.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">With the weather closing in we were anticipating a few days off the water so the aim the next day was to try and get to Eigg, via Muck perhaps, as we knew there were showers, perhaps laundry (we couldn’t remember from 2019) and a shop. Oh and the Eigg Brewery. All of those plus lots of nice walking made Eigg an ideal place to be stuck for a few days. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It rained a lot during night and wind certainly picked up but not too bad. We had a lazy morning as high tide was about 10, might as well wait until the water was as close to the kayak as possible before dragging it down the beach.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHQSVfC3s5kXDv7vc50YiSwURK8fambx7EAduoI_QywKakWG19wX78X6AdAw1VadNRZdTxcI9LLShCuxSCDPj00wTFw2FS70B1dYMz0mbEAKWQJbf-F7h9trLrNIwNo8Fw9twpaa3bykJCgs_HoRBfog-eIXmSbAWt5piWdxHMIRSXgbPoDwvMaVliJbd/s3968/IMG_3736.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3968" data-original-width="2976" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHQSVfC3s5kXDv7vc50YiSwURK8fambx7EAduoI_QywKakWG19wX78X6AdAw1VadNRZdTxcI9LLShCuxSCDPj00wTFw2FS70B1dYMz0mbEAKWQJbf-F7h9trLrNIwNo8Fw9twpaa3bykJCgs_HoRBfog-eIXmSbAWt5piWdxHMIRSXgbPoDwvMaVliJbd/w480-h640/IMG_3736.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><img alt="" id="id_d36d_d841_ad1f_7f6b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81rSvj2Aokx-LWDLY22GKWmpLTOQp2JInqU4vGMp8d_cvGe-U9pRl6SVO8C1WJs6Wvx1mubzJzO7vK4P_7MoR45JONXbEg" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Leaving Sanna at high tide, very windy and wet. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Off we shot from the beach with just one sail up. Seems a bit windy I thought as we hurtled past the inshore skerries. Aiming for a gap in the outer rocks it was obvious the wind had suddenly picked up. “Do we really want to do this” I said as we viewed the backs of the white caps stretching out to sea. “That’s just what I was thinking” replied Lynne.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sail down we paddled into a small beach and wondered whether a paddle of less than 2km counted as ‘a day at sea’ therefore deserving of a wee dram. Of course it did. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Tent up we settled in on another lovely patch of machair appreciating our decision to have a slow morning and late start. Leaving earlier we’d have been out there in open water between Sanna and Muck when the wind picked up.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoPvdOX56DddJG0p57aqy6Ho5YQYkNFKwK42_bhcbfdIOi-aXCPGVnNj4Ve0WFlCU7_lNx65g2mSRw8V97PosHPwOurZF-5B-ypO1ue5UuY4dbovCvntjpBasiEZwSaOYLbppTW8KN-VVzSaGx6DjbdxBdE5GXcYVW6BvYH-QuEGU45ApJrbkAU9aOOJB/s4032/IMG_3727%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoPvdOX56DddJG0p57aqy6Ho5YQYkNFKwK42_bhcbfdIOi-aXCPGVnNj4Ve0WFlCU7_lNx65g2mSRw8V97PosHPwOurZF-5B-ypO1ue5UuY4dbovCvntjpBasiEZwSaOYLbppTW8KN-VVzSaGx6DjbdxBdE5GXcYVW6BvYH-QuEGU45ApJrbkAU9aOOJB/w640-h480/IMG_3727%202.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">Spot the tent! </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">We’d counted 5 cairn-topped hills around us, so after a quick lunch, we set off to walk them all - and hopefully have reception to get updated weather information.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As forecast, by early afternoon the wind dropped a bit, the rain stopped and the sky was a lot brighter. The thought of packing everything up again, dragging the boat to the water, now a long way away at low tide, wasn’t very attractive. The sky brightened further and on emerging from the tent the patches of blue sky to the south clinched it. Eigg-ed on by the flesh pots of Galmisdale we packed and were on the water again by 3:30.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Still far too windy for both sails, but rocketing along under one we headed straight for Eigg 15km away, nervously hoping the break in the weather would last the necessary couple of hours to the boat ramp at Galmisdale. If not we had Muck a few kms downwind to the north-west to run to for shelter. An anxious glance behind us every now and again assured us that although the patches of blue sky had passed the upwind sky was still bright and clear.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Not for long though. Muck disappeared behind a thick band of drizzle from the south or south-west, then Eigg too, another glance behind and we couldn’t see Ardnamurchan either. Visibility dropped to a few kms at best so with no land in sight a glance at the compass every few paddle strokes kept us on course. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The sea was a mess, a short steep swell from the port quarter, the wind and resultant sea from the starboard quarter and there were other waves in there too that I couldn’t quite make out.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Lynne quipped “It’s just like the west coast of Vancouver Island.” We’d paddled there for days with no land in sight, and I added a few other coastlines we’d ‘enjoyed’ by not being able to see them.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Slowly Eilean Chathastail, the island off Galmisdale emerged from the murk, and by this time the wind had dropped completely so we wallowed slowly towards Eigg in messy slow seas.</span><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFbSbMT9oelzY9okeFOC9sbfeRTIOnPf5afyM3ncNyaYcCOiGDD95_zDhF-jTroz3dEx5HrxXQPV2qnT1EBkQADEVcxLw5Fl38CMt1XVDJRJDUmcna_3054wMJHJFOKA28Zjk2lXKQKT4mcQWzvDWRJw0Ogr5y9NfAMHLDoxAGFOCAz_Wik0oJKsrCxVb/s3676/IMG_3735.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2757" data-original-width="3676" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFbSbMT9oelzY9okeFOC9sbfeRTIOnPf5afyM3ncNyaYcCOiGDD95_zDhF-jTroz3dEx5HrxXQPV2qnT1EBkQADEVcxLw5Fl38CMt1XVDJRJDUmcna_3054wMJHJFOKA28Zjk2lXKQKT4mcQWzvDWRJw0Ogr5y9NfAMHLDoxAGFOCAz_Wik0oJKsrCxVb/w640-h480/IMG_3735.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Phew, the bow scraped on the concrete boat ramp, we made it. The misty drizzle changed to torrential downpour as we quickly unloaded the boat, assembled the trolley and wheeled it away from the waves surging up the ramp. Now for that wee dram. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A two whisky day!</span></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-88288545102621956162023-06-24T21:31:00.001+10:002023-08-18T20:45:22.876+10:00Treshnish Isles - Lunga. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCuPz2hOv2_YnuaL2uriGCDYthJE1y-O9WW6RHex6K_YmXOG4bSZz-RSfFgjGSBP0Rku9Bx0uJrewBroUs_5SF43efXsJCMhS1t-z5lofpFNPI3DmFMIwItYDenUboqkOmQQwZlhNxNM8dz18_Zvuk2T-fZzgZXj6FX_gSj9SCDEO2xP_MG0wEiodXL_Lx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCuPz2hOv2_YnuaL2uriGCDYthJE1y-O9WW6RHex6K_YmXOG4bSZz-RSfFgjGSBP0Rku9Bx0uJrewBroUs_5SF43efXsJCMhS1t-z5lofpFNPI3DmFMIwItYDenUboqkOmQQwZlhNxNM8dz18_Zvuk2T-fZzgZXj6FX_gSj9SCDEO2xP_MG0wEiodXL_Lx" width="320" /></a></div><br /><img alt="" id="id_85b3_b054_4944_cd0e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81qTboL0PwTPsh4cHBhuNyxj_GFHNCQ5WO-Ipek3h2CKbbWKKIs7t59dXzBCu80EjW6tjOq66N4XmJYNs-Kcggo5HXLCoA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPePbp73clCVs7JTuxJ4Gtabq1KUIYBDnh3-jWpDVai-C23mlfFSDmBDrEESCO-W-Nyoy38QO9dPQc1HD7yt9NPucLST6nQnvvXx2CU5bptTrz4ETp4_hhKM0lR6tOrIFi7im8xL7dNTZ1685eA1NwYL581IXK1-sMDusHQ5ghSgoYojIq0gZR4KSlEq9/s4032/IMG_3699.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPePbp73clCVs7JTuxJ4Gtabq1KUIYBDnh3-jWpDVai-C23mlfFSDmBDrEESCO-W-Nyoy38QO9dPQc1HD7yt9NPucLST6nQnvvXx2CU5bptTrz4ETp4_hhKM0lR6tOrIFi7im8xL7dNTZ1685eA1NwYL581IXK1-sMDusHQ5ghSgoYojIq0gZR4KSlEq9/w300-h400/IMG_3699.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>Haggis, tatties and veg for dinner.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZICA7TWzyc1vTzIvF9yKekyhJE23EB3lOKAsIMzXHpxh22Te_yfqEGqOby0DkAv4inLdzdvgoXgBJDMHz1iyb0g5TSBhzxEjZbdekfT7T8m9zQNQ1A4lALpCV94gkql2rPVFdv4cUdTG5-yWd0bkPnCmjkX6LP7iMeJklO1RNTgMnv4TejorLa0_AMHf/s4032/IMG_3704.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZICA7TWzyc1vTzIvF9yKekyhJE23EB3lOKAsIMzXHpxh22Te_yfqEGqOby0DkAv4inLdzdvgoXgBJDMHz1iyb0g5TSBhzxEjZbdekfT7T8m9zQNQ1A4lALpCV94gkql2rPVFdv4cUdTG5-yWd0bkPnCmjkX6LP7iMeJklO1RNTgMnv4TejorLa0_AMHf/w400-h300/IMG_3704.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span><br /></div></span></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">Landing only on the small very rocky shore an hour each side of high tide. <br /></span><br /><img alt="" id="id_3df6_2782_71c9_36d1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81o7W4GNcexNsWU3Ce10XHfnDrQ4l27gEZIfxq4rbYBxhPGHKLmkZxgT1iAyqIlUmm_NuldDrWwkabUseFXN2AqXdOjsSw" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-sgE5HIlJW9IrgJnN0giK8bv9PnF9Y5s-4Bx3twTD13nzx2_N1A799ZqmvM4UCxvYY_DWbkD_XAGU1AvmQv-viDChBCywW4pjmNI_zT32xyRxGiex0opSGMygrXpxEUXR8gRxakUCg_GUN9xg2yCEmY1GYuyNmpflC9fuUJMDm0t3xpxPObabliful5Y/s4032/IMG_3705.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-sgE5HIlJW9IrgJnN0giK8bv9PnF9Y5s-4Bx3twTD13nzx2_N1A799ZqmvM4UCxvYY_DWbkD_XAGU1AvmQv-viDChBCywW4pjmNI_zT32xyRxGiex0opSGMygrXpxEUXR8gRxakUCg_GUN9xg2yCEmY1GYuyNmpflC9fuUJMDm0t3xpxPObabliful5Y/w400-h300/IMG_3705.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">We love our brown tent, so camouflaged </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><br /></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVzSUGddaWOdFrhTrfjBVndP6-jLz5XkWnUp4TJyBaQKy3sMus_sXcTKpK3IHUsbxFm5Adj-QGKIqHqMohPPDr2buECV-EVa_vcRgIXT5iBRoFbMKY_BKtRZVL3PI-O-uOq5AiKSa_fse5UfO0WpLYWbw1KDFTjn8zUHrJBy-doqLWHT-pdesQqpNJeXpI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVzSUGddaWOdFrhTrfjBVndP6-jLz5XkWnUp4TJyBaQKy3sMus_sXcTKpK3IHUsbxFm5Adj-QGKIqHqMohPPDr2buECV-EVa_vcRgIXT5iBRoFbMKY_BKtRZVL3PI-O-uOq5AiKSa_fse5UfO0WpLYWbw1KDFTjn8zUHrJBy-doqLWHT-pdesQqpNJeXpI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>You can see the tent in this pic though!</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRh21HhwfhwL5Io3eqwb4qrC6LjWibdUhFHThzvpig5XHC1tif1kvY2Oe1GqDiORNUK38PY0UiprcTJxLLNM2BhmzfTUfTFSdyD7oRE0m7hHPZqnCO9ZvDQ_Nkug-_wa7sMx471L5g1z48mjgqP_6_HTVE-aWnJfb7AuJN_OkMesYl5FSw4e3ayVRlrz_M/s4032/IMG_3710.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRh21HhwfhwL5Io3eqwb4qrC6LjWibdUhFHThzvpig5XHC1tif1kvY2Oe1GqDiORNUK38PY0UiprcTJxLLNM2BhmzfTUfTFSdyD7oRE0m7hHPZqnCO9ZvDQ_Nkug-_wa7sMx471L5g1z48mjgqP_6_HTVE-aWnJfb7AuJN_OkMesYl5FSw4e3ayVRlrz_M/w480-h640/IMG_3710.jpeg" width="480" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wilderness it ain’t. About 11am the first of the tourist boats arrive, we counted 60 people disembarking from this one alone.</div></div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_ca8d_1cfe_adff_63d3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81quyJiVnbJbuhR0Fawkosb_nPop7h7g_nFCx_P42nL615RNHj6bgv0vIerl31f1HCsPUX9KlnyeaOyaDR5JPAMcUETf" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0kGKqSTXG71XOG7IDAKpTHirTJ2ovY9tHn9aUpQ9JI8mv9u3YfcWcyAO8EB9JrRfLkjb8jMDXUHhlkGJ1CoabFraekGYBHIIjo_mWxolhyMn-jUT5_YgHECDJTG_oP2i_62JJS3Eyhst79IF2OrcXftmTnnblCVyyFKEYSzZput0TO7709EGqhbMl9wGR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="764" data-original-width="1020" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0kGKqSTXG71XOG7IDAKpTHirTJ2ovY9tHn9aUpQ9JI8mv9u3YfcWcyAO8EB9JrRfLkjb8jMDXUHhlkGJ1CoabFraekGYBHIIjo_mWxolhyMn-jUT5_YgHECDJTG_oP2i_62JJS3Eyhst79IF2OrcXftmTnnblCVyyFKEYSzZput0TO7709EGqhbMl9wGR=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div></div><div>Looking north-ish from Lunga’s summit</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsCJkYI6oo4dQhC0i1qG8elCC8J8ejqjm9gMh6ggZZpCC22A-D5Fl1pR3H-v97d2c9xZDPtb5g0OaOXeNnzhSDMA1ZMMDWEfJVYySPCj6sjCZR7s4_CS9Sayvpt_y6pESJFXBiU-_UubEfAh64M9aaIeYG8q4x3oadPUy0s7eTNY_wU912HgDcz3WDqvJR" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsCJkYI6oo4dQhC0i1qG8elCC8J8ejqjm9gMh6ggZZpCC22A-D5Fl1pR3H-v97d2c9xZDPtb5g0OaOXeNnzhSDMA1ZMMDWEfJVYySPCj6sjCZR7s4_CS9Sayvpt_y6pESJFXBiU-_UubEfAh64M9aaIeYG8q4x3oadPUy0s7eTNY_wU912HgDcz3WDqvJR=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Thousands of guillemots call this rock home!<p></p><div> </div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRMGTsffsqPJ4j4Rgr6ct_qTK12P9iAvn0Yeg3WrRudnA01tvCHL4x2i5Cql1OnWF7bX-41loKJbAMT-m-LqZhFl8jEJrpC4qzi-bg_WsYhGKHTGA0LqTkX-_2otzbpXAbOJW6eZc-BRISCEOtjqdi_oy9oBFvK64e0E6jyAlc-Bwy9a7b_aOZ-P9PGTQz" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1084" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRMGTsffsqPJ4j4Rgr6ct_qTK12P9iAvn0Yeg3WrRudnA01tvCHL4x2i5Cql1OnWF7bX-41loKJbAMT-m-LqZhFl8jEJrpC4qzi-bg_WsYhGKHTGA0LqTkX-_2otzbpXAbOJW6eZc-BRISCEOtjqdi_oy9oBFvK64e0E6jyAlc-Bwy9a7b_aOZ-P9PGTQz=w640-h428" width="640" /></a></div>Guillemot Rock from the sea.<br /></div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-8534048435482979962023-06-19T18:55:00.001+10:002023-08-18T21:08:26.778+10:00Gigha via Islay to Colonsay<div class="separator"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" height="428" id="id_dd95_d186_7770_12f3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wcK5ALludRJ9shzd-6ialtZUjm6T-UarH2bhBE8JOCTwICTmkDHOc5wO-7KZY1khaNoVszp5ODQJB7Ww2qbmMacHSB=w640-h428" style="height: auto; width: 444px;" title="" tooltip="" width="640" /><br /><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>We found two folding chairs just where we stopped for lunch on Gigha.</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UZx_raxeODu6OzBU2eKh9S6rhbuutuFQR8IgxEGkilLAASqIDxMS1E9SoEyNHU5GZMHWEeFpL5ILqeGZBkcrhmEELVSoGjuQhDrwdIPaalM8bchEF0gwB9z_R7QKDkkad1tNAdYa2QVeDNZcthf30NsmtzlF50Egh3j0dPvxTpEK7sKlTvYRdF-GmODo/s4032/IMG_3637.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="340" id="id_5453_e68c_152_630c" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UZx_raxeODu6OzBU2eKh9S6rhbuutuFQR8IgxEGkilLAASqIDxMS1E9SoEyNHU5GZMHWEeFpL5ILqeGZBkcrhmEELVSoGjuQhDrwdIPaalM8bchEF0gwB9z_R7QKDkkad1tNAdYa2QVeDNZcthf30NsmtzlF50Egh3j0dPvxTpEK7sKlTvYRdF-GmODo/w453-h340/IMG_3637.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 453px;" width="453" /></a></div> <span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">Sunset behind the Paps of Jura from our campsite on the north-west of Gigha.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPn2_LQ-VImhc7LsJ5ESoWJokodm0gtVq2rTND2TiSUxDbNDSpxVb61gR3AMMoZc6UcnCLpFQ3SjlYazWxFmJBbseqSY9Pp6EjYi57txHdvcVx2s6Wbx7CkxbH9680-lcRU0Qa5XTYC8lc4QdEAenWriZIYPRuEmM5kyVDaGj1DfYBjrlNg0dMRXYoRz3/s4032/IMG_3644.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="481" id="id_a70_a64d_98be_79fb" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPn2_LQ-VImhc7LsJ5ESoWJokodm0gtVq2rTND2TiSUxDbNDSpxVb61gR3AMMoZc6UcnCLpFQ3SjlYazWxFmJBbseqSY9Pp6EjYi57txHdvcVx2s6Wbx7CkxbH9680-lcRU0Qa5XTYC8lc4QdEAenWriZIYPRuEmM5kyVDaGj1DfYBjrlNg0dMRXYoRz3/w640-h481/IMG_3644.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 450px;" width="640" /></a></div></span>Craighouse, Jura. One of our happy places. Third time camping on the front lawn of the Jura Hotel. All needs and desires in one place, showers, washing machines, battery charging, beer, whisky, pub grub and shop. The shop now selling the most delicious sourdough bread too.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_3ec4_79ea_3c21_a243" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-ygENQhh-TSKXnctwcgEqj9at6Jsrgg20Ohu2trt7NE9leS8se04xh9I6P9kxUoSz2SOnHMq6JNesuZEP0a0FPhqrT2vg" style="height: auto; width: 447px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_69f5_5d5e_e6e9_fa8e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yrtiWzYsCl-whkErcGAyBgbyO9JqNeVHYO_DcmHaTbjaUaJSjOndpDUP3xXUbz_qh1FJBtt9itOi0f2rF-yhq8LJun" style="height: auto; width: 463px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_8e71_829_1b6b_3d7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yVXGYwluiH12si6zXHOhp3k-TvtsMqFruOfJVIV9QTLHnH9wv-xvkkkSRSKZj0WResex1jyp8ZLaKUMX8-7H8YRaiFcg" style="height: auto; width: 463px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_e81a_6543_b37f_845a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xpNhzSMzM7GTsM1HWfOxHmMYcoCmRDzCq33nfp4thl0O38WJ4CZrHCLk3TA9pe5Oy3x-6RXtqaVH_Lfb6Adyq7IcwY" style="height: auto; width: 464px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />Navigating by distillery, all within a stretch of 6km of Islay coast. Oh, and Castle No. <font size="4">8.</font></div><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><div><img alt="" id="id_fba0_6c69_9fc1_76b2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wJ99amwYzhpSDFnQdrnqJKL32VtOGAoVjNtP_pmc9vlRlisZTv7CJzPXr5frJJm7ehAl3ddqwNqmKhvb2YvqBhD1at" style="height: auto; width: 448px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div>Mull of Oa with the American Monument commemorating some 550 American sailors lost in two separate maritime disasters off Islay in 1918.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" height="427" id="id_c72c_ab4e_3a19_e67a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-zOlF2azMjQPuEqYfa12V0BzqWOlSOfT60rwuj1SDDVHte6NBlq0fpiz-9Ga66InfpPca82bHBWH_LFMD7Ywgp4gg_c4A=w640-h427" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" width="640" /><br /></div><div>Rinns of Islay lighthouse, with wind and tide behind us we crossed from the Mull of Oa to here, 12km in little over an hour. </div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_8d51_8f42_ed0_42cd" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xkyFCY2GvOpTuBCYKqd-jkzsqKOAwCeLD6eIjTHNVXfEWG0PsmFFFLkXdh1KPAIpTfOMyiKe7Mj6xkjmRqecmuKgsx" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_98af_1405_3efc_1f97" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-y6tiumiFc_MHyFw1fGQp_7E20_SNx7lcZ4XIFUDaVUiUm2XK-3v9zYx16_ngD0AVDU8N7quaUzAc3FgWJCg0qaToxOwQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div>Pulling into the sheltered harbour of Portnahaven for lunch.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_83c9_4a6e_2357_5b96" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-y7dP2H9vRO7azKCQviTlDtlJSoIAW61ph3cBdwv6FOlB7QNMweTTrBZ0nJO-JuIAPKLnFisLBUTfbm4mwZE0CJjwsowQ" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /></div><div>The daily drudgery of carrying gear up to camp and getting the kayak above the high water mark at Kilchiaran Bay.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_3b56_1df0_d7b8_3a5d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xru5cbr452wFk-aJ3CKbBNoBStawbKa474XJUibARaNEynkcMuXJku7uRHkqoYFsNaDyevLvo7JQZoTckEp_lYOyuO0g" style="height: auto; width: 409px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />Found a natural ‘slipway’ for lunch</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img alt="" id="id_1cc1_aadf_2346_d3d3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xCWxkDs9fvpmjX5x94ERQPVisIHgS5X-M7Agv_Gwt3cOZ6uzzUfM1tEI90AvES6xWHx3JauQUGCuMfplxbft3g7z_Y" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_3fa9_ecb9_d2b9_2065" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-xv6fVU5sZlmIlc6jDxSy3A_pWFLYUuKOpNXa0Bh42WU0j05YiPOIRSabwX_zcEO2Dg_08EYVy7xgP9R8Y28opnW6Uk0A" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /><img alt="" id="id_8f96_ecf_5404_5b37" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-z0unUrhnWLBFEDyVOQU_nFEM7nhOTbnP7v8hJWOMl9PgQPC-lyOlxVN640nj5N5XdN942qkB8NpSYmXgGrhFIDnmXPDA" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />Amazing section of coast featuring numerous arches and caves on the north-west coast of Islay.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMSflJf9d0eFKhanfGS67E_w1qqGnjt3QN8iMoTmcHO94BaRloKDNonEGoETmCy2-KPZVUEosbQ-Z7HkfZPuULD-dNkH9VdrxzAnfEg7mGzXYUqV0iNwUxjVy6mJV0G2y8OgP_PFkOgCQhp08EvVxpcmsib9kOzaubCpZhcE3waLsJe5Bw9KC61Z5xf9j/s4032/IMG_3653.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="338" id="id_23e3_1859_b2db_51a2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMSflJf9d0eFKhanfGS67E_w1qqGnjt3QN8iMoTmcHO94BaRloKDNonEGoETmCy2-KPZVUEosbQ-Z7HkfZPuULD-dNkH9VdrxzAnfEg7mGzXYUqV0iNwUxjVy6mJV0G2y8OgP_PFkOgCQhp08EvVxpcmsib9kOzaubCpZhcE3waLsJe5Bw9KC61Z5xf9j/w450-h338/IMG_3653.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 427px;" width="450" /></a></div><div><br /></div><img alt="" id="id_753a_ec27_3e2e_babc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yqcStO64cPdpaKqg-vIzuTn00tie7lJNC-uE64rAoqig_lLISVACN9eUgQGISEwPNOl76GXbGyqOklF7w0C_nzPLqM" style="height: auto; width: 477px;" title="" tooltip="" /> Rhuvaal lighthouse.<div><br /><div><img alt="" id="id_4e74_9438_458b_97b3" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-yeDscuSp6Vt_X1L2PkcQWGkQm1GidQSBGZkcid4zoNRr3P_1Twf51D5qSHV9-pRDzqfze1mmqwBNqRiHhOZWakgJKk" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br />Native Scottish white rose in the grounds of the lighthouse.</div><div><br /></div><div><img alt="" id="id_3505_2b87_c475_aaf" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AITFw-wmAAkA1TYrTxyeXIvcNy7ZfUUqudDmpDJEm-bGbYIm_KN-t9pMo5_tAIv4jXEyHM9CncP1MkrJCM4IEUnp3VbLAWvBBg" style="height: auto; width: 515px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><br /></div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd-riIfOmWXmwtjgL28yE4AA_On5Eglkxgga7c9KRVhDreweBDXOsW4yTDEi3uLsA7_0ASQtvRHyKeOqA0PsAIFbBNCcCIYnhGnFIg0UXpWADTmVoZlF273AiyULmVDHPaoBDJBg_3psPQHmyKp86YBG1Ul6T54Obrd0pX5TraZ5RSk8ptmCH4Aan6Ofb/s2100/IMG_3669.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2100" height="344" id="id_f4ce_d0c8_4e7d_fbcd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd-riIfOmWXmwtjgL28yE4AA_On5Eglkxgga7c9KRVhDreweBDXOsW4yTDEi3uLsA7_0ASQtvRHyKeOqA0PsAIFbBNCcCIYnhGnFIg0UXpWADTmVoZlF273AiyULmVDHPaoBDJBg_3psPQHmyKp86YBG1Ul6T54Obrd0pX5TraZ5RSk8ptmCH4Aan6Ofb/w459-h344/IMG_3669.jpeg" style="height: auto; width: 434px;" width="459" /></a></div></div><div>This has to be one of our favourite campsites in the world, the red mark is where our tent is pitched, we were here in 2019. Elevated ‘nae midges knoll’ and panoramic views over Port Easdale and Kiloran Bay, Colonsay. We watched an otter diving in the bay shortly after arriving yesterday. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-39825256260505678452023-06-19T04:39:00.001+10:002023-07-31T22:47:43.127+10:00Oh Mull of Kintyre<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Sing along with Tim & Lynne…</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Mull of Kintyre </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Oh, mist rolling in from the sea </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">My desire is always to be here </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Oh, Mull of Kintyre…</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Now I have your attention and installed an ear worm you really don’t want, we’ll get back to the paddling.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">From our campsite on the decking of a long unused beach hut at the entrance to Campbelltown Loch it was about three hours with the ebb tide through Sanda Sound to Dunaverty. Hungry, we had an early lunch and a cuppa and wandered off into the village of Southend. The exploration didn’t take long, the tatty looking pub didn’t open until six and the dark and dingy shop had lots of Irn-Bru and not a lot else with a greater nutritional value. There was of course a golf course, they’re everywhere, outnumbering castles 2:1 at this stage.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We had hours to kill to wait for the tide to be just right to round the Mull. The Clyde Cruising Club sailing directions, the Admiralty tidal stream atlas and the Mull of Kintyre chapter in the Pesda Press sea kayaking guide all more or less concurred - be below the lighthouse at about HW slack just as the northerly ebb flow close inshore begins. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">On a neap tide only of course and we were slap bang on the day of neaps, 12 June. Even if we hadn’t hit the perfect day and were a few days either side it wouldn’t have mattered given the incredibly settled and windless weather of the last few weeks, the sea conditions weren’t going to spring any surprises.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGbkQ7dNmUl2PjXpX0_Skl41YF9f1gTbbUlC1fkYiYRifiYbB6PUHn-AZTtmKVr6JrrQnjBcLCkRuwROeOhxQ9jMmMQUvmdXFexQygMacOP7AxS8V_lbsJYPVrlGzp5kZ0Gsz1xJYab33AIuHQ9YvcEmUMmxjVi3uiju7yXwXp6LfJKjpcUr601iqUaNq/s1334/IMG_3647.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGbkQ7dNmUl2PjXpX0_Skl41YF9f1gTbbUlC1fkYiYRifiYbB6PUHn-AZTtmKVr6JrrQnjBcLCkRuwROeOhxQ9jMmMQUvmdXFexQygMacOP7AxS8V_lbsJYPVrlGzp5kZ0Gsz1xJYab33AIuHQ9YvcEmUMmxjVi3uiju7yXwXp6LfJKjpcUr601iqUaNq/s320/IMG_3647.png" width="180" /></a></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">The ebb flow just starting inshore while the flood is weakening out </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;">in North Channel. Mean neap and spring tidal rates shown in tenths of a knot. </span><div><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><br /><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">This area of water has some fierce tidal action, the Mull of Kintyre is the northern point of a narrow gap, North Channel, separating Scotland from Torr Head in Northern Ireland. Every flooding tide it seems as though the whole northern Atlantic Ocean tries its hardest to squeeze through the 20km wide North Channel into the Irish Sea. Then of course on the ebb the whole lot squeezes back out again. The tidal streams do funny things too, for instance the ebb flows very strongly north up the western side of the Mull. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Looking at a map of the area you’d think logically it would be the other way around as the Sound of Jura and all the waterways to the north should empty south west out to sea.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It’s not so simple. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">There’s so much water flowing out of the Irish Sea through North Channel that it can’t all fit through the ~40km gap to the west between Islay and Northern Island and out into the Atlantic, so it flows north into the Sound of Jura. The Sound of Jura is effectively a dead end apart from a few narrow gaps between the islands where tidal streams can reach 8-10knots. One of these gaps is the famous Gulf of Corrywreckan between Jura and Scarba.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So there we are sitting on the beach at Dunaverty nervously looking out to sea contemplating the utterly massive movement of water swirling back and forth and our minuscule liaison with it.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP_elLeGDejnZLLSWDGqsGFayqbudDCpBcdwq6HJiHQyhMN0-3sZ9hf4XSkNhvecKqwXf5zyXn9g-Uc7PPr9ssuGkCbCwnhv9eiOa-FxDh0-Jg8YA6Jex0iMQphD_0NNOdfGKoGo9FH-kBPUICMJPOCPNRPXUOigKmTanRsepxg4eSa2es8mMrZngZ79I/s4032/IMG_3633.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrP_elLeGDejnZLLSWDGqsGFayqbudDCpBcdwq6HJiHQyhMN0-3sZ9hf4XSkNhvecKqwXf5zyXn9g-Uc7PPr9ssuGkCbCwnhv9eiOa-FxDh0-Jg8YA6Jex0iMQphD_0NNOdfGKoGo9FH-kBPUICMJPOCPNRPXUOigKmTanRsepxg4eSa2es8mMrZngZ79I/w509-h382/IMG_3633.jpeg" width="509" /></a></span></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Cattle on the beach, Dunaverty Bay. <br /></span><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The careful timing of that liaison determined our departure from Dunaverty at 5:30, getting us in the vicinity of the lighthouse about 7 to catch a ride on the ever strengthening stream north towards Machrahanish.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">We were in these waters in 2013 and had landed for a short break at a small rocky beach at Innean Glen 6kms south of Machrahanish. The beach, wide open to any westerly swell and with shallows full of rocks needed very calm seas to be able to land without breaking something. We had those conditions then and again now, so it was our planned campsite for the night. We just had to paddle ~25km of impressive cliff bound coast with no chance of landing to get there.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">In this remote spot in 2013 we discovered a large white wooden cross, simply inscribed with ‘God Knows’. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The ‘sailors grave’ as it is known marks the grave of an unknown sailor whose body was found on the beach in 1917. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">If you want to go down an internet rabbit hole click here. <a href="https://theroadtodrumleman.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/the-sailors-grave-at-the-inneans/">The Sailor’s Grave at the Inneans | The Road to Drumleman</a></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">After a largely windless day, a gentle north-east breeze picked up as we left the beach, enough to get a sail up for a short time before it died away. On we plodded, hot even this late in the day and still. Again not a breath of wind and a glistening mirror calm sea.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As we approached the very southern most tip of the Mull a gentle south-westerly picked up. Welcomingly cool and refreshing and it flitted through my mind that if it keeps up we might have a great sail up the west coast.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hah!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The wind picked up a little, and as we rounded the southern most point it picked up a little more. As we turned north-west the wind veered with us to stay right on our bow and then picked up some more.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Suddenly we found ourselves battling a 15kn headwind, though by this time we could tell we had a very healthy current pushing us along so despite the paddling being hard work we were making good progress. Despite the favourable current, knowing we had ~10km to Innean Glen into the howling headwind I couldn’t help wondering how much progress we’d make if we turned back with both sails up and the wind behind us.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was strange that there was no sea building with the wind. The fetch to the west and north-west was considerable, this wind over even a fraction of that distance would quickly build metre high waves steepened further by the opposing current. The sea was covered in white horses but the waves were barely a foot high.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">An extremely local wind then, perhaps the Mull of Kintyre was showing its ire at our presumptuousness. About 1.5km from the lighthouse we tucked in behind a large rock. Sheltered from the wind we could stop paddling, down a couple of muesli bars and prepare to battle on.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Emerging from shelter, oh thank goodness, the winds dropped a bit. By the time we reached the lighthouse it had almost completely died away.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEV17CQ2ODr_rgL0idVRwRqHS5e7VmSvSB75qdoREtxLAX0AulgVuap_G7ehwzwtA8XTI7muNbEBnp8HvFVVthauYwgFg_YaQsBG_DmxqwMT5MheayoYFTihrAmV1i4YO8mJU4j5w-a1Ba3CyeLJquZpXb-oqfwQwe0Hw5dXDKf27bQXNE25N_ph2NN6Z/s3580/IMG_3660.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2391" data-original-width="3580" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEV17CQ2ODr_rgL0idVRwRqHS5e7VmSvSB75qdoREtxLAX0AulgVuap_G7ehwzwtA8XTI7muNbEBnp8HvFVVthauYwgFg_YaQsBG_DmxqwMT5MheayoYFTihrAmV1i4YO8mJU4j5w-a1Ba3CyeLJquZpXb-oqfwQwe0Hw5dXDKf27bQXNE25N_ph2NN6Z/w425-h284/IMG_3660.jpeg" width="425" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Mull of Kintyre lighthouse.<br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrvDnITMVXKEuYaw-dIyTDgsNe08BXFqZ1ruuX0Xoit76tz5vqT5ctN-uoVAtusRysLoyttB5UYqBfmWrp3HsrE50kM0lTYuw_WGk0J-4R4XSGOI9GxKqa8jxBQQxkUl-mCO4UAAAxtddD7ZPCZdVJa3ZVETnrdSWK7N2pZDQ7X65KL_KCJEvGFJSs60v/s3814/IMG_3664.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2861" data-original-width="3814" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrvDnITMVXKEuYaw-dIyTDgsNe08BXFqZ1ruuX0Xoit76tz5vqT5ctN-uoVAtusRysLoyttB5UYqBfmWrp3HsrE50kM0lTYuw_WGk0J-4R4XSGOI9GxKqa8jxBQQxkUl-mCO4UAAAxtddD7ZPCZdVJa3ZVETnrdSWK7N2pZDQ7X65KL_KCJEvGFJSs60v/w463-h347/IMG_3664.jpeg" width="463" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A short time later it was completely windless and the sea returned to a glistening mirror calm.<br /> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">As though nothing at all had just happened.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">At about 8 we were knee deep in the shallows easing the boat through the rocks and up the shingle beach at Innean Glen to be welcomed by a big herd of feral goats and clouds of midges.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDU_R7LmIIu5GXWr1kwwi4Ed9bLhhgRDZXBbckoAe19PUv5XkymdP37KZecnFM4ivDRKGzePU75RF92g9Rq5sX1YNAxy_u0Rj7OjWWOnmGSirV-uKDM0xBCUqOR8ZfE5TFue81xZo0vS8vuLenTU6xnUCTjAbAAXKnuvFUsDPpSjJ4liaeteYMl5jaxyQ/s3968/IMG_3665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDU_R7LmIIu5GXWr1kwwi4Ed9bLhhgRDZXBbckoAe19PUv5XkymdP37KZecnFM4ivDRKGzePU75RF92g9Rq5sX1YNAxy_u0Rj7OjWWOnmGSirV-uKDM0xBCUqOR8ZfE5TFue81xZo0vS8vuLenTU6xnUCTjAbAAXKnuvFUsDPpSjJ4liaeteYMl5jaxyQ/w450-h338/IMG_3665.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Camp at Innean Glen, spot the shipwreck on the beach.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPiKPocIA57hRbALo71zXz3_YqRW4zuVIkqa4Pwfy-NzwWkhkZm9HCqqxkc8YDHbw89bxr2kVfRrlpjVsK9Q3QkPNvpIxuwe-Kiiwjmbqgs9MitepPiXCEW-o08q6qA3cETVrzv265OyCMTktMOyNd4YVLC3OHECzCjBfpkCPPeG3kxKHFSKXxpvQDfZu/s3968/IMG_3666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPiKPocIA57hRbALo71zXz3_YqRW4zuVIkqa4Pwfy-NzwWkhkZm9HCqqxkc8YDHbw89bxr2kVfRrlpjVsK9Q3QkPNvpIxuwe-Kiiwjmbqgs9MitepPiXCEW-o08q6qA3cETVrzv265OyCMTktMOyNd4YVLC3OHECzCjBfpkCPPeG3kxKHFSKXxpvQDfZu/w456-h342/IMG_3666.jpg" width="456" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I hope the crew of Lucy Brown made it to shore for a celebratory wee dram. </span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p> </div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-72780709370823473852023-06-14T15:23:00.001+10:002023-08-18T21:11:09.762+10:00 An Ayr of Unreality. <p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">So with the long haul up the motorway from Devon over, we arrive in Ayr. The drive though, over two days wasn’t too bad and perversely I do quite enjoy UK motorway driving. This is the sixth time we’ve driven one way or another between Scotland and the south of England with the breakdown kayak in the back of a hire van. Given the frequency an element of routine has established itself especially since a few journeys ago we discovered the</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><a href="https://fellbrewery.co.uk/bars/fell-bar-penrith/" id="id_d30f_345e_7d7_fdd2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Fell Bar Penrith - Fell Brewery </a></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15Ws38UtuIiAsYf2Z-SR_eUi2MsIkAS9MOZkvxfmq7B-_KWLIC9RG8MDpx6o73OeSVlCl95ykU0_LVp_b_S1iIWCqZzTvIK8XnlXNux7Ba6OnqyLEOtmjHzCRBJ2TcZG3POAFX2QxXqEiR93Kw5kNlyJ3t2Qgl5kHLai0J2y_5tGACaGjU2Wb-dgiB0ag/s4032/IMG_3614.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15Ws38UtuIiAsYf2Z-SR_eUi2MsIkAS9MOZkvxfmq7B-_KWLIC9RG8MDpx6o73OeSVlCl95ykU0_LVp_b_S1iIWCqZzTvIK8XnlXNux7Ba6OnqyLEOtmjHzCRBJ2TcZG3POAFX2QxXqEiR93Kw5kNlyJ3t2Qgl5kHLai0J2y_5tGACaGjU2Wb-dgiB0ag/w640-h480/IMG_3614.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><img alt="" id="id_a7f7_6eb4_7ee6_f6fb" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81ohfuS-XY1va5QbAuDruZqDTNAmgZcT3EX8Lsr63bqxuX9F7mbRsEq2upYv99FcsL5h2jZK7JEI0_nyW_S_WvbSOAq7" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /><br /><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Penrith is roughly half way on our journey and with the Fell Bar offering more than a dozen excellent craft beers it’s an obvious stopover. This time we planned to do it properly. Rather than just a pint and a feed then driving out of town for a wild camp for the night, we’d scoped a small car park a two minute walk from the Fell Bar. Here we could stand the four pieces of kayak up hidden behind the van, spread out our thermarests inside and bed down for the night. Perfect. Yes, thanks, I’ll have another pint.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I always feel an air of unreality seeing in real life what we’d seen poring over maps and google earth. Our planned launch spot in three dimensions was everything it promised in two dimensions, plenty of room and nice little ramp down to the beach.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEaYowvgNoqy9POD7lnfMOb7Vo5vy0v-Y1pQ33O51itnrooh7a3ev_fM3uVJp1Rv06a4o-YTgRej0qw0QAsUOmoMnh5_zBhYuNk4nMLw00LiKEZq5gv-KqI6hvz77VHtm71cBBRBmfNQo_kO2tOpfV8X8ehJLLyjButNl8p0kxtzK5Em-SsHjamV3GNx7/s4032/IMG_4200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTEaYowvgNoqy9POD7lnfMOb7Vo5vy0v-Y1pQ33O51itnrooh7a3ev_fM3uVJp1Rv06a4o-YTgRej0qw0QAsUOmoMnh5_zBhYuNk4nMLw00LiKEZq5gv-KqI6hvz77VHtm71cBBRBmfNQo_kO2tOpfV8X8ehJLLyjButNl8p0kxtzK5Em-SsHjamV3GNx7/w640-h481/IMG_4200.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Just the bow section to attach now <br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It always seems to take longer than expected to bolt the boat together, set up and adjust rudder cables, rudder up haul and down haul, deck lines etc but finally just after high tide we were on the water.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Feeling frazzled and tired we plodded into a head wind for a few kms and found a campsite in the narrow strip of dunes squeezed between the beach and a golf course.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A series of high pressure systems to the west of the UK have been dominating the weather for weeks. With no sign of any change the sunny hot clear weather and easterly quarter winds are set to continue.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The easterlies the next day had us sailing at speed up the coast past Troon to Ardrossan for lunch and at the marina there finally managed to dispose of four well out of date flares from previous trips. The UK Coastguard used to offer this service but it has now been outsourced to private providers. These are thin on the ground. It’s not hard to be hundreds of miles from a disposal spot, there’s only three on the whole west coast of Scotland and they are all marinas only a few miles apart on the Firth of Clyde. Not only that but the disposal fee for each flare was ~AU$6.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The lovely sailing wind continued, pushing us north across the busy shipping channel at the mouth of the Clyde to land at just about high tide in lovely Glencallum Bay on the southern tip of the Isle of Bute.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><img alt="" id="id_6f85_1851_7cc6_732a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/drive-viewer/AFGJ81qMUct010J4CNNaDB7fSl_vpgKcXEAMbPuhIHfxdZZqm9_GzvG-6C-Fu971ScZ-A_9Ej0G1KLwpTiIJLVxvxHi2Woxu" style="height: auto; width: 298px;" title="" tooltip="" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_T1S3IzjDOc-O1h4R3Mwm7SV7WJ7uJSm1c3jL5pScofOekwSzdKFyqFiSRfZi3RdgS6mWtaiKeN23SUys9yrZ1L7QeN6VpnHgbiJhuDYcg8-uyLQhrg3pZAQCm2DPwA2SkJul4kNLbraxMXKYHWM0fm9gB5IWqevr_B0f9QLy1AKy4iHcsni_wnh0q9P/s4032/IMG_3615.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_T1S3IzjDOc-O1h4R3Mwm7SV7WJ7uJSm1c3jL5pScofOekwSzdKFyqFiSRfZi3RdgS6mWtaiKeN23SUys9yrZ1L7QeN6VpnHgbiJhuDYcg8-uyLQhrg3pZAQCm2DPwA2SkJul4kNLbraxMXKYHWM0fm9gB5IWqevr_B0f9QLy1AKy4iHcsni_wnh0q9P/w640-h480/IMG_3615.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> Glencallum Bay</span><p></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Of all the places we’ve kayaked, Scotland consistently has the very best campsites. More often than not there is nice level close cropped grass at the top of the beach but also expansive views. There’s no scrub or forest to hem in the view but also of course no scrub or forest means no shelter what so ever from the wind. Given you’ve a tent that can take a battering it’s the place to be, views to die for and exposed to the slightest of breezes the scourge of midges is largely avoided.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Being so paddling unfit, tired and a bit stiff there was little motivation first thing the next morning to drag the kayak to the water across the rocks uncovered by the ebbing. A lazy morning, an early lunch and a flooding tide, then across to Arran. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was hot and still, too hot. Hats were dunked and cold sea water poured over heads, PFDs were draped over the deck behind us, then thank goodness a slight headwind picked up. Its cooling effect was very welcome to over heated bodies cooking inside dry suits.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">About 5:30, close to high tide a nice shingly beach backed by close cropped grass tempted us ashore for our customary wee dram, celebrating another successful day at sea without dying. Besides how could we resist camping at a spot named Fairy Dell?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicw9slTdML6x4HgBUcMwFPcL1-MOc2xqObMDILE-ASfuQcB8VwESQHmm4YHf_eKHBsYnfKECrgCzLGvZglVuxrpfaT_rvshtLhfCY5u4eb9Y_POOtCaRxFqz0vskWMrweXOvccqErroHSFqCrjhZKC-w4AyCDqZR0THxySxGx1i1vxmvUwvbnHEb4mCRe/s4032/IMG_3616.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicw9slTdML6x4HgBUcMwFPcL1-MOc2xqObMDILE-ASfuQcB8VwESQHmm4YHf_eKHBsYnfKECrgCzLGvZglVuxrpfaT_rvshtLhfCY5u4eb9Y_POOtCaRxFqz0vskWMrweXOvccqErroHSFqCrjhZKC-w4AyCDqZR0THxySxGx1i1vxmvUwvbnHEb4mCRe/w640-h480/IMG_3616.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> Fairy Dell</span><br /><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Our poor old kayak has needed a proper refit for some time; it’s been patched and fixed up over a number of trips but we’ve never had the time, the workshop space or the necessary tools in the UK to really do it properly. Sure enough, landing on Arran for a cuppa must have exacerbated a weakness in the hull of my cockpit, and by the time we reached Fairy Dell there was a couple of inches of water sloshing around inside. I was too tired and it was a bit late in the day to do much that evening so the next morning the repair kit was unpacked and by 9am another large ugly but functional patch was added to others adorning the keel line.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The forced day off while the fibreglass set was slightly frustrating as the fresh north-easterly wind that blew all day would have blown us south towards the Mull of Kintyre at speed, but also sort of welcome as our paddling unfit bodies were creaking and groaning in complaint from the last couple of days of paddling.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">A cruisey walk around the coast to Lochranza included the discovery of a fantastic orchid and a geological unconformity that when discovered in 1787 led to a complete rethink of the then accepted scale of geological time.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Lochranza sports a small but imposing castle, which we dubbed Castle No. 4. It being the fourth castle we’ve passed in two days of paddling!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkepWT2OoJ5RdQFJiieL-D1wES_DHHQFALYcVne6Ze8BXWlW0W-t07OVFeM5xFElV8VsQCTpCs0eZOemByBz79XGzVhe2ObUBOXQFd55Z0bba6D9o983B8XkaJoxrnBes3STSCRzAhuCSxpQnq-pxFHeX3TNWRn3ogMBtmsAZMuGU-qxIDj78QrhwaQTyJ/s2315/IMG_3618.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2315" data-original-width="1441" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkepWT2OoJ5RdQFJiieL-D1wES_DHHQFALYcVne6Ze8BXWlW0W-t07OVFeM5xFElV8VsQCTpCs0eZOemByBz79XGzVhe2ObUBOXQFd55Z0bba6D9o983B8XkaJoxrnBes3STSCRzAhuCSxpQnq-pxFHeX3TNWRn3ogMBtmsAZMuGU-qxIDj78QrhwaQTyJ/w398-h640/IMG_3618.jpeg" width="398" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Heath spotted-orchid.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3UCwgW6oDWfgzMR0ZJVsZQeJa2khngjZ1cGgRGkg4PzURan2dOqkcaeX033KMgJNy-Nq6ZHOVE5ZjGXqVCRcP3yYj_6YKgHS5MCd1lbMWU-cHuJa_CQJuBnrvTVlqgOJvLCtSa9E8WZNsln5djHUWD513MK0-bxPWMjZmkn_ZnEWlHjWgObiFP7Gbfah/s3930/IMG_3622.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2672" data-original-width="3930" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3UCwgW6oDWfgzMR0ZJVsZQeJa2khngjZ1cGgRGkg4PzURan2dOqkcaeX033KMgJNy-Nq6ZHOVE5ZjGXqVCRcP3yYj_6YKgHS5MCd1lbMWU-cHuJa_CQJuBnrvTVlqgOJvLCtSa9E8WZNsln5djHUWD513MK0-bxPWMjZmkn_ZnEWlHjWgObiFP7Gbfah/w640-h436/IMG_3622.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Hutton’s unconformity</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHitFlLh_bctunzLqjLpELDsKyQc8Ww8AVriBr0elHHEEHQNAT8EZ9Cj4jnpNK60Ecpq5iaiQYvQIhSf7jCjSBu2IqVjDuXjjlxFq26nC3iXKYeEpRLi8RQicM0Y1iZJ4H_UZ39HYDBTnkmTVkDzxxd5Ubu2LV3y1qG9qB2MJzAke0Yr_STv0g42t8X9l/s4032/IMG_3624.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHitFlLh_bctunzLqjLpELDsKyQc8Ww8AVriBr0elHHEEHQNAT8EZ9Cj4jnpNK60Ecpq5iaiQYvQIhSf7jCjSBu2IqVjDuXjjlxFq26nC3iXKYeEpRLi8RQicM0Y1iZJ4H_UZ39HYDBTnkmTVkDzxxd5Ubu2LV3y1qG9qB2MJzAke0Yr_STv0g42t8X9l/w640-h480/IMG_3624.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Castle No. 4 Lochranza</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">It was so unbearably hot as we wandered to the village and back to camp that this from Wikipedia seems hard to believe -</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-style: italic;">Lochranza is reputed to have the fewest hours of sunshine of any village in the United Kingdom, and is the most shaded village in the entire world according to world climate experts, since it lies in a north-facing glen on an island with a particularly high level of rainfall.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">The day off proved effective, not only were we not sinking any more but having gained a modicum of paddling fitness we were both paddling strongly 40kms down the coast as we looked for a campsite at the entrance to Campbelltown Loch.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYY3ywIh6lJDpTOK9ljoUQA0TZP_D2uty_weme7vkQ-dOn49Mr9cQHOVmYfqgVUznF5UYg4wfwMtG-TEXmCoKL0c97tRbZv5NXXXaduWMtH4huiXYoe578IAbXdSR7ers3mNrtOB23Kej6RLu7Vut8PlNXVgYTIDjUJuIQGvbA4tJwoaiy-Bh_sUItnDjT/s4032/70819296015__9A93847E-C5A7-4C45-B99B-0BC59B062D0D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYY3ywIh6lJDpTOK9ljoUQA0TZP_D2uty_weme7vkQ-dOn49Mr9cQHOVmYfqgVUznF5UYg4wfwMtG-TEXmCoKL0c97tRbZv5NXXXaduWMtH4huiXYoe578IAbXdSR7ers3mNrtOB23Kej6RLu7Vut8PlNXVgYTIDjUJuIQGvbA4tJwoaiy-Bh_sUItnDjT/w640-h480/70819296015__9A93847E-C5A7-4C45-B99B-0BC59B062D0D.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">I did mention Scotland has the best sea kayaking campsites, this one came with chairs.</span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h_U0JztcOArpp4kQVgAyovvQ75XpGEE0iKSeLLsLsmp2YRoAQKn3Zu0xAZ5qg88pwVr5g4NiGF73LIEdPZBikt1uoNb6zzE47049aW5m3bv03lYZQyPCLAZGba3wC7kC4ys5P5svelo0RJguiREGFfr53iCGbNe4FYqmZ_WekZIXD8hLme5ZNcexKwWi/s4032/IMG_3627.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-h_U0JztcOArpp4kQVgAyovvQ75XpGEE0iKSeLLsLsmp2YRoAQKn3Zu0xAZ5qg88pwVr5g4NiGF73LIEdPZBikt1uoNb6zzE47049aW5m3bv03lYZQyPCLAZGba3wC7kC4ys5P5svelo0RJguiREGFfr53iCGbNe4FYqmZ_WekZIXD8hLme5ZNcexKwWi/w640-h480/IMG_3627.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Daavar Island lighthouse, Campbelltown Loch. </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Even if a lighthouse wasn’t needed here you’d have to build one in such a perfect spot anyway.</span><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><br /></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 22px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"></span><br /></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-82363985828835940432019-07-24T17:23:00.001+10:002019-07-25T07:48:27.880+10:00Cape Wrath And Beyond. Or as we dubbed it on the day, Cape Serenity. But more of the serenity of Cape Wrath later. <div><br></div><div>The Calmac ferry arrived in Ullapool <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">at a good time</span> for us, the tide was high enough that the car deck was just about level with the street making hauling the kayak on its trolley off the ferry far easier than it could have been. A few hundred metres of hauling later and we’d found a spot for the tent just metres from the beach and tomorrow morning’s high tide. </div><div><br></div><div>Through the Summer Isles the next morning with a light following wind then on around Rubha Coigeach crossing to Achmevich Beach for lunch. The now windless day was soft shades of translucent silvery grey. The sea sluggishly moved with a barely noticeable south westerly swell and above us the thin low cloud veiled the sun but admitted a satiny brightness that made the mirror-like sea glisten like mercury. </div><div><br></div><div>On around the Point of Stoer travelling fast now with a healthy SW wind filling both sails. Just before the Point itself, The Old Man of Stoer, a sea stack well known to UK rock climbers stood tethered to the cliffs by a climbing rope. Turning into the wind around the Point it was a bit of a push against the fierce wind funneling over the headland and out through the bay to find a campsite in the shore of Culkein village. </div><div><br></div><div>The South Westerly was still blowing the next morning so it was a very fast sail NE across the bay and then North to Handa for a cuppa and something to eat. Handa Island is leased to the Scottish Wildlife Trust. It is of particular significance for its seabirds such as <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">guillemots, razorbills and great skuas breed in internationally significant numbers. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">A little after 1pm and we’d set up camp at the top of the beach at Kinlochbervie and let Alan know we had arrived. Alan, a work colleague from many years ago, was joining us to round Cape Wrath and along the north coast. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_2e12_62db_934f_5722" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Zh8TFGfJYhFwypPl7BAho0mi0Z-ZwTpxHE0nsDn5b-qNPoL6_c9bMh0cvW4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">In the pub that evening we pored over maps and tidal information and decided that the conditions the next day looked good, the east going stream started about 5:30pm and we had a weakening SW wind to help us up the coast, so a sleep in and a lazy morning before heading off. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">As we left the shelter of Loch Inchard and turned north, the southerly tide and rebound made for slow and uncomfortable going for a few kilometres - hopefully not a taste of what may lay ahead. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Sandwood Bay about 15km south of the Cape was realistically our only opportunity to land along the cliff bound and rocky shore </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">and the benign sea conditions meant the surf would be small. Sandwood is just one of those amazing beaches, </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">sweeping for about 3km in a graceful arc </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">backed by dunes and low rocky hills. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The SW wind had weakened considerably and all was pretty calm until an area of boils and a quite unruly sea just south of the Cape indicated a lot of water was still moving. Somewhere.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">It was hard to tell. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Did this mean we had our timing wrong? </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">The sea calmed down closer to the Cape and by the time we arrived it was as serene as we could have hoped for. In fantastic sunshine we passed through two big arches right on the Cape, lining up photos, meandering as well as it’s possible to meander in a 5m+ double kayak back and forth revelling in the serenity of Wrath. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">On to Kearvaig and its luxurious bothy, but before we could settle and put the billy on it was a long long haul with our kayaks and gear over the long low tide length of beach of soft sand. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><img id="id_76ec_3010_80ff_84bb" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fnBUkVzCh37yWzr6Cd8n6PktfHJVXahc6UE1BWCgmypNdrBJuQwf4bjZ790" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Some days, and this was one of them, it seems harder work at the end of the day getting the kayak above the high water mark and camp set up than the whole day’s paddling. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div>Kearvaig is one of those special places, remote wild and wonderful. You’ll probably look it up on Google Earth and get some idea of the place but either by foot, bike or kayak endeavour to get there in real life. Arriving by kayak is probably the most challenging but whatever you do, try and avoid arriving at low tide like we did. Not only is Kearvaig an amazing spot but we were treated to a calm evening of amazing light and cloud scapes. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_4916_65e8_fbea_d09e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nav-pQ4X_E0mQgxy_vn6IGTNlxp_u6w80-XNCgKXDTBmFiUlOUsXZh-bJ40" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2656_7e76_6d0a_6ec4" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Sfn7lSuMWFSTJPW6vxI1LLJUmMjuF1fgifEZTNfmR0pv_VooYbZcP3eJW8A" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_e8de_1118_7bc4_c939" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/yBSi32PbnfffU_IDr_G0VC7cjejDdmhnoiVwOaqj15ugyFdTGdjNFcv4SNI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></div><div><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">Cape Wrath in the background.<br></span><br>Out through the small but messy surf the next morning to pass spectacularly high cliffs abounding with puffins and guillemots. We thought the arches at Cape Wrath were impressive but this coastline just became increasingly magnificent. </div><div><br></div><div>Durness was murky with drizzle but that didn’t deter the beach goers who we spotted huddling out of the rain under large beach towels. Too hard core for us - we went to the pub for a pint and counter meal still in our dripping kayaking gear. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_8381_4d5f_924f_9f11" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ww-Pa2J92zt9lM2rBHDIZxk4YEbvbY6utzm19FcWfkIGPvD-usuCB7n76xk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Being comfy and warm in the pub, and a second pint, inevitably meant lunch was a bit longer than it would have been if we too had huddled on the beach in the drizzle, so Rispond, a few kilometres along the coast offered a good landing and camping space. </div><div>Rispond’s little harbour with a beautiful stone jetty and adjacent buildings were built in 1788 initially for trade in wool to Holland then salt herring and a salmon bottling plant. Now the buildings are holiday rental accommodation and a private holiday house, all in very good condition and well cared for. We certainly appreciated the flat grass on the front lawn. </div><div><br></div><div>The very sheltered harbour and slip are used almost exclusively by the local lobster fisherman, who stores a week’s catch in slatted wooden crates tied floating in the water there until he heaves them all onto his ute to be shipped to Portugal. There is no quota, the lobsters just have to be the legal size.</div><div><br></div><div>If you have the chance to go sea kayaking anywhere in the UK pick any section of the coastline between Cape Wrath and Thurso. Just when we thought the arches, caves, tunnels, stacks and cliffs couldn’t get any more impressive we rounded the next headland and discovered more. </div><div><br></div><div>Caves we entered without a torch enveloped us in total darkness long before reaching the end, and all the while the echoey disorientating sound of the sea swishing, booming and gurgling filled our ears. One particularly spooky cave had a beach of white sand at its head, but in the semi darkness it wasn’t readily apparent what the vague whiteness ahead was, until we were aground. In the gloomy light, the long wave-smoothed purple/red rocks of the tunnels were reminiscent of the view from those tiny cameras when travelling down an oesophagus. The gurgling sea added to the effect. </div><div><br></div><div>Much of the coast is easily accessible, not particularly exposed or committing and the sections between road access are short. Information on launch spots, tides and all other necessary info can be found in this excellent guide book from Pesda Press in the UK. </div><div><br></div><div><img id="id_a7ea_fa83_7674_8b27" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/FbukogEXgT-7JypvLfhqRtLXB7NOGNRZmq8bCiVrD0mNzGmaTECNjdXc7jQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Our last tidal ‘interest’ was Strathy Point, sticking some 4km out into the Pentland Firth. With low tides in the morning we were paddling most, if not all day with the east going flood so we were expecting an accelerating current around the Point but were disappointed. </div><div><br></div><div>Our last night before Thurso and the end of our trip was the natural harbour at Portskerra.</div><div> </div><div><img id="id_b24b_cf16_b4b5_8684" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eSiWiehOXoejLycL6CtGnoz2eyjSY-Z5Kgo_ZNLQcaYE4kG29hQ9A-3Bpos" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>The last day of paddling was as spectacular as the previous few - a myriad of caves, maze like channels between sea stacks and through arches. A nice wind too so with sails up we made good progress past Dounreay, one of the earliest nuclear power and testing sites in the UK. It is now being decommissioned which was originally scheduled to take 100 years then accelerated to take 60 years at an estimated cost of <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">£4.3 billion (~AU$8.6 billion) The site is now surrounded by two large wind farms. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As we rounded Holborn Head and Thurso appeared in front of us so did the wind. The same lovely sailing wind we’d had earlier in the day was now right on the nose. With 6 weeks of paddling fitness in our upper bodies we just went for it, paddling hard the final 3km to the boat ramp just at the mouth of the River Thurso. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The last of the whisky was drunk to celebrate another fantastic day on the water and we wandered off into the streets of Thurso in search of a shower, food and beer. </span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not necessarily in that order. </span></div><div><br><br></div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-45290265311403257052019-07-17T06:36:00.001+10:002019-07-17T15:57:25.724+10:00 Butt of Lewis<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Plod, plod, plod, the</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">low rocky coastline of NW Lewis slowly disappears behind us. To be replaced by more of the same around the next headland in front of us. 24kms of it. Not exactly a boring coastline but to be honest not a particularly interesting one either especially on a windless overcast day, the smooth oily sea barely undulating beneath us. A zephyr of a SE breeze moving a knot or so faster than we were just filled both sails for a while but mostly it was plod, plod, plod.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Quite a contrast to the day before off Gallan Head where messy confused seas threw us around and slowed us down for what seemed an awfully long time. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">John and Lorna Norgrove who we’d met through a mutual friend in Tasmania (Hi Luke!) had waved us off from the beach at Carnais. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_1a31_ea71_d2d5_f110" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/I5LFuxjP3gQ6eZB_LmFS0bIPKfCHqt8EIk_CvCZVTNoX0FEURcFwp7dpIDI" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you John and Lorna for your hospitality, a comfy night in The Wheelhouse, and an insight into life on Lewis. </span></p><p class="p2"><img id="id_97db_1f08_f785_8a42" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/z3bNLF7dnMcYXtYYmacd3gjCdsVOdM6o1_du0J76nu0g95kqNQPj200ndFA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Retired now, but as is often the case with active and inspiring retirees as busy as ever with a myriad of activities. Most importantly they run The Linda Norgrove Foundation </span><a href="https://lindanorgrovefoundation.org/" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s2">https://lindanorgrovefoundation.org/</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The foundation, dedicated to their aid worker daughter killed in Afghanistan in 2010 funds education, health and childcare initiatives for Afghan women and children. We were particularly impressed with the funding of female medical students all the way through their studies, 33 currently and they are aiming for 50. Seriously, throw them some funds. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The plodding continued to a beach about 4kms from the Butt of Lewis where we waited for the tide to flow NE. The Butt of Lewis is one of the windiest places in the UK and the tides can run up to 6kn as the Atlantic Ocean tries to squeeze around The Butt into The Minch and then back again. By the time we were looking up at the lighthouse on the tip the overcast skies had cleared and there wasn’t a breath of wind or at slack water a trace of current. Meandering around the coastal rocks we contemplated how often the conditions are so benign to enable kayaks to get in so close. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A day of contrasts. The NW coast of Lewis from Barvas may have been a bit tedious and uninteresting, but the NE coast to the beach at Tolsta was the opposite. Fantastic cliffs, offshore rocks, caves and arches and just screeching with with bird life. In the bays between the rocky headlands, the waters abounded with marine mammals - we saw dolphins, Harbour porpoises and at least 6 Minke whales, one of them breaching.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The thought of a beer, the first since Castlebay, as Stornaway loomed ahead of us had pushed us on around Tolsta Point to land at 6:30, a bit later than our usual knock off time. At least our feet were on dry land, a pretty good signifier that a day on the water has been a 100% successful, but camping was limited to the dry, deep loose beach sand. Just the worst! And really not what we needed to cope with at the end of a long day. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The incongruous Tolsta pier at the end of the beach came to the rescue with smooth, flat and having been in the sun all day, warm concrete. The pier built in 1894 against the advice of local fisherman had finally proved useful, as a campsite. Cue a rave for freestanding tents. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_8bf7_97f6_f4c4_5d51" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/fQ4BhJ165Uac9Tox9rP9nw5xh6PvR3dclx7lvlvp9rhYKGiBOdQKeOo049I" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_5d43_f669_a5a_7eb6" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/34is57EDvbQEP0AfY0__iogfMyYXTCf1A-UYwV0bj6jWwpXhJQLOyAeTAX4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Stornaway!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The ramp we’d hoped to use to wheel the kayak ashore for the ferry didn’t exist so we tied up in the marina and headed for the homely Heb Hostel. With bodies hosed clean by glorious long hot showers and smelly thermals going around in the wash it was beer o’clock at the Crown, the only pub in town with hand pumps. </span></p><img id="id_b763_c236_ba72_287b" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/msWLTMvY4BGPntx7RDIcE-kEgu7H9S4KVlXfo2JrFXHkLtFI0iT8LBw3yDk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>Pedal powered Harris Tweed loom.
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">High tide and on its trolley we hauled the kayak out into the street and around to the Calmac terminal for the ferry the next day.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br></p>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-5943071788770225112019-07-08T00:37:00.001+10:002019-07-08T00:51:56.582+10:00Castlebay and The Vatersay Boys
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The two very windy days camped on our ‘nae midges’ knoll on the NE tip of Eriskay made us very appreciative of our sturdy, seemingly bombproof, little tent. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eventually the wind dropped and veered NW so in theory an easy 25km downwind run to Castlebay. We left mid afternoon and shot down the Eastern shore of Eriskay but crossing the Sound of Barra even though only a couple of kilometres was full on with the wind and a steep choppy sea right on the beam. There was no way we were tackling that wind all the way to Castlebay so ducked into the channel between Gighay and Hellisay to find a camp for the night.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another plod into a fierce headwind the next morning and we finally reached Castlebay. A scenic little sheltered harbour dominated by Kisimul Castle standing proudly on a skerrie smack bang in the middle of the bay. It was busy too with the daily Cal Mac ferry from Oban, the tall ship ‘Lady of Avenor’ running evening cruises and visiting yachts of all shapes and sizes. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_17fc_2304_1522_f63" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_niWC4NPuMJUlNp2WcAIejuXyn2yPj1jTWpWiUJ9iQ-uvUPpaTyVOsMEtGU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Between the late 1800s and the early 1900s Castlebay was at the centre of the herring boom. At it’s height the shoreline was a hive of activity with thousands of men working on the boats, the herring girls in the gutting sheds as well as coopers and other associated trades. </span></span></p><img id="id_c82c_c947_5b67_b117" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0aiCbKSMLw1vcacGD_B2T8d8hJlZnzq4-V0tc76jWkMg_rvM_wncqteH8FY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We tied up to a pontoon in the marina and found a lovely sheltered grassy spot for the tent nearby, just above the high tide mark. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the marina showers and washing machines just metres away we rapidly sorted our smelly and salt encrusted bodies and clothing and wandered in to Castlebay. Within a matter of hours we were warned that the harbour master was a grumpy bas.…erh, shall we say, person and that he may object to us camping on the foreshore near the marina. Later, back at the tent sure enough there he was, busying himself around the marina and the incoming yachts. Inevitability he came over with a “helloo”. His only concern was our kayak tied up at a quiet end of one of the pontoons. Once we explained we were moving it ashore at high tide he was cool even mentioning what a sheltered spot we had for the tent. </span>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A little while later the tide app told me there was another 1.2m of water to come in. Mmmm, that’s extremely close, if not above groundsheet level. We looked with concern at the seaweed tangled through the grassy patch we were camped on. Perhaps it wasn’t storm tossed seaweed, perhaps it was the springs high tide mark and the grumpy harbour master didn’t have to move us on as he knew the tide would do it in a hour or so. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There was some discussion about membership of the Underwater Camping Club, of which I’m a full member. Ask me how to join, it’s quite easy.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We’re going to be here a couple of days and the tides are getting bigger so membership of the UWCC seemed a certainty, until I rechecked the tide app. This time it had updated to the correct time and told me there was only further 30cm of water to the tide height of 4.2m. The next couple of days the tide is 4.4m, but still heaps of freeboard.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Given the forecast for the next few days we were uncertain whether to stock up on food and carry on knowing we’d probably not make much progress up the West Coast of Barra and beyond or rest up and hope for the predominant Westerlies to abate. This decision was made for us having spotted an unassuming little poster advertising a gig by The Vatersay Boys at Vatersay Hall on Friday. Decision made! Tickets bought! </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some boat maintenance, a walk up Heabhal at 383m the highest point on Barra, Castlebay Heritage Centre, wifi at the Community Hub, reading, eating and shopping for a weeks food filled Weds and Thursday.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_f833_a150_659_ae3f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bt4U2PIrHdHMZMjoeMgrOLAHkbeSG358wek4eIeoFqhlgr0e5HmzdwXKoX4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Friday and all stocked up with food, we set off into the low cloud, drizzle and stiff Westerly aiming to camp on the West Coast of Vatersay. It was a bit of a plod across then straight into the wind so the first beach on the south Coast was too tempting to pass by. </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the tent out of the wind in the lee of the gable end of a ruined house we were within walking distance of the Hall for The Vatersay Boys gig in the evening. </span></p><p class="p1"><img id="id_6a99_d313_e39a_3864" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Z3FgUskiwYJomWRUPQvFQkB6se5pOYMJ1zKHxXjtl_O_hAqJx3ePn5QLlnE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">An impressive drum kit, a piano accordion, a button accordion and bagpipes make a lot of noise, more than enough to fill the Hall. It was a sell out evening and obviously very popular with the locals whose ages ranged across four generations. The young teenage girls dressed in night club finery were first on the dance floor, the teenage boys weren’t far behind. For the best part of three hours the teenagers dominated the floor as the Boys pumped out one tune after another.</span></p><p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What a fantastic night!</span></p> </div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-5721968694408162712019-07-01T21:09:00.001+10:002019-07-01T21:09:53.605+10:00Outer Hebrides.
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We really could not have scored a better day for crossing from Milovaig on Skye to the isle of Ronay, NE of Benbecula. The distance is almost exactly the same as Banks Strait between Musselroe in NE Tasmania and Clarke Island in The Furneaux Group, similar tidal flows too. We’ve crossed Banks Strait a good few times but there was a tad more nervousness for this crossing. Unfamiliar waters maybe but perfect weather forecasts. The Windy app was giving us variable winds from the SE of up to 8knots, the Inshore Waters forecast was giving us variable winds too, from the NE, Force 3 or 4. Either would do very nicely thank you. Both forecasts meant with the wind behind us we’d be sailing, but if we had a choice the Inshore Waters would come first as we’d be sailing even faster. The wind strength and direction might be uncertain but what was certain, given the general situation, was a hot sunny day.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_27b7_67c7_a660_1819" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/4B2awodMtjYIlR9V-hwpn3LaN1RZ64rqnCRxn71u2ByTmkms4GQ2ckgrdDE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The evening before we left Lynne got chatting with a fella at the Milovaig jetty. Once she mentioned we were kayaking he insisted on coming over to inspect our boat and </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">chat all things kayaking as it turned out he had been sea kayaking for 30 years including a solo circumnavigation of the UK in 1994. He was out in his inflatable the next morning fishing and gave us a wave as we headed offshore. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As it turned out neither forecast was quite right, the wind was NE as the Inshore Forecast predicted but Windy picked the strength, just enough to fill both sails and give us a little boost. We’d left about 10am which according to the Tidal Atlas would put us roughly in the middle of the crossing at slack water between the Southerly ebb and the Northerly flood. As it turned out we didn’t come across any perceptible tidal flow, and our track followed the straight line route on the GPS very closely simply by aiming for a prominent hill on North Uist all the way across. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Without a cloud in the sky we paddled meditatively on without a care in the world. We could feel by the lessened load on our paddle blades that the sails were helping us along just nicely. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Far to south we spotted a large freighter, heading north. Knowing we were crossing shipping separation lanes I repeated the mantra learnt as a kid crossing the road, “Look right, look left, look right again”, adding a contemporary “Then paddle like hell!”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few checks of its position over the next few minutes confirmed the ship was going to pass well ahead of us.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A little while later Lynne spotted another, heading south. This one too was going to pass ahead of us, but much closer than the previous ship. We headed more northerly and slowed down to increase the distance between us. It rumbled across our bows about 1.5km ahead of us. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Back on our original course we paddled on until ‘smoko’ time, about 2 1/2 hours from leaving the beach in Skye. We were ready for a break and something to eat, the GPS told us we had about 5km to go and while sitting there relaxing and eating the light North Easterly was pushing us along at about 4kph. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I had checked out the east coast of Benbecula and the adjacent coastline on Google Earth for landing opportunities at some point. The continuous rocky shoreline seemed very uninviting with few if any beaches of any sort. I thought it can’t be that bad, there’ll always be something. Well I was wrong, it was worse. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eventually, at about 1:30 we found a bouldery beach that enabled us to clamber out and pull the bow of the boat up on the rocks. We stretched our legs and had a pee, and were tempted to linger longer and have a cup of coffee, but having just had a break we thought we’d carry on a bit further. Which we did. A bit further, and a bit further and further still as every headland, every corner, every bay just revealed more uninviting rocky coastline. There were a few pebbly beaches but once close they were all guarded by seaweed covered rock shelves or boulder fields. Finally, a couple of hours later, and by now really needing a coffee, food and a rest, we found a bouldery beach with no offshore rocks, just seaweed. I pulled the rudder up and we glided into the seaweed. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And stopped dead. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was so thick and the water too deep we couldn’t even get out, let alone pull our the boat through it to the beach, 5m away. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There was nothing for it, out came the standby food that lives behind my seat, a tin of baked beans and a tin of rice cream.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The map showed a sandy beach on the Southern side of a small island, so we navigated the maze of skerries only to find a mass of boulders.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Onward, but by now time was getting on and we were looking not just for a rocky beach to pull the bow up but a proper landing place where we could get the heavily laden boat right out of the water and camp. This was not looking too hopeful until eventually in the distance we spotted the Petersport jetty/boat ramp and on a knoll above the clutter of ropes, buoys and pots was a lovely spot for the tent. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After nearly 50km with only one break ashore of 15-20mins the end of day dram of Jura malt never tasted so good. </span></p><img id="id_95e_9848_e7a6_edfc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/uaOCxiRcJ1TGwgAvj8VPyYMFpKoNrP5L_HEtYkKg1eLVdwo4WutoVjxdgoU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Heading south the next day into 15kn Southerlies we landed in the SE facing bay of Bàgh Uisinis with its comfy bothy looked after by the Mountain Bothies Association. By the time we were back on the water the wind had all but dropped away so we made good time to the entrance of Lochboisdale. It was well past lunch and we were looking for a landing spot, hah! We discussed heading into Lochboisdale itself knowing there would be a boat ramp/jetty but the extra few kms in, then back out again wasn’t attractive. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Luckily on the southern shore alongside a steep rocky gulch we were able to climb straight out of our cockpits up onto the rocks without the need to beach the kayak at all.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The map showed a number of small sandy beaches on the Northern shore of Eriskay, and this time it did not let us down. We pulled ashore just on high tide on peerless white sand and just meters away a perfect spot for the tent on beautifully flat machair. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Nae midges” I shouted over the roar of the wind and the buffeting, flapping tent. It’s become a bit of a catch phrase on this trip as when we can we’ll always camp on a high point so as to catch the slightest of breeze to help keep the ‘wee beasties’ at bay. It also has advantage of panoramic views. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So far this has worked very well with only a couple of mornings of midge terror in three weeks paddling. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Even before we’d landed at our perfect white sand beach I’d realised we were only a couple of kms from the ‘Am Politician’, the Eriskay pub. The thought of a pint or two and a pub meal only half an hour’s walk away.…well.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For smelly, salt encrusted, hungry and thirsty sea kayakers the pub would at least sort out the two most important of the four. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The SS Politician is the name of the vessel that went aground off Eriskay in 1941 carrying a huge cargo of malt whisky. The locals of course thought this manna from heaven was wonderful; the Police and Excise officials less so. The story of the SS Politician and the horde of whisky is told by the book and film “Whisky Galore”.</span></p><img id="id_3aeb_15cb_44ce_5183" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/mJkt4UCzuWM7FKWaeRHbunZdclLyX8FspZRFaaEJ78klHmb_7yGUEwtbmFQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Whisky bottles from the ship SS Politician, the bottle on the right still containing the original whisky. <br>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the pub wifi enabling contact with the outside world I had confidently messaged a mate near Fort William that we’d be in Castlebay the next day. Only 25 kms away and Castlebay would sort out the smelly and salt encrusted parts of us that the pub couldn’t. But that was before we checked the weather. Ah, right, maybe I spoke too soon. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Inshore Forecast predicted W or SW 5 or 6 and Windy’s forecast was a mass of the angry looking hues that indicate without any further detail that little, if any, progress was going to be made the next day. The general situation with a low passing close to the NW of us confirmed the predicted winds. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We’re always hopeful, maybe on the lee side of the islands we’ll have enough shelter to make more than head banging progress into the wind, maybe it’ll just blow for a few hours and then drop out. The night brought thunder and lightning, torrential rain and gusts strong enough for me to check that our dry suits, life jackets and spray decks stacked neatly outside the tent doors weren’t in danger of blowing away. They weren’t, but “Nae midges” I shouted into the night over our gale swept knoll. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The alarm at 6 went unheeded apart from to turn over and go back to sleep. At least the morning, if not the rest of the day in the tent, plenty of time to satiate Lynne’s new found Archers addiction with the Sunday omnibus edition on Radio 4.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_53d4_fc79_d829_89d9" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/3sYv_v04S9xz0sFqgIZKesiBIj3EdaYGXuEZZk0rS8jGS54wk4_j83Ed5yU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Our campsite on the NE tip of Eriskay. </span></p><p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Sunday went quickly even though we were pinned down by South Westerly gales. Reading, knitting, Radio 4, snoozing and being largely a dry day out and about exploring the nearby coastline. During the night the wind veered North Westerly and is still blowing as strong as ever. With no phone and barely any VHF reception for a forecast we may have to go to the Am Politician again for their wifi. </span></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-44579418524550968652019-06-27T02:50:00.001+10:002019-06-27T02:50:11.508+10:00Your Kayak Is Floating Away
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We’d done a big shop so the kayak was loaded up with food for a week or more, the new rudder blade had been fitted so we were ready to go.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Time for a coffee and a quick catch up with the rest of world while we still had phone reception. We left the kayak on the beach next to the boat ramp right in the middle of Mallaig. The tide was ebbing, the harbour waters were mill pond calm and there was hardly a breeze. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We wandered literally just across the road for a coffee. While at the cafe I popped across the road to check the kayak and lift it down the beach a metre or two so the ebbing tide didn’t leave it high and dry. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Around the corner we ordered a fish supper (fish and chips) for Lynne and a haggis supper for me. It took a few minutes then we wandered back to some benches on the waterfront overlooking the beach and our kayak to eat our lunch.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We were still in our dry suits so I suppose recognisable as kayakers, as we approached the waterfront some bystanders looked at us with concern and said “Your kayak is floating away”</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">How? What? That’s not possible!</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It just cannot have floated away of its own accord. Being so heavily laden, plus the ebbing tide it would have needed quite a shove to get afloat.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another bystander said “A kid pushed it off”.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At first I thought I would be able to reach it by climbing down a ladder on the wharf side but by the time I ran around to the top of the ladder it had drifted just out of reach. A zephyr of a breeze was drifting it imperceptibly across the opposite side of the little bay. </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I ran around to the other side, a working shipyard, ducked under a fishing boat on their ramp only to find it still out of reach. It was now drifting, very slowly, out into the harbour.</span></p><img id="id_7ee9_86fb_456e_bf91" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gyg1jBnhVswbun5dxGnIvz9umnCKZMZCklcYFwQtIux8QD7kO5nfQMmf-WU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was time to get wet! I eased myself off the ramp into chest deep water and walked towards the kayak but was soon swimming. I grabbed it, swum it back to where it should be and pulled it ashore.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p><p class="p1"><img id="id_b114_7969_99a4_c457" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N5yG42qbiayEYWACoHaG0r3ZCizAD-TzkVItUmslxD_dsu-0clS5Is_KVOA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Luckily my haggis supper was still hot. </span></p><p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Finished with lunch, we launched and started paddling away from the beach. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A little kid, maybe 8-9years old appeared on the shipyard ramp. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It wae me oo put ya boot ooot”</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ya little wee bastard. </span></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-41134460818647708162019-06-27T02:04:00.001+10:002019-06-27T02:31:16.524+10:00 Muck, Eigg and Mallaig
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What a crossing! </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A text book example of keeping a constant eye on transits on an open crossing. A sea kayak is a puny craft on the scale of things, with the most puny method of propulsion of any sea going craft too. Paddlers really can’t afford to go out of their way and have to fight extra distance, wind or tide, or all three, to reach their destination. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The 12km crossing from Ardnamurchan Point to Port Mòr on Muck was a dream, big big sky, full of sun and huge towering cumulus. A so much sunnier and drier day than had been forecast. A gentle enough wind to have both sails up and be flying along without the stress of a following sea, so easy steering and no pressure on our dodgy rudder blade. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Right on springs as we are now there’s 3.5m of water moving away and moving back again on every tide, flowing around the maze of islands and convoluted coastline, creating a swirl of currents that are all but unpredictable. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The ebbing tide tried to drift us SW, then about halfway across, an hour or so ahead of the Tidal Atlas predictions the flood tide tried drifting us NE, quite strongly too. We were aiming off to the west about 10deg to stay on our intended course. The current dropped away as we closed in on Port Mòr on Muck and we were soon tied up to a handy floating jetty. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_1558_3369_5bc6_631d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/egzeQiRl4K6BtsCE8DiXygPCacN9UahUiz0p0vjBLr2jSu5gsrlPC-gFkQc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Starving, we found a comfy spot for some lunch then wandered up into the village proper. We were tempted to stay but needed mobile reception or wifi for a forecast. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Coastguard broadcast the Inshore Waters Forecast on VHF three hourly but it is so brief and lacking detail that we hardly take any notice of it. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_678d_a15f_7683_8f9e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8cbLVQ7VWOIWhP2gOclDU2awTJYbt_pM_lCmln_jL6SC-7Ren5eOja20yGU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Most of the time we have mobile reception so we use our favourite weather app, Windy. It shows four different models for any chosen spot. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The picture below shows a spot between Eigg and the mainland at Arisaig. The detail shown extends for five days. It is the first time we’ve used Windy on a trip and so far we can’t really fault the five day outlook for accuracy. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_7a33_f18b_3e69_d0ca" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ApQCBrhunZb52XNCCLq4CbtGK0K7tyVPjbKgJ2w5G0o3uH84pFoazdowEBE" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Being in no hurry as the replacement rudder blade won’t arrive in Mallaig before Friday and having found wifi and beer from Skye in the Port Mòr cafe we booked a night in the Bunkhouse. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The thought of a shower, a washing machine and time to explore the island was far too tempting. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The proprietor of the cafe spent his free time making willow baskets - he’d had a lifetime of making and using natural twines and was a mine of information about which plants had good strong fibres and how to prepare them.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><img id="id_8442_824b_fd29_4873" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/PRFTr5BNWMBXEYymswdIDT60GxrJUUJc_qb3UnsFjcQKlI3N5_HwXxu4owY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With just about all our clothing on the line drying in the late afternoon sun we walked over to the northern tip of the island for some spectacular clear views in the low early evening light. In the far distance the hills of Barra and South Uist were just visible on the horizon, closer Canna, Rhum, Eigg and Skye stood spectacularly out of the now calm sea. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_e4d5_1bc3_a373_c9cc" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ERsOgQvtd9rh3ztv_SynuZGpXMnJ2t4lfOEoDW1Ia8JtQmbX01oTRG8FJvc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_f01_18cb_7315_f245" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/I_xn2xam-KXKNZ_5D-nIsId9kCzdWf6ylZnuVY66s45xmHPIbx-2YS6S4lA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_aa17_74_3592_bb08" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/kf819zctyW4e6dhK17BN1HeIi1uhm6QWIMIwPtNMEtquvDHEfqXyv1pZ2yA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The next day the wind was up with a vengeance, the waters of our crossing yesterday were a mass of white horses and heavy showers crossed the island regularly. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The visibility was fairly clear most of the time so it was tempting to head for the highest point of Muck, Beinn Airien at 137m. We followed the cliff tops around the south coast from Port Mòr scattering the ever present sheep ahead of us. It was wild and windy but a break in the showers meant we stayed dry, until the modest summit of Beinn Airien when the rain came in almost horizontally. We both tried sheltering behind the trig point then headed down and waited out the downpour in the lee of a small cliff. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As forecast the wind abated in the afternoon, so it was an easy crossing to Galmisdale on Eigg. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was immediately apparent landing at Galmisdale that Eigg was quite different to Muck. A mob of people crowded around the entrance to the building housing the cafe/bar and shop, chatting and drinking. We had spotted tents just nearby so asked about camping, the reply was a casual “sure, anywhere you like, the toilets are just in there and there’s a shower too”. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The next three days on Eigg were fantastic. The heavy showers and low cloud cleared up enough for us to reach the summit of An Sgùrr the spectacular and distinctive rocky peak that makes Eigg so identifiable from any direction. It was still very windy and we were doubting whether we’d make the summit. Our fears were confirmed by a fella on his way down who had been blown over on a saddle before the summit ridge and had retreated. On we climbed to see for ourselves, stopping in the lee of the ridge to don full waterproofs before emerging onto the ridge and into the full force of the wind. It must have abated as it wasn’t that bad, the odd gust threatened to throw us off balance but there was a good path and in just a few minutes we were standing around the concrete trig point on the summit. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The mainland was blanketed in low cloud but Muck and the rest of Eigg were fairly clear, a view that was well worth the climb. </span></p><img id="id_18b4_f9c6_9778_4838" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/vCHeO2mNChYyDjkkfeQ7yIB8hkWvc54oLfL_BVloQhfMKNRhGYV0Y3DBBBA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Back down in Galmisdale we discovered the cafe/ bar had two Laig Brewery beers on tap!</span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span><img id="id_7121_430f_2696_1bef" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XIZmWdnRRw22Dybkm5Y4kxOppCnWAaac4JfUXGIBcHpOlN_zLz3dxHATxl4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sitting enjoying a beer and haggis crisps we googled the brewery only to discover it was a few kilometres away on the northern side of the island at, surprise surprise, Laig Bay! </span><br>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The island community bought Eigg in the mid 90’s from the private owners after many years of unpleasantness. Since then it seems to have thrived, with hydro, solar and wind taking over from diesel generators, and the cafe/bar, shop, markets and other ventures for locals and tourists providing income and employment for 100 residents. More importantly it provided certainty of tenure for the farmers and crofters, some of whom of course have lived there for generations. For those reading in Tasmania, Eigg had a Cygnet feel about it.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The friction between differing groups of people on Eigg is not a new phenomenon but the more contemporary issues are harmless compared with the clan rivalry of the 1500’s. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One of the walks took us to Massacre Cave. As one story goes the MacDonald clan on Eigg had sent some Macleod men back to their homelands for being too amorous towards their women. Other stories involve rape and castration. The Macleods sailed to Eigg to exact revenge but the Macdonalds saw them coming and hid in the long deep cave in the cliffs on the south coast. For days the Macleods searched the island fruitlessly until one mistake by the Macdonalds revealed their hiding place. The Macleods lit a fire at the narrow cave entrance and asphyxiated all those hiding inside. Most accounts list the death toll in the hundreds, some up to four hundred. It was the whole population of Eigg. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The cave itself is unusual, the entrance is small enough to require hands and knees then it opens out into a cavern 80m long but no more than 3m wide or high. </span></p><img id="id_171d_9541_d514_89aa" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/N6zE7hEUcezmhpqtnuPsLhdEHwky2B0rEul1Jv-R3q__aDSdDcNfwuQGVJA" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another more usual shaped sea cave nearby, Cathedral Cave was used for church services following the formation of the Free Church in 1843. The then newly formed church was not allowed to use Church of Scotland properties for services so they were held wherever there was space. </span>
<p class="p1"><img id="id_bf1b_8a58_cbc5_d47d" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/I1y3jtGwsk-1n3HtJfs3A5ZYELhNtq38Sr_KXIVoUmxZnIgrud6rPGheow8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The strong South Westerlies that have dominated the weather for days veered Westerly and dropped. It was Friday, so time to get to Mallaig to check whether the new rudder blade had arrived at the Post Office. An easy but long crossing, both sails up went up as soon as we left the boat ramp at Galmisdale to come down as the harbour walls at Mallaig loomed over us. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mallaig is a great little place, centred around its tight little harbour and bustling with shipping and tourists. A new floating pontoon catered for the yachties and there seemed to be a Cal Mac ferry arriving and departing every half an hour. Being an active fishing port the wharfs were stacked with fish crates, nets and trawling gear. The fishing boats, streaked with rust, battered and dirty from days at sea exude a determined businesslike, brutalist beauty. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The two shipyards are right in town, they were busy with sound of grinding and hammering, overall clad workers rolled new paint on old hulls. All within metres of brightly clad tourists wielding ice creams and fish and chips. </span></p><img id="id_20a7_6a9b_67bd_735d" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NPR1Ccb5tHjh93CoWL-jZ7L3t6BOcmNLv4eXUYIkyNg2IQIjwGg9pvlRMQY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_8554_33a6_b5d_36d7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/52KzcraodPkHZ3zk5vfHFHLf28ei7MojdQWpvdd3TtFRJbV3OXAl6tDb56Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7eb4_a400_adc0_796a" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/5df1MOR6ooigITe4UyzPstY3ZKe0Aa9iNC77LaO9UoIhmqTRXzesjXs9xcY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Unfortunately no rudder at the Post Office so headed out of the harbour and found another fantastic campsite at the entrance to Loch Nevis. It hadn’t arrived the next day, a Saturday, either. Frustrating not to be paddling on but with a day free before the next post arrives on Monday we’ve time to paddle further up Loch Nevis and climb some mountains. </span></span></p><p class="p1"></p><p class="p1"></p><img id="id_b7bb_e439_ba98_6e84" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sr6vaSffZTXdU0Gh88FjzuRP-4ZYsRrFj88HRkuCFl61pHHgLtjd8eX3VCU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_fd82_3ce0_ac98_c548" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AYYEbOoQOLLMXgmZecYLjMZ-G9yUmkVQ-_joVAQsOL_Vj_kttfVJ4-n1Xgw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><p class="p1"><br></p><br> </div></div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-8547004871047755452019-06-16T07:04:00.001+10:002019-06-16T07:45:21.117+10:00The Treshnish Isles - Bird Lovers Paradise.
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After two lovely relaxing days on Colonsay the weather was just perfect for the 20km crossing to Mull with the forecast South Westerly of 10-12 maybe 15knots it was likely to be an easy fast crossing. Both sails went up pretty much as soon as we left the beach, the wind was light but we could feel we were making good progress as we daydreamed our way along in the sunshine. After about an hour and half Lynne happened to look behind and exclaimed “Look!” Blimey, we knew there was rain forecast but the sky behind was a threatening black wall of cloud. We were still in hot sun, but not for long. Gradually everything went grey, the wind and sea picked up noticeably and in the heavy showers visibility was very poor. We headed in a more westerly direction, directly for the Sound of Iona and at 11, 3 hours from leaving Colonsay we landed on a sheltered beach just inside the Sound for a cuppa and a bite to eat.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I noticed the aluminium rudder blade was a bit bent from the force of steering in the following seas, which it shouldn’t be. On closer inspection I realised why. The aluminium was cracked half way across just above the rudder cheeks, just where the blade flex is concentrated. Mmmm, that’s not going to last long in seas like this morning. There’s nothing we are able to do to repair it and we’re a long way from an aluminium fabricators to have one made so I unpacked my phone and headed up looking for reception. None, not unexpected in this part of the world but across the Sound of Iona I found free wifi outside the Iona Craft Shop. Within a minute or two both our daughters were lined up to remove the rudder blade from our kayak at home and send it to Mallaig Post Office for us to pick up.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had passed this way in 2013 but the weather had prevented us from getting out to Staffa, and the state of the tide made landing the laden double on the Treshnish Isle of Lunga very difficult. We vowed to return. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So here we are with a dodgy rudder on a bit of a grim wet wild day but Staffa an easy 12km run downwind and with high tide at 5pm, just perfect for landing and camping on Lunga, a further 8km downwind. Onward, but with only one sail up and treading very lightly on the rudder pedals. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We couldn’t see anything ahead of us through the grey murk as we followed a compass bearing of 20deg. The Staffa tour boat from Iona disappeared straight ahead of us into the greyness, at least confirming we were heading in the right direction. Surprisingly the Treshnish Isles to the NW of us were fairly clear and there were even patches of blue sky far beyond them. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At about the time we were thinking “surely we should be able to see Staffa by now” a darker shade became visible in the murk. The island slowly became clearer. We could also see lots of coloured dots on the rocks adjacent to Fingals Cave and three tourist boats standing off waiting to pick up or drop off more people. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wilderness this ain’t. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The array of hexagonal columns and the terraced hexagonal ‘tesselated’ pavement formed by the tops of columns was certainly an impressive sight. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Landing on a shingle beach on the SE shore we had lunch then headed around the north of the island. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Along the NE shore suddenly the sky and sea around us was full of puffins! Thousands of them. Many fringing the cliff edge in front of their burrows, others swooping around us, wings beating furiously, bright orange webbed feet streamed out behind and those bobbing on water in the lee of the island apparently unconcerned with our presence until just metres away. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Such attractive gloriously comical birds. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Back out into the wind and it was a quick crossing to Lunga, where another tourist boat stood off the shore having deposited its load of tourists ashore to explore the island. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At high tide the big seaweed covered boulders forming the stony spit at the northern end of the island are well underwater leaving a flat area of pebbles, easy landing for us an hour or so before high tide. As we pitched the tent and settled in the clouds slowly cleared to a glorious sunny evening. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If we thought the puffins on Staffa were impressive they were nothing compared to Lunga. Tamed presumably by the regular tour boats we could sit and watch the puffins come and go from only metres away. They just didn’t seem to notice us at all. Coming and going from their burrows, some just standing there seemingly enjoying the warm sunny evening as we were. Quite a few were flying in with beaks full of fish, landing with uncanny accuracy right in their burrow entrance and disappearing underground instantly. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_f382_2356_1ebe_5482" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/z9wRSotf-8AKcg0GkGZyJx0wzTuobLeFaNwBYxVemDxTooGXTSEUgxxoCeQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_d13a_5729_ed53_8ed6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q2EZQt25NMo0PuepY0BrOuNLZzy-MpRRERqETLFrL-D6YwJJWoRFI7_D6Mk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_1e81_4fc2_21a9_5b05" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/HUmp43tuY3KTifgrGYTob-MqTaLEgnHTd7_0hSPuC2EcoQZTb31JMoYAabk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_df59_588a_5eca_17b5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z5zSxbZb6uCjwUQDEccoNrSBOHOxp6ln_7q7qXxqWp2eXlUnQz2Skdunpm4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Razorbills intermingled with the puffins and there were also shags nesting under boulders, fulmars perched precariously on tiny ledges as well as a colony of thousands of guillemots clamouring raucously on offshore rocks and pillars off the west coast. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7281_771b_5e6f_72e5" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/K18asr8VuMVVYkUyh8ujFoq9nJVeQFmGkp2uTapFTRNMYeBWzi7IOxJNjrQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_c967_c430_ef08_fd85" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Er-0SxH0faiyu7srYzc-cMZ4h1yPGlRV2lGDWkX6WbjQlixT75tWwsF376Y" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></span><img id="id_fa9d_4484_60aa_781" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/SwEx6YHAZjL95gxN6aFWlSVTXyTTwE-boQzWOSsPIXsudcOqx-jyYTlu6S0" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_ba43_9f3c_fe37_2e0f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/7eXpIg4b1mQBoRtG4qIfb2Ns5Vb0pssQXK5vuuRwL6W9aU_g2QYNWE5F8XY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The long evening sunlight culminated with a spectacular sunset but not long after we settled in for the night the rain began again and continued all night and well into the next day. </span></span></p><p class="p1"></p><p class="p1"></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the morning while we had the island to ourselves we explored again, walking to the summit of the island in the light rain as well as of course some time simply watching puffins going about their daily business. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We emerged from our tent again late afternoon to a scene of busyness. One of the tour boats was using their floating landing ramp to load passengers and a group of sea kayakers had just arrived, whereas we were packing up to leave on the same late afternoon high tide that we’d arrived on the day before. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Across towards the shore of Mull with just the last of the flood tide helping us on our way and then north to Caliach Point where the tide was well and truly ebbing against us. It was a bit of a plod the last few kms to a fantastic campsite at Langamull beach. We’d camped in exactly the same spot on beautifully smooth machair on a raised platform above the beach on our way to Tobermory in 2013. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_3d33_76c_45f2_399b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/J7egb7ZVmf3F01E_LGo-OdbFf1YbFfJzEZ6TunI5_TZz0aEl7tkYblJ1hOQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br></p>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-84906253056234980962019-06-13T06:53:00.001+10:002019-06-13T07:44:53.235+10:00And On To Colonsay
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thirty kms south from our launching at Duror and the first job in Oban was to visit ‘Sea Kayak Oban’ to see if they sold trolley wheels. They didn’t, but they did have a swanky kayak trolley with removable wheels that will fit our trolley. So two days into the trip, the kayak is full of food and we have two trolleys and one set of (very expensive) wheels.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_b5e3_4723_919f_f347" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/o3Y7qvq7PyoijQwa6DpA3cCxU1pL8YRp8Mz8lGhtu3WhDRw3jeAZzQdwIYg" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whilst packing the boat on the slip way in Oban a boat running tourist fishing trips pulled along side, the skipper started chatting then offered us some mackerel. Delicious, thank you, that’s dinner sorted for this evening!</span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_8d5a_92a5_754e_d830" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-3o9-NOYP76ZkJMUm0wzw7EYc6k3H3oi6tEKkjVqmg-HinupWvrfuYeGWR8" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whilst on the subject of gear, after five days paddling we love our new dry suits. Kokatat - lighter, more breathable and more comfortable in so many ways than our old UK made Typhoon suits. Whether it’s due to their breathability or the lighter material, we’re not sure, but we don’t seem to overheat even in hot (for Scotland) calm conditions. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the current era of women specific outdoor gear, such as gaiters, packs, and sleeping mats, what bullshit, Lynne’s drysuit is truly women specific. With a drop seat it is so much easier than trying to manipulate a ‘She Wee’ through the male orientated front ‘comfort’ zip! </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_580f_75f7_64f4_239e" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/WPujqyTpA83fHgKeXLReLzjJJrqnVjIiWXaEZFkHugorOYq-DO0U1AKCPCU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The last five days alone have amply demonstrated the fantastic variety of weather and conditions experienced when paddling in Scotland. We’ve had hours of hot sun and mirror calm, kilometres wide stretches of water so disturbed by the tidal flow that the boils, upwellings and mini whirlpools make it look like it’s simmering gently whilst moving along at 3-4 knots. We’ve had drizzle and absolute torrential rain as well as many rain types in between. To add to the fun the forecasts seem to be a work of fiction. Gentle northerlies were forecast the day we left Oban heading south with the tide to Jura ... it blew south westerly at 10-15kn+ from mid morning onwards, and while at Craighouse the wind came from every point of the compass over about an hour. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Oh and did I mention the spectacular coastal vistas with a backdrop of mountains?</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img id="id_7c68_db4f_b23f_2271" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1BQ0AcXFVREJNx6_L8feJCuRpPpNPEJroxagsNAGhLx_CFFSbBBSS20cvHY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6b9_1e78_ecdf_efd5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WPLH6HuUuFwDa2EZku1wCkgIaLFdbePV_aDCIYQM4z6P1YovNeFVJ2VowYc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Jura Hotel on the waterfront at Craighouse provides camping on luscious grass within metres of the kayak pulled up on the shingle beach, as well as hot showers and of course all the usual pub food and drink. </span></span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_462c_39f0_c87d_8177" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/P_opA0jyLfq8HgkrhIcT679O3XK4633tx53Hv2fhJwmi3dRLkWx1OQ2DJsw" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had a feed in the pub and went to bed early, our unfit bodies feeling a bit worn out after a few days paddling on top of a few late nights at Liz and Arthur’s.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Just behind Jura Hotel is the Jura distillery. We had planned to stock up with a bottle of malt whisky there and as it turned out our arrival was timely, the usual nip each to toast our safe arrival ashore had emptied our small hip flask. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The distillery shop didn’t open until 10 so it was a lazy morning with multiple cuppas enjoying the glorious morning of hot sun and clear blue skies with just a hint of a breeze to keep the midges away.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We tasted a couple of the more moderately priced whiskies from an absolute plethora of choice up to bottles costing £400+!! The one we chose, a 10year old was named ‘Journey’ which seemed appropriate. And it’s delicious. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_359b_4003_2ea6_23d9" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/pu3bW80yM4UKzQrPhOtb1FzVBnjm3v1ihERafo_P2mryWNpqCHKK0UctOgM" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The tide was completely wrong for us in Sound of Islay, the southerly flow beginning about the time we left Craighouse so by the time we got there it would be in full flow against us. To add to the fun a Northerly wind was forecast to pick up at about midday. All went ok, staying close to the Jura shore the flow wasn’t too bad, we even had the occasional counter current to help us on our way. As the Sound narrowed we hit what we thought was the major flow and decided to cross to the Islay shore and made reasonable progress until about halfway across we discovered the true current. Suddenly forward progress stopped and paddling hard we had no option but to ferry glide across, heading for a bay were we hoped there’d be a counter current that would help us continue north towards Port Askaig. No such luck! The current was flowing fast right up against the rocky shore, coupled with the headwind we were barely making any forward progress. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So ashore in a tiny bay out of the current for an hour so until the flow had visibly lessened then on to camp a few kms north of the Bunnahabhain Distillery. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_cfd1_d2b9_b7e8_f9cd" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/qpVZZB9RnoLWaI2LtKwwuN5xD-RvL3Z5Raql-UX2rUn8sjrSMFMY22tEJb4" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The forecast for the next three days was strong NE, too strong for the 10km crossing to </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Colonsay and then the 20km crossing to Mull. But as the wind died away that evening we decided if it was still calm in the morning we’d try to continue on to Colonsay. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At 6am the next morning the sun was well and truly up and the Sound of Islay like a mill pond. The northerly did pick up later but not too much to hinder forward progress on the crossing from Islay so we landed on Oronsay about 11. Oronsay and Colonsay are joined at low tide by a large expanse of sand dotted with rocky skerries. As it was an hour or so from high tide there was plenty of water for us to negotiate the maze of skerries and pop out on the west coast of Colonsay. Wilder and more rugged than the east coast and worth the diversion despite the messy rebound seas, for the cliffs were festooned with galleries of nests and the water and offshore rocks teemed with thousands of razorbills and guillemots. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As we chose a spot for the tent amongst the plethora of opportunities at Kiloran Bay on the NW coast of Colonsay we decided that of all the places we’ve paddled, Scotland consistently provides the very best sites. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_f593_1efc_8f3a_b561" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cOojejDVVUOXJhP0BA1FS8EBgNq6sfO8u3gwXU90O_LZL_rmFAcBh4z7czY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The machair </span><a href="https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/coast-and-seas/coastal-habitats/machair" id="id_a570_7ba1_26b4_2cbd" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s2">https://www.nature.scot/landscapes-and-habitats/habitat-types/coast-and-seas/coastal-habitats/machair</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> that is common behind the beaches and dunes of the West Coast consists of grass cropped so tight it wouldn’t be out of place on a golf course but thickly dotted with white daisies and yellow buttercups provides wonderful camping. We chose an elevated spot, a bit exposed to the wind but better views and no midges!</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We’ll be here for a couple of days as the NE continues to blow, but it is forecast to abate on Thursday and give us perfect conditions to cross to Mull on Friday. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><img id="id_b38f_5639_335e_b114" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1iiUAp0PQZhI7SSteXavOCap7kXiDYW7uYTbiY3XDn1dH0U8tsaCr-XRTuQ" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2e70_74_fc3b_e87a" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/KgF2Euov0INVpVkr9F02s-hzEltfQVzPIh6GPp3VY4lrIC1s1tJaS1iC1uc" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"></p><p class="p2"><br><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="s1"></span><br></span></p>
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<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-53162995275583779222019-06-12T05:58:00.001+10:002019-06-12T06:07:03.291+10:00Scotland - Finally
<p class="p1"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As some of you know we left our breakdown kayak in Scotland four years ago after returning from Iceland. We had been extremely lucky getting it on the plane in Melbourne and we knew there was no way we’d be so lucky on the return journey. We didn’t need it at home and with the range of paddling opportunities in Europe extending from Arctic Norway to the Mediterranean it was a logical decision.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So a dash up the Motorway from southern England and it was tucked safely behind a shed at Liz and Arthur’s place in Duror north of Oban. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our plan was to return in 2017 for an extended trip on the West Coast of Scotland and the Orkneys. That was not to be following our unfortunate meeting with a bombie on the West Coast of Tasmania in March of that year. Lynne spent most of the rest of 2017 in a wheelchair and on crutches with her left leg held together by a fancy stainless and carbon fibre framework nicknamed ‘Rodney’. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Four years later and we’re back at Liz and Arthur’s with much the same plans as before.</span></p><p class="p1"><img id="id_856f_6f54_b743_5e50" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Aarj9b5_GaQYWhtB9UwlpvQG2U9mlb5ZtE8qbbm06fj_IDLVbP4E4Q79MoY" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After four years we expected some deterioration or damage, we’d brought with us all sorts of spare parts such as neoprene hatch covers and deck lines but apart from a bit of dirt it was as good as when we left it. The only repair was to replace a fibreglass patch done in the damp and cold of Iceland that had starting to peel off. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thank you so much Liz and Arthur for hosting our kayak for so long!!</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few more jobs and a bit of sorting then packing the kayak and we were ready to go.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We ask a lot of our kayak trolley, home made from plastic plumbing pipe and fittings. The design has improved over the years, the current one is version three and probably can’t be improved substantially. The weak point has always been the wheels as golf cart wheels are not designed to take the weight of a loaded kayak. They’ve all eventually given us trouble and been replaced.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This time though the trouble started before we’d even got our boat wet. Both lost their tyres on the way to the beach, then rolling on the rims alone destroyed them completely, but they did, just, get us to the beach. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><img id="id_b7a6_4ea8_1312_3dc6" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/iyHRZNBEpzfWrBFqDkrHpIfIcx4G9hCg3pqzOV284kfyDpJUl7gj_daYRMk" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><br></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-66533450972117233502018-07-12T09:07:00.000+10:002018-07-12T09:07:17.912+10:00Moresby Island- West Coast<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We settled in to a few cruisey days in the Charlotte campground/bunkhouse. Our host Sid turned out to be quite a colourful character and could he talk! He professed to be a Master Mariner and according to him he knew the waters of Haida Gwaii better than anyone else. He thought we were nuts heading south on West Coast of Moresby Island because according to Sid the Japanese Current flows north at a constant 1.5knots! Sure enough the warm Japanese Current is a northerly flow in these waters and like Gulf Stream in the Northern Atlantic is a major factor in the relatively mild climate. The trouble was who to believe? ... Our boating guide, which didn’t mention the current and neither did any of the accounts of kayakers travelling the coast who had all circumnavigated Haida Gwaii anti clockwise, or a colourful character now running a rundown funky campground? Sid was also very dismissive of our guide, “That guy doesn’t know these waters he’s just copied the information from someone else.” Whereas the author states in the introduction his research has included a dozen small boat journeys around Haida Gwaii and there’s no doubting his seamanship having completed a 120 nautical mile open water crossing from Haida Gwaii to Vancouver Island, in a 15ft fibreglass dinghy. If there really was such a constant and significant current surely we’d have got some hint of it before now? A number of sources had informed us that the tidal flow on the West Coast of Haida Gwaii floods north at up to 1.5kn and ebbs south at up to 0.5kn but nothing about the Japanese Current. However much I value local knowledge there was doubt in our minds on this one, we didn’t tell Sid but we were tempted not change our plans.</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We spent a lovely afternoon and evening with Jonny, the kayaker we’d met paddling into Charlotte, his partner Steph and their children Maurice and Elise. An amazing multi lingual family English, French and Cantonese! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Monday 26 June and a huge food shop in the supermarket. So huge we wondered how we were going to get it all back to the campground 1.5km away. Sure enough the Canadians pulled off their niceness again with the manager arranging a friend to drive us and our mountains of food back to our tent. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Next day with three weeks food packed away with everything else we launched at just before HW heading for Skidegate Narrows. We had 3hrs+ to get there before the westerly flow turned against us. We made it, just, to a lovely camp on Downie Island in West Narrows despite the headwind and absolutely starving too as we hadn’t time to stop for lunch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The challenge the next day was the Ts’aahl Narrows In Buck Channel which dries for 1.5km at low tide. We hadn’t been able to find any reliable information at what state of the tide we’d be able get through so we just turned up expecting a wait, especially as we arrived at LW. Four hours later, we’d explored the surrounding shoreline, lit a fire and had a coffee and Lynne was up to date with her diary. We were right on the watershed when the waters met and we were afloat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As the Haida would say “Gam nang gil tl’a chiixwaay Gid Gang” - the tide waits for no one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Rounding Buck Point and there was no question we’d arrived on the West Coast. The forecast strong South Easterly wind, it’s chop, the rebound off the cliffs and the Westerly swell made for a chaotic sea and very slow going. We’d planned to get around Annesley Point about 9km away to shelter and campsite, but I was considering turning around and going back to the lovely calm bay in Buck Channel where we’d just had lunch when Lynne shouted we could head for Kitgoro Inlet. Only 3 or 4km away and we knew there was shelter and camping there too. We fought our way forward until eventually through the grey murk we could see the narrow 100m wide slot into the Inlet, what a wonderful sight! Inside the Inlet the water was almost mirror calm and there was virtually no wind. We were very glad to get ashore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next day too was grey, overcast with poor visibility, the SE wind still blew, the chaotic sea still went up and down and side to side all at once. It seemed to take forever to cross Englefield Bay to a small sheltered beach just east of Denham Pt. Lunchtime, but we’d had enough. We set up camp and hoped for a better day tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">On the water at about 7 the next morning, the forecast was for light winds but there was barely enough breeze to ripple the water all day. The swell and sea had dropped, the surface smooth; it was so nice to just plod meditatively along in our regular paddling rhythm. We seemed to be flying along though in theory with a flooding tide we should have had a slight counter current. As we bobbed around off a rocky point having a break and something to eat we were actually drifting south. So much for Sid’s 1.5kn northerly flow! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The day was just as grey and dreary as the previous two, cloud level about 200m and visibility a couple of kms at most. I commented that I’m sure the West Coast of Haida Gwaii was spectacularly beautiful - if you could see it. The nature of the coast was quite different to the West Coast of Graham Is which was generally low lying with the mountains far in the background. Here the mountains, not that we could often see them, dropped steeply into the sea and the coastline was dominated by craggy cliffs and offshore rocks. It just looked, and felt, a much wilder place. Just north of Tasu Sound we stopped for lunch in an incredibly narrow deep bay, the heavily vegetated cliffs on each side dropped sheer straight out of the low cloud and into the water. Lynne wrote in her diary -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText-Italic"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">“as we paddled in with near vertical cliffs each side disappearing into the fog, an eerie breeze swirled around us and was blowing cold and strong by the time we landed on small sharp rocks in the braided stream entrance for an uneasy lunch break. The chilling wind disappeared as we paddled out of the bay.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The extended forecast had been promising NWesterly winds and we’d been unashamedly looking forward to them. A chance to get the sails up and get some distance covered. It felt we still had a long way to go to and a morale boosting jump down the coast under sail was just what we needed. NWesterly weather too is generally dry, clear and sunny, which was also just what we needed. In the last three days of mist and a light drizzle that soaks you through before you know it, the damp had slowly worked its way into our dry clothes and sleeping bags and I’m sure our kayaking thermals were wetter the in the morning than when we took them off. The last day or two I’d given up hanging them up to ‘dry’ just leaving them in a soggy pile for the morning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">That days camp at Blue Heron Bay provided the opportunity for a walk up into ‘the alpine’ open rocky country with low hardy vegetation much like exposed Tasmanian alpine country above about a 1000m. It was nice to stretch the legs and get a view from a different perspective than sea level as all our camps up until now have been hemmed in by thick forest. A bit of altitude enabled us to receive the weather on the VHF too, still a NWesterly outlook, moderate tomorrow but building to 25- 30kns and more in the coming days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As we paddled out of Blue Heron Bay the next morning into a headwind, my mind was hoping, hoping the forecast was right. The headwind coming out of the Bay meant nothing, pretty much any wind direction even a SW or S would be funneled into the entrance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As we turned south, both sails went up and with relief we could feel the boat surge forward. It was still overcast, not as grey though and as the morning progressed the cloud slowly broke up and we rolled along basking in the sun. Glorious. We made such good progress that when Lynne mentioned Puffin Cove for lunch I thought “No, surely not that’s way down the coast, we haven’t got that far?”. Sure enough within half an hour we were entering a little haven of a bay through a narrow entrance between massive rounded boulders reminiscent of Tas East Coast granite shorelines. The bay fringed with white sandy beaches was where Neil and Betty Carey built a cabin and lived for many years. I’d tried unsuccessfully to obtain a copy of Neil Carey’s 1982 book ‘</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText-Italic"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">Puffin Cove’ </span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">to read in preparation for our trip. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We clambered up through the trapdoor into their now fairly derelict one room cabin out of the wind for a quick lunch. Our guide book written 2008 mentioned that Parks Canada maintained a radio in the cabin and that visitors should give them a call if only to check the radio was operating properly. Not now though, on the table was a Parks Canada Pelican case containing an EPIRB. We didn’t test it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Outside Puffin Cove the wind had picked up but even with just one sail up we still raced south to camp at Sgi’lgi in Gowgaia Bay. Our mood had lifted considerably, not only had we made a 50km jump down the coast, but the sun and the breeze at Sgi’lgi quickly aired our clothes, tent, sleeping bags and even dried our thermals so much they were crispy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next section of coast was probably the crux of the Moresby coastline. There was shelter and camping in Wells Cove about 10km south of Sgi’lgi then no landing spots for 25km until past McLean Fraser Point and around Nagas Pt into Flamingo Inlet. Not only that but every source of information, even Sid, had warning words about McLean Fraser Point. Sid had dug out a chart and pointed with a finger engrained with dirt at the symbols off McLean Fraser Pt, “Do you know what those symbols mean?” “Sure, overfalls,” I replied. “Not overfalls! Those are waterfalls! I’ve been over an 11 foot drop in water level just there!” McLean Fraser Pt is such a small blip on the coastline that geographically it barely warrants a name but our guidebook also warned, “The ocean near McLean Fraser Pt is renowned among fisherman and kayakers for vicious weather.” It then goes on to tell a story of two kayakers travelling south in perfect conditions of light winds, ebbing tide and a 1m sea, having to deal with 35kn winds and 4-5m seas that built within 40mins. Once they reached shelter in Flamingo Inlet the forecast was the same as it had been that morning, 5kn winds with a 1m sea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Duly warned and slightly nervous we continued south past the last sheltered landing in Wells Cove. It was totally calm apart from a little squall of rain and wind for about 20mins despite the forecast of NWesterly 10-15 increasing 15-25 at midday, unusually precise timing for the forecast. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy cumulus but with no sailing wind we were slower than we’d hoped. Would we get past McLean Fraser Pt before the 15-25 came in? A quick stop in Maybe Cove, no place to land but a sheltered corner out of the swell for a rest, a wee and something to eat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The remaining 9km to the Point went quickly and we were a km or two past when the wind picked up quite quickly, right on midday, a good 15 kn. Suddenly it seemed we were surfing large waves with only one sail up. Just as quickly we were around Nagas Point and looking up the smooth waters of Flamingo Inlet. Phew, that’s that done and just in time too as the forecast NWesterlies of the next couple of days were probably too strong to have been on the water on such a tricky bit of coast. We’ve not finished by any means but from here on especially the East coast of Moresby the paddling is much more benign and less exposed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Relieved and both feeling tired, we called a lazy day off at Anvil Cove. We didn’t get up until 8:30 the next morning , an hour and half later than we’re on the water most days! It was a glorious day of RnR. There was hardly a cloud in the sky all day but the weather buoys off Moresby Is were reporting 18kn. Not as much as forecast but still a fair bit of wind around.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As we were lazing around we also had a close encounter with a black bear. It appeared suddenly out of the forest on to the beach just 20m from where we were sitting. I shouted something along the lines of “Shoo,clear off”. It turned its head to look at us with disdain as if to say, “I live here, YOU clear off,” then wandered down the beach onto the tidal rocks and back into the forest. Stunned, we both looked at each other “Did you....” “Was that what.....” “Blimey, just there....” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">It had also strolled within a metre or so of all our food bags. They’d been hung in a tree overnight out of reach by bears as usual but needing them throughout the day we’d lowered them and tucked them into the shade. That bear probably missed a feast as I’m not sure what we’d have done if it had taken an interest in our food as we were a weeks paddling from the nearest shop. </span></div>
Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-79120265622078772362018-06-25T04:33:00.001+10:002018-06-25T07:24:21.681+10:00Graham Island, West Coast Blues<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">It tested us and we’d barely rounded Cape Knox and headed south. It was a grey day not a lot of wind, much less than forecast, but a good 3m swell and poor visibility, probably only a km. The first West Coast since getting trashed in Christmas Cove 15 months ago. The offshore rocks of Cape Knox were being pummeled by massive breakers and plumes of spray as the swell rolled in from the west. We kept well off shore and turned east into Lepas Bay heading for the NE corner where behind a small island we knew from the guide book there was sheltered landing and camping.</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As we constantly do when paddling an unknown coastline we were scouting for alternative landing spots in case the weather, a problem with the kayak or some other issue means you have get ashore in a hurry. Quite often our quiet paddling reverie is broken by one of us commenting on a landing place one of us has noticed. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">As we closed in on the gap between the island and the shore the swells started steepening up alarmingly, the occasional larger one even having a small white horses along their crests, then they just seemed to just dissipate into nothing but a bit of messy water. We’d had a wary eye on the ~200m gap since we could first see it and we’d not seen any breaking across the opening but it would be an ‘interesting’ few minutes to get there and through into shelter. Becoming a tad concerned, Lynne particular so, we turned away not liking the look of it at all and headed out to go around the outside of island but not only did the outer surf line on the beach look only just inshore of the island but the occasional swell in our path around the island was peaking with white water a little more than the ones we’d just left.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Let’s get out of here.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Back to the easy landing beach we’d passed and commented on only half a km behind us. For us an easy landing beach in this part of the world is steep and pebbly with no offshore rocks at low tide, steep means less distance from the water to the high tide line and the kayak slides smoothly on the pebbles. Offshore rocks at low tide often make it impossible for us land or launch. Our camp a few days ago at Christie River was very rocky, we could only launch from the beach about 2hrs each side of high tide. The morning we left high tide was at 3am, we were on the water at 5am!</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The sheltered little cove we’d spotted was perfect, surf plopping on a short stretch of sand then steep pebbles to the high tide line and the usual jumble of driftwood. It was also quite hidden, if one us had not looked back over their shoulder we would probably have missed it. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The situation was a classic case of ‘guidebookitus’. If we hadn’t had the guide book information, we would have taken more notice of the map and spotted the little cove as a likely sheltered landing place in the conditions that day and headed straight for it, avoiding the steepening swells in the corner of the bay completely. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">On the other hand though the guide book information could have been a life saver despite the approach to the gap. If there were no other options. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">That night lying sleepless for what seemed hours I decided we should change our plans and head back to Masset and not paddle the West Coast of Haida Gwaii at all. I felt too intimidated by the unknown and exposed coast ahead, we’d had rudder problems and the boat leaks so there’s a greater chance our gear and food getting wet. The headwinds from Masset meant we had taken a lot longer to get this far then we’d anticipated. We’ve plenty of food at the moment but if, which is likely, we get held up by the weather again those stocks are diminishing further with no progress. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All this and more churned through my mind during the night. Have we just lost our nerve? To use an awfully un-PC term - perhaps we don’t have the balls to take on such coasts any more?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The alarm went off at 5, Lynne stirred and looked out the tent, visibility still a few hundred meters, the thick fog that had rolled in yesterday afternoon hadn’t cleared. The forecast was 15-25kn NW, so possibly a bit too wild, even sailing downwind if it reaches 25kn.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Without saying anything we both turned over and went back to sleep. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Over coffee I broached my plan to return to Masset, Lynne was surprised, we talked it all through and as is often the case we left it for the weather the next day to decide. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We have now acclimatised to the fog, visibility has been between 300 and 500m all day apart from a glorious few hours of hot sun in the afternoon.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next morning on the water at 7 with the fog clearing slightly, we could just make out the southern side of Lepas Bay 4km away. The swell had dropped too. As we crossed the bay the visibility improved even more, still low cloud but it enabled us to paddle through the area of rocks, reefs and boomers that we planned to avoid if the fog had not cleared. By the time we reached the beautiful sweeping sandy beach of Peril Bay it was lunchtime. The low cloud had cleared completely so we sat steaming in glorious hot sunshine. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">From there to camp at Tian Bay was a fast down wind run, as the NWesterly picked up. First with both sails then as the wind and sea built one sail came down to make things a bit more controlled and sensible. As we turned SE around Tian Rock the wind died away almost completely so the second sail went back up. Within 10mins the wind was back again with vengeance, 25kn plus, the second sail came down pretty quickly as suddenly things were getting a bit wild. The remaining sail was strung so tight it was vibrating with humming sound as we closed in on the gap between the Tian Islets and the mainland. A prayer went out to the sea Gods that we’d be able to get through the narrow gap and into the lee of the Islets and not have to paddle out around the them in these conditions. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">An off shore rock and the offset between the reef stretching out from the mainland and the Islets allowed us through and suddenly we were in calmer water. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next morning the fog reduced visibility to a couple of hundred metres so we felt our way along the coast and then followed a compass bearing across to Louis Point. Visibility improved somewhat, it is nice see where we we going but the mountains and distant views were still thickly shrouded in cloud. We were both feeling tired and the rebound off Louis Point wasn’t helping so we turned into Athlow Bay and found a sheltered beach to land and set up camp. Following a pattern we’d experienced on previous days the fog cleared for a few hours of glorious hot sunshine in the afternoon as snoozed on the beach. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><img id="id_d99f_7a0f_fbd0_fa0b" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Mufb8o8jfSk/Wy_i-mK_fII/AAAAAAAACm4/0MHL16FDsnEwUXNGZDqxnwR2yLhfFtQVQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>The daily chore of readying the next days maps. <br><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">A lovely steady NW wind the next day enabled us to cross Rennell Sound easily and quickly and we realised how close we were to Skidegate Inlet and end of the circumnavigation of Graham Island. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The forecast the next day couldn’t have been better, 10-15kn NWesterlies so not was Skidegate Inlet in reach but if it kept up all day we’d be well on our way back to Queen Charlotte City. Kept up it did too, both sails were up all day and as the wind funnelled up Skidegate Inlet we were moving along at 10kph without paddling. Now to tackle the Skidegate Narrows the very narrow channel separating Graham Is from Moresby Island. The slack water times in the guide book didn’t seem to match our observations and our attempt to calculate the timing and direction of the tidal flow in the Channel given the widely different tidal ranges between the east and west coasts just confused us more. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The first peek from the tent early the next morning and the flow in the Channel was easterly. Quick let’s go! We ready to launch about 7.30, just in time to see the flow reverse and head west. Oh well, it might mean an uphill paddle for 4 or 5kms until the Inlet widened but at least now we know relative to LW at Queen Charlotte when the flow changes direction. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We’d waved to a solo paddler as we’d shot downwind in Skidegate Inlet yesterday and waved again as they passed while we were packing our kayak this morning. An hour or so later as the Inlet widened we could see them ahead and slowly but surely we caught them up. The next hour or more all the way the beach in Charlotte we chatted to Jonny. It was great to chat to a local and a paddler too. We’d read quite a lot about Haida Gwaii but of the more you read the more questions there are. Jonny lived in Charlotte with is partner Steph and young family who were on the beach to meet us. Jonny offered to drive us and our gear up to the campground. It was only a couple of blocks but an offer that was readily accepted as one gets a little tired of the drudgery of multiple trips carting gear and food backwards and forwards between kayak and camp. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">It turned out we’d landed back in Charlotte on just the perfect day. It was Hospital Day, an annual day of celebration and fund raising for Charlotte Hospital that started in 1908 to fund the very first Hospital in Charlotte. More importantly today was a pole raising day, a ‘monumental’ pole was be raised in front of the brand new Charlotte Hospital at 4pm. A significant event in itself but particularly so now as Haida art, like the people themselves, almost became extinct during the colonial era is making a strong comeback. This pole is the first to be raised in the Charlotte area for 200 years. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We hurriedly set up camp and not so hurriedly had hot showers, bliss, and walked into town. It was buzzing with all usual activity of similar community days the world over. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The pole though resting at 45deg on a framework of massive logs and festooned with ropes and pulleys was something very special. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_d58_1be8_2f66_7c2a" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4IU6UbUCvrA/Wy_ibRA6byI/AAAAAAAACms/yhFXME6Hc_k_SFTI21YIF6zx0pVQM3H3wCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The design of the Medicine Pole represents welcoming, healing, unity and traditional and Western healing practices. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">All the Elders and Chiefs were introduced and ceremonies to bring life to the pole were carried out then hundreds of people, locals, Haida and tourists grasped the thick ropes and heaved it upright. It was a wonderful thing!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_4896_f15c_70b3_c048" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kkBO8YD1RtI/Wy_i98eNXnI/AAAAAAAACm0/_3NDDxmsUG0K3e4osQCjssVGvFVd7rwywCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Locals, Haida and tourists alike hauling the pole upright. </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><br><img id="id_4d8a_9a36_20e8_4251" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TwmLqjwxUEU/Wy_i_rUKcaI/AAAAAAAACm8/EwVWZ81HyuQ66DoLprE7cHDN-N7RP9O1gCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_6133_9506_b85b_9611" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AQy8WYCKq_A/Wy_jDkmQIXI/AAAAAAAACnA/1lxnKqbDsygLw5l4BMsEm_CxxTIH-dY-ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>Many of the Haida were beautifully dressed in traditional clothing including these woven cedar bark hats. </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><br><img id="id_945d_252c_932b_c6d4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1YqUpftgr0A/Wy_jH1_7OaI/AAAAAAAACnE/zzJLDspm894LlMRKVj7SmoCTEkwION3TACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><img id="id_2be7_226f_1fb0_59be" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9HKewpDQKfs/Wy_kDr5X0vI/AAAAAAAACnc/BSqdMyCmuZEX3w3FiadD4WXDISdSSoxJACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-71885064579661669462018-06-24T14:54:00.001+10:002018-06-25T04:08:27.959+10:00 The North Coast and Beyond<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Stocking up with food in Masset for the next stage around the NW tip of Graham Island and down the West Coast was easy, such a big supermarket for such a small place. It had everything we needed, even huge hot slices of pizza piled up with meat and cheese to takeaway for $2.99. I ate two in the time it takes to read this sentence and could have gone back for more.</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Thursday, morning we were up and about in the drizzle loading Meredith’s Mercedes with all our our food and gear. We pulled away from the slipway at about 9 and out into Masset Sound. The Sound is at most 1km wide and 35kms long, the entrance to Masset and Juskatla Inlets, a huge body of water that has been called Haida Gwaii’s ‘inland sea’. The two Inlets would have a combined area of at least 200km sq so the Sound is basically a big tidal ‘river’ with currents particularly on the ebb of 7kns or more. As we pulled into the ebbing current taking us north out to open sea we also had a 10-12kn headwind. It was a very strange experience working quite hard into the NW wind and choppy sea, yet watching the land wizz by 3kn faster than our paddling speed. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The NW winds slowed our progress over the next few days but the days we’re generally sunny, clear and warm, with no rain!</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Sunday morning we were on the water at 6am and few kms west the ebbing current started drawing us with increasing speed through Parry Passage between the mainland of Graham Is and Langara Is. We pulled out of the current to check the weather on the VHF. In Canadian waters, the same as US the marine forecast is broadcast continually 24/7 on one of ten WX channels. You just scroll through the channels until you find the channel for your location, then listen through the recorded loop until you hear the sea areas you’re interested in. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The forecast wasn’t brilliant, moderate Westerlies in the morning but strengthening substantially in the afternoon. Given the forecast and paucity of sheltered landing spots as we headed down the West Coast it was looking like we’d be camping early to wait for better weather, either on the north side of Cape Knox or around the Cape in Lepas Bay where we knew they was shelter. </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Some of these possible landing and camping spots require permission from the Haida so we called in to Kiusta Indian Reserve where Haida Watchmen are based through the summer. The Haida Watchmen keep an eye on the area, their clan land. Protocol expects a call ashore on Channel 6 to ask permission to land, this we did and we were greeted on the beach by the two Watchmen. They had mentioned on the radio there was no access to Lepas Bay at the moment. They offered us coffee and we swapped stories of our travels, respective families and their life on Haida Gwaii. Incongruously a few kms north across Parry Passage from their rudimentary hut at Kiusta, Henslung Cove on Langara Island heaved with massive buildings, dozens of boats and helicopters. Fishing lodges full of ‘sporties’ as we’d already learned to call them. The previous clear blue sky days from Masset has been marred by large helicopters flying overhead every 30 mins or so. The Watchmen explained each one held 16 people, cashed up and I mean really cashed up people from all over the world come to assist in the further depletion of the fish stocks in Haida waters. “Haida Pirates” the Watchmen called them. A couple of days before we counted twenty runabouts full of ‘sporties’ off one headland alone. As we talked they relaxed and said we could access and camp at Lepas Bay if we needed to. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_a621_1e1e_341c_3d88" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3Zr9TsPOSds/Wy8jBFOeAUI/AAAAAAAACmc/FOEQVIFySeksMiJiJ9Yox5LOkDIWXMarACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br>At low tide Lepas Bay provided us with the largest mussels we’ve ever seen. </p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><br><img id="id_ebe7_fa23_98a3_b990" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6D8pcGAYqaw/Wy8jDhTAM2I/AAAAAAAACmg/44yjN3wAgTYVzI1jaCp44SQntb2evg60ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><div><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></div> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-47704281140082202812018-06-14T09:08:00.001+10:002018-06-14T09:08:52.536+10:00Canada<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Canada is new country to us. A couple of times over the years we’ve spent a few days here, passing through really so no time to get an impression of the place and the people. The accepted stereotypical view of the country seems to be boring but nice as well of course as being a sane version of the United States - gun control and free health care for example. In addition British Columbia alone offers a few lifetimes of outdoor adventure opportunities of every conceivable type. Just on those first impressions what’s not to like?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">On the day we arrived we’d driven from Vancouver to Port Hardy at the northern tip of Vancouver Island and rushed into the supermarket to grab some food. As I was trying to figure out the different coins at the checkout I apologised and mentioned we’d barely been in the country 12 hrs. “Oh, well, welcome to our little town” was the very genuine response from the woman at the till. In our admittedly very brief drive through Port Hardy it looked like a dump to me, rundown and tatty with a number of closed and boarded up businesses but can you imagine having such an interaction in a small town in Tasmania?</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We’re camped at Masset’s Hidden Island RV Resort, the first night here we were heading in to town to eat so Lynne popped into the office to ask where they would recommend. Within seconds they’d poured us both a glass of wine, and were passing dips and cheese platters across the table to us. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We like Canada!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_cf47_ef5c_47b7_c429" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IPKwcAwvrlI/WyGj-5573_I/AAAAAAAACl8/LNpulgzGKo4_PhVYaDtQI3ndkbYAqfNhQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Monday evening we caught up with Meredith and her family who live along North Beach not far from Masset. A Tasmanian friend put us in contact and we had a wonderful evening getting a feel for living on Haida Gwaii, drinking wine and solving all the world’s problems</span><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">. Meredith is the skipper of the inshore rescue boat based in Masset and has roamed the world on boats and ships of all sizes. Great times. She lent us an old battered rusty Mercedes which enabled us to roam a little wider than otherwise and made the shopping and carrying everything back to the kayak so much easier. Thank you Meredith!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_4db3_552f_73f5_d599" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zJFIbTFetEI/WyGkAvXosCI/AAAAAAAACmE/yriF8NOrCkUur1yDrNssQuM7IzScY1OIwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Just about everyone we’ve met on Haida Gwaii when they’ve learnt of our circumnavigation plans have reacted with overwhelming excitement and enthusiasm. Then usually they go on at length about where on the West Coast they’ve visited and the places we just must go. There’s often a note of caution, which is fair enough but in a positive way and it’s all forgotten when we mention we’ve done a bit of this before and that we’re West Coast junkies here for a fix.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Yesterday in one of the Haida art galleries in Old Masset Indian Reserve we got chatting to a fella in front of a map of Haida Gwaii. He recounted at length Haida creation and other stories relating to the people as a whole but also his own Raven clan. He pointed out islands, bays and beaches where his ancestors lived for thousands of years. He told us contemporary stories of his visits to the West Coast by boat and helicopter. If we both had not been dying for ‘the washroom’, desperate for some lunch and he hadn’t had an appointment we’d probably still be there now listening in fascination. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We’re back on the water tomorrow morning with a couple of weeks food on board, plenty, hopefully, to get us back to Queen Charlotte. It’s approximately 300km, less than a week’s paddling in settled conditions but..... </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The next few days, at least in Masset, look relatively tropical with temps up into the high teens and moderate 10-20kn NW winds so maybe just maybe we won’t get blown off the water for days on end. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);"><img id="id_ae11_5012_5eb2_40c5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-favESVDtVKA/WyGj_JNmv0I/AAAAAAAACmA/hcDCKoAQl1chMUGeqoeQ35OlSPwhyqQ9ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 298px; height: auto;"><br><br><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 17px; line-height: normal; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; color: rgb(69, 69, 69); min-height: 20.3px;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br></p> Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8462666503328419667.post-87469217710528697962018-06-12T02:48:00.003+10:002018-09-27T14:16:23.392+10:00Haida Gwaii<span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Paddling day two of our planned circumnavigation of Haida Gwaii and we’re pinned down on a lee shore by 30-40kn winds. The sea is a white maelstrom and the wind, whistling through the trees is competing with the roar of the surf to drown out the sound of the rain on the hut roof. It seems hard to believe we left our camp on Gooden</span><span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Island just offshore of Queen Charlotte yesterday morning at 7.30am in mirror calm water and not a breath of wind.</span><span style="color: rgb(69 , 69 , 69); font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The coast of Haida Gwaii between Queen Charlotte and Rose Spit, the far NE tip of Graham Island, is a more or less featureless stretch of beach for 130km. It’s wide open to the east, no headlands, no harbours, no shelter. The first 40km or so to Tlell is rocky and uninviting and the Yellowhead Hwy, the main road to Masset on the north coast, follows the shore closely so as we plodded medatively north in lovely sunshine through mirror calm water the sound of traffic was never far away. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We were aiming for Tlell to camp but with the ebb tide on our side and at first just a zephyr of a southerly breeze barely enough to fill the sails we were making good progress. By the time we reached Tlell it was time for a late lunch and the wind had built to a healthy 15kn so with both sails up we had probably surfed the best part of the last 10km. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">By now the sky had clouded over to a menacing overcast and the wind was cold so we draped our tarp over a rough driftwood structure on the beach and huddled in the lee for a hurried lunch and cup of coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">As forecast the day was getting wilder but there was no hesitation to continue on as with the southerly wind behind us we were making such good progress. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">There was a hurried consultation of the guide book (‘Boat Camping Haida Gwaii’ by Neil Frazer) and with cold fingers a few more waypoints were logged into the GPS. Even though on this featureless seemingly endless beach we could land anywhere there are very few places where gaps in the dunes or low cliffs allow easy access behind the beach to find water and sheltered camping. These identified spots as well as the three basic 3-sided shelters provided for walkers were entered in the GPS, as without the waypoints these critical landing spots are very hard to pin point from the water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The forecast winds for later in the day and at least the next were horrendous so we definitely had one of the huts in mind for the night. The first wasn’t far, about 8km, the next though was a further 12km or more, just a bit too far with the wind and sea building steadily so about 4pm we had tackled the messy steep short surf to land on one of the wildest stretches of coast we’ve been on for ages. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">The shelter turned out to be a small log cabin with sleeping benches and a wood stove! </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">A comfy home for at least the next day probably more until the wind abates and seas drop enough for us to leave the beach and continue northwards. </span></div>
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Cape Ball shelter, our home while sitting out three days of gales. </div>
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East Beach at Cape Ball. </div>
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Whose turn is it to get more firewood?<br />
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Thursday 7th June. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext-italic"; font-size: 17pt; font-style: italic;">“As all voyagers know the best way to deal with rotten weather while voyaging is to make a camp so fine that you don’t want to leave when the weather clears”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">‘Boat Camping Haida Gwaii’ by Neil Frazer).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">So true, though of course our fine camp came ready made in the form of a small cosy log cabin with wood heater and an infinite supply of driftwood on the beach. The three days here have gone quickly, much faster than one would expect. There are always little jobs to be done to fine tune our gear, especially so early in a trip. We’ve walked ‘our’ beach for kilometres north and south. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">We’ve learnt to light a fire with firewood from driftwood pine and cedar. We’ve learnt that with the heat of an established fire, wood straight off the beach, covered in wet sand and seemingly wet through, will burn readily. A number of people gave us the tip to carry fire lighters but we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to buy some when stocking up in Queen Charlotte though I think we might when we get to Masset! The wind </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">and sea had dropped to quite acceptable levels this morning and we very nearly packed up and continued north. The forecast though was for strengthening winds up to 35kn from midday until early evening. Being new to the forecasts here, we wondered just how accurate are they? The uncertainty gnawed away in the back of our minds as we had breakfast. Was such a comfy camp too hard to leave? Had we lost our motivation? We certainly hadn’t, after only one day in the water, got into the daily rhythm of the 'job’ of expedition paddling. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Prudence won in the end and we roamed the beach southward to Mayer River. Sure enough just as we got back to the cabin the forecast proved spot on and it’s blown a gale and poured with rain all afternoon. As I write this about 6pm the wind has died away so that all that can be heard is the rumble of the surf. Tomorrow’s forecast is Southerly 10-20kn, so no rolling over and going back to sleep - into the rhythm and northwards to Rose Spit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">Friday 8th. Back on the water, finally, for another fast day running downwind with 15kn behind us to another cosy night in an even grander cabin with an early season walker for company. Tlell to Tow Hill is a popular 3-4 day bushwalk. Saturday dawned clear and dry with a gentle southerly that died out completely by the time we’d paddled the 10km to Rose Spit, one of the most amazing places I’ve been. An ever narrowing spit of sand extending NE for many kms from Graham Is. Off shore it’s shoals, conflicting tides and the differing sea conditions between Hecate Strait and Dixon Entrance make for such ‘interesting’ sea conditions that the common advice for kayakers is to portage over the tip rather than negotiating the rips and confused seas. We landed right on high tide a couple of hundred meters from the very tip where the it was less than 100m wide and barely 2m ASL, just dying to know what Dixon Entrance had in store for us on the other side. Open to the Pacific swells there could have been big surf, unlikely but possible. With relief we found the waves were plopping lazily onto the beach on the western side. Looking NE off the end of the spit there was maybe 500m of jobbly water where the very end of the spit was still submerged, and there were overfalls and clashing waves a couple of kms out near the visible “Overfall Shoal”, but around a horizon of almost 360deg, was smooth calm water with hardly a ripple. We dragged the boat over anyway and continued on towards Tow Hill for lunch. Today, Sunday, it was an easy 10km to the entrance of Masset Sound then a further few kms with tide and wind behind us to the fleshpots of the town itself. Fleshpots for us meant a shower and clean clothes, the first for a week and half. Absolute bliss!</span></div>
Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12876977237097394431noreply@blogger.com2