Tuesday, May 04, 2010

The most southerly Gargoyles in all of the Hebrides


It was pouring with rain when we left the beach below Lower Killeyan.


The mist came right in and obscured the far side of Loch Indaal, leaving the dark shapes of the stacks isolated from the rest of the landscape.


It was an eerie feeling to be paddling in such an isolated environment as we lost sight of each other in the vonvoluted rocky channels between the cliffs and stacks.


From the headland north of the beach we looked northwards to a series of bold headlands, one after the other, culminating in Dun Mor Ghil in the distance.


A little later, we looked back, from just south of Dun Mor Ghil, to the monument on the now distant Mull of Oa which still towered above the intervening sea stacks.


Rocky gargoyles looked down on us from the rain soaked heights of Dun Mor Ghil.


Back at sea level, partially submerged rocks betrayed the strength of the current in these parts, indeed, some of the headlands required a determined effort to pass.

It might have been raining, but we knew we were in sea kayaking heaven, here on Islay's Oa peninsula, the most southerly point in all of the Hebrides.

8 comments:

  1. just beautiful imagery. I think I like paddling in the rain more than anything!

    PO

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  2. Thank you PO, we get plenty rain in Scotland! It was a very special day.

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  3. Hello Douglas
    I recently read your review on a Cetus from P&H. I can see by your pictures you're still paddling one. I am about to buy a Cetus MV ( I'm 170 cms and 75 Kgs ) and I just love the deck color. Is it Anchusa blue with metallic Flakes? Another question, Is my weight too light for that boat?
    Thanks for your wonderful posts and reviews
    Kind Regards
    Sergio

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  4. Hello Sergio, that was a P&H custom colour, I have no idea what it was called. Here is a photo of anchusa blue metallic which I think is even nicer!

    Difficult to say wether you might be a bit light for an MV, depends if most of your paddling is loaded or unloaded. Have you tried the Cetus LV?

    Thank you.

    :o)

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  5. Hello Douglas
    Mainly I do loaded paddling trips but for not more than 4-5 days. Thanks in advance for the advice
    Best regards
    Sergio

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  6. Hello Sergio, for loaded trips the Cetus MV! :o)

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  7. Hello Douglas
    Nice pictures. Is that your daughter paddling the Cetus LV?. What a nice colour ! Is that a Golden Yellow Cetus? Looks fantastic and it's easily visible.
    Kind Regards
    Sergio

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  8. Hello Sergio, yes that is my daughter in a Golden Yellow Cetus LV. Neither of us particularly liked the colour at first, but I have to say on a misty day it was stunning! I really like the red hull stripe with it. I used to have a canary yellow Quest with a black stripe but I now prefer the golden yellow/red combination.

    Douglas :o)

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