Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Leaving of Jura


A charter boat enters the Corryvreckan at dawn to pick up a party from the Glengarrisdale bothy. I wonder if they had managed to drink all their supplies and if they were ready?


It may be calm but the water is accelerating and it is against us!


Looking back to the Corryvreckan. Tony decided it would be fun to paddle back to Carraig Mohr with the start of the flood back into the Corryvreckan. I was not so sure and what I did not realize is that Tony thought Maol Eilean was Carraig Mor (which was actually a half kilometer further on). So Tony hung back at Maol Eilean while I paddled on down the accelerating slope! Fortunately I managed to break out next to the rocks. I then had a stiff paddle back round the point, much to Tony's amusement!. This was at 07:39 am two days after neaps and slack water before the start of the flood was predicted to be 06:59. A few minutes later and we would have been back on the west coast of Jura!


Sammy the white tailed sea eagle and friend.


A blink of sun on barnacle covered rocks on the east coast Jura. The north going flood was building against us all the while so we eddy hopped up the coast. Breaking through the current round each headland was tricky as it was all too easy for the bow to swing wide carrying us far out into the strongest current. The sharpest eddy line we met was at Rubh' an Truisealaich, just round the green hill above. After that the current dropped and in places we had a helpful counter eddy.


Sammy the otter.


Tony with the Paps of Jura disappearing into the mist.


Sammy the puffin.


A last blink of sun while crossing the Sound of Jura and approaching the Knapdale coast. This was the end of a perfect weekend. We arrived at Carsaig Bay just as the drizzle started and the midges came out.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you Joao, the soft misty light that day was just perfect.

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  2. yes beautiful pictures, still very jealous!
    why are all the wildlife called Sammy?

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  3. Douglas

    Fantastic photos as ever. I'm just wondering of Tony should change his name to Sammy to avoid confusion.

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  4. Claire and Will, thank you!

    I fear you are both winding me up about this Sammy thing.

    I am perfectly aware that all animals are not called Sammy....

    Harry the hedgehog,
    Polly the parrot,
    Lassie the dog,
    Brer rabbit,
    Bill badger,
    Mr Toad,
    Ratty rat.
    (We discovered a giant rat in the bothy of Ratatallain in West Loch Tarbert. It glared at Tony and stood its ground. Tony threw a rock at it and it charged us. We fled and spent the night camping with the midges on the shore. This rat was NOT called Sammy.)

    I rest my case....

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  5. Hi Douglas, I just picked up a garmin 60csx for $400 here in the US and so will be able to avoid mixing up my corryvreckan headlands in future;-?

    Where did you get your bluechart maps from, looking to get them installed before our trip out West.
    Talk to you soon Cheers Tony (aka sammy the kayaker)

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  6. Hi Tony,

    Great price!! I got the bluecharts from Global Positioning Systems

    Can't wait for our week out west. David C was on phone today about it. At moment south and west coast Mull, Iona, Treshnish seems to be on everyone's wishlist. Weather needs to improve, June has just notched up wettest on record!

    :o)

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