Our first port of call was the
River Doon.
It was high tide so we were able to paddle right up to the tidal weir...
...and give the kayaks a quick rinse...
...before heading back downstream. Since the 1930's the Doon has lost a third of its flow, which is pumped through the hills of its watershed into the catchment of the River Dee. This river flows into the Solway through a
series of dams which generate electricity. Now the Spanish power company,
Iberdrola, plans to reduce the flow
by diverting another 40% into the Dee.
No wonder we made progress at a gentle rate, past the unused salmon fishers' cottage (there used to be more salmon) and...
...back towards the river mouth and...
...the Firth of Clyde beyond. Hydro Electric is green energy. I do hope the critters, in the river Doon, such as the freshwater pearl mussels, sea lampreys, salmon, otters, kingfishers, saucer bugs,
white water kayakers etc. appreciate that this green initiative is jolly good for them.
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