![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YDeW6uBEz2o/TIvWqMpVsQI/AAAAAAAANkI/xPcvQO39g2c/20100830IMG_0547.jpg)
The exposed NW cooast of Eileach an Naoimh inthe Garvellach Isles is a wondrous place. This great stone eagle stretches its wings over a tiny paddler, who is lost in the scale of the place.
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_YDeW6uBEz2o/TIvWrAmf5hI/AAAAAAAANkM/P9NbfMspk3g/20100830IMG_0548.jpg)
Usually the swell is too big to get in this close. We had looped round the Garvellachs in a figure of eight, so that we would paddle this bit later in the day, when the sun had come round...
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_YDeW6uBEz2o/THztV4goJTI/AAAAAAAANf4/yL0_0IHmOCw/20100830IMG_0553.jpg)
You can see why!
![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YDeW6uBEz2o/TIvWun1XddI/AAAAAAAANkY/Eb0LY7Wanio/20100830IMG_0555.jpg)
Having traversed below the NW cliffs of Eileach an Naoimh we planned to slip through a gap in the chain of islands and now go up the SE coast of Garbh Eileach. A 10.8m creel boat, the Mairi Christine OB520, from Luing also had the same idea , in reverse!