Ailsa Craig from Lendalfoot, Ayrshire.

A 32km day trip round Ailsa Craig in the outer Firth of Clyde.

Tidal streams between the Ayrshire coast and Ailsa Craig are generally weak, towards the Craig they are about 0.5knots at springs. The NE going flood starts about  +0535 HW Greenock (-0530 HW Dover) and the SE going ebb starts about -0050 HW Greenock (+0030 HW Dover).

Remember to take a good broad brimmed hat.

A little rockhopping in the Firth of Clyde.

3,000 sea kayaks behind Ailsa Craig, but all was quiet.

Hats are de rigeur on the far side of Ailsa Craig.

A fog horn and a siren on Ailsa Craig.

Photo album map.

A fog horn and a siren on Ailsa Craig.

All too soon we had come right round Ailsa Craig to the silent south foghorn. It last bellowed into the mists of the Firth of Clyde in 1966.

Photo Phil Toman.
It was now time to say farewell to this remarkable island and its teeming birds.

Photo Phil Toman.
As we left the island in our wakes, we could not help but be grateful that such a natural wonder is so close to home. The west coast of Scotland has such an incredible variety of coast line that it is truly a World class sea kayaking destination!

The Ayrshire coast gradually got closer but we knew that Ailsa Craig's  siren call would soon call us back again.