Rolling along the Carrick coast at Dunure.

On a calm afternoon David, Phil and I nipped down to Dunure. I haven't rolled my kayak for nearly 2 years, since I dislocated my knee in an accident. I ripped a lot of the medial ligaments round the knee and the patella and the thought of using my knee in a rolling kayak has not been a pleasant prospect since the operation nearly a year ago..

The surroundings at Dunure were so serene that I decided to try a roll. It happened so quickly that Phil and David did not notice so, I did another, then another. Sort of like riding a bike, I suppose. The water was a bit parky, so I was glad I had a dry suit and double thermals on.

We nipped up the coast to...

...the Heads of Ayr...

...where we stopped for a very pleasant half hour...

...before returning to the harbour at Dunure and the pub.

We had only paddled for 9km but it is a wonderful piece of coast. There were red shanks, oystercatchers, curlews, eider ducks and herons round every rocky corner. It took some time.