Only a moment's hesitation on the Firth of Clyde.

Phil, Tony and I convened at Portencross Castle on the Firth of Clyde.

Although it was a windless morning, you will notice we still took sails. We were expecting a F4 NW wind to get up later in the afternoon. Our plan was to paddle up the west coast of Bute, take some luncheon, wait for the wind then have a blast back with the sails.

 Phil's kayak was wearing its new Skippy badge.

It wasn't long before we crossed the Hunterston Channel on our way to...

 ...Gull Point on the Little Cumbrae Island.

 The rumble of a heavy diesel from the direction of Arran announced the arrival of...

 ...the MV Seaprincess, a tanker with a  a DeadWeight of some 115,949 tons travelling at 11.6knots. She was heading up the Firth of Clyde Channel to the oil terminal at Finnart on Loch Long, a further 46km up the Firth of Clyde.

We engaged in a debate about whether to nip across the channel in front of her, a debate which lasted all of 2 seconds...

...before we slowed to let her pass. She also slowed at the south end of Bute as the Clydeport pilot vessel, MV Mount Stewart, raced in to drop the pilot off.