As we paddled east along the north Ardnamurchan coast the view to the north was dominated by the islands of the Inner Hebrides, low lying Muck, mountainous Rum, Eigg with its distinctive Sgurr and in the distance the mountains of Skye.
It was not a view that held our attention for long though as the rocky ramparts of Ardnamurchan are...
...protected by underwater ledges and skerries which...
...throw up sudden and unexpected waves called boomers.
So dangerous is this coast for small boats that we did not see a single lobster pot until we eventually...
...rounded a wild headland and saw the houses at the head of Fascadale Bay.
In
July 2009 a tragic accident occurred in which the FV Aquila from Cumbria capsized about 4km north of this spot. She was trawling for scallops near the Bo Faskadale reef when her trawl snagged and she was capsized by huge following seas. Sadly, only one of her four crew survived. In a flood tide and westerly swell locals know that large standing waves often form in the area of the reef. The charts and sailing directions did not mention these but UKHO have since amended both to include a warning.
It was a relief to get some shelter from the swell and waves and...
...we carried our luncheon things up the steep storm beach of cobbles to a grassy bank below the old boathouse.
