Navigation and tidal planning skills put to the test when David got his spanker in a twist.

From Lenihuline on the Island of Bute we launched or sails and set off on a wonderful downwind blast to...

 ...Kames on the mainland Cowal coast of the West Kyle. The wind had got up to a good F5 but the water...

 ...was nice and flat due to the enclosed nature of the Kyle. I was regularly hitting 14 to 15km/hr but fell back from Phil and Ian as David had twisted his sail and was not travelling as fast as the rest of us.

Our destination was the Kames Hotel. This was a "skills" outing and this week we were practising navigation. Some sea kayakers spend hours honing their skills with charts, maps and plotters.

We of  course simply read the large sign...

 ...and in no time made landfall on the little beach below the hotel.

David clearly had a drouth on him as he had managed to partially untwist his sail and came spanking in just a minute later than the rest of us.

We unanimously decided to head to the pub for lunch but first we had to put another skill into practice...

..this time it was tidal planning. Just how high up the beach should we carry the kayaks?