HW was at 06:41 and we needed to be in the inner part of West Loch Tarbert as close to HW as possible to avoid a muddy exit and also to be able to paddle through the narrow rocky channel of
Cumnann Beag before the spring tide turned against us. There was nothing for it but to rise early and forgo breakfast. We emerged from the bothy at Cruib Lodge, packed the boats in the cold blue predawn light and were...
...on the water before sunrise.
The entrance to the inner loch is very inconspicuous and the flash of low light as the sun broke the horizon...
...helped us locate it. We entered the narrows at 06:28 and the tide was still flowing gently in. Although you will hardly see a soul in these waters today, this route (through West Loch Tarbert and across the narrow portage to Tarbert on the east coast of Jura) was once a busy highway from Argyll to Colonsay and Oronsay.
It was used by both pilgrims and by the bereaved carrying their dead for burial on the islands. The route avoided the strong tides of the Corryvreckan to the north and the Sound of Islay to the south.
It was eerily silent as we paddled through the maze of the inner loch's...
...narrow channels and shallow waters.
Gradually the inner loch...
...opened up and as the...
...sun rose and...
...day truly broke, we arrived at
the head of the loch at 06:56. It was near spring HW and fortunately we stepped out onto grass. As we prepared our trolleys for the portage I noted that the tide continued to rise and did not start to fall until 07:20, almost 40 minutes after HW Oban at 06:41.
