Perhaps the retreating Vikings had more romantically called it Pillage Point?

From the Farland Point on the Great Cumbrae we set off on the crossing of The Tan towards...

...Little Cumbrae island. In the distance, the clouds and mists rolled round the corries and ridges of Arran's granite mountains.

We slid down the east coast of Little Cumbrae and stopped off at the castle for first luncheon.

Our first post prandial point proved to be Gull Point. We often wonder why it got such a prosaic name as Gull Point in the Scots tongue? Perhaps the retreating Vikings had more romantically called it Pillage Point?

Our last point of contact with Little Cumbrae island was the Cumbrae Elbow with its two lighthouses.

Sea kayaking across the Sound of Bute from Portencross to Brodick.

 A 30km day paddle from Portencross on the Ayrshire coast to Brodick in Arran with return by the ferry.

Paddling from Garroch Head on Bute across the Sound of Bute to Sannox on Arran.

Tides: On the ebb tide there is a tide race off the south end of Garroch Head. This can be rough if there is any south in the wind. The south going ebb starts about -0035 HW Greenock and the north going flood starts about -0035 LW Greenock but these times are very variable being influenced by how much rain and snow melt is entering the estuary. Sometimes there may be almost continuous ebb, especially east of Garroch head. Spring rates are 1 knot but are influenced by rain as above.

On the day, it was springs with LW Greenock at 0814 and HW at 1451. We left Portencross at 0920 arrived Port Leithne, Garroch Head at 1048, left Garroch Head at 1130 arrived Sannox Bay at 1330, left Sannox Bay at 1405 arrived Brodick at 1550. On the two hour crossing of the Sound of Bute (10.6km) we were carried downstream by about 2km.

The ferry arrives at Brodick at 1610 and departs at 1640.

We met before dawn.

We set off on a limpid sea.

The Pavlovian sound of splashing paddles.

First luncheon and a first paddle in the Cetus MV.

The finest scenic sea kayak crossing in Scotland?

Thank the Lord, for the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom bag!

Thank the Lord, for the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom bag!

After crossing the Sound of Bute, it was a relief to land on the welcoming granite sand beach at Sannox on Arran.

Photo by Ian from Mountain and Sea Scotland.

This was my longest trip in a kayak for six months as I have suffered increasing instability in my left knee and pain in both knees. I am only able to go sea kayaking with the help of my understanding friends. Thank you all. Ian's photo shows Phil assisting me from my kayak. I was hardly able to walk up the beach to the shelter of some gorse bushes to be out of the cold breeze. We sat enjoying second luncheon washed down with a very fine 14year old Glefiddich followed by more 10 year old Jura.

Unfortunately I had been in so much pain when I landed, I had not pulled my kayak high enough up the beach. A combination of a big spring tide and increasing shore break capsized my kayak and filled the cockpit with sand and water. My trusty Ortlieb Aqua Zoom camera bag (with my 5D mk2 inside) was trashed beneath the upturned kayak by the waves for about 20 minutes. Ian and Phil helped me empty the kayak while I inspected the bag and camera. Not a drop of water had got in. I thoroughly recommend this bag to any kayaking photographer.

Leaving Sannox at 1406, time was just a little tight for the last leg down the east coast to Brodick. Nonetheless, Phil and Ian saw the resident otter off Merkland Point.

We landed beside the pier at Brodick at 1548, some 20 minutes before the ferry berthed. The usual ferry, MV Caledonian Isles, was away for her winter refit and her place was taken by Loti*. We enjoyed some banter with her Highland crew as we loaded the kayaks onto the car deck. Then it was up to the cafeteria for curry and chips and fish and chips and a very pleasant chat on the way back to Ardrossan. After running the shuttle, Ian had a 200mile drive back to Aberdeen!

What a day!

*MV Lord of the Isles.

The finest scenic sea kayak crossing in Scotland?

 The crossing of the Sound of Bute from Garroch Head on Bute...

...to Sannox on Arran...

...is probably one of the most scenic in Scotland and at 10.6km requires just a little commitment.

I (and very many others) also like the crossing of Loch Scavaig from Elgol to Loch na Cuilce on Skye but it lacks the commitment of an open crossing, as you can keep to the shore.

So I would like to propose the Garroch Head to Sannox crossing as the finest scenic sea kayak crossing in Scotland.

The Carradale trawler FV Caledonia (TT34) was still trawling her nets...

 ...as we reached mid channel.

Gradually, the mountains of Glen Sannox on Arran began to dominate the horizon to the SW.

 We were entertained..

...by an ever changing vista...

...as the low cloud...

...drifted and swirled round the corries and peaks.

Then, when we paddled under the clouds,...

...we too were  alternately in their shade then...

 ...back in the sunshine as we made our final approach to Sannox.

We set off on a limpid sea.

 We set off on a limpid sea...

 ...it was the first time there had been a calm spell in two months.

Our destination was to be the magnificent island of Arran.

Her rocky ridges soared into a clear blue sky. Only on the highest summits did scraps of snow remain after the recent, relentless and relatively warm SW gales.

Merry Christmas

I wish all a very Merry Christmas. I hope the man in the red suit was kind to you!

Douglas :o)

Blowing away the cobwebs with a chill wind from Valhalla and mulled wine.

Sunday dawned clear but with a 13 knot NW wind it was bitterly cold. We had intended launching at Seafield Ayr but the tide goes out a long way there and I have not been on the water  for 6 weeks because of continuing problems with my knees. So Tony and I continued south to Maidens for an easier launch. Unfortunately we missed Phil who was loading his kayak in the back garden and didn't hear our phone call. Arran's snow capped mountains were looking fantastic but that wind was coming straight from Valhalla.
              

From Maidens we turned south to round Turnberry Point. A north going spring tide against the wind meant some deliciously rough water off the lighthouse so there were no photos until we rounded the headland and were in the shelter of the reefs.

Turnberry beach, to the south of the lighthouse, proved an excellent sheltered spot for first luncheon washed down with warm mulled wine!

Luncheon with the Little Cumbrae terriers.

There was a decent weather forecast and Tony and I felt like a short local paddle. So we nipped down to Largs on the Clyde coast and enjoyed...

...a lively paddle as the south going ebb met the south wind off Farland Point on the Great Cumbrae Island.

Our destination was the Little Cumbrae Island which lay on the far side of the Tan with the mountains of Arran rising beyond.

After a glorious crossing we entered the shelter of Castle Island opposite where the house is situated.

We landed in the lee of the castle for a quiet luncheon but were soon joined by Little Cumbrae's four resident and madly barking dogs, who swam out to greet us.

They soon shut up when they saw our sandwiches and clearly wanted their heads patted. It was interesting trying to analyse the genetic relationships of this motley crew of Little Cumbrae terriers.

A flying crossing from Bute.

From Garroch Head on Bute we set off for...

...the Little Cumbrae island in perfect sea kayaking conditions. We had sun, a following wind and helpful waves. My maximum speed was 13.6km/hour and for most of the stretch from the Little Cumbrae to Portencross, we kept up 8-11km/hour.

We were soon back at Portencross Castle on the north Ayrshire coast..

Garroch Head can just be seen in the distance, behind my mast.

This was definitely my fastest time for this crossing which is one of our regular trips.

With views like this to Arran, you might understand the frequency of our return visits.

This little trip was 34km and was less than an hour's drive from Glasgow. I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area. From the south end of Bute, the view over to the mountains round Glen Sannox on Arran is superb, easily a match for the more famous mountain and sea view over Loch Scavaig to the Skye Cuillin from Elgol.

Any port in a storm.

As Jim and I approached Garroch Head on Bute, we were looking for a suitable spot to have a second luncheon...

... and perhaps to weather out a thunderstorm, which threatened to spill over the Sound of Bute from Arran.

 We found this little cobble beach...

...in a break in the lava beds of Garroch Head.

The lava bed rock had been worn into amazing pinnacles and channels by a combination of wave action and the cobbles.

 We enjoyed the view...

 from a little platform...

...above the beach. We wondered how many of our fellow seafarers and ancestors had been grateful for the shelter offered by this little beach if caught out in a storm.

 However HMS Dragon seemed unperturbed by the weather...

...and at last the sun broke through and shone down on Gen Sannox again. It was time to move on.