29th April 2021 #7 Locked in but not locked down by a wild night in Loch Hourn.

Ian and I set to work building a fire on the shore of Loch Hourn. We chose a site below the highest tide level but, as it was just before predicted HW, we expected the tide not reach the fire.

A stiff NE breeze soon had it burning fiercely.

Unfortunately the tide kept rising and we had to rescue the wood and leave the fire to the mercy of the water. We built a new fire further up the shore.

Of course the sun did not stay out long. Yet another squall battered down the loch towards us obliterating the view of the mountains as it came. A brave rainbow framed the scene but lasted only a few seconds till it was lost in a wall of grey. The approaching storm was elemental and truly magnificent. For a while we were transfixed by its beauty but just in time, we abandoned the new fire to its own devices and fled to the tents. The noise as the wind ripped at the flysheet and alternate bands of rain and hail lashed down added to the sense of wildness.

After the storm, we emerged from the tents to find a dusting of fresh snow on the summits but more importantly the wind had dropped.

As the sun began to set on this landlocked arm of the sea...

... its still waters reflected the sunset colours of the clouds, despite the setting sun being hidden below dark enclosing mountain ridges.

As night fell and the fire burned more brightly we swapped tales of kayaking adventures. We might be locked in, in inner Loch Hourn, but we were no longer locked down!

28th April 2021 #2 Sunshine and sleet on the Sound of Sleat.

It has been a cold start to the year and the NE wind brought a series of Arctic squalls to the Sound of Sleat. These brought a bonus of dramatic lighting conditions though trying to erect our tents on the exposed reef took a bit of care in the accompanying wind.

Fortunately the worst of the squalls seemed to pass and we got our camp in order.

As the tide was still low...

...we wasted no time in gathering driftwood for a fire on the sands. We kept our kayaking gear on as the sun did not look like it would last long.

Then the skies darkened with the approach of yet another squall. We rushed to our tents and were deafened by alternate lashings of rain and sleet on the thin tent walls.

As the storm passed, on its way into Loch Hourn, we emerged from our tents into the watery evening sunlight.

Graceful rainbows arched over the still dark mountains, which had a dusting of fresh snow  on their summits.

Hardy primroses seemed undeterred by the weather and neither were we.

We set to and got the fire going as we swapped yarns and...

...finished our meal.

A watery sunset slipped away on the far side of the Sound of Sleat before another squall put an end to our evening by the fire.

An atmospheric crossing to Inchmarnock with a sighting of a fire rainbow.

 At 6pm we landed for a second luncheon on a little shingle bay to the north of Garroch Head. We had paddled to this point in shorts and tee shirts. We put our salopettes on, not because it was cold (it wasn't) but because we knew we would arrive at our destination on Inchmarnock about sunset and that is when the midges come out!

As we restored energy levels with a snack and a hot drink we enjoyed the most spectacular view across to Glen Sannox on Arran.

Back on the water we had an 11km crossing to our destination of Inchmarnock. We passed Dunagoil Hill which is topped by an Iron Age hill fort.

As we crossed Scalpsie Bay clouds began to gather but the horizon to the west was clear, promising a fine sunset.

A little breeze got up as we passed...

...the fertile fields of Scalpsie farm on Bute which contrasted...

...with the rocky granite ridges of the Arran mountains on the other side of the Sound of Bute.

The sun was lowering towards the horizon as we...

...approached the south end of Inchmarnock. High in the sky we spotted cloud iridescence...

...which is not a commonly seen atmospheric effect. This is also known as a "fire rainbow" or a "rainbow cloud,"  It usually occurs in late afternoon on hot humid days.

The west coast of Bute is not easy to land on as at low tide there are a series of rocky reefs. It was near spring low water but we knew of a tiny gap in the reefs (about 8m wide). We arrived just after 8pm. This gully can be very difficult to launch from if there is any west in the wind. There are easier beaches at the south and north of the island. Although we had feared a midge attack we were pleasantly surprised that a little NW breeze stopped them flying.

Heads down at Whitefarland.

 During the night the wind and rain lashed our camp site at Imachar Point.

 Low clouds were scudding across the hills behind Carradale on ther far side of the Kilbrannan Sound.

 We were on the water shortly after 7am as we knew it would be a long day against the wind.

 As soon as we rounded Imachar Point...

 ...we were exposed to the full strength of the wind.

As we approached Whitefarland Point we passed this old cemetery which was built on the foreshore due to shortage of land. It dates from 1709 as predates the early 19th Century Arran Clearances when crofters were cleared from the glens and either transported to Ayrshire or Canada or moved to infertile coastal ground.

There is now a short intermission from photography as paddling took my full attention. Off Whitefarland Point lie the Erins and the Whitefarland Banks. The Admiralty Pilot warns of heavy overfalls here. These banks shoal from 150m to 10m in a very short distance and generate overfalls which extend to the north on the north going flood and vice versa in the ebb. The tide was flooding north against a north wind so conditions were a little lively.

 Fortunately the seas calmed as we left Whitefarland in our wakes but...

 ...the strong head wind meant we made slow progress.

Amazingly a blink of sun broke through the dense cloud and a rainbow momentarily graced the otherwise grey Kilbrannan Sound. By now we were getting pretty tired so...

 ...it was a relief when the village of Pirnmill came in sight. Pirnmill takes its name from the water mill that was here from 1780 until 1840. It made pirns and bobbins for the mills of Paisley. (Pirns are wooden rods used in weaving machines.) The mill closed when all the local trees were cut down  and the village turned to tourism and built a pier (with what was left of the wood) so that Clyde steamers could stop.Steamers ran during the summer from Gourock, Fairlie and Wemyss Bay to Pirnmill Pier. The pier has long gone.

...on the sands of Rubha Ban for a quick second breakfast in the shelter of the point.. There is an excellent place to eat at Pirnmill called the Lighthouse but it was still not quite 9:30am so we made do with our own supplies..

There be dragons at the end of rainbows in the Clyde!

We arrived at Ardrossan ferry terminal at dawn. The low sun was just lighting the mountain tops of Arran. We left two cars here and the four of us drove north to Portencross in my car with the sea kayaks on the trailer.

Heavy clouds and rain were blotting out the landscape but just as we were about to be enveloped in wet greyness, a rainbow appeared.

The new type 45 frigate HMS Dragon appeared out of the end of the rainbow. She had arrived off Arran on her first day of sea trials.

 Our destination was the Isle of Arran, but it was rapidly being blotted from sight.

It was a really tricky launch over slippery rocks from the car park at Portencross. I was very grateful for the help Tony and Phil gave me in carrying my kayak and launching it.

We were soon on the water and Jennifer led the way towards Gull Point on the Wee Cumbrae and our first stop at distant Garroch Head on Bute.