Hatching a cracking plan on Eigg.

 We left Rum with the fog swirling round the foothills of the Cuillin.

Ahead in the murk the Island of Eigg lay 9km ahead of us and  for a long time we paddled using GPS, and compass. We were bound for Camas Sgiotaig at the north west end of the island.

 Eventually the mist lifted and we could make out the outline of Eigg...

 ...to the south west lay Rubha an Fhasaidh while...

 ...to the north east Sgorr Sgaileach...

... caught the sun.

 The silence of the open crossing was replaced by the crash and roar of the surf as we approached Eigg...

 Fortunately there was a pattern of bigger sets followed by a quieter period. So we waited for the right moment then...

 ...made a run into the beach. The spume was hanging heavily in the air and it was a relief...

 ...to be able to walk up the beach without having been trashed in the surf.

It was while we were having second luncheon on the rock slabs below the towering ramparts of Dunan Thalasgair that we hatched our plan. Our original intention had been to paddle down to the next sandy bay... Bay of Laig and leave the kayaks there and walk up to the B&B at Lageorna situated in the township of Cleadale.

Howeve,r the size of the surf breaking on the reefs made us concerned in case we were trapped by a rise in the swell overnight. So we decided to take advantage of the light wind and paddle all the way to the south of the island and leave the kayaks at the jetty in Galmisdale then walk the 7km back to Cleadale. The big advantage of this plan would be a guaranteed easy launch the following day and it would leave us close enough to Muck that a near circumnavigation would be possible before nightfall.

The White Steeds of the Solway #2.

It has been a windy summer and I haven't done much sea kayaking as my knees have been a bit knackered. I can't even lift a kayak onto the car roof rack any more. However, I have been based on the Solway, where I just leave a kayak on the beach. The Wheeleez Kayak Cart mini has been a real boon. The effort of pulling my previous KCS trolley (with conventional wheels) up the soft sand has caused my left knee to dislocate several times. I can't carry a kayak on my own any more either, so I was on the point of giving up (unless I had someone to help) but the low pressure ballon tyres of the Wheeleez trolley just float over the top of the soft stuff. Problem solved. The Wheeleez is made of real high quality materials. Thick walled anodised aluminium and stainless steel fittings are used on the frame and it comes with two straps.  The only down side is that the stainless steel retaining pins that hold the wheels on have a habit of flying off, if you tow the trolley through something like marram grass to get to the beach.

Unfortunately it is not very easy to find in the UK but if you can find one, I recommend it highly!

Anyway there was a good breeze on August the first, so I headed out for some fun, photographed by my cousin John Black. Thank you for the great photos John!

 It was hard work battering out through the steep waves and...

 ...the wind. The tide was ebbing against the wind...

 ...which made for some great conditions.

The inverted V on the bow of the P&H Delphin is not just good for resurfacing after submarining when riding the waves back to the shore. It is also great for shedding a wave that dumps on the deck on the way out.

 This is the view from the water on the way out.

 Time to turn tail and catch some waves. Lean forward and PLF.

A quick stern rudder and outside edge to correct the inevitable broach...

 ...then back on line at...

 up to 19km/hr.

Then repeat...

 ...until...

 ...well and truly done.

I have been amazed by the versatility of the Delphin. It's obviously designed for this sort of thing but my wife and I have also been using it as a day boat to pootle out to the islands on a calm day for a picnic and a swim.

 I only managed 3km and I was knackered!

What a great day!

Riding the White Steeds of the Solway.

Monday was quite breezy down on the Solway and the White Steeds of the Solway started to roll in with the wind and tide.

 We bashed our way out through the shore break and out past the skerries to where the...

 ...swell was rolling in...

 ...Behind you... PLF!

 Lean forward and PLF!

 Watch out for the rocks. We were surfing in to the rocky shore at 19km/hour. Getting off the wave while the going was good was rather critical.

After a while we surfed into the shelter of an offshore island round which the swells were wrapping round both sides...

 ...and  meeting on the far side like a zipper! This is coming in on the right hand wave...

...Behind you #2... The left hand wave is coming...

 ...Yikes the zipper closed...

... but made it onto the left hand wave.

We only managed to paddle 3km but we were done in.

Portandea, any port in a storm.

Although the geology changed south of Currarie Port on Ayrshire's Atlantic coast, the interest continued unabated. Below the dark cliffs of Craigangal, we explored geo...

...after geo until...

...we came to the huge geo of Brackness Hole. After this there was even better rockhopping as the swell slowly increased. I couldn't resist chucking the Delphin into every gap. Its robust construction and my bracing skills got well tested so there are no more photos until we arrived at...

...the sheltered cove of Portandea. This part of of Ayrshire is the Glenapp Estate, which belongs to the Inchcape family. In the 1920's they built a holiday bungalow on the flat ground above the beach. In recent years it had become increasingly damaged by both the weather and vandalism, so I was not particularly surprised to see that it had recently been demolished and the rubble removed. A new road has been cut down to the cove on the track of the original footpath. A water pipe and electricity cable have been laid, so I expect the bungalow will be rebuilt. I hope it remains free from vandalism.

Once landed, victuals for third luncheon were unloaded from the kayaks.

 What a place for a luncheon stop, but a word of warning...

...Portandea is a surf trap. If you land through the surf, you need to be pretty confident in your technique to get back out. This photo was from an earlier trip on 21/05/2009 and is from the same viewpoint as the previous photo.

Drouthy kayakers give Ballantrae a miss.

 Rounding Bennane Head, we set off across the expanse of Ballantrae Bay.

 Once clear of the head, a little northerly breeze brought the sails to life...

 ...and we made steady progress...

...across the bay towards...

 ...the village of Ballantrae. The name has Gaelic origins from Baile an Traigh, the village of the beach. It does have a very big beach. However, this name only dates back to 1617. Prior to that it was called Kirkcudbright Innertig. Apparently the Laird of Bargany who rebuilt the ancient Kirk of St Cuthbert at the mouth of the River Tig had a penchant for the Gaelic!

The little church has a stained glass window in memory of Elsie Mackay. She was the third daughter of the Earl of Inchcape, whose family lived in nearby Glenapp Castle. Elsie was one of the first women to own and fly her own plane and sadly, in March 1928, she died in an unsuccessful attempt to fly across the Atlantic from east to west.

The stone tower on the skyline is the remains of a windmill which was built in 1684.

 Sadly Ballantrae turn its back to the beach...

...and we didn't much feel like landing in the surf any way. This was a pity as it was time for first luncheon and we had a drouth on us.