Tuesday, November 06, 2012

A glorious effulgence on the Solway.

 The last of the wind died...

 ...as the sun dipped towards the horizon.

 The surface of the sea turned to glass and...

 ..every slight ripple distorted our reflections.

 The setting sun was not the sole object of our attention.

 Above the Isles of Fleet, the Moon...

 ...began to glow softly in the darkening, deep blue sky and far below...

 ...its reflection danced on the mirror-like sea.

 We drifted for a while until the air began to chill and we started paddling again.

 With each stroke the sun...

 ...sank a litter further until...

 ...the day was gone and only...

the moon lit our landing.

Monday, November 05, 2012

Lost for words...

 Rather than stop on Ardwall Isle for fourth luncheon, we...

 ...decided to press on...

 ...and enjoy the...

 ...glorious sunset...

 ...on the water.

 We were soon lost for words...






Sunday, November 04, 2012

To Ardwall in the sunset.

"The Singleton" was all gone and it was time to leave Knockbrex.

We paddled towards Ardwall Isle, where there is another sandy beach below the trees.

 The wind had backed to the SE but by the time we were afloat had all but died away.

 So we paddled along the coast of Carrick...

 ...with the flood tide helping more than the wind...

...till we arrived at the wooded slopes of Ardwall Isle, just as the sun began to set.

Saturday, November 03, 2012

Stand off at Knockbrex.

 One by one we...

 ...drifted into Knockbrex beach...

 ...for third luncheon.

 David had wangled Phil's bottle of "The Singleton" again and refused to part with it, until it was empty.

Phil is good natured and generous but his loss was only partially assuaged by David's offer of a sip of Guinness.

 Fortunately the resulting stand off was short lived as...

...the beauty of our surroundings...

...restored equanimity. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we hadn't noticed the...
 
 ..sun sinking in the west and...

...the shadows of our kayaks lengthening on the sands or...

...even the incoming tide, which was now lapping at our keels. It was time to go.

Friday, November 02, 2012

Downwind to Knockbrex.

 As we rounded Barlocco Isle, a gentle sea breeze picked up...

 ...so we launched the sails...

 ...mostly for the photos but also for their...

 ...gentle push...

 ...downwind...

...towards the beach at Knockbrex and our third luncheon.


Thursday, November 01, 2012

The magnificent maze of Barlocco.

 Well satisfied by our second luncheon on Barlocco Isle we set off to thread...

 ...our way...

 ...through the...

 ...magnificent maze of skerries...

 ...that lie off...

 ...the SW coast of Barlocco Isle.

It always feels good to get through the maze...every tide is different!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

High and Dry on Barlocco!

 All too soon the flood Solway tide drowned our little beach on the Murray's Isles.

 We set off along the steep rocks towards...

 ...the NW point of the Isles.

 We enjoyed paddling through the sunken reefs on the seaward side.

 The colony of eight grey seals and two pups had moved on and we only saw one adult in the water.

 Leaving Murray's Isles we paddled past Ardwall Isle and then on...

 ...to land for second luncheon on Barlocco Reef where...

...Phil was about to discover just how little Singleton was left! Things were looking bad. It looked like a dry lunch but things took a turn for the better when David discovered some long forgotten cans of Guinness that were stuck up behind his skeg box! We lazed on the rocks enjoying the glorious views of Galloway over the blue waters of the Solway.