Days like these...

This yacht was visiting the Solway from the Isle of Man. Early the following morning, she hoisted her jib, then her main and lifted her anchor all in one smooth motion then slipped away on a broad reach to the Isle of Man.


It is always a pleasure to see a ship shape, well handled yacht when nowadays the majority stay in the marina or only venture out with the motor.


I drifted for some time on the ebb tide...


...but all too soon I had to break the glassy calm and my paddles drove me against the gathering current between Ardwall Island and the mainland.


As I entered Fleet Bay, the last of the sun slid towards the dark granite slopes of the Galloway Hills.


The sea turned to gold and ebony as the last gasp of the day slipped away with the ebb tide. Even the shrill pipping of the oyster catchers fell silent. I paddled home in the silence and the night gathered round me.

What would tomorrow bring?

31/05/2009 pm

Kayak Caledonia progress report #11

Day 20, 10th June:

17:20 Tony: "We are just through the Corran Narrows on Loch Linnhe. We had to battle against the wind the whole way down the loch. Loch Ness and the Caledonian canal were really lovely. We had a tailwind most of the way and surfed down Loch Ness at 12km/hour.

Tomorrow we hope to get through the Sound of Mull, then round Ardnamurchan on Friday and finish at Morar on Sunday!"

End of another Solway Day

As I was leaving Meggerland Point, I caught a glimpse of light at the back of a geo called rumblekirn.


I could not resist exploring and I discovered a small cave with turquoise waters and a blow hole at the back.


I now made for the Sw corner of Barlocco Isle.


Rounding Barlocco, I now turned towards Ardwall Island as the sun dipped towards the horizon.


As I neared Ardwall I came across this beautiful yacht lying peacefully at anchor, her bow towards the ebb.

31/05/2009 pm

A Solway sunset swim

After my visit to the stack and caves, I returned to the little beach below Meggerland Point. As I my way through the skerries, I floated over cobbles, which shimmered in the ripples of the crystal clear water.


I couldn't resist a second swim in this beautiful spot, as the sun sank gently to the west.

31/05/2009 pm

Kayak Caledonia progress report #10

Day 16, 6th June 24km

21:30 Tony: "We are in Rockfield at the mouth of the Moray Firth. We didn't launch till 2:30 by which time the sea and the wind had settled. We used the morning to wash and dry all our stuff in the campsite laundry. The Fourth Element Thermocline stuff has proved really good. It was a long grey crossing direct to Tarbart Ness from Brora. The wind had dropped to force three but it was still very cold.

Once round the Ness, into the Moray Firth, we could see snow on the Cairngorms. Its a very rocky coast but we landed at the jetty in Rockfield. A man was sitting in his garden and suggested we camp on his lawn! We are just back from visiting the pub in Portmahomack. We didn't stay long as a bunch of young locals seemed intent on a swally race. We thought discretion was best and made our exit.

Tomorrow we hope to get round Chanonry point and camp at Fortrose."

The caves and stacks of Meggerland Point

I was pretty hot and bothered after climbing all over Castle Haven so I went for a refreshing swim in a tiny cove below Meggerland Point. I then continued east below the heughs (Galloway for cliffs). Rounding a corner I nearly missed a cave in the shadows cast by the setting sun.


I am glad I didn't because it is one of the best caves in these parts. There was some deep gurgling going on in the back of the cave...


...which was punctuated by a steady drip from somewhere in the darkness above me.


Continuing eastwards I threaded my way behind Meikle Pinnacle, an isolated stack.


I then came across Dove cave which can only be entered at HW springs. I just love the old man, a mimetolith which stands watch over the entrance.


The ebb was now well established and I was 8km from home so...


...I retraced my route in the shade of Meikle Pinnacle before emerging into the light of the setting sun.

31/09/2009 pm

The most southerly broch; Castle Haven

Last weekend it was neap tides on the Solway. HW here is always in early morning and evening with neaps and as the tide goes out a long way, mid day paddling is not possible from many of the bays.

I set off at 5pm on Sunday evening and crossed the mouth of Fleet Bay. I turned into Castle Haven Bay as I know of a wonderful historic site at its head. Castle Haven is passed by by most people. Its wall grow out of the Galloway rocks but have become overgrown by vegetation. It is a D shaped broch or dun. These double walled dry stone structures were built up the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides in the final centuries BC. Castle Haven is the most southerly example.


Dun Carloway in Lewis is perhaps the most famous. As the sea was the highway of communication in those days it is likely that the owners of Castle Haven and Dun Carloway knew each other even though they are 420km apart as the sea eagle flies. Perhaps they were even on first name terms!


The typical doubled wall structure of a broch is seen from the SWE corner...


... and more clearly in this aerial view from the scran website.


Most brochs are circular but Castle Haven's west wall is straight as it follows a low line of cliffs, which drop to the bay below. The resulting enclosure is D shaped.


The quality of the interlocking stone masonry has survived two millenia. Unfortunately most of the upper structure has been raided to build some of the many 18th and 19th century drystone walls which criss-cross the Galloway countryside.


After a very pleasant exploration of this fascinating structure I made my way back down the stone steps to the sea gate and the bay below.


White campion flowers adorned the rocks below the castle walls. I returned to my kayak and paddled on in the evening sunshine.

31/05/2009 pm

Kayak Caledonia progress #9

Day 15, 5th June 36km

17:30 Tony: " We are in Brora. We had big squalls coming over today and were up at 0530 to beat the wind. We got on the water at 0730 when it was still only 4 degrees. The coastline here is really lovely with stacks and cliffs covered with birdlife. The NE wind picked up to about a six as we were passing Helmsdale so we didn't land. The Quest is handling the following seas really well. We had a surf landing on Brora Beach. We carried our gear over the golf course to the campsite and had a hot shower, glorious! We will walk into Brora for something to eat later. It's to be windy overnight and tomorrow am, so we will probably have a late start and head to Embo before cutting across the Dornoch Firth to Tarbert Ness. Not quite sure where we will stop. It's probably a bit far to the Black Isle."

Kayak Caledonia progress report #8

Day 14, 4th June 47km

21:28 Tony:
"We are in Dunbeath. I thought the east coast would be downhill all the way but we hit some of the roughest water yet between Noss Head and Sarclet Head. The tide was against us and with the NE wind it was wind against tide all the way. Unfortunately we could not get in really close to all the caves geos and stacks. Once round Sarclet we were in the lee of the cliffs so it was a good bit easier and proved to be a most interesting stretch with great rock architecture. We climbed up the hill behind Dunbeath beach and staggered to the hotel, but it was shut. That was the low point of the trip. We walked up the A9 and fortunately found a pub.

At our last stop, yesterday evening, the pub proved to be a Grade 5 experience. It was really noisy but fell silent when we walked in and all eyes were on us. After 14 days we smell pretty bad but we sure sweetened the air in that place, it was the baddest smelling pub in all Scotland. After a while the noise started again as they all started talking about us. They spoke a different language, composed entirely of four letter, one syllable words. After a quick drink, we left the public bar to the locals and went into the lounge bar for something to eat. If anything it smelled even worse. I have no idea what it was we ate. We were glad to escape to the tents.

Given the force 7 forecast for tomorrow pm, we will get going about 5am and hopefully get down to Golspie before the wind hits us. The heavy rain will hopefully cleanse le eau de Keiss out our pores."

The three pillars of Knockbrex

On Sunday I set off at 06:30am and paddled round the Islands of Fleet before heading towards the Carrick Coast of Galloway near Knockbrex. I came across three mysterious pillars. On further investigation I discovered they led to a hidden channel in the rocks.


Round a bend at the head of this channel lay a secret harbour. It was probably built for a yacht owned by the residents of nearby Knockbrex house.


A splendid morning paddle of 12km.

31/05/2009 am

Kayak Caledonia progress report #7

Day 13, 3rd June 27km

14:15 Tony phoned for a weather update for Duncansby Head area.

"We are in John O' Groats. Its only about a f3 from the north but we wondered if there was any chance of the F5 round Orkney and Shetland coming this far south."

Hello Tony, North of Duncansby Head it is showing no more than f4 N, the Head is right on the F4/f3 borderline. To the south of Wick it is showing f3 N for late afternoon evening.

"I think we will go for it, in the last hour of the tide before the overfalls kick up."

20:28 Tony: "At Sinclairs Bay. Duncansby Head was benign but stunning, the birdlife was amazing. Heading south now, thanks for forecast."

Plumage and blossom on the Solway

This time of year is a great time to visit coastal islands.


I didn't land on Murray's Isles and the reefs because cormorants, herring gulls, common gulls, oyster catchers and sandwich terns were breeding.


I landed on Barlocco Isle at the mouth of Fleet Bay and enjoyed a very bracing swim in crystal clear water.


I dried myself on sun warmed rocks beside...


... bunches of thrift, sea campion and bird's foot trefoil. The offshore breeze carried a heady scent of sweet hawthorn blossom and the coconut of gorse blossom.


Only 13km but a wonderful evening paddle.

30/05/2009

Kayak Caledonia progress report #6

Day 12, 2nd June 52km
Tony 12:00

"Hi Douglas we are a few miles west of Thurso. It's really calm after the wind yesterday so we are thinking of pushing on round Dunnet Head (a 50km day) before the weather breaks. A fisherman has said he thinks its going to kick up again this afternoon. Could you get an update on the weather? Thanks Tony."

XC weather and BBC both show f3 northerly for 1300 - 1900 Good luck :o)

Tony 22:05

"Well Dunnet Head was pretty mental. The wind did pick up to about force 4 northerly but fortunately not as much as the fisherman thought. Once we got round the head we hit a huge eddy on the other side which was hard work. We pressed on and got through the Merry Men of May as well. The tidal race here was really fast with very disturbed eddy lines which were challenging to cross. We are camped in Scotland Haven bay, just to the SE of the race. We are now just walking up to overlook the tide race and get some photos."

Tomorrow there is a solid force 4 northerly followed by force 4 dropping to 2 on Thursday. Tony and Gavin will see what it's like and maybe take a rest day.

Feeling sorry for myself.

While Tony and Gavin are having great adventures sea kayaking round NW Scotland, I am stuck at home. Last night I had gone for a little 20km solo paddle down on the Solway at sunset.

Just as I took this photo, my phone rang. It was Tony calling from Naeve Island. He told me all about their adventures on the high seas round Cape Wrath and below Whitten Head. Despite being master of the understatement, he managed to cram "fantastic, superb and stunning" into one short sentence.

With Tony's words still in my ears, I drifted away with my thoughts on the ebb tide. Slowly the daylight slipped away and the sky turned to inky darkness. I felt really sorry for myself, just for a moment...

31/05/2009

Kayak Caledonia progress report #5

Day 10, 31st May 39km

Tony, 20:20 "Great to be going east now. The surf is dying down. Had an amazing day, just on the edge of the sun all day. We paddled into Smoo Cave. The cliffs and birdlife on Whitten Head were fantastic, superb I did not know what to expect, it's absolutely stunning. We are now safely on Naeve Island, which is beautiful. We have not had any camp fires as we are too tired at the end of the day. The golden steadying liquid is going down well, if rather fast. We are getting along the coast well and all is fine"

Day 11, 1st June 29km

Tony 19:55 "We left our camp on Naeve island to find a force 4 easterly against us all the way. We had the tide with us so the wind against tide at Strathy Point was mental. We had hoped to go further but stopped at Melvich in quite a tired state. The local laird in The Bighouse took pity on us when he found us lying there and let us camp on his front lawn just behind the dunes! Just off to find some licenced premises to replenish essential fluids."

Kayak Caledonia progress report #4, round the Cape!

Day 8, 29th May 49km

Tony: "Awesome day, sun, swell, dolphins, whales! Round Point Stoer passed Handa to Oldshore More."

Day 9, 30th May 37km

Tony 21:30: "Round the Cape (Wrath). It was huge. There was no possibility of landing at Sandwood Bay. The swell was 4-5m and the impact zone was like a cauldron. We decided to give the Cape a wide berth of about a mile. Once we turned eastwards the following swells were buttock clenching which was really just as well as we had not been able to stop for a break. A wild ride but now safe in Balnakeil Bay. "

The lonely sea and the Skye

On Saturday which was the first day of the 9th Scottish Sea Kayaking Symposium on Skye, Jim Weir and I took of group of really nice folk out onto Loch Eishort on the north west of Skye's Sleat peninsula. At first the wind was a gusty force 4 southerly but the arrival of torrential rain soon killed the wind. The outline of Bla Bheinn, an outlier of the Cuillin ridge, can just be seen behind Nigel.


We launched at Ord and made our way east up the loch...


...past the delightful coral sands of Eilean Gaineamhach an Arda.


We were lucky enough to spot a pair of white tailed sea eagles. One of them had at least one faded orange or red wing tag.


The hills were running with torrents of water...


which poured over the beaches and into the loch.


I don't think anywhere does rain as well as Skye!

23/05/2009

Kayak Caledonia progress report #3

Day 7, 28th May 22km

Tony 12:33 "Left Isle Ristol this morning, rough round Rhubha Coigach, now at Stoer will round Point of Stoer at slack 3pm. Oldany Island is destination tonite. Aiming to round Cape Wrath on Saturday. Force4 and rain today."

Tony 13:50 " Tried to get out of Stoer Bay but wind has picked up to top of 5 and very lumpy turned back. If u get chance txt eve 4cast to see if there is chance later. Othrwse will sit tight."

Tony 20:05 " Glad we turned back, wind n waves just kept getting up. Camping on the site at Clachtoll. Just hitched into Lochinver to top up supplies, phones and fluid levels. Now walking back to Clachtoll. Will try to get round Point of Stoer and up to Kinlochbervie tomorrow pm."

Kayak Caledonia progress report #2

Day 5, 26th May: 33km
Tony 16:31 "Made it round Rubha Reid, camped on isle of Ewe. Wild scary ride f5-6, 3m swells-but fun. Well knackered!"

Day 6, 27th May: 32km
Tony 18:32 "Arrived art Isle Ristol.Windy day big swell on Greenstone Point. Tomorrow aiming for Rhuba Coigach then Achmelvich."

9th Scottish Sea Kayak Symposium.

Organised by Gordon and Morag Brown, Duncan Winning and Ken Nichol and a myriad of supporters, the 9th Scottish Symposium was a great success. The range of activities was incredible and went ahead despite some pretty windy and wet weather. The event was also well supported by the trade, with a variety of stands and a huge demo fleet. Geoff and Anne from Kari-tek had even brought along a mobile shop!

The opportunity to test boats back to back is a great reason to visit a symposium. I spent an afternoon with my Nordkapp LV against the Sea Kayaking UK Pilgrim (Romany LV), Rockpool GT, P&H Cetus and Cetus LV. I edged them to the point of no return and did about 50 rolls. The wind was a gusty 5 to 6 offshore with flat water. I am 5'8" and 200lbs.

Sea Kayaking UK Pilgrim (Romany LV)
This is a small version of the classic Romany. It is designed for paddlers up to about 150lbs so I had to squeeze inh and I am really too big for it but I liked it straight away, it was so manoeuvrable. It had a nice low rear deck and the only sea kayak I have tried that was as easy to roll is the Anas Acuta. With my weight it did seem to have a limited top speed but it accelerated up to that very quickly. The finish on this boat was superb but I have to say that a demo Greenlander, one of my friends borrowed earlier this year, was not well finished round the cockpit and one of the compartments leaked. Despite much rolling, this one was dry as a bone. Smaller paddlers should definitely try a Pilgrim!

Rockpool GT
The finish on this boat was stunning, the work of a master craftsman. It is a bigger hull than the Alaw/Alaw Bach but not so large as the Menai 18. The usual Rockpool cockpit ergonomics were superb. As you might expect, it felt faster than the Alaws but slower than the Menai 18. It edged superbly but it didn't feel quite as responsive to turning as my daughter's Alaw Bach. However, as a boat to do it all, including having decent space for camping trips, it is pretty much unbeatable and a welcome addition to the Rockpool fleet.

P&H Cetus
Amazingly, I had not yet tried one! I like my trusty Quest too much! This is a big boat and the wide point is behind the paddler. However, it has a low foredeck and I was surprised how snug it was on the thighs, despite its size. The cockpit feels much smaller than the Quest LV but for most people that would just mean less padding. The stability on flat water was amazing, I think it will make a great platform for photography. You can hold it right on edge with none of the feeling of instability you get from a Quest at that angle. The Menai 18, which is also a big boat is equally stable on edge, so I was not too surprised about this. However, what did surprise me was how much the Cetus turned when on edge. Even in windy conditions I was nearly doing 360's with a sweep and single bow rudder. It is more manoeuvrable than the Quest and considerably more so than the Menai 18. Although the Cetus is very stable on edge, once you push it to the point of no return it goes very quickly. It rolls pretty well for a big boat but in comparison with the SKUK Pilgrim, it was a bit sluggish. In an afternoon of 50 or so rolls it was the only boat that I failed a roll in. Mind you I was getting tired and cold by that time!

I would need more time in controlled conditions to be sure, but I think its maximum sprint speed is faster than the Quest but slower than the Menai 18. In the strong wind it tracked very well and responsively to adjusting the skeg at various paddling angles to the wind. I am not sure if I like the new locking ratchet skeg adjuster. In the gusts I do not think it was as directionally stable as the Menai 18. The only waves were the ferry's wash but the v bottom of the Cetus did not seem to slam as much as the flat bottom of the Menai 18. The construction and finish on the Cetus was impeccable.

I was not expecting to like the Cetus as much as I did but it was so manoeuvrable that I wonder if it might make both a camping boat and a day boat. P&H have very kindly offered me a loan of one for a long term test and I look forward very much to that.

P&H Cetus LV
Everything I have said about the Cetus applies to the Cetus LV except that the LV is much smaller. I could hardly squeeze in. Despite its smaller size, I didn’t find the Cetus LV any more manoeuvrable than the Cetus. I think the Cetus LV is really for smaller paddlers who want a decent fit, rather than for big paddlers wanting more manoeuvrability. I noticed a very small paddler having a great time in this boat and he did not seem undully affected by the strong wind.