Imagine you are at the edge of the sea on a day when it is difficult to say where the land ends and the sea begins and where the sea ends and the sky begins. Sea kayaking lets you explore these and your own boundaries and broadens your horizons. Sea kayaking is the new mountaineering.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Solway sea fog and sunshine
We were right on the edge of Solway sea fog and sunshine on Saturday.
We headed west from Fleet Bay towards Ravenshall point.
There was an amazing orange glow on the horizon.
We decided to turn back at Ravenshall arch as the tide was getting low and we did not fancy a 3km carry back over the Solway sands!
We returned via Murray's Isles where we stopped for lunch and to compare notes about the Rockpool Menai 18 and the Valley Nordkapp LV.
06/10/2007
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Scottish Access problem, is Holy Island closed?
NO LANDING
Following my post of yesterday about our pleasant visit to Holy Island Chris has replied as follows with details of a very different experience:
Hi Douglas,
interesting, as always, to read of your adventures-especially Holy Island as Barbara and I had a very disappointing experience there a few weeks ago while padding with two friends.
We had opted to camp (very, very discretely) at the north tip of the island - arriving quite late. Being aware of the island and it's community, we were continually careful to do nothing to offend anyone. One of our party even collected four bags of rubbish from our vicinity to take away and dispose of.
We were aware that several young people - probably attending one of the commercial courses held at the monastry - had seen us and so were not surprised to be visited by one of the monks who spoke to one of our group. Unfortunately, I was busy with our meal and so didn't hear the exchange until the monk had left.
Assuming this had been of the nature of asking where we had come from, where we were going, had we had a good day etc I was dismayed to discover that my friend was quite upset at the aggressive and unpleasant manner in which he had been informed that we were unwelcome and, had it still been light, we would have been ordered off the island then and there.
Initially saddened at this contradiction to my assumed understanding of the monk's Buddhist philosophy; my thoughts turned to our rights to actually be there and to wild camp and whether we had inadvertently failed to honour the responsibilities that go with that right.
I could find no reason to support this.
We had kept well clear to avoid intrusion into the community there; had tried to leave the place better than we had found it; had refrained from building a fire and had behaved with respect for the island, it's community and it's wildlife.
Upon arriving home, I immediately emailed the monastry via their commercial email address and put our case explaining our disappointment and wondering whether, had we been prepared to pay the B&B fee to stay, we would have been treated in a similar way.
I also questioned the legality of their stand outlawing our right to camp and especially their signs banning access to the area below the high water mark.
I have had no reply to my email - again disappointing as I would dearly have liked to try and explain our philosophy of peaceful co-existance to them.
Long response - I apologise, but thought I'd share this experience on Holy Island as a thankfully rare example and so different to many other, welcoming people we've met on our sea-kayaking adventures.
Be warned if you choose to camp on Holy Island - we were also "threatened" with the possibility of wild ponies attacking us!
Thanks for an interesting and informative Blog.
Kind regards
Chris
My reply to Chris is as follows:
Chris thanks very much for this reply.
When Tony and I visited and saw the NO LANDING sign our first comment was "this lot haven't heard of the Land Reform Act." We landed just about 100m along the coast from the sign and as we saw no monks and enjoyed unrestricted access to the hill, we relaxed.
However, your experience has rekindled our worst fears.
I assume that you were not camping in the immediate area of the buildings or on enclosed cultivated land and so under the land reform act you have a legal right to wild camp providing you do so in small numbers and do not stay for more than three nights.
The religious beliefs of the landowners have nothing to do with this right under Scottish law.
I would strongly suggest that you report the aggressive and illegal behaviour of this so called monk to both the local authority:
"Local authority powers: Local authorities have been given new powers within the Act to assert access rights."
and to Scottish Natural Heritage
and to your MSP
and to the Scottish Canoe Association
I have a good mind to head for Holy Island on our next camping trip.
I also believe that landowners now have a responsibility about allowing threatening and dangerous animals to roam free. What I can say is that Tony and I wandered through a very laid back and peaceful herd of Eriskay ponies who had clearly reached a higher state of Buddhist consciousness than this particular monk!
Chris go for your rights! I will help in any way I can.
Douglas
The current owners of Holy Island are the Ropka Trust
email office@holyisland.org
17/08/2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Holy Island of two faiths, Arran
From the SW tip of Holy Island we looked across Lamlash Bay to Lamlash village backed by the distant hills of Arran.
When we arrived at the Holy Island Inner Lighthouse the "No landing closed retreat" notice did not bode well for our visit to the island. It has a rich tradition of peaceful meditation dating from the the time of the hermit monk St Molais in the sixth century to the Samye Ling monks of today.
However, the closed area was just the immediate vicinity of the lighthouse buildings.
Good paths, followed by a mild scramble, allowed exploration to the highpoint of the island. If you are looking for the Inn of the Sixth Happiness you will not find it on Holy Island. Those seeking that sort of enlightenment would be better to head for Lamlash.
We enjoyed our visit to this stunningly beautiful and peaceful island.
NB please see the comments for a very different experience of visiting Holy Island.
17/08/2007
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Stacks of coves on the Solway
Solway caves
A Solway cave.
Leaving Little Ross Sound we turned eastwards round the base of Fox Craig. We rested in an eddy out of the main flow of the ebb tide. Looking back we caught a final sight of the Little Ross lighthouse between the skerries at the base of the cliff.
The coastline between here and Fleet Bay has lots of opportunities for rockhopping but is often unapproachable due to strong tides and swell. We were lucky we had a north east wind. The Nordkapp RM is a fantastic boat with all the performance of its composite sibling. I have written a review in the current issue of Ocean Paddler issue 3 and will post it here once the next issue is published.
This beautiful cave is just a little further east than Dove cave.
29/09/2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
A nine metre tide in Little Ross Sound
This last weekend saw 9.1m spring tides in the Solway so Tony and I drove down to Dhoon shore on Kirkcudbright Bay in the Solway. The Valley Nordkapp RM was dwarfed by the Rockpool Menai 18.
The ebb tide began to pick up as we approached Little Ross Island. Tony enjoyed the Menai 18.
We ferry glided across to the island for a spot of lunch. The Little Ross light was built by Alan Stevenson in 1843. The light flashes white every 5 seconds. In 1960 there were two keepers on the island and one murdered the other. (Thanks to Andy for the link.)
After lunch we swapped boats and went for a play in the tide race in Little Ross Sound.
29/09/2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Holy Island of the fifth precept.
The sharp thinkers among you might wonder what on Earth thirsty kayakers like Tony and I got up to on the Holy Island of the fifth precept....
We ascended to a higher plane.