The Golden Eigg of Arisaig

Sunset is a magical time to be on the water. When the skies cleared there was a mad scramble for the kayaks...


..in the rush to be on the water....


...as the sun set behind the distinctive outline of Eigg.

13/09/2008

Sunset over the Sea of the Hebrides

It was a relief when the rain stopped. We were by now famished and we were able to enjoy our evening meal in the dry.


After a post prandial Guinness, I decided to climb a hill to get a photo of our little bay. The colours of the bronze and gold autumn bracken and the turquoise water over the white shell sand beach leaped out of the surrounding landscape of gray rock and sky.


Then I crested the ridge. To the west, the clouds were breaking and the mists were curling and lifting round the Sgurr of Eigg which rose out of the burnished gold of the Sea of the Hebrides.


As if this was not enough, the clouds began to lift from the mountainous isle of Rum, which lies beyond Eigg. Its mountain tops have dreamy names like Sgurr nan Gillean, Ainshval, Trollaval, Askival and Hellival. Seeing them floating above a sea of cloud told us we had truly arrived in sea kayaking heaven.

13/09/2008

Arrival in the Sound of Arisaig

We paddled on through the rain and drizzle and eventually arrived at a sheltered cove protected from the swell by offshore skerries.


We erected the tents in the rain but as we started to carry our gear up from the boats that golden glow on the horizon began to grow.


As Ardnamurchan Point came into view our hopes were raised for a dry night and even a sunset!
13/09/2008

Midges and rain but no French gold in Loch nan Ceall

Seakayakphoto.com is delighted to welcome a new staff member. Alastair joined a sea kayaking trip in desperate search for fair weather despite an atrocious forecast. After a long drive to Loch nan Ceall near Arisaig, the mist was hanging low over the sea. It was the Scotch variety; a very fine but wetting rain and infested with midges. "We must be mad!" was the general consensus.


Once on the water it was slightly better, at least the midges had not followed us but the prospect of a sodden camp did not hold much attraction.


We paddled below a raised beach. The cliff behind was riddled with caves. We landed to explore an interesting one. In 1746 two French warships landed gold to support the Jacobite cause after their defeat at Culloden the year before. The Royal Navy blockaded the ships and some Frenchmen escaped with the gold on land. It was never found and is reputed to be hidden away in this area.


We climbed up to the cave. Its sheltering wall meant it was dry as a bone but despite a careful search no gold was found. We found some neatly carved graffiti from 1936 but nothing else. We had wondered about using the cave as a doss for the night but the smell of beasts was unappealing.


We paddled on under low clouds and rain but an occasional golden glow on the western horizon promised better...

13/09/2008

Sea Kayakphoto.com trip index 2008

I have been posting little snippets of various trips concurrently. For those who would like to follow the thread of a single trip, I hope this index will be useful.

Less is more round Lismore!
27/12/08

What a carry on round the Mull!
15/12/08 The Mull of Galloway

Another West coast sunset! Firth of Clyde
14/12/08 Bute from Portencross,

Dunure from Maidens, Firth of Clyde
06/12/08

The Four Castles of Carrick, Firth of Clyde.
02/11/08 Turnberry to Ayr

The River Fleet from Fleet Bay
17/10/08

Loch nan Ceall and the Sound of Arisaig
13/09/08
14/09/08

To the Corryvreckan
30/08/08 Seil to Scarba via the Corryvreckan
31/08/08 Scarba to Seil via the Grey Dogs and the Cuan Sound

The Mull of Kintyre
26/07/08 Macrihanish to Sanda via the Mull
27/07/08 Sanda to Davaar Island

To Islay
12/07/08 Claggain Bay
13/07/08 Traigh Bhan
14/07/08 An Claddach
15/07/08 Port Askaig

To St Kilda
30/05/08 Loch Roag
31/05/08 Taransay
01/06/08 Monach Islands
02/06/08 Hirta and Dun
03/06/08 am Village Bay, Hirta
03/06/08 pm Boreray and the stacks
04/06/08 Loch Reasort to Scarp
05/06/08 Pabaigh Mor and Bhacsaigh

To the Garvellachs
10/05/08 Seil to the Grey Dogs via the Corryvreckan
11/05/08 Grey Dogs to the Garvellachs and Seil

Lady Isle
08/05/08 A busy night at Troon

Ailsa Craig
05/05/08 Gannets and granite

Fleet Bay
02/05/08 Solway sunshine

A misty Firth of Clyde
27/04/08 Maidens to Ayr

Arran
18/03/08 Portencross to Brodick via the Wee Cumbrae, Bute and Glen Sannox

Mull of Galloway
17/02/08 Ardwell Bay to East Tarbet

Dorus Mor
12/02/08 Craignish through the Dorus Mor to Crinan and Loch Craignish then back through the Dorus Mor as the sun set.

The four maritime castles of Carrick
20/01/08 Turnberry to Ayr.

The Cumbraes and Bute
12/01/2008 A day trip in the Clyde from Largs