Seakayaking in Brodick Bay, Arran

From Merkland Point below Goatfell on Arran, we ran before the wind for 4km across the wide mouth of Brodick Bay to Corrigills Point.


The NW wind was coming down out of the high corries in fierce squalls...


...so we were quite thirsty by the time we arrived at the Brodick Pier for the ferry back to Ardrossan.



A fine little outing of 31km.


21/03/2009

A fair wind below Goatfell

We left Sannox Bay in glorious sunshine. The tight little low that had brought a front and SW/W winds had now passed to the east of us and the wind had veered to the NW.


This was just perfect for blowing us all the way down the NE coast of Arran. In the distance, Holy Island's Mullach Mor, 314m, rose above the eastern point of Arran
.

We made good speed under Arran's rocky ridges.


The ridges culminated in Goatfell, 874m, which is the highest peak on Arran.

21/03/2009

A little swally of sublime Sannox water in the sunshine!

After an 11km crossing to Arran, we landed in Sannox Bay under leaden grey skies. It was clearly time to lift the spirits by opening the Wilcox Weather Window (TM). Not many know how this works but now you are about to find out how to do it (and where better than in the dark brooding glen of Sannox)!


David, Tony, Gavin, Alan, Phil and I gathered together before partaking of our luncheon. Out came our hip flasks, each freshly filled with nothing but Sannox water! Next we gave thanks for a safe, if somewhat rough, crossing before toasting the weather gods and enjoying a little swally of sublime Sannox water! Before our lips were even dry, the WWW opened and we were getting sunburned in March!


Here is the proof of the pudding as they say. We left Sannox Bay a better, sunnier place! Where next will the staff of seakayakphoto.com bring the sunshine of their passing? Onwards!

21/03/2009

Crossing to a land sculpted by fire and ice

Once we were in the lee of the Cock of Arran and out of the main tidal stream the water flattened and we approached Glen Sannox under sombre grey skies..


The clouds also began to lift, revealing the mountains of Arran and its little neighbour, Holy Island.


Alan and Phil had both managed remarkably well given the conditions and their relatively recent introduction to sea kayaking. David, Gavin, Tony and I had a thoroughly enjoyable crossing.


Soon the exposure of the Sound of Bute was replaced by a feeling of enclosure as the great igneous mountains of Glen Sannox gathered round the mouth of Sannox Bay. These granite peaks are the eroded remains of a huge volcano which existed about 56 million years ago.


The U shaped valleys told of the gathering glaciers that had then gouged this great gorge in the grey granite of Arran's mountains.

21/03/2009

And gurly grew the sea

Back in March, we had set off to Arran via the island of Bute. Despite a forecast of a force 5 westerly, we left Bute in a flat calm and a thick fog. Gradually the fog began to lift and we could see our destination, which lies 11km away across the Sound of Bute.


Despite the lack of wind, the sea had an uneasy oiliness. Suddenly, out of nowhere the wind hit. It was just as well we were expecting it. A force 5 wind against a full spring ebb on the Garroch Head tide race makes for interesting conditions. So interesting in fact that the next photo, taken just as the wind hit us, was the last until we got into the lee of the Cock of Arran.


They had not sailed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud,
And gurly grew the sea.

The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens

21/03/2009

End of the day at end of the road, Ardnamurchan

It was a while after rounding Ardnamurchan Point before I felt safe enough to get the camera out again! Jim and I were really impressed with Phil's paddling round the Point, especially considering that he has only been paddling for six months (and most of that time was in a double).


Once we had left the disturbed waters of Ardnamurchan Point, the wind began to drop with the dying sun...


... until there was not a breath left as we paddled between the reefs on the north coast of Ardnamurchan.


Our keels finally kissed the sands of Portuairk again at 21:43 some 10.5 hours after we had launched.


We covered a total of 42km on the water. We packed up leisurely in the darkness and brewed up soup and coffee before leaving for the long drive home at 11pm. We arrived back in Glasgow at 03:30am on the Monday morning.

What a day! This is seakayaking!

10/05/2009

En route to Bute, in the mist.

After our recent crossing from Loch Ranza on Arran back to Portavadie on the mainland, we thought it only decent to paddle back across to Arran. Our choice of route was from Portencross (to the NW of Ardrossan) over to Little Cumbrae then across to Bute, then across the Sound of Bute to Sannox on Arran and finally down the east coast of Arran to Brodick. The ferry would then take us back to Ardrossan where we had left a shuttle car.


There was not a breath of wind when we left and we were half way across Fairlie Roads before Little Cumbrae loomed out of the mist. We kept a sharp ear open as we crossed the shipping channel as some of the biggest bulk carriers in the world frequent these waters.


At gull point all the gulls were roosting with their heads under their wings. Perhaps they had heard about the forecast for a force 5 westerly by lunchtime!


We made our way up the SW coast of Little Cumbrae before heading off on a compass bearing for our next destination, the as yet unseen island of Bute. Just as we were about to cross the shipping lane the thudding of a heavy engine announced the arrival of a bulk carrier which was making her way up the Clyde. We were pleased to let her pass.


Our landfall on Bute was at the cobble beach of Port Leithne where we enjoyed a first luncheon. Of Arran, our destination, there was as yet no sign!

21/03/2009

Return to Arran

We are on Glen Sannox beach after a force 5 wind against tide crossing from Bute and Portencross. Just heating up the bhoona!

21/03/2009

Seakayakphoto.com trip index 2009

For those who would like to follow the thread of a single trip, I hope this index will be useful. Unfortunately the Google "search this blog" function is not working properly at the moment so the link may not recover all the relevent posts.

2009 running total distance: 890km

December:
The Cumbraes, Firth of Clyde, 27km
The Mull of Galloway tide race, at full belt! 21km

November:
Sannox synchronicity: Portencross to Brodick, Arran, 31km

Maidens to Ayr, 20km

October:
A trinity of tide races: circumnavigation of Scarba 38km

September:
Fleet bay Solway Firth, 3km
Islay, Oronsay, Colonsay, Jura, Islay 109km

August:
Seafield, Ayr, Firth of Clyde, 7km
Lady Isle, Troon Firth of Clyde 9km

June:
Ardnamurchan to Coll, Gunna and Tiree
Inner Hebrides
15/06/09 Coll to Ardnamurchan, 18km
14/06/09 Gunna to Rubha Sgor-innis, Coll, 34km
13/06/09 NW Coll to Scarinish, Tiree, 40km
12/06/09 Ardnamurchan to the Cairns of Coll, 28km

A Solway smugglers' Ccave
Fleet Bay
09/06/09 Solway Firth 9km

Full Moon at Rumblekirn
Fleet Bay
08/06/09 Solway Firth 14km

Sea shells and egg shells
Fleet Bay
01/06/09 am Solway Firth 10km

The great dun of Carrick
Fleet Bay
31/05/09 pm Solway Firth 19km

Three Pillars of Knockbrex
Fleet Bay
31/05/09 am Solway Firth 12km

Plumage and blossom on the Solway
Fleet Bay
30/05/09 Solway Firth 13km

Sea eagles and coral sands
Loch Eishort
23/05/09 Isle of Skye 19km

A big day!
Portuairk to Mull and return.
10/05/09 Ardnamurchan Point 42km.

Surf's up on Ayrshire's Atlantic Coast
Finnarts Bay to Lendalfoot
02/05/09 Firth of Clyde 21km

Arran Direct, Firth of Clyde
19/04/09 Kildonnan to Brodick 19km
18/04/09 Lendalfoot to Ailsa Craig then Pladda then Kildonnan, Arran 41km

Dumfries to Southerness in search of the Nith bore!
13/04/09 Solway Firth 25km

The Islands of Fleet
11/04/09 Solway Firth 12km

Fairlie to Little Cumbrae
04/04/09 Firth of Clyde 20km

The Islands of Fleet
02/04/09 Solway Firth 11km

Troon Ballast Bank to Lady Isle
01/04/09 Firth of Clyde 11km

From Portencross to Bute and Arran
21/03/09 Firth of Clyde 31km

"End of the Winter timetable!"
By ferry to Loch Ranza on Arran and return to Portavadie
19/03/09 Firth of Clyde 30km

The Carrick coast, Maidens to Ayr
15/03/09 Firth of Clyde 20km

The islands of Loch Leven
01/03/09 Firth of Lorn 11km

Port Appin to Loch Leven
28/02/09 Firth of Lorn 29km

"Any port in a storm on Great Cumbrae"
21/02/09 Firth of Clyde 19km

Bute from Seamill.
15/02/09 Firth of Clyde 23km

Surfing from Turnberry Point to Carrick Shore
08/01/09 Firth of Clyde 9km

The MacCormaig Islands from Carsaig Bay
02/01/09 The Sound of Jura 35km