It was not just the tide that picked up when we left the shores of Jura. A nice little tail wind...
...added to our gathering momentum towards the Kintyre peninsula.
We were literally hurtled up the Sound and passed well to the north of the islets of Carraig an Daimh and Dubh Sgeir. Carraig an Daimh means "rock of the stag". I have several times seen deer swimming strongly in the sea but I did not know they knew how to work the tides!
We were not the only ones making good speed up the Sound of Jura. "Ailsa Craig" is a work boat belonging to Marine Harvest of Barra. She was built of aluminium in Croatia.
The swirling spring tides had carried us so fast up the Sound of Jura that Jura and Islay were now just distant memories.
We broke out of the tides in the Sound of Jura into the quieter waters of ...
...the narrow channel on the inside of Eilean Dubh...
...which always delights with its shallow, sandy bottom and frequent herons.
A final turn to the east took us back into Carsaig Bay where the white cottages and waiting car marked the end of our 46 hour mini adventure to Jura and Islay. As is often the case on a sea kayaking trip, we had entered a different time zone, one in which the passage of time was slowed and in which we both achieved and experienced much more than we could have reasonably expected. Indeed as we washed the salt from our eyes and cracked lips it seemed at least a week since we had left Carsaig,
After unpacking the boats we travelled home via Inveraray, where it would have been churlish not to stop at Mr Pia's for fish and chips!
In 46 hours we had paddled 96km and portaged for 2km. All in all a most satisfactory outing. On a previous trip, Tony and I turned north at the entrance to West Loch Tarbert on Jura and returned through the Corryvreckan. That was another superb outing, which I wrote up in issue 2 of Ocean Paddler magazine.
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.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Carried away by the tide in the Sound of Jura.
When we left Lowlandman's Bay on the east coast of Jura, the flood tide was already running north through the Sound of Jura and would be our ticket home to Carsaig Bay on the mainland. We took a last look to the SE at the long peninsula of Kintyre, which culminated in the Mull of Kintyre (at the extreme right of this photo) some 66km to the south.. The rocky mountains of Arran rose above the relatively low hulls of Kintyre. In the sky, streaks of gathering cirrus clouds fore told the wind that would arrive the next day.
As we travelled north, the view of the Paps of Jura became less anatomically correct with three (or even four) heaving above the horizon.
We passed the site of another Iron Age dun at the NE end of the peninsula, which nearly encloses Lowlandman's Bay.
To the NE, the Jura coast stretched away in a long succession of low headlands as far as the eye could see.
We followed the coast until we saw the wooded peninsula that marks the south side of Tarbert Bay where we had made landfall on Jura two nights previously. Then we struck out into the middle of the Sound of Jura to catch the full force of the tide.
It was sad to be leaving Jura after such a rewarding but brief visit and once...
...the tide in the Sound caught us, it carried us quickly away.
As we travelled north, the view of the Paps of Jura became less anatomically correct with three (or even four) heaving above the horizon.
We passed the site of another Iron Age dun at the NE end of the peninsula, which nearly encloses Lowlandman's Bay.
To the NE, the Jura coast stretched away in a long succession of low headlands as far as the eye could see.
We followed the coast until we saw the wooded peninsula that marks the south side of Tarbert Bay where we had made landfall on Jura two nights previously. Then we struck out into the middle of the Sound of Jura to catch the full force of the tide.
It was sad to be leaving Jura after such a rewarding but brief visit and once...
...the tide in the Sound caught us, it carried us quickly away.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Lowlandman's Bay and the "Light Houses".
As we paddled NE up the east coast of Jura we came to the narrow entrance of a deep inlet called...
...Lowlandman's Bay. It was clearly way past our first luncheon time so we landed...
...at this delightful beach at its southern entrance. The rocky mound on the promontory to the east of the beach was the site of an ancient hill fort or dun and it is still called An Dunan.
We spotted an enticing looking building with a wonderful situation on the north side of the entrance to Lowlandman's Bay.
After luncheon we paddled across for a closer look.
It is not some fancy hotel, it is actually the "Light Houses" which were built for the families of the lighthouse men who manned Skervuile lighthouse in the middle of the Sound of Jura. When first built, there was no road to connect the Light Houses to the other communities on Jura. The only way in was by boat but it was no easy journey. During a storm in November 1881 the light house boat sank at her mooring in Lowlandman's Bay.
Skervuile lighthouse lies only 3.3 km off the coast of Jura but strong tides and winds in the Sound of Jura meant relieving and supplying the keepers was not easy. Skervuile was built by David and Thomas Stevenson, in 1860 but due to a commissioning disagreement was not lit until 5 years later. In 1945 it was automated and the keepers' families left the Light Houses for the last time.
...Lowlandman's Bay. It was clearly way past our first luncheon time so we landed...
...at this delightful beach at its southern entrance. The rocky mound on the promontory to the east of the beach was the site of an ancient hill fort or dun and it is still called An Dunan.
We spotted an enticing looking building with a wonderful situation on the north side of the entrance to Lowlandman's Bay.
After luncheon we paddled across for a closer look.
It is not some fancy hotel, it is actually the "Light Houses" which were built for the families of the lighthouse men who manned Skervuile lighthouse in the middle of the Sound of Jura. When first built, there was no road to connect the Light Houses to the other communities on Jura. The only way in was by boat but it was no easy journey. During a storm in November 1881 the light house boat sank at her mooring in Lowlandman's Bay.
Skervuile lighthouse lies only 3.3 km off the coast of Jura but strong tides and winds in the Sound of Jura meant relieving and supplying the keepers was not easy. Skervuile was built by David and Thomas Stevenson, in 1860 but due to a commissioning disagreement was not lit until 5 years later. In 1945 it was automated and the keepers' families left the Light Houses for the last time.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
The Small Isles and Loch nan Mile, Jura.
From Craighouse on Jura we entered Small Isles Bay. The Small Isles are a delightful chain of islands that lie across the broad entrance to Loch na Mile. We On calm waters we glided silently over the shallow sandy bottom as heron, eider duck and divers largely ignored our passage. The eiders in particular were engrossed in mating displays.
At the north end of Eilean nan Gabhar all was calm as we passed but the sloop Agnes of Campbeltown was wrecked here in December 1858.
On the shore of Loch nan Mile the Forest Estate lies below the Paps of Jura. It belongs to Lord Vestey.
At the last of the Small Isles chain , Eilean Bhride, we came to the northern entrance to Loch nan Mile.
Before leaving the loch we turned to look back at the Small Isles, Craighouse on Jura and the Islay hills beyond.
At the north end of Eilean nan Gabhar all was calm as we passed but the sloop Agnes of Campbeltown was wrecked here in December 1858.
On the shore of Loch nan Mile the Forest Estate lies below the Paps of Jura. It belongs to Lord Vestey.
At the last of the Small Isles chain , Eilean Bhride, we came to the northern entrance to Loch nan Mile.
Before leaving the loch we turned to look back at the Small Isles, Craighouse on Jura and the Islay hills beyond.