The Wilderness of Mull

The Wilderness of Mull lies at the foot of a giant series of lava floes from the extinct Mull volcano. There is almost no easy access on foot due to the near vertical lava cliffs at the top of the slope. The whole is composed of alternate layers of lava and volcanic ash. Where the sea has eroded its base there are fossil remains of organisms that were overcome by the eruptions.

Teeming waters below the Wilderness of Mull

Below the sea stack of Caisteal Sloc nam Ban on the Wilderness coast of Mull the waters were crystal clear. They were teeming with sand-eels and sprats. Great flotillas of immature shearwaters were learning to fish and shoals of mackerel would bring the smaller fish to the surface so that the water boiled. We also feasted on mackerel, eating them even before rigor mortis set in! Delicious!

Magical Mull cave light

Once we ducked our heads and entered this cave on the Wilderness of Mull, we entered another world. The water was a transluscent and luminous green. Dripping water from the roof splashed and tinkled on the surface of the water and there was a deep gurgling from the dark recesses of the cave. Reluctantly we left before the tide rose and trapped us.

Caves on the Wilderness of Mull

There are many caves on the Wilderness coast of Mull. This is one of the smallest and we had to duck down to enter on a rising spring tide!

Moonset over Little Colonsay and Lunga

After a long day, when we paddled from 9am to 10pm, we prepared a meal on a rocky knoll on the island of Inch Kenneth in Loch na Keal on the remote west coast of Mull. Long after sunset there was still a red glow in the north western sky as a dusky crescent moon sank below the island of Little Colonsay at the mouth of the loch.

Turquoise seas of Iona

Sometimes it is nice just to float along and slip off into a dream of Iona.

The hardships of Scottish seakayaking.

I am just back from a week trip; sea kayaking the west coast of Mull and its outliers. The weather here in the UK has been exceptionally wet and breezy for July. I am often asked what it is that attracts me to paddling in this harsh environment. Perhaps this photo of Port Bhan may give the dear reader a small inkling of the strong pull of the Hebrides?

Our caddies travel ahead, by a variety of means, and assemble our social and refreshment tents prior to our arrival on pristine cockleshell sand beaches. Why they even scour far and wide for some small pieces of driftwood just so that we may enjoy a little late night incendiary activity.

19/07/2007