Kircudbright slipway

Downstream of the Kirkcudbright fishing fleet moorings, there is a small slipway which gives access to the tidal River Dee. It is very near the main public car park in Kirkcudbright and if you launch here shortly before high tide, you can explore the upper tidal reaches of the Dee to Tongland. You can then follow the ebb out to Dhoon shore and pick up a shuttle car there. Once a spring ebb starts to run it belts along about 9 knots so you want to get the timing right. Alternatively you can continue out of Kirkcudbright Bay, through the tidal races of Little Ross Sound and paddle round to Brighouse Bay.

The attractive harbour cottage was due to be demolished in 1957 but was reprieved and converted into a gallery.

22/03/2008

The fishermen of Kirkcudbright Harbour

The fishing fleet is in, bringing colour to Kirkcudbright Harbour.

Like Maidens, Kirkcudbright's fishing fleet declined during the first half of the 20th century. Then in the late 1950's a revival started after local man, John King, started lobster and scallop fishing. Gradually the number and size of the boats increased and construction changed from wood to steel. Today there is only one traditional wooden Scottish boat left. She is the "Fredwood" on the extreme right of the photograph. Most of the boats are scallop dredgers but "Argo", the small boat in the foreground, is a cockle dredger. One of the biggest boats is the blue boat, third from the right. She is the "King Explorer" and is part of the John King fleet.

A local economy has built round the fishing fleet; fish processing, dredging gear manufacturers, suppliers etc.. Local restaurants serve fresh scallops which make an excellent starter before a succulent grass fed Galloway fillet steak.


All this has come at a cost, in 1985 the "Mhari-L" was lost with all 5 hands. Then in 2000 the "Solway Harvester" was lost with all 7 hands. Both vessels were lost in the Irish sea between Galloway and the Isle of Man. On their way to the boats, fishermen walk past a memorial dedicated to the women and children of this and other Galloway fishing communities who have lost their menfolk.

22/03/2008

Maidens Harbour

Maidens Harbour wall was originally built to allow commericial fishing boats to remain at mooring rather than be dragged up out of the water onto the foreshore.


It does a really good job of protecting the enclosed harbour on what is a relatively exposed piece of coast.


Behind the wall the sea remains calm but over the years the harbour has silted up with sand.


The harbour has been taken over by the Maidens Community Harbour Trust. With the aid of a local authority grant, they bought a dredging barge and a dump truck. Volunteers are dredging the harbour but this time for recreational use.

O6/04/2008

A rest day on the Clyde.

As we drove south along the road above the cliffs south of Ayr the snow clouds that had gathered round parts of central Scotland cleared leaving a beautiful sunny afternoon. From a height of 125 meters, the sea below Balchriston Farm and Culzean Castle looked quite flat. Nontheless it looked a bit breezy for a crossing to Ailsa Craig! On the way south we had followed a 4x4 with 2 sea kayaks on the roof. It turned down the road to Dunure. Not an easy launch at high spring tide, I thought.


When we got to Maidens launching looked slightly problematical.


The cold north wind had generated some surprising waves, even in the confines of the Firth of Clyde. Surprisingly the hills of Arran had escaped the morning snowstorm which had hit Glasgow.


Even the sea birds were resting. I realized why I had left the kayaks at home.

06/04/2008

A maritime climate

Scotland has a maritime climate. Although it stretches from 54 degrees North at the Mull of Galloway in the SW to 60 degrees North at Muckle Flugga in Shetland in the NE, we do not get a great deal of snow. This is because the prevailing wind comes from the SW as does the warm sea current, the Gulf stream. Otherwise we would be frozen solid in winter and not enjoy our winter sea kayaking.

However, if the wind swings to the north we get snow, like this morning!


This was the 31st of May in 1978 at Loch Morlich in the Cairngorms. As you would expect from the time of year, children are paddling in the loch. However, the previous weekend the wind had come in from the north and resulted in a huge dump of snow. We skied late that year!

One model of Global warming is that the Gulf stream might switch off, in which case we will be, paradoxically, frozen in winter in a warmer world.

Sannox sunset

After getting off the ferry at Ardrossan, we returned to our departure point at Portencross as the sun was setting.


The winter sky turned to gold..


... as it set to the north of the Sannox mountains on Arran.


The setting sun's last rays had left the mountain tops in the gathering cold and darkness of night. But even after the sun had sunk well below the horizon, the tops of high clouds still caught the last of the fleeting winter day.


A perfect winter's day.

18/03/2008

Nae half pint glasses in Mac's Bar, Brodick

We emerged from the sea at the top of the slipway and blinked in Brodick's late winter afternoon sunlight. We were both seriously drouthy but, to our delight, we discovered that the slipway was truly conveniently located. We spied Mac's Bar, an unassuming 70's appendage to one of Brodicks waterfront hotels.


The convenient parking for kayaks caught the reviewer's eye.


If one reads the TripAdvisor review for this bar and its attached hotel one might choose to pass by.

"Not only is the hotel a complete disgrace, it boasts its very own working mens club also known as Macs Bar."

"On going to Mac's Bar, it was full of what appeared to be workmen who obviously only know how to converse in the vernacular."

"The first round of drinks I got was a joke, there were no half pint glasses."

Well with a name like Mac's Bar, Tony and I were certainly not expecting the Ritz cocktail lounge, with free paper umbrellas in sugary drinks. Tony and I are (edukatit) working men. We speak the vernacular. Neither of us even knew you get half pint glasses, certainly not in a bar!! We were thirsty. We went in.

The barman was a mature gentleman with a quick eye. He had spotted us paddling across the bay and he must have identified us as Guinness drinkers from afar. I swear he started pouring the the first pint of ice cold Guinness before we had even got to the bar. He courteously asked where we had paddled from and by the time the pints were poured he had said he hoped we had enjoyed our visit to Arran.

Sitting by the window, Tony enjoyed a view of Goatfell and I had a view of the bay, with the heavy responsibility of alerting Tony when our boat came in.

The Guinness (in pint glasses) was excellent.

Well despite the Tripadvisor reviews, we can thoroughly recommend Mac's Bar (and slipway).



Leaving the bar, we eventually found our way to the MV Caledonian Isles using a map Tony had sketched on the back of a napkin. No longer thirsty, we were now looking forward to Calmac's acclaimed chicken curry, rice AND chips on the crossing back to Ardrossan.

I am very sorry if you have visited this blog with the expectation of reading about great circumnavigations or huge open crossings. Tony and I neither had the inclination to circumnavigate Arran nor to paddle back to Ardrossan. That's what ferries are for!

18/03/2008