Red rock at sunset

As the sun sank to the west of Loch Roag on the Isle of Lewis the grey rocks of Lewisian gneisss began to glow red.


Paddling under these great cliffs we basked in the radiated heat that had built up during the day.


The sun finally set on the western horizon, below which our destination, St Kilda, still glowed in the last of the day.

30/05/2008

Arrival at Loch Roag

The MV Cuma was due to leave for St Kilda on the afternoon of Saturday 31st May from Miavaig in Loch Roag on the west coast of Lewis. We were so excited that we did not want to miss the boat so we arrived on the Friday evening. We set off from Bhaltos to paddle round the many islands in the loch and find a camp site.


We paddled late into the summer night with an ever mounting sense of anticipation.

30/05/2008

The crew of the good ship MV Cuma

Murdani Macdonald is the skipper of the MV Cuma, the flagship of Island Cruising. Murdani has a quiet Hebridean manner but has a razor sharp wit. Not being quite quick enough on the uptake, I often found myself chuckling about 10 minutes after one of Murdani's understated gems.


Murdani has spent his life fishing and then cruising in the seas of the Hebrides. Few can know these waters better.


Everything about the Cuma is spick and span and well maintained, she is carefully repainted each season. The Queen herself would feel quite at home aboard the Cuma.


Of course every skipper has a crew and Murdani has the assistance of his good wife Cathie who is ship's cook, surgeon and dentist. (Murdani also practices dentistry but when you have seen the size of his drill, you will be well advised to seek out Cathie instead.) Cathie is ably assisted by cabin girl Rhoda who had to cope with some quite ridiculous orders for breakfast.

Despite a proliferation of scenic photos of our trip I felt it essential to start by acknowledging those who helped us achieve our goal of visiting and paddling round St Kilda.

Thank you to the crew of the Cuma!

06/06/2008

Murty Campbell

Murty Campbell is one of the great sea kayaking pioneers. Over a decade ago he completed unsupported crossings to isolated Hebridean outliers such as St Kilda, Sula Sgeir and North Rona. Murty has a quiet unassuming manner which belies his experience of the sea, first of all in the Merchant Navy then as cox of the Stornoway lifeboat and as a sea kayaker.


Murty leads a group through the great tunnel of Geodha na h-Airde on the north coast of Hirta. St Kilda lies 67km (42 miles) off the west coast of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

His prescence on the water gives an air of quiet confidence which helps less experienced sea kayakers push their own previous boundaries. The fact that a party of twelve sea kayakers (of mixed ability) paddled right round Hirta in the St Kilda archipelago was entirely due to his leadership.

02/06/2008

Sated with sea kayaking

This morning saw the big clean up.


Yesterday saw the long drive south on the empty Hebridean roads.


This is what we left behind!

03/06/2008

Jersey Canoe Club

The 9th Jersey Sea Kayak Symposium was a resounding success. Unlike many Symposia round the World, it is run on a voluntary, non profit basis by a local canoe club.

Peter Hargreaves is one of the very many members who gave their time voluntarily either on the water or washing up in the kitchen after the barbeque.

I am paricularly grateful to Kevin and Nicki Mansell, Alan Blampied and Peter Hargreaves.

Les Écréhous, Jersey

Jersey Canoe Club exceled themselves again by organising a trip out to Les Écréhous a reef 10 km off the NE coast of Jersey. The trip involves crossing some of the most tidal waters in the UK. Several groups returned at various ferry angles. The quickest was to cross the main current at 90 degrees then work the way back up the coast in slack water.