The approach to Soay

As arranged, Cuma made rendezvous in Glen Bay, Hirta. Murty and Murdani conferred.


Then the Cuma made off for the Hirta Soay gap as a probe!


As she returned, Soay had gathered a wreath of cloud about her upper slopes and a freshening wind was blasting through the gap.

02/06/2008

Purty sea kayaks and the great tunnel of Geodha na h-Airdhe, St Kilda

Geodha na h-Airdhe is a 140m long tunnel right through the great headland of Gob na h-Airdhe on the north coast of Hirta in the St Kilda archipelago.

Alan comes through in his Nordkapp LV. I think this boat is one of the purtiest sea kayaks around!


Fiona F and Murty come through as the MV Cuma makes an appearance behind.


The scale of this arch is difficult to describe, in truth it is a tunnel!


Yup the Nordkapp LV sure is a purty boat. Pity the same can not be said of all those who paddle one! Photo Jennifer Wilcox.


With Boreray as a backdrop to the NE, Lena and Jennifer paddle across the great sweep of Glen Bay where we had arranged to rendezvous with the Cuma.

The Cuma's purpose will be revealed tomorrow...

02/06/2008

Sea Kayaking St Kilda: Na Cleitean Stac

Leaving Bradastac, we passed under further huge cliffs below Glacan Mor. We saw another stack ahead, Na Cleitean stac, and in the distance the headland of Gob na h-Airde with a cloud capped Soay behind.


Na Cleitean stac with kayakers behind. Photo Jennifer Wilcox.


As we approached the headland of Gob na h-Airde we realized we would not be paddling round it, there was a tunnel right through it!


Several people have emailed about my source of the names of the geological features that are not on the OS 1:50,000 map. I have used the Mathieson map from 1928.

Sea Kayaking St Kilda: the north face of Conachair and Bradastac

As we made our way anticlockwise round the north coast of Hirta we were completely overawed by the scale and wildness of this place.

Bradastac lies at the foot of the highest sea cliffs in Britain. Anywhere else it would be a giant amongst stacks. Here it was dwarfed by Conachair just as we were dwarfed by it.


We made our way round Bradastac as the swell slowly rose then fell round its red rocks.


Fiona F with Bradastac and Mina Stac in the distance.


Bradastac, with Fiona F, Alan and Clark below the stunning cliffs of Conachair, the highest mountain on Hirta.

02/06/2008

Sea Kayaking St Kilda: the great cave of Geo nan Plaidean

The north coast of Hirta in the St Kilda archipelago is a wild place. Much of it falls sheer into the sea from the heights above and forms the greatest and highest wall of sea cliffs in the British Isles.

After passing Mina Stac we came across the great cave of Geo nan Plaidean. The wall above it rises almost to the summit of Conachair, 430m.


Tony watches Fiona F and Alan entering the cave.


Clark leaves the cave with Mina Stac behind and Stac an Armin, Stac Lee and Boreray on the horizon.

02/06/2008

Sea Kayaking the NE coast of Hirta in St Kilda.

Looking back to the wreck of the Spinningdale and the shelter of Village Bay from the Point of Coll.


As we approached Rubha an Uisge, the most easterly point of Hirta, Stac Lee, Stac an Armin and Boreray came into sight.


Tony in the darkness of Geo nan Sgarbh.


Jennifer in the gap behind Sgeir nan Sgarbh.


Alan under the dark cliffs of Stac a' Langa. Mina Stac is the point on the extreme right. This photo was taken with a 17mm lens to try and get as much of the cliff in as possible. At up to 426m, or 1400 feet, these cliffs are the highest in the British Isles.


Tony and Fiona F coming through the gap behind Mina Stac. The wind gusted strongly through the gaps and the swells were amplified.


Alan with Mina Stac behind and Stac an Armin, Stac Lee and Boreray in the distance.


Our route round Hirta.

Better Days: the wreck of the Spinningdale

As we left the Cuma, on the start of our great St Kilda adventure, we were so excited. As we left Dun behind us and headed across Village Bay the wind dropped to nothing .


Our first destination was not to be some geological wonder but a rather poorly parked fishing boat, the FV Spinningdale.


Over the night of 31/1/08 and 1/2/08 she sought shelter in Village Bay in a NW gale. The sea conditions meant she could not anchor and she motored slowly against the wind trying to maintain her position throughout the night. Unfortunately vicious down draughts from the mountains above slewed her onto the rocks at the edge of Village Bay. The conditions were so violent that the crew could not launch the life rafts and she put out a Mayday.

At first the Stornoway Coastguard S92 helicopter and the Stornoway lifeboat were both launched. Remarkably, the helicopter managed to winch all 14 crew to safety and the lifeboat turned back.

The picture of the Spinningdale in the shore break is by an MCA coastguard photographer and given to me by Murdy Campbell, cox of the Stornoway lifeboat.


It was humbling to paddle round the sad remains of the Spinningdale and realize that we were now in some of the wildest and remote waters in the UK.

02/06/2008