Riding the White Steeds of the Solway.

Monday was quite breezy down on the Solway and the White Steeds of the Solway started to roll in with the wind and tide.

 We bashed our way out through the shore break and out past the skerries to where the...

 ...swell was rolling in...

 ...Behind you... PLF!

 Lean forward and PLF!

 Watch out for the rocks. We were surfing in to the rocky shore at 19km/hour. Getting off the wave while the going was good was rather critical.

After a while we surfed into the shelter of an offshore island round which the swells were wrapping round both sides...

 ...and  meeting on the far side like a zipper! This is coming in on the right hand wave...

...Behind you #2... The left hand wave is coming...

 ...Yikes the zipper closed...

... but made it onto the left hand wave.

We only managed to paddle 3km but we were done in.

Perfect end to a rainy day on the Solway.

As we left Kirkandrews Bay the clouds were gathering and... 

...the rain started falling as we paddled...

..NW, on the seaward side of the Isles of Fleet.

The cormorants had finished breeding on the Murray's isles and there were only a few reluctant fledglings remaining.

A little southerly breeze picked up to help us back into Fleet Bay against an ebb tide. The grey skies and rain had not spoiled our paddle and the sun obligingly broke through...

...for an evening barbecue...

...overlooking the bay.

Changing scenes on the Solway.

There are two excellent caves to explore on this section of the Solway. We turned back after reaching this, the second one, which is called Dove Cave. It can only be entered at spring high water.

 The two caves lie on either side of this headland.

 The smaller cave, to the west of the headland, can be entered at most states of the tide.

After a short break ashore, we paddled...

...through the skerries of the Kirkandrews shore, which were flooded by the spring high water. One of the great pleasures of the Solway is the dramatic changes in scenery within a very  short distance.

No hippopotomi but plenty tight places on the Solway.

I had not been able to paddle much due to running into some painful problems with my knees and hips, so it was with real pleasure that I joined the others as we set off from Barlocco Isle along the Solway coast in an easterly direction.

Phil thought he spotted a hippopotamus, a little way off shore. We don't get so many hippopotomi in these parts (though we did have a flamingo a few years ago)...

 ...and investigation proved it was an old log.

 Jennifer was enjoying the P&H Delphin...

...which proved ideal for exploring...

 ...caves and the other...

 ...tight places that can be found on...

...this part of the magnificent Solway coast.

Bob abandoned on the Solway.

Tony and I set off from Fleet Bay on the Solway where our families were staying for the weekend. Bob the dog was a bit reluctant to be left on the beach!

 Eventually we got on our way and picked up...

 ...Phil, David and...

 ...Jennifer in the next cove.

 We set off out of Fleet Bay, past Ardwall Island and after only 5km landed on Barlocco Isle...

...for an early luncheon washed down with some Guinness but without Bob.

Bearing ferry angles and pain on the Ailsa Craig crossing.

All too soon, we left the incredible sea bird colonies on the western cliffs of Ailsa Craig behind us and found ourselves back at the light house.

However, the fun was not yet over. It was time to unleash the sails!

 At first we were in the wind shadow of Ailsa Craig but...

 ...soon we were enjoying a fair breeze on the 15km open crossing back to the Ayrshire coast. At least, I should say that Phil and Mike were enjoying it. Unfortunately I had hurt my knees and hips in my two falls and I found bracing on a surprisingly lumpy crossing to be very painful. Still it was worth bearing the pain because, as I mentioned before, I could have stayed home and watched TV. Instead, I had enjoyed one of nature's miracles, only an hour's drive from home.

Lots of people say there is no tide in the Clyde. Well to maintain our course on the way out to Ailsa Craig (left hand track) we had to paddle a ferry angle of about 35 degrees higher than the bearing due to the tide carrying us to the SW. You can see where we noticed we were being carried off course and started ferrying, about 2.5km off the Ayrshire coast. On the way out, we were at times paddling towards Holy Island off Arran rather than towards the Craig! Something to bear in mind if you make this fantastic trip.

The birds of Ailsa Craig

 This was the sight that greeted an unsuspecting Mike as he led the way round to the west coast of Ailsa Craig...

 ...literally thousands and thousands of gannets. As it was late in the season, many juveniles were joinining their parents in the air.

The Ailsa Craig gannet colony is one of the best kept secrets in the west of Scotland.

 Mike paddled on past the fallen rocks of Ashydoo Kirk...

 and below the steep rocks of Eagle's Seat.

On the grassy slopes, like here near Swine Cave, puffins have re-established a breeding colony following the recent extermination of rats from the island. We were cheered to see literally hundreds of the comical little birds.

As we completed our circumnavigation, Mike's happy expression said it all.