Return to cold, grey northern waters.

The staff of seakayakphoto.com have now all returned to their winter waters on the Clyde. Sunday's forecast was pretty variable. XC weather was showing SE 4-5 backing NE 3-4, the BBC was showing NE 3 with full sun, Theyr was for NE 3-4 and the met office inshore was for SE 5-6 backing NE 4-5. We decided to do the Seafield to Maidens run (NE to SW) with a car shuttle return. None of the forecasts had got it fully right and Jennifer, Mike, Phil and I set off on a cold overcast day from Seafield....

...towards the Heads of Ayr...

 ...with a light F2-3 NE wind.

Using sails we slowly caught up with Andrew and Colin who had set off ahead of us in their new Valley Etain 175s. Indeed this was Colin's first outing! His kayak looked very smart with a light grey deck and red trim though I confess I have a soft spot for Andrew's all white with red trim combination which is the same as my own Nordkapp LV. This Etain 175 was originally called the Etain LV but I am glad that that label has now been dropped as it was rather misleading. When seen next to the other kayaks on the beach, its volume  was bigger than the Nordkapp LV, not much smaller than the Quest's and considerably bigger than the Cetus MV (that looked almost miniscule alongside).

We took our first luncheon looking out towards a misty Arran from Bracken Bay, which has lost a lot of sand since the spring.

A glorious effulgence on the Solway.

 The last of the wind died...

 ...as the sun dipped towards the horizon.

 The surface of the sea turned to glass and...

 ..every slight ripple distorted our reflections.

 The setting sun was not the sole object of our attention.

 Above the Isles of Fleet, the Moon...

 ...began to glow softly in the darkening, deep blue sky and far below...

 ...its reflection danced on the mirror-like sea.

 We drifted for a while until the air began to chill and we started paddling again.

 With each stroke the sun...

 ...sank a litter further until...

 ...the day was gone and only...

the moon lit our landing.

Lost for words...

 Rather than stop on Ardwall Isle for fourth luncheon, we...

 ...decided to press on...

 ...and enjoy the...

 ...glorious sunset...

 ...on the water.

 We were soon lost for words...

To Ardwall in the sunset.

"The Singleton" was all gone and it was time to leave Knockbrex.

We paddled towards Ardwall Isle, where there is another sandy beach below the trees.

 The wind had backed to the SE but by the time we were afloat had all but died away.

 So we paddled along the coast of Carrick...

 ...with the flood tide helping more than the wind...

...till we arrived at the wooded slopes of Ardwall Isle, just as the sun began to set.

Stand off at Knockbrex.

 One by one we...

 ...drifted into Knockbrex beach...

 ...for third luncheon.

 David had wangled Phil's bottle of "The Singleton" again and refused to part with it, until it was empty.

Phil is good natured and generous but his loss was only partially assuaged by David's offer of a sip of Guinness.

 Fortunately the resulting stand off was short lived as...

...the beauty of our surroundings...

...restored equanimity. We were enjoying ourselves so much that we hadn't noticed the...
 

 ..sun sinking in the west and...

...the shadows of our kayaks lengthening on the sands or...

...even the incoming tide, which was now lapping at our keels. It was time to go.

Downwind to Knockbrex.

 As we rounded Barlocco Isle, a gentle sea breeze picked up...

 ...so we launched the sails...

 ...mostly for the photos but also for their...

 ...gentle push...

 ...downwind...

...towards the beach at Knockbrex and our third luncheon.