Sea kayaking on home waters.

It has been a windy week but at last, today the wind dropped. Tony and I launched from Maidens on the Clyde coast and...


...made our way past Culzean towards Dunure. We had arranged to meet David and Phil there.

We had only just left the shore when the adventure began. Even on home waters, it's great to get out.

15/03/2009

Watch out for stolen Rockpool sea kayak in UK!

Here is a message from Graham King. I hope the low life that did this get caught soon.

"Please keep an eye out for my boat, stolen from outside my tent at Sheerness (Isle of Sheppey) in the small hours of this morning. It is a Rockpool Alaw Bach, with the following distinctive features:

white hull, yellow deck with slight glitter; 1/2 inch hole in back deck just abaft the rear hatch, with cable from solar panel sikaflexed in; Silva 70une compass on foredeck; Two black velcro strips abreast of day hatch (for tow bag), with cam cleat and fairlead; SOLAS tape on hull near bow and stern; "Musequality" charity stickers and "freelunchlog.blogspot.com" lettering on hull amidships.

Taken with the boat was a large quantity of kit, including:
Uniden Mystic VHF handset; GME MT410G Accusat GPS Personal Locator Beacon; Two Lendal paddles (four-piece carbon), including a set of Lendal wings with distinctive cream-coloured epoxy added protection to the tips; and much more stuff too numerous (and upsetting) to list. As you can see, the boat was set up for a major expedition in support of charity, for which I had been preparing for a long time. I was two days into a six month trip, and I'm just a tad upset!

Coastguard is aware of loss of VHF and PLB (EPIRB). Please report any sightings to Kent police on 01622 690690, quoting crime number CY-4422-09. Pictures will follow once I've worked out how."

The standing stones of Callanish.

Not very far from Dun Carloway, on the shores of Loch Rog, lies the stone circle of Calanais (Callanish).


I have posted about these ancient stones before.


Every time I visit Loch Rog (Roag)...


...something draws me back to this mysterious place which our ancestors created by the sea.

06/06/2008

Dun Carloway

High on a hill above Loch Rog in Lewis an amazing structure seems to grow out of the ancient rocks. It is the Iron Age broch of Dun Charlabhaigh (Dun Carloway). It was built over 2,000 years ago.


Most of its stones have been plundered over the millenia for neighbouring buildings.


But there is still enough left to explore its double walled structure which contains a spiral staircase.


The plaque from Historic Scotland explains more.

06/05/2008

Return to Miabhaig; all good things must pass.

From Vacsay we turned our bows to the west and made our way somewhat reluctantly and slowly to the Cuma, as she lay at anchor off Bhaltos pier.


After a final supper, we all gathered on deck as Cuma motored slowly and steadily into the recesses of Loch Rog. The Hebridean dusk was gathering as Cuma nudged into her berth on Miabhaig pier. She had motored some 380km since our departure just a few days before. We had only paddled 100km over the previous 7 days but what magnificent sea kayaking it had been. This was not done in straight line headland to headland style. Rather it was a detailed and intimate exploration of some of the most incredible beaches, cliffs, arches, caves, tunnels and geos.

If you ever wish to paddle round St Kilda, I cannot recommend Murty Campbell and Murdani and Cathie Macdonald highly enough.

05/06/2008

Sea kayaking among islands, lagoons, arches and white sands of Loch Rog.

We now worked our way down the east coast of Pabaigh Mor. This magnificent arch is actually a collapsed cave. (Photo JLW).


The further south we paddled, the calmer the waters of Loch Rog became.


From the south of Pabaigh Mor we then went SE towards Eilean Bhacasaigh (Vacsay). The great arc of white sand, which forms Traigh na Beiregh, rimmed the southern horizon. Beyond, the green and grey hills of Lewis rolled away into the distance.


Inside the lagoon of Vacsay we drifted on still, clear waters with fish gently cruising beneath our keels.


Rounding the north end of Vacsay we entered a hidden tunnel at the back of an inlet.


We emerged into another lagoon but time was now running out on our trip on the Cuma.


The islands of Loch Rog provide a wonderful sea kayaking playground with either shelter or exposure, depending on your wishes.

05/06/2008

Playing the reef of Bogha Dubh.

At the NE corner of Pabaigh Mor the reef of Bogha Dubh was being exposed by the ebb tide.


The incoming swell from the Atlantic was feeling the bottom for the first time and steepening in the outgoing tide from Loch Rog.


What a great place to play in the sun!


05/06/2008