Free fall at Carlandcheek..

Our afternoon sojourn at Carlandcheek lasted sufficiently long enough for the tide to retreat from the base of the cliffs. We made our way...

 ...round to a wonderland of wave cut...

 ...caves and rock platforms.

I was quite happy to keep my feet on the ground as the others clambered athletically over the rocks.

 Then we spotted the waterfall...

 ...it poured over a lip of hard rock onto a steep slab of sandstone below.

Fresh from his success scaling the cliffs to the caves, Phil now turned his attention to the waterfall. He managed to climb a third of the way up the steepening rocks but, all of a sudden,  he lost his grip and slithered back down the slippery slope. Amazingly he managed to stay upright, till he hit the bottom. Picking himself up, he nonchalantly made his way back to the kayaks.

Back at sea level, I enjoyed the beauty of the sandstone. Carlandcheek is a fascinating place but if you do a Google search for it, you will only find it here!

The tide being right for jaw-jaw at Carlandcheek.

 VHF proved useful to get Phil and Mike to take a breather at...

 ...the caves and waterfall of Carlandcheek near the Heads of Ayr.

There is a break in the volcanic rocks that predominate on this coast.

 Weathered sandstone cliffs rise steeply from the beach.

 At full spring tide you can't land here. At low water, a reef prevents landing.

We took the opportunity of the tide being right to take second luncheon and sample some 10 year old Jura followed by a 12 year old Glenfiddich. We then spent a pleasant post prandial jaw-jaw on the beach at Carlandcheek. We revelled in our healthy, athletic lifestyle.

How not to get your sheets in a twist.

We emerged from Dunure feeling refreshed and ready to face the afternoon.

A cracking breeze awaited us but David and I fell a bit behind as he had gybed the sail round the mast when he pulled the kayak up at Dunure and now his sheet was wrapped round the mast causing his sail to flap uselessly.

Phil and Mike paddled like demons and with the wind in their sails, they...

...disappeared over the horizon leaving David (with his sheets now untwisted),...
 

...Jim and I in their wakes.

The wise men of Dunure.

A long finger of rock projected from the Carrick coast.

It seemed to have a magnetic attraction for David and Mike and guided them straight into Dunure Harbour.

The boys tumbled into the remains of the village Nativity scene but it proved not to have a licence and so...

...David, being that wisest of men, led the way round the corner.

Group control on the Clyde...

 Coming out of Carrick Cove...

...all the kayak sailors were now shipshape, Kayak Skippy's boom was now rigged in a more efficient, Northern Hemisphere orientation.

 At first our intention was to hug the coast below Culzean Castle...

...but we succumbed to the temptation of heading well offshore where the wind...

 ...was both stronger and steadier.

The kayak sailors drew steadily ahead...

..leaving Jim (in the sail-less Taran) and I in their wakes. I stayed with Jim by "tacking" downwind (broad reaching on alternate tacks) behind him.

Conventional sea kayakers will by now be horrified by our group control... all I can say in our defence is: "Kayak Skippy, Kayak Skippy, Kayak Skippy, this is Kayak Sula" and... we all knew where we were going... the pub at Dunure!

Watching the birdie at Turnberry.

As we set off the wind was blowing at an average of 12 knots gusting to 22.5 knots. The METAR from Prestwick Airport showed the wind averaged 10 to 13 knots all day. Generally Dunure is about 1 windforce greater than Prestwick. 

The latest member of our team to get a Flat Earth sail is Mike.

He looked ever so pleased with his new sail as we headed out from the shelter of...

... Turnberry Point with its famous golf course and lighthouse. Phil was also looking pleased till he noticed that he had put his boom on upside down!

 Still it was an excuse to take a detour past the reefs of Barwin Point and land at Carrick Cove.

Jim in the Taran was catching plenty waves but was already finding it hot work keeping up with the sails. Still, he was getting in training for some sea kayak races later in the year.

 Mike was still beaming about his new found toy as...

...we took a break on the sands while Phil fixed his boom.

How do you get your boat to the water?

As the youngster in our little team, Jim casually slung his kayak on his shoulder and made his way stylishly down the Maidens beach...

 ...David (who has seen a few more pints of Guinness than Jim) uses a trolley but he would have made more rapid progress, if he had sheeted his sail in.

Phil says you really can't beat a trolley at Spring low water.

As for me, I am no longer in that invincible state of the first flush of youth so trollies are a necessity, my knees just ache watching Jim!

PS James from Australia has sent me photos of a very interesting alternative to strap on trolleys. See his comment below.

Thanks James. :o)