It is now late in the season on the Solway Firth, the tourists have all gone and the pink footed geese have flown in from Greenland and Iceland for the winter. A series of SE winds have lashed the coast with rain and...
...delayed the arrival of the skeins of geese and made solo kayaking less appealing. After several days of watching the seas from the shore...
...this day dawned dry with light force 3 winds and a hint of brightness in the sky. So I set off for the Isles once more. Although it would be a long slog into the wind, I took the sail for a fast return.
As I approached Murray's Isles, the wind increased and I was glad of the shelter of their lee.
I didn't take any photos on the SW sides of Murray's Isles or Ardwall Isle. I had intended to go round the SW of Barlocco Isle as well but I decided to cut the trip short and head into the shelter of the channel between Ardwall and Barlocco.
Paddling north again, the wind was now a broad reach and the sea flattened in the lee of the mainland. I prepared to launch the sail as an encouraging blink of blue sky appeared. It was a false dawn...
...as I approached the east point of Ardwall, the rain started. It was only only a light spit in the air at first...
...but soon built up into a light shower which is known locally as Galloway sunshine. I quite enjoyed the feeling of isolation as the rain storm wrapped itself round the isles. As countless drops hit the sea the hiss of the rain drowned out all other sounds. I was paddling alone with my thoughts.
On the return leg across Fleet Bay, the rain stopped but clouds crowded in across...
...the rolling hills of Galloway and blotted out the last of the blue sky.
