The Small Isles and Loch nan Mile, Jura.

From Craighouse on Jura we entered Small Isles Bay. The Small Isles  are a delightful chain of islands that lie across the broad entrance to Loch na Mile. We On calm waters we glided silently over the shallow sandy bottom as heron, eider duck and divers largely ignored our passage. The eiders in particular were engrossed in mating displays.

At the north end of Eilean nan Gabhar all was calm as we passed but the sloop Agnes of Campbeltown was wrecked here in December 1858.

 On the shore of Loch nan Mile the Forest Estate lies below the Paps of Jura. It belongs to Lord Vestey.

At the last of the Small Isles chain , Eilean Bhride, we came to the northern entrance to Loch nan Mile.

Before leaving the loch we turned to look back at the Small Isles, Craighouse on Jura and the Islay hills beyond.

Craighouse nestles in the bosom of the hills of Jura.

The south east coast of Jura has relatively few beaches and for the most part lines of cliffs dominated our tiny kayaks and fell...

 ...steeply into the sea.

As we proceeded northwards towards the main settlement at Craighouse, the cliffs gradually reduced in height and the...

 ...sea became shallower and our shadows glided smoothly over a sandy bottom, startling crabs and shoals of small fish as we went.

On shore, this wild goat was less easily startled. After gazing at us for some time it continued its saunter slowly along its rocky path.

Away to the north, the Sound of Jura was framed by the high ridges of Ben Cruachan, which were still flecked by snow.

 Round a small headland the Paps of Jura came into view then...

...we came across the village of Craighouse, which nestles in the bosom of the hills. The white houses were strung round the bay like a necklace.

Then we paid homage at the jewel in the heart of Jura, the distillery!

Rebirth of a malt whisky and a sea eagle on Jura.

 The first building we came to on Jura was...

 ...the impressively situated Jura House. The previous owner, Tony Riley-Smith, died in 2010. Along with Robin Fletcher the then owner of Ardlussa estate in north Jura he rebuilt the dilapidated Jura distillery in the early 1960's.

The house has an amazing view over the Sound to Islay.

It was a beautiful morning and we now paddled past Brosdale Island and into a...

 ...dazzling Sound of Jura.

The SE corner of Jura is marked by Rubha Uamh an Tuill and now we would be travelling NE.

 Some distaince up the coast we were officially welcomed back to Jura by this magnificent white tailed sea eagle.

What a sight!

Dawn in the Sound of Islay

 We rose at dawn in the Sound of Islay.

 The warm light dir not reflect the air temperature which was rather cold.

 Surprisingly we were not the first to be afloat on the Sound. The MV Scot Isles was on her way to Wicklow in Ireland. At 1am she had been off Arnamurchan Point then made her way down the Sound of Mull and Firth of Lorn before entering the Sound of Islay.

 The water off An Cladach was still and clear but...

...once we left the shore it was moving like a train. This is the view up the Sound and...

 ...this is the view down the Sound past McArthur's Head lighthouse.

 The ebb tide was flowing SE down the Sound. We paddled at right angles to the flow. To the SE, the distant mountains of Arran rose beyond the Kintyre peninsula. After leaving Islay we paddled towards...

...the green can on the above chart and continued paddling NW. You can see how far we were carried SE before we hit a NW going counter eddy.

 We arrived off Am Fraoch Eilean which is topped by...

 ...the remains of the 15th century Claig Castle.

Soon we left the Sound of Islay and Claig Castle behind us. We would shortly enter the Sound of Jura and when the tide turned about mid day, it would accelerate us back to our starting point at Carsaig Bay on the mainland.

A taste of the Sound of Islay.

An Cladach in SE Islay is an exceptional bothy,

 ...and we soon made ourselves at home. Some other bothies do not have libraries as they are too easy to get to and some visitors think that books are fire lighters.

 The food preparation area had been left very clean.

 The notice board had information about the history of the bothy.

 There was even a bag of dry fire wood by the fire.

We soon had our evening meal on and consumed it with relish before...

...taking some air outside the bothy.

 We were joined by not one but three otters!

This one suddenly surfaced close inshore and climbed on a rock  to look at us. He took me by surprise so this shot is blurred.

Unfortunately the noise of the shutter sent it back under the water.

 We took a stroll in the sunset to gather some firewood.

 We sat for ages on a rock just watching the tide running in the Sound of Islay.

At 20:50 the MV Hebridean Isles motored down the Sound.

She was on the Saturday service which left Oban at 16:30, stopped at Colonsay, Port Askaig on Islay and was now on her way to Kennacraig on Kintyre, where she would arrive at 22:50. We left the Sound of Islay  to the gathering darkness and the fading rumble of the Hebridean Isles engines.

It was time to get the fire on, get the baked potatoes cooking and pour a dram of Caol Ila. What does Caol Ila mean? It means the Sound of Islay  ...what else?!

A haven by the shore of the southern Sound of Islay.

Bt the time we passed the Carraig Mhor lighthouse on the Islay shore to the south of ort Askaig, we could...

 ...see right through the southern Sound of Islay to the distant Kintyre peninsula beyond.

Looking back the Paps of Jura were receding...

 ...at a rate of knots (literally) as the...

 ...swirls and boils in mid channel pushed us south.

 Amazingly quickly it was time to break out of the flow...

 ...we did not want to be pushed beyond McArthur's Head lighthouse!

 We turned west looking for the tiny haven...

...of An Cladach (the stony shore), another MBA bothy.

This was to be our home for the night. We had arrived on the wonderful isle of Islay from the mainland by a most circuitous route!

 It was six pm and the sun was sinking fast. Tony went for a shower in the local waterfall. I went for a quick swim in the sea. It was only 9C. I suspect the waterfall might have been a little warmer.