Feeling fortified on a perfect glassy winter sea.

Feeling fortified by our early Christmas luncheon at Bracken Bay we set off once again along the Carrick coast. We stopped several times to swap kayaks so that we could all get a chance to try the new Taran 16.

Gradually the wind dropped away so we dropped our sails and  paddled steadily on to the SW. The distinctive outline...

 ...of the great monolith of Ailsa Craig slowly grew on the horizon. Rafts of gulls were also enjoying the morning and seemed little bothered by our approach. They had endured seemingly endless gales over the autumn and early winter and like us were glad to see the sun.

Far beyond the rocks of Dunure, the Turnberry lighthouse seemed to float above the horizon as...

...we slipped into the little harbour on a perfect glassy sea. It was one of those rare winter days that you just have to seize.

A chance meeting at Turnberry Point

Approaching Turnberry Point, we entered a maze of rock channels.


We kept our bearings as long as the distant peak of Goatfell on Arran remained in view.


We rounded the Point in calm conditions but the Stevenson lighthouse and ancient walls of Turnberry castle both told of turbulent times.


Then we met Alan from Ayr out on a solo paddle from Maidens. He has just recently started sea kayaking but has already some great solo trips round the Cumbraes and up the Bute coast to his credit. He asked if he could come along. We explained that we might need to spend some time at Dunure and then he would need to paddle back to Maidens on his own. Alan was happy to join us and we were very happy to have his company.

02/11/2008

Sundown at Culzean

 South of Dunure, Turnberry lighthouse appeared on the horizon.

 We took a third luncheon (not liquid this time) at the north end of Culzean (pron. Cullane) Bay.

By the time we got going again the sun had begun to set.

The Culzean coast line was in deep shade...

...and as we paddled under sandstone cliffs, the great castle of Culzean appeared on the skyline.

This was to be our third and last castle of the day. The caves below the castle have a long history of habitation. They are reputed to connect with the dungeons of the original stone keep, which is buried deep within the 18th century Robert Adam edifice which we see today.

We paddled on, south towards Barwhin Point and the sunset beyond...

A two of your five portions a day stop.

 From Culzean Castle we paddled south towards...

... Port Carrick and its sheltering reefs. In the distance Turnberry lighthouse stood on the far side of Maidenhead Bay.

 Inside the reef all was calm and...

 ...it made a great place to stop for third luncheon.

 Phil had brought a flask of coffee and two of his Five a Day portions of fruit and veg.

As we shared one of Phil's portions, we enjoyed the view as gentle waves washed through the reef.

Paddling with planets.

We launched from the shingle beach at Dunure just as a pink glow appeared behind the cold snowy ridges of Arran. Although the sun had set 15 minutes before, the summit ridge of Goatfell was still catching rays from below the horizon.


We set off for Maidens guided by light from Venus, Jupiter and Turnberry lighthouse. We were surrounded by six other lighthouses: Ailsa Craig, Sanda, Davaar Island, Pladda, Holy Island outer and Lady Isle but the first three were unseen as they were below the horizon like the now departing sun.


As the light faded the horizon darkened from deep orange to blood red.


An hour and fifteen minutes after sunset the horizon still betrayed the long gone sun. Flocks of sea birds swirled out of the darkness on their way out to sea but the slow shutter speed (1/6s) has all but failed to capture them. Ailsa Craig still dominated the land and sea but its bold outline was soon to merge with the darkness above. Far from land, the clear skies gave one of the best views of the Milky Way we have ever seen.


We landed at Maidens two hours after sunset. It was very dark and minus three degrees Celsius but what a fantastic time to be out paddling!

06/12/2008

All the King's horses...

All the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Turnberry together again.

Most people paddling past the crumbling remains of Turnberry Castle will hardly notice its existence. Their gaze will be drawn instead to the lighthouse which is built within the castle's ancient walls.

Yet in its day, it was a magnificent stronghold, which was built on a promontory, surrounded on three sides by the sea. On the seaward side, the castle was built over over an inlet with a cave at its rear. In times of siege the castle could be resupplied from the sea. Ships could enter the inlet beneath a great arch in the castle's walls. A portcullis could be lowered behind the ship and provisions could be carried up through the cave into the heart of the castle. A reconstruction of the castle in its heyday can be seen on the local town of Maybole's website.


Tony paddled right into the inlet which is now mostly filled with rubble from the collapsed walls of the castle. You can still see the lines of the arch from the carved stones which formed its foundations on either side of the inlet. The entrance to the cavern, which gave access to the castle, is also seen.

The castle dates from the 12th Century and was the seat of the Earls of Carrick. One of the Earls died leaving a young countess as a widow. One day she spied a handsome knight making his way past the castle. She became so infatuated with him that had him kidnapped upon his return. He turned out to be a Norman nobleman, Robert de Brus, Lord of Annandale. She persuaded him to marry her and their son Robert the Bruce became Earl of Carrick. Later he became King Robert I of Scotland and defeated Edward II of England at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

The Earldom of Carrick became part of the titles of the Scottish monarchs. After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when King James VI of Scotland became James I of Great Britain, the Earldom of Carrick passed into the linage of the British Royal Family. The current holder is Prince Charles whose full title is prince of Wales and earl of Chester, duke of Cornwall, duke of Rothesay, earl of Carrick and Baron Renfrew, Lord of the Isles, and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland.

The strategic position of Turnberry was again recognised in the two World wars when an RFC then RAF airfield was constructed here. Although mainly a training aerodrome, its Beaufort, Hampden, Venture, Beaufighter and Hudson torpedo planes and maritime bombers played a role in the defence of the Clyde's vital shipping routes in WW2.

20/01/2008

A sunny and calm Maidens morning, before the storm.

Back at the beginning of November we had a couple of sunny days before the wettest November on record in SW Scotland and NW England.


We set off from Maidens in Ayrshire. To the south, the distinctive outlines of Turnberry lighthouse and Ailsa Craig characterise this part of the Firth of Clyde.


To the west the equally distinctive outline of the magical island of Arran floated dreamily on the other side of the Firth.


It was calling strongly to us... but a crossing to it would need to wait for another day.


Instead we were bound to the north, along the rocky fastnesses of Culzean and Carrick to the little fishing hamlet of Dunure. There we would meet David in the pub!

A windy crossing of Culzean Bay.

Rounding an uncharacteristically flat Carnage Corner south of Dunure, we met a cold offshore wind blowing out of Culzean Bay.

We put our heads down and...

  ...steadily crossed the expanse of the bay.

 Beyond the squalls, the shore-break did not look particularly appealing for a stop so...

 ...we pressed on steadily towards Culzean as the clouds gathered...

...and Turnberry lighthouse slowly appeared over the distant the horizon.

Pacing ourselves at Dunure.

 From Bracken Bay we paddled south past tumbling waterfalls then we caught...

 ...sight of Ailsa Craig.

 The sea was completely calm and we made good progress...

 ....until we caught sight of the distant Turnberry lighthouse when it was time to take a...

 ....sharp left into Dunure harbour.

 As we enjoyed our second luncheon, we watched as...

 ...first Phil then...

...David put the Taran 16 through its paces.

Then it was time to visit the pub, where we must have paced ourselves quite well...

 ...as the tide had gone out and...

...the sun had begun to set behind the ancient walls of Dunure Castle.