Monday, March 23, 2009

Of geology and pakora!


We landed at Bracken Bay to the south of the Heads of Ayr. This area must be a geologist's paradise. The Heads are a well preserved lower carboniferous volcanic vent but these adjacent weathered cliffs...


..are composed of the most wonderfully coloured layers of sedimentary rocks, which appear to be sandstone on top of a conglomerate layer.


Relieved by our exploration of the geological features we made our way onwards to Ayr. Phil is as pleased as punch with his new Quest. Just as well, as it was to be well tested twice within the week.


On arrival at Seafield in Ayr, David rushed off to Ayr India to obtain supplies of Scotland's national snack...pakora. All that talk of once hot rocks had given us an appetite for some hot food! We ate with gusto, as the sun went down behind the Heads of Ayr.


From Maidens to Seafield is 20.5km. Tony and I hit 15.5km surfing on following seas in the section south of Dunure.

15/03/2009

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Return to Arran


We are on Glen Sannox beach after a force 5 wind against tide crossing from Bute and Portencross. Just heating up the bhoona!

21/03/2009

Friday, March 20, 2009

End of winter timetable.


Hidden away in the Calmac winter timetable is a little known ferry service. It only runs once per day, if places are reserved in advance, and it stops for the summer season on 26th of March. The ferry leaves Tarbert on the remote Kintyre peninsula at 1215 and arrives at Loch Ranza on Arran at 1340. I have often hoped for a settled spell at this time of year when the sun sets at 1830. This would allow just enough time to paddle back after taking the ferry to Loch Ranza.


We took the car over on the ferry from Gourock to Hunters Quay then drove past Loch Striven and the Kyles of Bute to Portavadie. We then enjoyed a wind assisted blast across the mouth of Loch Fyne to Tarbert where we planned to board the ferry to Arran.


Altogether we paddled 30km and on the way over to Tarbert we hit a maximum speed of 12km/hr.

19/03/2009

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spring is sprung in Skipness


Just paddled from Arran to Kintyre. We are sitting here in Heaven!

19/03/2009

En route to Arran


The ferry from Tarbert should arrive in Loch Ranza shortly. Then we will paddle back to Portavaddie. Just seen a pod of bottlenosed dolpins.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

The sound of running water...


Tony and I slipped into the shelter of Dunure Harbour. Just before hand, in the fantastic mixture of swell and clapotis among the Dunure skerries, Tony said "isn't it great how much fun you can have only 10 miles from your front door?" I replied "and we're only 200 yards from the pub!"


We had arrived early and David and Phil were still loading their boats. Deck bags with flares and electric pumps and cans of ballast were carefully distributed. We were clearly ahead of schedule and so found ourselves within the portals of the pub! It had just opened after being closed for the winter. However, it will need to improve its service, we almost died of thirst before the Guinness arrived. It was a pleasure to be able to toast the good St Patrick and the arrival of Phil's new kayak.


We were soon heading north for Ayr. As the wind and swell were coming from the south, we were now sheltered by the headland at Dunure. A bottle was drifting towards the rocks but we did not stop to see if it contained a message.


Phil was pleased as punch with his new Quest. It was one of the first out of the mould but the previous owner had hardly used it.


The coastline was composed of low wooded cliffs over which a series of delightful burns...


...cascaded and splashed noisily into the sea.


The sound of running water has a certain physiological effect on men of a certain age. It was time for a stop at a convenient beach.

15/03/2009


Remember, alcohol and sea water do not mix!

Monday, March 16, 2009

A free ride to Dunure.


Within minutes from launching in the shelter of Maidens, we emerged into a fun ride of wind and swell that would carry us to Dunure at speeds of up to 15.4km/hr.


The coastline is formed of a series of underwater and raised beaches. Swells speed up when they hit the sunken beach and give some great paddling.


On Saturday the wind had being blowing from the SW at 20 to 30 knots but by Sunday it had dropped to a much more manageable 12 to 15 knots.


The swells from the day before gave us free ride after free ride and we were in Dunure about an hour before we had planned to meet David and Phil.



15/03/2009

Sunday, March 15, 2009

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

Saturday, March 14, 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."

Friday, March 13, 2009

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

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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

Monday, March 09, 2009

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

Sunday, March 08, 2009

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

Saturday, March 07, 2009

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

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Tony's cave, Pabaigh Mor!


After lunch with LOMO MAN, we continued our exploration of Pabaigh Mor. Round a corner, Tony shouted "Come and see what I have found, it's a tiny little cave!" Clark hung back.


Then BOOOMPH!.... Tony bought a LOMO dry suit shortly afterwards!

Above photos by JLW.


After much entertainment we left Tony's cave and made our way out to the exposed north coast of Pabaigh Mor and its reef of Bogha Dubh....

05/06/2008

Monday, March 02, 2009

The Rise and Rise of Lomo Man!


Something strange began to happen to our mild mannered friend Andy. He began to run around madly looking for a telephone box. Unfortunately there was none to be found on the machair of Pabaigh Mor


Giving up his quest, Andy began to grunt and his facial features contorted.


His whole body began to inflate in size and adopt a turgidity we had not seen before.


Then as his body grew ever more erect, first one arm...


...then the other sprang out into the unmistakable pose of LOMO MAN! Although he wore neither cape nor pants over his trousers, our friend Andy had now transformed into one of the most feared of all the SUPER HEROES!


LOMO MAN caught sight of the ocean and with a final snort, he was off...


.. and like a newly hatched turtle, his priapic figure made a beeline for the water.


At last he was at one with the Ocean and then (hushed David Attenborough voice) he began cooing! A disturbance in the water occurred, at first we couldn't see what was happening...


...and then LOMO MAN emerged with a mate!

When you next visit Pabaigh Mor, keep a sharp eye open for little Lomolettes!

Needless to say, Andy's Lomo dry suit proved to be completely water and air tight during the gruelling transformation from mild mannered kayaker to LOMO MAN!

05/06/2008