A fair wind below Goatfell

We left Sannox Bay in glorious sunshine. The tight little low that had brought a front and SW/W winds had now passed to the east of us and the wind had veered to the NW.


This was just perfect for blowing us all the way down the NE coast of Arran. In the distance, Holy Island's Mullach Mor, 314m, rose above the eastern point of Arran
.

We made good speed under Arran's rocky ridges.


The ridges culminated in Goatfell, 874m, which is the highest peak on Arran.

21/03/2009

A little swally of sublime Sannox water in the sunshine!

After an 11km crossing to Arran, we landed in Sannox Bay under leaden grey skies. It was clearly time to lift the spirits by opening the Wilcox Weather Window (TM). Not many know how this works but now you are about to find out how to do it (and where better than in the dark brooding glen of Sannox)!


David, Tony, Gavin, Alan, Phil and I gathered together before partaking of our luncheon. Out came our hip flasks, each freshly filled with nothing but Sannox water! Next we gave thanks for a safe, if somewhat rough, crossing before toasting the weather gods and enjoying a little swally of sublime Sannox water! Before our lips were even dry, the WWW opened and we were getting sunburned in March!


Here is the proof of the pudding as they say. We left Sannox Bay a better, sunnier place! Where next will the staff of seakayakphoto.com bring the sunshine of their passing? Onwards!

21/03/2009

Crossing to a land sculpted by fire and ice

Once we were in the lee of the Cock of Arran and out of the main tidal stream the water flattened and we approached Glen Sannox under sombre grey skies..


The clouds also began to lift, revealing the mountains of Arran and its little neighbour, Holy Island.


Alan and Phil had both managed remarkably well given the conditions and their relatively recent introduction to sea kayaking. David, Gavin, Tony and I had a thoroughly enjoyable crossing.


Soon the exposure of the Sound of Bute was replaced by a feeling of enclosure as the great igneous mountains of Glen Sannox gathered round the mouth of Sannox Bay. These granite peaks are the eroded remains of a huge volcano which existed about 56 million years ago.


The U shaped valleys told of the gathering glaciers that had then gouged this great gorge in the grey granite of Arran's mountains.

21/03/2009

And gurly grew the sea

Back in March, we had set off to Arran via the island of Bute. Despite a forecast of a force 5 westerly, we left Bute in a flat calm and a thick fog. Gradually the fog began to lift and we could see our destination, which lies 11km away across the Sound of Bute.


Despite the lack of wind, the sea had an uneasy oiliness. Suddenly, out of nowhere the wind hit. It was just as well we were expecting it. A force 5 wind against a full spring ebb on the Garroch Head tide race makes for interesting conditions. So interesting in fact that the next photo, taken just as the wind hit us, was the last until we got into the lee of the Cock of Arran.


They had not sailed a league, a league,
A league but barely three,
When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud,
And gurly grew the sea.

The Ballad of Sir Patrick Spens

21/03/2009

An island, a castle and a salty moat.

We slipped throuh the Tan and swept round the north end of Little Cumrae island in fine style.

We soon found ourselves in the lee of the island and lost sight of snow streaked ridges of Arran.


Little Cumbrae Castle and Castle Island have a profile not dissimilar to one of the nuclear submarines, which are also to be found in these waters.


The Castle's main defence is its moat, which in this case is salty water!
Photo J Wilcox


A fine 23km paddle for a short winter's day.

15/02/2009

A cloud on the horizon...

From Glencallum Bay on Bute we set off across the Firth of Clyde for the Tan, the body of water which separates Great and Little Cumbrae islands.


Conditions were perfect for our crossing.


The quality of light lifted our spirits.


All to soon, we were approaching Little Cumbrae with its Stevenson lighthouse. In the distance a yacht sailed in front of the dark outline of Holy Island. On the horizon, clouds gathered. A front was approaching. It would be raining again the following day.

15/02/2009

Two bays in the Clyde

Back in February we had a lot of windy wet weather but one day we had a light north westerly breeze. We took advantage and arranged a last minute trip from the red sands of West Kilbride Bay on the Firth of Clyde.


We were soon enjoying the fresh air with a view to the peaks of Arran out west.


We met up with Tony off Portencross Castle.


We decided to paddle past the end of the Little Cumbrae to Glencallum Bay at the south end of Bute.


Inside the bay we were sheltered from the NW breeze and it was quite warm in the low winter sunshine. We decided to take luncheon.

15/02/2009