Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Arran West Coast to Carradale


A day trip from Dougarie on the west coast of Arran to Carradale on the Kintyre peninsula, Firth of Clyde, 25km, January 2010.


A distant Ayrshire coast and Ailsa Craig from near Carradale.

An early morning wardrobe malfunction.

"Bru'd in Carradale from girders"

Torrisdale Bay in the Kilbrannan Sound.

Time to go in the Carradale Water

Return to Dougarie


Photo album map.

Seakayakphoto.com trip index 2010

2010 running total distance: 1235km

Ayr to Dunure, Firth of Clyde, 20km
Arran west coast to Carradale, Firth of Clyde, 25km
A tour of the Clyde lochs and rocks from Lunderston Bay, Firth of Clyde, 30km
Ganavan Bay to Kerrera, Firth of Lorn, 29km
Auchencairn Bay to Needle's Eye, Solway Firth, 21km
Ballantrae to Portandea, Firth of Clyde, 19km
Port Appin to Loch Creran, Firth of Lorn, 33km
Seil to Laggan Deer Forest, Mull, Firth of Lorn, 44km
Portpatrick to the Mull of Logan, North Channel, 33km
The Mull of Oa, Islay, Inner Hebrides, 26km
Holy Island from Brodick, Firth of Clyde, 20km
Loch Feochan to Loch Etive, Firth of Lorn, 36km
Ailsa Craig from Lendalfoot, Firth of Clyde 32km
Loch Fyne, St Catherines to Otter Ferry, Firth of Clyde 36km
Loch Fyne, Portavadie to Otter Ferry, Firth of Clyde 21km
Circumnavigation of Morvern, Firth of Lorn to Loch Sunart 115km
North Islay and west Jura, Inner Hebrides 82km
Islands of Fleet and Kirkandrews Bay Solway Firth 14km
Heads of Ayr from Seafield, Firth of Clyde 14km
Lunga and Scarba from Crinan, Sound of Jura, 47km
Fleet Bay, Solway Firth 21km
Rhinns of Islay, Inner Hebrides 47km
Mull of Oa, Islay, Inner Hebrides 44km
Sound of Islay 15km
Fleet Bay Solway Firth 39km
Gigha and Cara 46km
The Garvellachs from Seil, Firth of Lorn 32km
Cumbraes and Bute from Largs, Firth of Clyde 34km
Fleet Bay, Solway Firth 11km
Kirkcudbright from Fleet Bay, Solway Firth 43km
Fleet Bay, Solway Firth 5.5km
Portavadie to Colintraive via the Kyles of Bute, Firth of Clyde 33km
Derwent water, Lake District, England 11km
Arran from Portencross, Firth of Clyde 31km
Loch Long to Loch Goil, Firth of Clyde 25km
Loch Eil to Loch Linnhe, Firth of Lorn 30km
The Cumbraes from Largs, Firth of Clyde 25km
Seafield to Maidens, Firth of Clyde 21km
Arran from Portencross 2, Firth of Clyde 31km
Glasgow Green to Port Glasgow, Firth of Clyde 33km

Embers of a Kerrera day


Long after the sun went down, we could still see the open Atlantic horizon between Kerrera and the steep cliffs of Mull.


After a while the gold in the sky turned to red and in the distance...


...the monument to David Hutcheson stood out on the Kerrera skyline. In 1835 he was one of the founders of the Burns shipping company, which ran the first steamers up the west coast of Scotland. His brother in law, David MacBrayne continued to develop the routes and the company grew into Caledonian MacBrayne runs most of the the ferries on the Scottish west coast.


We were enjoying the night so much that we continued on past the car into the gathering darkness to the north east.


Eventually, as the final embers of the day were dying, we retraced our wakes back to Gallanach. Ahead we could see the lights of the CalMac ferry from Mull slipping into Oban harbour before us.

Monday, February 15, 2010

The liquid canvas of the sea.


As we approached the north of Kerrera the town of Oban came into view on the hillside on the opposite the far side of the island. Snow covered Ben Cruachan, 1126m, towered over the scene.


The sun sank slowly to the SW leaving a horizon of gold and bronze.


Some time after the sun had set the high clouds to the NE took on a wonderful pink light which was reflected by the sea below.


Even the most imaginative artist could not have created such colours as we saw that night, on the liquid canvas of the sea.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The strange case of the missing calves at sunset.


As we approached Eilean na Gamhna (Island of the Calves) the wind dropped to nothing and the sun began to set.


Calves were totally absent from the isle, in their place was a large flock of Canada geese.


Rather than disturb the geese, we paddled round to the other side of the island. There we compared the merits of three different malt whiskies while pondering the strange case of the missing calves. Are Canada geese carnivorous?


While we were in deep contemplation, Tony Hammock of Seafreedomkayak passed by with Keith one of his clients.


By the time we had left the island of the missing calves...


...the sun had set.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Blowing the cobwebs away in the Firth of Lorn.


Continuing on our voyage round Kerrera, we made our way from Gylen Castle to this lovely spot for our first luncheon. The fog was still rolling backwards and forwards down the Firth of Lorn but the magnificent mountains of Mull had broken through into a clear blue sky.


Refuelled, we continued on our way under these interesting cliffs that characterise the geology of the south of the island.


We rounded Rubha na Feudain at the SW corner of Kerrera into a bitingly cold F3-4 N wind. All vestiges of fog were now blown asunder. Through the now crystal clear air, we could see that the summit of Ben More (968m) still had snow, though the lower mountains of Mull were now bare.



We paddled up the NW coast of Kerrera but the dramatic coastline of Mull kept drawing our eyes to the other side of the Firth of Lorn.


Another visit to Mull is definitely overdue....


To the north, the Lismore lighthouse at the southern end of Lismore stood out against the dark mountains of Morvern. The wind began to drop and the sun began to set.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

P&H Cetus LV


The staff at seakayakphoto.com have been busy testing the P&H Cetus LV (seen here behind the Cetus) for issue 20 of Ocean Paddler magazine.


So far we have taken it to the Solway, the South Ayrshire coast and here in Loch Creran.


It takes a long time...


...to test a new boat thoroughly...


...but will spare no effort...


...in order to explore its strengths and weaknesses.


All I can say, after just 3 days and 75km, is that we like the stunningly beautiful Cetus LV a very great deal!

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Gylen castle and the Brooch of Lorn


We found ourselves exploring the landscape of the south coast of Kerrera. The low sun threw...


...long shadows from a succession of weirdly shaped knolls.


On one knoll stood the dramatic ruins of Gylen castle.


The castle was built about 1587 for the chief of the MacDougall clan. It was in a superb defensive position but it also had some fine architectural features as it was also intended to be a fine residence. Unfortunately there was no defensible water supply and in 1647 the castle fell to a siege by General Leslie of the Covenanter army. All those in the castle were slaughtered and the MacDougalls' talisman, the Brooch of Lorn, was stolen.

The brooch had reputedly been taken from Robert the Bruce after he was defeated in revenge by a MacDougall force following his murder of John Comyn who was a nephew of the MacDougall chief. It was returned to the MacDougalls in 1824 by a neighbour, General Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, who was a descendant of the soldier who stole it. Since then it has been seen in public only once, when the Queen visited Oban in 1956.


Sadly the MacDougalls enjoyed living in Gylen for only 90 years. It has been a roofless ruin since the siege of 1647. It was recently restored to preserve some of its fine carved stonework. Most people think of Eilean Donan, on the busy A87 "Road to the Isles" as the best situated Scottish castle. However, the few that have seen Gylen from the sea think otherwise.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Fleeting wraiths of fog in the Sound of Kerrera


We continued to paddle through swirling fog...


...until we drew level with the Sgeirean Dubha reef. The light shows two white flashes every 12 seconds. The present structure replaced the previous light on 11th January 2002.


Then, magically, the wraiths of fog seemed to melt away and the sun took command of the day.



As we approached the southern point of Kerrera the deciduous tree cover became less...


...and the landscape took on a wilder grandeur. Headland after headland rolled by in the sunshine but at sea the fog still held sway.


Then suddenly, the fog lifted and revealed the scattered necklace of the Isles of Lorn.


We had now arrived at Rubha Seanach and had a clear view to distant Insh Island. What would we find once we had turned west round the point?

Friday, February 05, 2010

Better Days in The Little Horseshoe Bay


In a break in the fog, we saw a row of neat little white washed cottages at the back of the perfect crescent of The Little Horseshoe Bay.


As we approached, it was obvious that this bay had been settled for a very long time. The grassy hillock at the entrance to the bay has a flat top which betrays it as an Iron Age hill fort.


The cottages were originally built for slate workers who worked at quarries at the south of the island. When the quarries failed a lobster industry became established here and the workers boxed lobsters for delivery to London and Southampton by train. Orders were delivered by telegraph and telegram boys from Oban Post Office. The business boomed to such an extent that Kerrera was the first Scottish island to get a telephone line installed! Today the only sign of activity was a sole oystercatcher which kept an eye on us from the safety of the beach.


Hidden away in a corner of the bay lay this sad old fishing boat. Her paint had all but peeled from her grey timbers. I could not even make out the name, under which she was once sailed with pride. Even her iron rubbing strakes had sprung free of their fastenings and come to rest at an angle on the shore, as if in a forlorn attempt to keep her upright.

Sadly, she has seen better days. Just like the boats of the Iron Age settlers before her, one day she will be gone, without a trace.

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Black and white in the Sound of Kerrera


From Aradantrive Bay we paddled down the Sound of Kerrera to Heather Island. The fog seemed to suck all colour from the land and sea-scapes.


There was no wind to disperse the fog and glassy calm conditions reflected the sun, which occasionally broke through a thinner layer.


On the mainland side of the Sound, the Ardbhan Craigs rose into the mist. These steep cliffs with a raised beach at their foot were cut when the sea level was higher.


We arrived at Kerrera's jetty where the ferry, the MV Isle of Kerrera , was tied up. She is powered by two 75hp Honda outboards. The ferryman, Duncan McEachan, will go over to the mainland if an intending passenger turns a white board so that its black side faces Kerrera.