On the dog and bone at barking Barwhin.

I was really keen to try the Cetus MV as soon as possible and Saturday's forecast looked ideal. The Met Office Inshore Forecast for the Firth of Clyde was for Force 5 to 7 SSW easing to F4-5. XC weather was more moderate.

 Whatever, conditions looked ideal for a downwind blast from Maidens to Ayr...

...so Jim, Phil David and I left shuttle cars at Seafield and were on the water at Maidens by 1015. From the shelter of Maidens Bay we looked out at windier conditions beyond.

We picked up Tony at the north end of Maidens Bay. His wife had dropped him off at the south end of Culzean Country Park while she went a walk with Bob the dog.

 The wind increased as we approached Barwhin Point, it was just as well I put the 5D Mk2 away...

 ...before we got to the Point as Jim and I braced as the waves steepened.

Tony got a phone call from his wife once we had rounded the Point. Bob the dog had slipped his leash and was bounding over the rocks and cliffs after us!

We decided to nip into Port Carrick...

 ...by taking the short cut inside Glasson rock.

Wild barking on the beach announced the arrival...

...of Bob before us!

Some revealing photos!

 Da Du Da Du

 Da Du Da Du

 Ta Du

Boom

 Ta Du

Boom

Yes it's a shiny new P&H Cetus MV. I am lucky enough to have this on long term loan from P&H, so hopefully I will be able to give some good feedback and reviews. I have previously had long term loans of P&H, Valley, Seakayaks UK, Rockpool and Point 65 sea kayaks, so I hope any future reports will continue to be as impartial as possible.

The gathering night had all but extinguished the last embers of the day.

 After rounding the Heads of Ayr, the offshore wind drove us to the northeast towards...

 ...the rising full moon...

...and the town of Ayr under a the dusky pink sky.

Away to the northwest, Arran's ridges soared above the gathering sea fog and...

...by the time we made landfall, the gathering night had all but extinguished the last embers of the day.

As if in anticipation of the sun leaving the day.

The SE wind gave us welcome assistance as we made our way north towards the Heads of Ayr.

 As the sun began to sink slowly and steadily below a layer of low cloud...

 ...we were bathed in the most beautiful warm light.

For a moment time seemed to stand still and even the calls of the sea birds died away... 

...as if in anticipation of the sun leaving the day.

After sunset, a chill wind from the SE sprang up and whisked us on, towards the twinkling lights of Ayr.
Photo Philip Toman.

Moonrise over the Heads of Ayr.

 As the sun began to set, an offshore breeze picked up and...

...pushed us on towards the Heads of Ayr.

We revelled in the magic of the moment...

...as the sundowner gathered strength,...

 ...the smells of the land filled our nostrils and...

...the Moon rose over the Heads of Ayr.

The tumbling waters of Drumbane.

 The wind dropped before we got to...

...the ancient castle of Dunure. If the weather had been bad we would have stopped at the pub but...

...it was such a nice day that we continued north to Drumbane and a little bay with a hidden secret.

 A delightful burn tumbles out of a little glen high above the beach.

Its waters flashed and sparkled as they rushed headlong...

...over the rocks and onto the beach...

 ...where they slowed into a lovely pool...

...before spilling over a lip into the sea beyond.

We could have paddled south all day...

The coastline south of Dunure consists of a series of rocky dykes projecting from a raised beach above which an old cliff line has a series of dry sea caves at its base.

Phil and I were enjoying running before the north wind and...

the last of the ebb tide, which were speeding us past...

...the gull colony on the rocks north of Croy.

We could have paddled on south all day but it was now time to turn our backs to the November sun, drop our sails and face the north wind...

Making the most of the late and fleeting Scottish summer!

 When we left Dunure harbour we still had an ebb tide and...

 ...a fair wind to continue south a little longer.

 A flash of paddles on the horizon announced the arrival of another party of kayakers.

It was Julie with 2 friends. We had met her with her husband Tom in these waters just two days before. Everyone was making the most of the late and fleeting Scottish summer!