Seakayakphoto.com trip index 2011

2011 running total distance: 126km

Circumnavigation of Luing, Firth of Lorn, 32km
Burrow Head, Solway Firth, 32km
Lady Isle, Firth of Clyde, 30km
Kerrera, Firth of Lorn, 23km
Dunure, Firth of Clyde, 9km

Rolling along the Carrick coast at Dunure.

On a calm afternoon David, Phil and I nipped down to Dunure. I haven't rolled my kayak for nearly 2 years, since I dislocated my knee in an accident. I ripped a lot of the medial ligaments round the knee and the patella and the thought of using my knee in a rolling kayak has not been a pleasant prospect since the operation nearly a year ago..

The surroundings at Dunure were so serene that I decided to try a roll. It happened so quickly that Phil and David did not notice so, I did another, then another. Sort of like riding a bike, I suppose. The water was a bit parky, so I was glad I had a dry suit and double thermals on.

We nipped up the coast to...

...the Heads of Ayr...

...where we stopped for a very pleasant half hour...

...before returning to the harbour at Dunure and the pub.

We had only paddled for 9km but it is a wonderful piece of coast. There were red shanks, oystercatchers, curlews, eider ducks and herons round every rocky corner. It took some time.

Swanning about in Oban.

Back in Oban harbour we came across...

...FV Lady Evelyn. Sadly she has seen better days. But possibly there is hope that she might see the high seas again.

We were now nearly back at our launch spot below McCaig's Folly and the Oban Distillery.

 No sooner had we arrived, than we were closely inspected by the local customs inspector...

...in case we had any contraband luncheon left. Only when the inside of each cockpit had been thoroughly searched, were we allowed to leave the beach...

...and make our way back through the streets of Oban to where we had left the car.

Wot a Loti toing and froing in Oban harbour.

The rain started as we continued up the NW coast of Kerrera. The rain hissed into the calm sea around us...

 ..and the seascape turned steadily to muted shades of grey.

Phil cut a colourful dash on the Firth as we approached the northern entrance to Oban Bay.

 We let Loti* enter the channel before us and enjoyed a good surf in on her wake.

We stopped for a second luncheon on a pebble beach on the south side of the channel below the Hutchison Monument.

No sooner had we set off than  MV Isle of Mull approached Maiden Isle at the mouth of the channel.

It is a tight squeeze for ships entering the harbour and sea kayaks have to keep clear! Again, we caught her wake, before it was our turn to enter the harbour...

 ...before MV Eigg, the Lismore ferry, nipped in behind us.

In the meantime, MV Mull had to wait for Loti, to turn round her passengers and clear the berth. A busy spot!

* MV Lord of the Isles