The history of sea kayaking at sunset.

It had been a marvellous day on the water and I thought it was nearly over. We were heading back to our launch site at Largs when I noticed someone paddling fast in our direction from Fairlie. It turned out to be a long time friend Duncan Winning.

 Duncan is one of the worthies of the Scottish sea kayaking scene. It was Duncan who in 1965 made the drawings of the Inuit kayak that Ken Taylor brought back from  Illorsuit, Greenland. These drawings formed the basis of the Valley Anas Acuta and influenced the subsequent design of many British style sea kayaks.

 We chatted long about the history of sea kayaking as the sun went down...

 ...over the Firth of Clyde.

All too soon it was time to part our ways and Duncan returned to Fairlie as I continued to Largs.

It was not so much elbow grease that was required... more a dose of rollock grease.

We regrouped for third luncheon in the shelter of the Eileans in the middle of Millport Bay. We were joined by Matt from the east coast. He had spent the day on a solo exploration of Wee Cumbrae and its three lighthouses.

 As we enjoyed a convivial chat, our attention was drawn to the loud creak of oars. It was the Cumbrae coastal rowing club out in their beautiful St Ayles skiff "Cumbrae"

As they creaked off round the Eileans it occurred to me that it was not so much elbow grease that was required... more a dose of rollock grease.

 We set off again from the Eileans round...

 ...Farland Point at the south end of Great Cumbrae and entered...

 ...the Hunterston Channel where we passed the 292m bulk carrier Genco London. She was offloading a cargo of coal and making almost as much noise as the skiffie "Cumbrae's" creacky rowlocks.. When empty, she was due to travel to Narvick to load a cargo of Swedish iron ore.

Andrew stopped to look back and this...

 was what he saw. The sun was setting over the Little and Great Cumbraes and the mountains of Arran beyond.

A marvellous winter crossing in the Firth of Clyde.

We set off from the south end of Bute with the towering mountains of Arran rising through the sea mist beyond.

Amazingly the ebb was still running despite being 2 hours after "slack" at low water. Run off from heavy rainfall in the extensive mountainous catchment area of the Firth of Clyde can overcome the flood tide.

A little breeze got up and...

...Phil and I quickly hoisted the sails.

It was a beautiful day to be on the water so late in the year. We slipped into the Tan which separates the Great and the Little Cumbraes then...

...entered the confines of Millport Bay. It was time for third luncheon.