The Kames Hotel, a long way home.

After our blast up the West Kyle of Bute, we were looking forward to a luncheon in the Kames Hotel...

...we ordered beef and veggie burgers with pints of frothy sports recovery drinks. We had got chatting to a great bunch of guys from Ayrshire who had been in the bar watching our crossing. After a while they disappeared only to...

...reappear with guitars and an accordion.

My goodness we were in for a treat.  They played traditional Scots...

...and Irish songs...

..along with more recent songs from James Taylor and ...

...this one from Tom Waits....Long Way Home.

Sports recovery drinks were flowing and we knew we were getting into a perilous situation, any longer and we would have been there all night!

So we beat a hasty retreat while we still could and made a run for it up the West Kyle of Bute. This is sea kayaking.

Navigation and tidal planning skills put to the test when David got his spanker in a twist.

From Lenihuline on the Island of Bute we launched or sails and set off on a wonderful downwind blast to...

 ...Kames on the mainland Cowal coast of the West Kyle. The wind had got up to a good F5 but the water...

 ...was nice and flat due to the enclosed nature of the Kyle. I was regularly hitting 14 to 15km/hr but fell back from Phil and Ian as David had twisted his sail and was not travelling as fast as the rest of us.

Our destination was the Kames Hotel. This was a "skills" outing and this week we were practising navigation. Some sea kayakers spend hours honing their skills with charts, maps and plotters.

We of  course simply read the large sign...

 ...and in no time made landfall on the little beach below the hotel.

David clearly had a drouth on him as he had managed to partially untwist his sail and came spanking in just a minute later than the rest of us.

We unanimously decided to head to the pub for lunch but first we had to put another skill into practice...

..this time it was tidal planning. Just how high up the beach should we carry the kayaks?

A hot drink at Lenihuline on the West Kyle of Bute..

I had not been well for seven weeks and had missed the sea. A plan was hatched for a short trip in the shelter of the West Kyle of Bute. We arrived at the broad expanse of Ettrick Bay, where the forecast SE F4-5 wind had already picked up.

We had left our cars at Rhubodach at the north end of the Kyles of Bute so we were all set to enjoy a downwind blast.

Out little party consisted of David,...

...Phil,...

...Ian and myself.

We made rapid progress and soon had Kames on the Cowal mainland in sight.

We stopped on the shore below the South Wood of Lenihuline to adjust Ian's seat. This was not an official luncheon stop but David whipped out his flask...

...and asked "Would anyone like a hot drink?"

...it turned out to be hot mulled wine and despite the early hour,...

...who among us could refuse such a welcome liquid libation of warming liquor on the shore of Lenihuline?

Eclipse in the Sound of Arisaig.

This morning dark low clouds obscured the skies above Glenuig. The fresh wind was blowing from the NW where the skies over Eigg and Rum appeared lighter. In order to try and see the eclipse we paddled out into the Sound of Arisaig. This photo was taken at was taken at 09:28. Unfortunately the clouds were too thick to see the sun and moon at maximum eclipse which was at 09:34.

But at 09:56 the clouds thinned, just for a moment. I whipped the 5D mk3 out and got three quick shots. It was a tad tricky getting a non waterproof full size DSLR out in the water conditions.

I now have three eclipses burned on my right retina, I just need to close my eye and I see them so clearly...who needs photos?