Tampilkan postingan dengan label Ayrshire. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Ayrshire. Tampilkan semua postingan
An effective navigational strategy for the Arran crossing.
The sails had driven us so quickly that we very nearly made the earlier ferry back to Ardrossan. The ferry attracted our attention because (unusually) it gave several blasts on its horn. It was being trailed by a noisy tribe of jet skis riding its wake. Every so often one of the bolder ones would skillfully cut across the ferry's bow, under the admiring gazes of the many passengers crowding the
Little Cumbrae sunset.
We met at Portencross at 730pm......and formulated a quick plan to paddle round Little Cumbrae Island.
We set the controls...
...for the heart of...
...the sun.
As we crossed to Gull Point it slowly sank in the west, turning from orange to red.
On our return, our way was lit by the glow of Hunterston nuclear power station. Fortunately Harvey was with us and as he works there, we assumed
We set the controls...
...for the heart of...
...the sun.
As we crossed to Gull Point it slowly sank in the west, turning from orange to red.
On our return, our way was lit by the glow of Hunterston nuclear power station. Fortunately Harvey was with us and as he works there, we assumed
Ailsa sunset.
It is always sad to leave Ailsa Craig and its teeming bird colonies. Mostly we don't look back...
...mainly because the return involves crossing a busy shipping channel. We stopped to let MV Johanna Desiree pass in front of us. She was bound from Ayr to Santander at 10.8 knots. Behind us, the P&O Express from Larne to Troon passed at a faster 30.6 knots!
As the rock slowly receded...
...the
...mainly because the return involves crossing a busy shipping channel. We stopped to let MV Johanna Desiree pass in front of us. She was bound from Ayr to Santander at 10.8 knots. Behind us, the P&O Express from Larne to Troon passed at a faster 30.6 knots!
As the rock slowly receded...
...the
Return to Ailsa Craig
Just 12 days after our last visit, the call of the Craig proved too much...
...and we set off once more on the 14km crossing.
Jim had borrowed a Rockpool Taran and wanted to see if it would cope with his usual 5,000kg or so of camping gear.
It proved suitably commodious and handled a treat. We arrived at Ailsa Craig after a fast crossing...
...from the Ayrshire coast, which seemed a long way
...and we set off once more on the 14km crossing.
Jim had borrowed a Rockpool Taran and wanted to see if it would cope with his usual 5,000kg or so of camping gear.
It proved suitably commodious and handled a treat. We arrived at Ailsa Craig after a fast crossing...
...from the Ayrshire coast, which seemed a long way
Ailsa calling!
On the way back from Ailsa Craig, Phil uncharacteristically fell behind,
He had some trouble with broaching as he had put all his gear in the front hatch and a Quest does not like being nose heavy! John very kindly stayed with him and gave words of encouragement. John Willacy is a true gentleman and it was our great pleasure to spend the day with him.
The 14km crossing passed all too soon and
He had some trouble with broaching as he had put all his gear in the front hatch and a Quest does not like being nose heavy! John very kindly stayed with him and gave words of encouragement. John Willacy is a true gentleman and it was our great pleasure to spend the day with him.
The 14km crossing passed all too soon and
John Willacy surfed my wake!
It was now time to leave Ailsa Craig and right on cue a nice F3-4 breeze got up from the NW to help us home. I used the sail to get in front of the others...
...and get some photos of the Arran mountains with Phil in the foreground.
Tony flashed by in his very sparkly Cetus.
Gradually the NW wind cleared the sky behind us.
John's Rockpool Taran surfed the waves very easily...
...as we slid
...and get some photos of the Arran mountains with Phil in the foreground.
Tony flashed by in his very sparkly Cetus.
Gradually the NW wind cleared the sky behind us.
John's Rockpool Taran surfed the waves very easily...
...as we slid
Clearing the air on the way to Ailsa Craig.
Gradually the mist cleared and Ailsa Craig emerged on the Horizon. A stream of cloud from its summit made it look as if it was still an active volcano.
It takes a long time for the rock to get much bigger.
A light NW breeze got up and brought some low clouds across the sky but at sea level the air became extraordinarily clear. We picked out the castle, which is about 1/3 of the way up to the
It takes a long time for the rock to get much bigger.
A light NW breeze got up and brought some low clouds across the sky but at sea level the air became extraordinarily clear. We picked out the castle, which is about 1/3 of the way up to the
Keeping fast company on the crossing to Ailsa Craig.
Last Sunday, Phil, Tony, Jennifer and I met at Lendalfoot on the Ayrshire coast. We were bound for Ailsa Craig, a huge monolith of granite, which is situated at the entrance to the Firth of Clyde, some 14km offshore.
The staff of seakayakphoto.com have a new honorary member. John Willacy is the designer of the Rockpool Taran, which has something of a reputation as a speed machine, especially
The staff of seakayakphoto.com have a new honorary member. John Willacy is the designer of the Rockpool Taran, which has something of a reputation as a speed machine, especially
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
The surroundings at Dunure were so serene that I
Imminent Barassie Monkeys.
When we left Lady Isle, the wind swung round to the SE and increased with a dramatic fall in temperature. Nearly 4 hours before, the Clyde Coastguard weather MSI broadcast had warned of gale force winds from the SE, expected imminent.
Yikes! Time to get home. By the time we approached the harbour wall at Troon Point our hands were freezing in the biting wind.
I could resist the temptation of a
Yikes! Time to get home. By the time we approached the harbour wall at Troon Point our hands were freezing in the biting wind.
I could resist the temptation of a
A Lady like landing.
Our journey to Lady Isle continued unhindered by further ships. About half way across, we could just begin to see the lighthouse on the horizon.
The mountains of Arran lay far to the west and the wind increased as we paddled further into the open waters of the Firth of Clyde.
As we approached Lady Isle, the sea became shallower and together with a little increase in wind and swell, conditions
The mountains of Arran lay far to the west and the wind increased as we paddled further into the open waters of the Firth of Clyde.
As we approached Lady Isle, the sea became shallower and together with a little increase in wind and swell, conditions
A close encounter of the Bres kind en route to Lady Isle.
I set off from Culzean Bay at a very acceptable rare of knots. Sadly Tony's progress was only half of a very acceptable rate of knots. (BTW don't you just love that special "Vaseline on the lens" effect you get with waterproof cameras like the Pentax Optio?)
The only decent thing to do was to stow the sail and let Tony catch up!
Although the town of Ayr was on the horizon, the coastline south
The only decent thing to do was to stow the sail and let Tony catch up!
Although the town of Ayr was on the horizon, the coastline south
Ready for some windy fun on the Clyde.
Saturday's XC weather, forecast for Troon.
Saturday's MagicSeaweed, surf forecast for Machrihanish.
Saturday's forecast for Troon, in the Firth of Clyde, showed that the predicted gales were not expected to arrive until well into Saturday evening. The surf at Machrihanish was predicted to be 9.5 feet in advance of the arrival of the approaching Atlantic low pressure system. Tony and I decided to
Saturday's MagicSeaweed, surf forecast for Machrihanish.
Saturday's forecast for Troon, in the Firth of Clyde, showed that the predicted gales were not expected to arrive until well into Saturday evening. The surf at Machrihanish was predicted to be 9.5 feet in advance of the arrival of the approaching Atlantic low pressure system. Tony and I decided to
Sun goes down at Turnberry, after a three castle day!
By coincidence, four refreshment breaks had taken so much time that we arrived at Barwhin Point just at sunset.
Both Turnberry lighthouse...
...and Ailsa Craig...
...add a certain something to Firth of Clyde sunsets.
The sunset did not last long...
...and soon the flash of Turnberry lighthouse was the brightest object in the sky...
...and we paddled into Maidens in near darkness after a
Both Turnberry lighthouse...
...and Ailsa Craig...
...add a certain something to Firth of Clyde sunsets.
The sunset did not last long...
...and soon the flash of Turnberry lighthouse was the brightest object in the sky...
...and we paddled into Maidens in near darkness after a
Sundown at Culzean
South of Dunure, Turnberry lighthouse appeared on the horizon.
We took a third luncheon (not liquid this time) at the north end of Culzean (pron. Cullane) Bay.
By the time we got going again the sun had begun to set.
The Culzean coast line was in deep shade...
...and as we paddled under sandstone cliffs, the great castle of Culzean appeared on the skyline.
This was to be our third and last
We took a third luncheon (not liquid this time) at the north end of Culzean (pron. Cullane) Bay.
By the time we got going again the sun had begun to set.
The Culzean coast line was in deep shade...
...and as we paddled under sandstone cliffs, the great castle of Culzean appeared on the skyline.
This was to be our third and last
Ice cold in Dunure
After leaving the Heads of Ayr, the coastline swings round to the SW and we caught our first glimpse of Ailsa Craig.
We then came to Dunure, our second castle of the day, which like the first, was perched right on the edge of a cliff.
We landed within the little harbour below the castle.
In the summer it is full of recreational boats but these two swans had it pretty much to themselves. The
We then came to Dunure, our second castle of the day, which like the first, was perched right on the edge of a cliff.
We landed within the little harbour below the castle.
In the summer it is full of recreational boats but these two swans had it pretty much to themselves. The
Jetting off for some winter sun on Costa Clyde
From the mouth of the Doon we paddled under the grim walls of Greenan Castle, which is perched right on the edge of the cliff. Castles are one of the great features of paddling in Scotland. They are a reminder that what are now apparently remote places were once lived in (and fought over) by our ancestors.
We bumped into Richard, from Ayr, who was trying out his shiny new Rockpool GT. I
We bumped into Richard, from Ayr, who was trying out his shiny new Rockpool GT. I
"Did you see those three madmen at Seafield?".
After the recent snows, the Ayrshire coast was one of the few places in Scotland not to be under a blanket of snow. Even the Arran mountains seemed to have escaped with a light dusting. However, a chill northerly breeze kept the temperature down to minus two Celsius.
Phil, Jim and I had left shuttle cars at Maidens and then driven back to Seafield at Ayr for a trip past three of the four castles
Phil, Jim and I had left shuttle cars at Maidens and then driven back to Seafield at Ayr for a trip past three of the four castles
Glen Sannox, Arran from Portencross, Ayrshire
A 31km day trip from Portencross to Glen Sannox on Arran and back via Brodick and the Arran ferry.
HMS Dragon was on sea trials in the Sound of Bute as we crossed...
...towards the magnificent vista of the Glen Sannox mountains.
There be dragons at the end of rainbows in the Clyde!
Clyde ore, prawns and peninsulas.
Making the most of short winter days.
This dragon does not belch smoke!
HMS Dragon was on sea trials in the Sound of Bute as we crossed...
...towards the magnificent vista of the Glen Sannox mountains.
There be dragons at the end of rainbows in the Clyde!
Clyde ore, prawns and peninsulas.
Making the most of short winter days.
This dragon does not belch smoke!
Ailsa Craig from Lendalfoot, Ayrshire.
A 32km day trip round Ailsa Craig in the outer Firth of Clyde.
Tidal streams between the Ayrshire coast and Ailsa Craig are generally weak, towards the Craig they are about 0.5knots at springs. The NE going flood starts about +0535 HW Greenock (-0530 HW Dover) and the SE going ebb starts about -0050 HW Greenock (+0030 HW Dover).
Remember to take a good broad brimmed hat.
A little rockhopping
Tidal streams between the Ayrshire coast and Ailsa Craig are generally weak, towards the Craig they are about 0.5knots at springs. The NE going flood starts about +0535 HW Greenock (-0530 HW Dover) and the SE going ebb starts about -0050 HW Greenock (+0030 HW Dover).
Remember to take a good broad brimmed hat.
A little rockhopping
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