Sea kayaking round Luing.

 Circumnavigation of Luing: a 32km day trip from Ellenabeich, Seil, January 2011.


18.2 km/hr in the Cuan Sound, between Luing and Seil.

The tide times in the Cuan Sound and the Grey Dogs (also the Corryvreckan) are influenced by low pressure Atlantic systems and can be difficult to predict within an hour's accuracy. However, in a high pressure system they are much more predictable, though

The stirring sound of moving water in the Cuan Sound.

It was now three hours after the start of the spring flood tide and our course took us in a dog leg, round the north end of Torsa and into the Cuan Sound. We had told Phil that there might be a little slope (several feet or so) but there would not be any whirlpools (Phil has an unaccountable aversion to whirlpools).

At the entrance of the Sound, the skerry of An Cleiteadh, constricts and dams

Toberonochy, what's the story?

As the glassy calm waters of the Sound of Shuna slipped astern, we came across some scattered houses on the Luing shore.

We had come across the little village of Toberonochy which nestles round a small harbour.

Crystal Waters, a former Banff registered trawler (BF 209), was leaning against the harbour wall. She was decommissioned under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) (Scotland) Scheme

A sting in the tail of the Sound of Shuna.

We crossed the Sound of Luing and rounded the  south end of Luing at slack water.

It was time for an extended luncheon, to allow the flood tide to build up sufficiently to assist us on the way home. David produced a whisky snifter that rather outclassed everyone else's, it was just as well it was his round! Fortunately he had brought a plentiful supply of  Welsh Penderyn malt whisky, which is a

The Grey Dogs were salivating, while awaiting our arrival.

It was a cold, grey, January day but the promise of spring tides took us to Ellenabeich on the Island of Seil. David, Jennifer, Jim, Phil and I launched our kayaks in the little harbour of this former slate mining centre.

The harbour at Ellenabeich is sheltered from the open Firth of Lorn by the island of Easdale which lies just over 100m across the Sound of Easdale. A little passenger ferry

A unobstructed view thanks to midges and shaggy dogs.

We passed by the south coast of Easdale......on our approach......to the little harbour at Ellenabeich, which nestles below the rocky slopes of Dun Mor, on the Island of Seil.We called in at the Oyster Brewery Bar Restaurant for a Guinness and some excellent haddock and chips. Despite being crowded when we arrived, we got the best seats. We are not sure if it was the coincidental arrival of the