The forecast was not looking promising, the wind was due to increase 5-6 from the NE, imminently. We launched from the Cuma at 6pm...
...and made for the Dun Gap in beautiful evening sunshine.
The wind and the tide were whistling through the Dun Gap as I looked back past Giasgeir, in mid channel, to Oisebhal (293m) on Hirta.
Mostly it was sheltered in the lee of Dun but there were some vicious
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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
A quick shag on Ailsa Craig.
It was now time to paddle round Ailsa Craig. We had arranged to meet Alan and Linda from the Castle Craig Kayak Club. We set off anticlockwise, past the walkway round to the north foghorn and quarry.
We emerged from the darkness under the cliffs of Eagle's Seat...
...followed by this grey seal. "Look at the eyebrows on that!"
Jim was delighted with how the borrowed Taran performed, responding
We emerged from the darkness under the cliffs of Eagle's Seat...
...followed by this grey seal. "Look at the eyebrows on that!"
Jim was delighted with how the borrowed Taran performed, responding
A great bellowing on Ailsa Craig.
We heard the bellowing long before we came to the south foghorn on Ailsa Craig.
It obviously wasn't coming from the foghorn as it has been silent since 1966. We passed a row of nine massive but rusting compressed air tanks that provided the "oomph" for the horn. They were supplied by a 2.5" inch pipe that ran 700m from the compressor in the gasworks round to the south of the island.
The air
It obviously wasn't coming from the foghorn as it has been silent since 1966. We passed a row of nine massive but rusting compressed air tanks that provided the "oomph" for the horn. They were supplied by a 2.5" inch pipe that ran 700m from the compressor in the gasworks round to the south of the island.
The air
A peculiarly cold form of burnishment, in Port William.
The tide was ebbing fast from the little harbour of Port William. The village was planned and built in the 1770's by Sir William Maxwell of Monreith.
The harbour is one of very few on the west of Galloway and like most in the area it dries out. Although the sun was now rising in the sky, the roofs of the village houses were still covered in frost.
Our departure was watched over by "the Man"...
The harbour is one of very few on the west of Galloway and like most in the area it dries out. Although the sun was now rising in the sky, the roofs of the village houses were still covered in frost.
Our departure was watched over by "the Man"...
Tight ropes on Slack Heugh.
The SW coast of Meikle Ross has steep cliffs extending from Fox Craig along to Slack Heugh.
They are a magnet for rock climbers as there are a whole range of routes right up to E numbers.
We still had a little tidal assistance, though we were now out of the main ebb flow from the Solway. We soon found ourselves at Manxman's Rock...
...then the westcoast of Barlocco Isle. Phil tried to cross
They are a magnet for rock climbers as there are a whole range of routes right up to E numbers.
We still had a little tidal assistance, though we were now out of the main ebb flow from the Solway. We soon found ourselves at Manxman's Rock...
...then the westcoast of Barlocco Isle. Phil tried to cross
Hats are de rigeur on the far side of Ailsa Craig.
Even although we have paddled round Ailsa Craig many times, we are always stunned by the teeming gannet colony on the SW cliffs. We could hardly hear ourselves shout over the constant croaking of the gannets. There are about 35,000 pairs nesting on the island in the spring and summer.
Close under the cliffs, the smell of the guano was quite overpowering...
...and our hats were absolutely
Close under the cliffs, the smell of the guano was quite overpowering...
...and our hats were absolutely
The great eagle of Eileach an Naoimh
The exposed NW cooast of Eileach an Naoimh inthe Garvellach Isles is a wondrous place. This great stone eagle stretches its wings over a tiny paddler, who is lost in the scale of the place.Usually the swell is too big to get in this close. We had looped round the Garvellachs in a figure of eight, so that we would paddle this bit later in the day, when the sun had come round...You can see why!
Sea kayaking under the west coast cliffs of Garbh Eileach.
The NW coast of the Garvellachs is a wild place. It is not often possible to paddle in close due to the swell that seems to be amplified as it rolls up the narrowing Firth of Lorn from the Atlantic.We proceeded under the steep tillite (metamorphosed glacial deposits) cliffs of Garbh Eileach.The cliffs are almost continuous until......we reached a break before the next island in the chain, A'
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