After sweeping round Stac an Armin we aproached Boreray from the NE. What a superlative sight! It was like a great stegosaurus rising up from the ocean. We half expected to see pterodactyls swooping round its rocky pinnacles...
...but they had all evolved into gannets!
Murdani now took the Cuma through the narrow gap between Boreray...
...and a pair of small unnamed stacs which lie between
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The gannets of Stac an Armin.
The Cuma slowed as we approached the north end of Boreray. We were silenced by this view between Boreray and Stac an Armin. Stc Lee is partly hidden by the dark cliffs of Boreray, Hitra is in the distance with Stac Soay and Stac Biorach between it and Soay, then Stac an Armin.
Telephoto shot of Soay.
At 196m high, Stac an Armin is the highest sea stac in the British Isles. The St Kildans
Telephoto shot of Soay.
At 196m high, Stac an Armin is the highest sea stac in the British Isles. The St Kildans
A journey towards the edge of the World.
My journey north to St Kilda started at 17:30 after work last Friday. It was a slow drive due to the number of caravans and motor homes heading north. These vehicles carry such evocative names as GT, Cheetah, Concorde (Mach 2 model), Monza, Le Mans etc. However, the road quietened after Fort William and by 21:30 I was watching the sun set behind Eilean Donan Castle.
I spent the night at Gordon
I spent the night at Gordon
Swanning about and an invasion of privacy in the Sound of Islay.
There are very many opportunities to wild camp on the Jura shore of the Sound of Islay. Basalt dykes at right angles to the shore create innumerable secluded coves.
Unfortunately one of the prime sites was already occupied, so not wanting to invade any one's privacy, we turned back a little way.
We soon found a lesser bay and we decided to just make do with second best as the sun was setting
Unfortunately one of the prime sites was already occupied, so not wanting to invade any one's privacy, we turned back a little way.
We soon found a lesser bay and we decided to just make do with second best as the sun was setting
A lonely sheiling on the north coast of Islay.
Above the beach at Port an t-Sruthain on the North coast of Islay, we found a natural amphitheatre surrounded by the cliff line of the raised beach. At the focal point are the remains of an old sheiling. The tinkling of a stream, cascading down the cliffs, explained the Gaelic name of the beach, “Port of the Stream”.
It would have been a hard life eking out a living here. In the distance, low
It would have been a hard life eking out a living here. In the distance, low
Several short sunny days on a sojourn to the Solway .
At the end of April and beginning of May, I enjoyed a fantastic holiday on Fleet Bay in the Solway Firth. Each day dawned sunny...
...and the calm days were spent exploring the Islands of Fleet.
Thee Murray's Isles have a large cormorant colony which is surrounded by a gull colony. I was saddened to see a noisy party in 4 SOT/recreational kayaks paddle close under the rocks. The cormorants all
...and the calm days were spent exploring the Islands of Fleet.
Thee Murray's Isles have a large cormorant colony which is surrounded by a gull colony. I was saddened to see a noisy party in 4 SOT/recreational kayaks paddle close under the rocks. The cormorants all
The western cliffs of Ailsa Craig.
On our recent trip to Ailsa Craig, we spent time under the western cliffs and the Water Cave before rounding Stranny Point. Unfortunately the cacophony of the birds' calls and the smell of their guano does not come across in this video.
Sammy the Otter slumbers at sea.
We left Lamlash Bay at Clauchlands Point.
The coastline became more mountainous the further north we travelled along Arran's east coast. We drifted in the peace of this wild place.
We were not the only ones enjoying the peace. We came across our old friend, Sammy the Otter, having a quick nap!
"What's that?"
"Cripes, two of the ugliest sea kayakers I have ever seen!"
The coastline became more mountainous the further north we travelled along Arran's east coast. We drifted in the peace of this wild place.
We were not the only ones enjoying the peace. We came across our old friend, Sammy the Otter, having a quick nap!
"What's that?"
"Cripes, two of the ugliest sea kayakers I have ever seen!"
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
Circumnavigation of Ailsa Craig.
The regular staff of seakayakphoto.com are not the World's greatest circumnavigators...
...but our new honorary member, John Willacy, does have a reputation as a rather fast circumnavigator (Anglesey, Isle of Man etc.) so we felt we could not let the side down. Honour was at stake, so we set off on a circumnavigation of the Craig...
...all 3.84km of it! We soon passed Stranny Point and came to
...but our new honorary member, John Willacy, does have a reputation as a rather fast circumnavigator (Anglesey, Isle of Man etc.) so we felt we could not let the side down. Honour was at stake, so we set off on a circumnavigation of the Craig...
...all 3.84km of it! We soon passed Stranny Point and came to
Death in Ardlamont.
We paddled towards the mouth of Loch Fyne along a raised beach until we came to...
...Kilbride Bay. The sad remains of a dead whale lay beached on the shore. The smell of death hung so heavy in the air that we could not approach closer to investigate its species. We paddled over huge detatched ribs with flesh still attached, that lay under the clear waters below its final resting place.
The
...Kilbride Bay. The sad remains of a dead whale lay beached on the shore. The smell of death hung so heavy in the air that we could not approach closer to investigate its species. We paddled over huge detatched ribs with flesh still attached, that lay under the clear waters below its final resting place.
The
Clear seas full of sprats, off Ardlamont Point
The Cowal peninsula has some really great bays. This is Kilbride Bay, which was very atmospheric with the mist lying low over the hills and forests.
Off Rhuba na Peileig the sea was boiling with large shoals of sprats.
Just round the point, we came across this lovely...
...beach of cobbles.
It was now time for our first luncheon.
We sat on these wonderful whorled rocks. I found a very nice
Off Rhuba na Peileig the sea was boiling with large shoals of sprats.
Just round the point, we came across this lovely...
...beach of cobbles.
It was now time for our first luncheon.
We sat on these wonderful whorled rocks. I found a very nice
Skating about Skate Island: a baby basking shark.
From Portavadie, we set off down Loch Fyne to Sgat Mor, big skate island.
The little lighthouse used to be powered by propane and is almost all gas tank. It looked like a rocket. Nowadays it is solar powered.
Between the island and the mainland something skating about at high speed on the water surface caught our eye.
What on earth was it?
It was a baby basking shark, less than two meters
The little lighthouse used to be powered by propane and is almost all gas tank. It looked like a rocket. Nowadays it is solar powered.
Between the island and the mainland something skating about at high speed on the water surface caught our eye.
What on earth was it?
It was a baby basking shark, less than two meters
Less fond of basking sharks than otters.
We paddled down the Machars peninsula and across Monreith Bay. Phil's silhouette was ringed by the bright water of Luce Bay.
Crazy drystone dykes marched across the Galloway hillsides and raised beaches. I have already mentioned that Port William was planned by Sir William Maxwell. One of his descendants, Gavin Maxwell, fisherman, turned naturalist, then author, was brought up in Elrig, just
Crazy drystone dykes marched across the Galloway hillsides and raised beaches. I have already mentioned that Port William was planned by Sir William Maxwell. One of his descendants, Gavin Maxwell, fisherman, turned naturalist, then author, was brought up in Elrig, just
Swanning about in Oban.
Back in Oban harbour we came across...
...FV Lady Evelyn. Sadly she has seen better days. But possibly there is hope that she might see the high seas again.
We were now nearly back at our launch spot below McCaig's Folly and the Oban Distillery.
No sooner had we arrived, than we were closely inspected by the local customs inspector...
...in case we had any contraband luncheon left. Only when
...FV Lady Evelyn. Sadly she has seen better days. But possibly there is hope that she might see the high seas again.
We were now nearly back at our launch spot below McCaig's Folly and the Oban Distillery.
No sooner had we arrived, than we were closely inspected by the local customs inspector...
...in case we had any contraband luncheon left. Only when
A series of juxtapositions in the Sound of Mull.
North of Lochaline, the coastline of Morvern becomes much gentler and is backed by large forestry plantations. It was to here the the last few St Kildans were evacuated in 1930. Those that were able worked in the forests. what a juxtaposition a St Kildan in a forest in Morvern! They had come from an island with no trees!
We found Fiunary boathouse in a little inlet beside Rhubha na h-Airde
We found Fiunary boathouse in a little inlet beside Rhubha na h-Airde
Between a rock and a hard place at Glensanda.
All too soon we had to leave the oasis of Kingairloch...
...and continue our exploration of the Morvern coast.
We passed huge beaches of perfectly graded shingle.
After some time, we became aware of a curious noise, a bit like waves sucking shingle down a beach, but more sustained and more artificial.
We had found the Glensanda super quarry, the biggest in Europe. The noise we had heard was
...and continue our exploration of the Morvern coast.
We passed huge beaches of perfectly graded shingle.
After some time, we became aware of a curious noise, a bit like waves sucking shingle down a beach, but more sustained and more artificial.
We had found the Glensanda super quarry, the biggest in Europe. The noise we had heard was
Gently flows the Doon.
Our first port of call was the River Doon.
It was high tide so we were able to paddle right up to the tidal weir...
...and give the kayaks a quick rinse...
...before heading back downstream. Since the 1930's the Doon has lost a third of its flow, which is pumped through the hills of its watershed into the catchment of the River Dee. This river flows into the Solway through a series of dams
It was high tide so we were able to paddle right up to the tidal weir...
...and give the kayaks a quick rinse...
...before heading back downstream. Since the 1930's the Doon has lost a third of its flow, which is pumped through the hills of its watershed into the catchment of the River Dee. This river flows into the Solway through a series of dams
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
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