Our archive of earlier Trip Diary entries - great to mull over on a wild day when planning your next trip!

Archive Index

• September 2009 The spectacular Scottish North East coast
• August 2009 Wet, wet, wet!
• July 2009 Great day out with the Martenson brothers
• June 2009 Otters and sunsets
• May 2009 Favourite four images
• April 2009 Low consequence rescue practice
• March 2009 The return of spring
• November 2008 Belnahua day out
• October 2008 sometimes we just can’t go
• September 2008 sea kayaking words of wisdom
• August 2008 truth, fiction and sea kayaking
• July 2008 sea kayaking: a pretty diverse pastime
• June 2008 football results...not!
• May 2008 visit often, stay long.

As we scampered down the spectacular Scottish North East coast (July 2008), Rowland and I were pretty determined to return for a more leisurely look at the cliffs, caves, stacks and arches on offer. September 5th found us back there this year.

Five of us hired a wee farm cottage about twenty minutes drive from the N & NE coast either side of Duncansby Head, the plan being a week’s crook & cranny snurgeling.

Two days lost to bad weather (high winds) didn’t even dint our enthusiasm given the quality of the paddling on water and what’s more it’s left us a little something to go back for.

The cliffs are tall and with few landing zones, even the shortest paddles should be considered committing. Harbours and Geos are your put ins/take outs to the deep caves, tall stacks and gazoynkle arches that turn even the shortest paddles into welcomed long days. With something new around every small point, your neck cranes up that often you’re in danger of cricking it. You’ll never forgive yourself if you forget your camera and you’ll be looking for a big torch after cave exploration day one.

On top of all that you get to do the John O’Groats thing once you’ve rounded Duncansby Head.

It’s a fantastic area to paddle in, all the more so for its small boat herring fishing heritage (just scraping the surface of the way things used to be may well have you thinking twice before you bemoan our modern day, soft living).

Just remember it’s not the place to be after a two day introduction to sea kayaking. You need to know what you are doing. This coastline is not the place to be practicing or even honing navigation, risk assessment, tidal water and rescue or close manoeuvring skills.

It should all be solidly in place or, at the very least, you should be in the company of someone who has all of the above and is happy with you being part of the team.

If you get the chance go see for yourself but remember first and foremost stay safe.

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The 11th of July was one of the hottest days of the year. Exactly one month later we must have experienced one of the wettest. The rain was that heavy as we sat in Corran Halls car park, 11th of August we decided to call the whole thing off until tomorrow – Wednesday 12th.

Sitting at the Taynuilt put in, ready to head on up into Loch Etive, Emma pointed out “ on a good day, we may even be able to see the mountains”.

Someone must have been listening because, despite the rain, the cloud began to break as we paddled up into the loch.

Was it wet... yes... very!

Did the girls enjoy it? Pictures? Words? Better than?

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Saturday July 11th 2009. I was lucky enough to be out paddling with the Martenson brothers. The guys were good enough to bring one of the hottest days of the year along with them on their visit from Sweden.

We paddled around Shuna island from Port Appin ferry pier and after an alternative view of Castle Stalker we paddled on over for a closer look.

Bjorn was carrying a very neat GPS tracking device, to save time explaining here’s an extract from one of his emails following the paddle trip:

*The day after the paddle, the guys climbed Ben Nevis in kilts!

You can view a whole host of on water and off water Port Appin images by using Bjorn’s link above. These two pictures are how things looked a lot of the time from my perspective.

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It’s been a good month for sunsets, not that you would expect anything else from the west coast of Scotland this time of year. There are a whole host of places to watch the setting sun in Oban but none of them compare to sitting out on the water in a sea kayak.

You get the feeling that the whole show’s being put on for no one else but you. There are no cars rolling by, no elbowing strangers pressing into that six inch gap in front of you in an effort to gain a better view and at that time of night there tends to be no other boats about either, it’s not that unusual to have it all to yourself.

Well... not all to yourself... you’d be surprised how often these guys put in an appearance. Evidently otters like sunsets too.

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These are my four favourite images of May 2009 one being the result of about the heaviest rain shower I’ve ever been caught in while out on the water. Together they give a pretty good idea of just how changeable the weather can be in May: click any image to see a full size version.

Sometimes you just wish your friends weren’t quite so keen to paddle...

... and sometimes you’ve just got to know when to throw in the towel.

Other times you can simply just get lost in the moment. This one was after we’d followed not so much a school of porpoises but more of a very small classroom, for close to an hour just out from Ganavan Sands on one of the stillest days of the year. No sun to speak of but we would not have traded the mist, the peaceful water or the following otter sightings for anything else that day.

And more often than you’d think it pays to pack the sunscreen, even when you’ve travelled all the way from Texas.

Whatever weather you find yourselves paddling in this summer: have a great time.

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The sun may be shining but it’s best to remember that the water is still very, very cold. Don’t let the promise of a good day catch you out as the sun disappears behind that huge cloud bank that just wasn’t there when you set out. Or even worse, don’t take the experiential learning route to finding out that what you wear sitting in your kayak may as well be made of toilet tissue once you find yourself in the water.

Now might be the time to think about a little “low consequence rescue practice” close to the shore, the hot chocolate or the tomato soup (my personal favourite). Or a swimming pool rescue session just to ease you back into it all.

Whichever, remember to dress for the occasion. Someone once said to me, “there’s no such thing as bad weather – there’s only bad clothing.” I was clambering back into my boat at the time thanking the gods for dry suits, polar stretch fleece and the dry hat I have squirrelled away in a dry bag inside my deck bag. When June and July arrive it will make paddling in lighter clothing all the more enjoyable.

Happy low consequence rescue practicing...

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The return of spring

Well that’s the winter over. It was light until 7 o’clock last night, light enough to make you look forwards to summer...or at least remember the winter.

I sort of go to sleep around December every year and don’t really wake up until the end of February. Waiting for the wind to drop I’ve count the number of days the pavement outside my front door has remained dry. By the beginning of March this year the sum total was two.

Coastal forecast for Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Point 26 March 2009

0600 - 1159 Pressure – 989 mB Temp max/min – 8/6 degrees C Wind speed – F5–7 becoming F7–9 Wind direction – W Max gust in knots – 49 becoming 72 Sea state – Rough becoming Very Rough Visibility – Excellent becoming Very good

1200 - 1759 Pressure – 991 mB Temp max/min – 8/6 degrees C Wind speed – F7–8 becoming F6–8 Wind direction – W Max gust in knots – 58 becoming 53 Sea state – Very Rough Visibility – Very good becoming Excellent

Yes that’s gusting 72 knots in the Coastal not the Inshore Forecast!

It’s not all wind and rain though thank goodness, a spell of wonderful weather last week took my dry pavement count up to eight days yahoo!

At the end of February, beginning of March I met Peter Twyman of www.obanbackpackers.com and www.backpackersplus.com. A number of paddlers had recommended Oban Backpackers to me by the end of last year and I’ve added a link to them on my new Links page.

The last two weekends have begun to see the arrival of car topped sea kayaks from outside the local area. Two regular visitors have been fire fighters, Garry Mackay and Lee Peyton. Gaz & Lee are undertaking a Three Hundred Miles Sub Sixty Hour Personal Outer Hebridean Challenge in aid of the leading Children’s Charity CLIC Sargent www.clicsargent.org.uk.

Three hundred miles in less than sixty hours including the crossings of Barra and Harris sounds; despite the “we haven’t really done that much kayaking before Colin so Geoff and Ann at Kari–Tek suggested we have a word with you...”. The training sessions have been pretty intense. Check out Garry & Lee at www.300miles.org any donations are welcome: they’re two good guys trying to raise money for a very good cause.

Well... that’s me awake again and looking forward to the summer, happy paddling folks... wherever your Lendals, Werners, Ainsworths or Greenland Sticks take you.

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Belnahua day out

This was a short trip paddled 2nd November 2008.

We fitted the “there and back to” Belnahua journey in around the tides to give the five of us lunch on the island. It was one of those days when the sun just shone and shone but being November of course it was gone by 5 o’clock. No matter; by that time we were in the Oyster, next to the stove, fiddling with cameras to see who had captured the best of the day.

Enjoy the images. It was a five-ish hour trip including lunch, chatting on and picture taking.

Click thumbnail images below to see a larger version.

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October Diary: Tuesday

Sometimes you just have to say we can’t go. You don’t feel particularly good about it and it’s definitely not because the folding “makes the world go round” stuff is disappearing into the F7/8 along with the paddle plan.

When the wind is buffeting my bod as I stand on a bench on Pulpit Rock at 7.30am waiting for light enough to see what’s actually going on, out in the Firth of Lorn... I already know what the call’s going to be, and the rows of white horse galloping past the western shore of Kerrera are only really a confirmation. There’s going to be disappointment and I’m going to feel bad about it, but at least we’ll be safe to paddle when the wind drops whether the sun peeps out or not. You can dress for the cold and the rain but when the wind hits 7’s and 8’s, there’s little escape. Paddling skills morph into coping strategies and sometimes the best way to cope is to just not get onto the water in the first place.

I remember driving a friend down to Oban Sailing Club… As we carried his boat to the water (the wind made it impossible for him to carry it alone), I tried tactfully to get him to change his plan. Discarding my manly norms and values I even stooped so low as to admit I wouldn’t go out into that there wind. As he paddled out I drove down towards Kerrera Ferry rather than back towards home. An hour and a bit later my pal struggled in towards the car, “too windy to carry on” he said. Total distance covered 1.6K, fifteen minutes maximum pootling on an average day. Next day the wind dropped.

It’s hard to have something you’ve looked forwards to literally blown away when you’re on vacation. The reasoning may be sound but it never completely alleviates the disappointment. This blog entry is just to let everyone know it’s a two way street. There’s always the guilt and the “well maybe if I just...we could.” Thankfully there’s also experience and a modicum of common sense – belt backed up by a (safety first) set of braces.

October Diary: Thursday

Almost no wind, the sun shines brightly. That’s the weather in October... unpredictable.

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Sea kayaking words of wisdom

People often ask me if there are any books out there that are worth reading.

At the very real risk of being castigated, disparaged and generally shot down in flames here are five to start with. It’s my very own list... If there is anyone out there who wants to add to it or even criticise it – feel free; just bear in mind that I’m only human and I haven’t read everything.

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SEA KAYAKING – Derek Hutchinson.

Now in its fifth edition, would you believe you can buy it cheaper from Tesco.com than my fourth edition cost in 1994?

SEA KAYAKING (a manual for long distance touring) – John Dowd

SEA KAYAKER DEEP TROUBLE – Matt Broze & George Gronseth

THE CANOE BOYS – Sir Alistair Dunnet

COMPLETE SEA KAYAK TOURING – Jonathan Hanson

I know Gordon Brown’s “Sea Kayak” ain’t above and I know I’ve missed every sea kayaking guide book... not to mention the BCU “Canoe-Kayak” and “Coaching Handbooks” (Trys Morris’s chapter 15 pages 251–284 rule as far as I’m concerned). Franco Ferrero’s “Sea Kayak Navigation” (1st & 2nd Editions) is in front of me as I key tap, to make sure I spell his name right...

There are lots of books out there - some considered essential reading, some inspirational reading and at least to leave you thinking “how can people even contemplate paddling on the salty stuff when they seem to know so very little about it?” Mind you it was the 1980s! And the truth is they’re all worth reading. If a sea kayaking book cannot actually add to, it will at the very least, reinforce or help consolidate an individual’s knowledge base.

If you’ve read a sea kayaking “good un” and think paddlers should know about it, let me know (email info@obanseakayakguides.com). I’ll pass on the information, see if I’ve got a copy or add it to my dear Santa list.

Happy paddling...Colin

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Truth, fiction and sea kayaking

Four paddlers head towards Ardantrive Bay (north east end of Kerrera). The weather that afternoon had been appalling. Wind, rain, overcast slate grey sky and considering it was August, cold! By five thirty I’d decided to wear my dry suit no matter what the forecast said. The coastal had everything cheering up; wind set to drop, sun booked to put in an appearance and Oban’s Pipe Band due to meet us with sandwiches and beer when we got off.

Rounding Rubh a Bhearnaig, ragged showers petered out as a gleaming white cruise liner upped anchor inside a cone of sunlight. “Shiny,” I thought as light bounced back from more floating windows than I could count… “Might have overdone it with the dry suit,” I added as the wind started to drop.

We flew down Kerrerra’s west coast, past Eilean nam Gamhna, Slatrach Bay and Rubha na Lice. Tom was paddling close in, Andy and Adam stood off a bit, I was out a little further still. Too thin to do anything else, the clouds were pulling apart like fraying old cotton vests. Sunlight flooded down from a fast clearing sky doing that thing I’ve never seen it do anywhere else but Oban... Kerrera glowed. The way people glow when they’re in good company... in tune with the world around them... welcoming... without pretence.

The wind dropped off completely as we passed between Bach Island and Rubha na Feundain removing the helping hand we’d hoped for once we turned back north into Kerrera Sound and into the tide, but it was a small price to pay for the trip so far.

Cardinal marks flashed out white signatures from Oban Bay as the light began to fade. One silhouetted paddler to another, we made our way back to the get in. By 2200hrs the boats were back on the roof bars.

Oban Pipe Band wasn’t there to meet us with a beer of course, I lied about that bit… but the rest is true, honest.

Happy paddling...Colin

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It’s a pretty diverse pastime sea kayaking.

At the beginning of July I was paddling across the top of Scotland, Cape Wrath, Dunnett Head, Pentland Firth, Duncansby Head and south on down to Balintore. I’d been invited to join Rowland and Cath on that particular section of their Round Britain 08 Expedition. First night out (despite having checked, rechecked and pitched it three times before leaving home) the fly sheet zip of my tent split and ceased to function. No problem, I pulled out my repair kit and fixed it. Next morning one of the tent poles snapped. No problem, I always carry a complete spare pole. A day later the sole was ripped almost completely from my paddling shoe – left foot – don’t ask. No problem, I always carry a spare pair of shoes that double as paddling shoes.

Near to the end of July nine of us bimbled our boats down towards the Atlantic Bridge from Oban Sailing Club. The sun was blazing and the trip had no other objective than to stand a pint of beer next to our sandwiches. No problem, I had money in my wallet. One or two people passed on the “pint with” in favour of “ice–cream after” their lunch outside the ‘House of the Trousers’. It’s the place islanders heading for the mainland are supposed to have stopped to swap kilts for trousers when kilts were banned after the Jacobite rebellion. These days, after paddling under or crossing over the world famous Atlantic Bridge, most people just swap money for beer and good food at the Tigh an Truish pub.

One of the trips was a multi–day effort, with a couple of 60 kilometre days thrown in just to see if I had the spare energy to go with the spare tent pole, repair kit and insight to deal with paddle shoe failure. The other was as simple as it sounds: a paddle and a pint.

So... which was the best? Answers on a postcard? No need. Both trips were great! Why? Diversity. Diversity gets a big YIP as far as I’m concerned... and the ability to plan and prepare for it makes the YIP ever so slightly bigger.

Happy paddling...Colin

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Football results...not!

The paddle out from Ellenabeich harbour to Rubha Sasunnaich at the South East tip of Insh Island doesn’t take long. Twenty minutes saw the six of us there last night around about 7:30pm. There wasn’t a lot of wind but the small swell was enough to make you look before running through the Rubha Sasunnaich. Every now and again a bigger brother swell threatened to rattle the unwary onto the steeper side of the main Island, after two or three back and forward passes we moved on smiling.

Insh is only about 1.5km in length so it doesn’t take long to get from one end to the other, at the North West tip the wind picked up a tad jiggling the salty stuff until we’d paddled around and put our backs to it. The usual “Insh Hermits” scuttlebutt emerged as we paddled under his currently vacated cave, Gill un-jammed Liz’s skeg and all of a sudden we were back at Rubha Sasunnaich.

Easdale next with the wee bit of wind and tide helping as we crossed to another Rubha, this time it was “nam Faoileann”. Through a much more caldron-like gap in the rocks on Easdale’s South West corner we entered Camos Mor. The water’s demeanour calmed as we rock hopped, popped into a sunken quarry through a three foot slot and chatted before winding our way beneath old pier staithes back into the harbour.

We were off the water by 9:30pm. Two and a half hours had given us unrestricted views of Kerrera and Bach Island on our way out. Garbh Eileach, Belnahua, Fladder and if you took the time to look right; the South East coast of Mull silhouetting as the sun set, on the way back in. Three and a half hours gave us time for a pint of locally brewed beer in a pub that was closer to the harbour wall than the sea is at low tide. Chelsea were playing Manchester United, it went to penalties. If you’re the only person in the UK who doesn’t know the result – buy a paper, this is a sea kayaking blog, not a sport’s page.

Happy paddling...Colin

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Visit often, stay long.

A swan that was a cygnet ten or so months ago flew at a kayaker’s head height across the bay as we paddled out yesterday. It was so quiet I heard the swwwiiiisshhhhh of its webbed feet planing to a halt as it landed behind me.

I was on my way to Ganavan Bay to meet up with three like-minded folk to paddle out to Lady’s Rock, 15 minutes South and East of Lismore Lighthouse. As my paddle dipped into the flat water I let my mind drift. Not so long ago, access to the salty stuff necessitated lifting my boat onto a car, it wasn’t unusual for time spent travelling to and from the sea to be greater than my time actually spent paddling upon it.

These days, I can, hand on heart, be on the water in less time than it used to take to load my boat onto the roof bars. I no longer measure my journey to the water’s edge in hours and minutes, I measure it in paces. Ninety three paces as it happens (I’ve just counted them), though to be honest that is to the high water line, which is where I put on and got out yesterday morning and afternoon.

Access to the Lynne of Lorn, Loch Linnhe, Firth of Lorn, Kerrera Sound and even the Sound of Mull opens up as I paddle North West out of Dunstaffange Bay before turning left for the half hour trip to Ganavan Sands. By twelve thirty, Sunday 18th May 2008, four of us were sitting on Lismore looking South East past the lighthouse way on down towards Insh Island and further on to Garbh Eileach. Unbelievably the corner of a sandwich was curling up–over in the heat of the midday sun as we wondered why a bunch of terns seemed to have taken up residence below the tide line on Lady’s Rock. Conversation moved onto the more technical side of using a “she pee” before we set off again with the tide North East for Eilean’s ~ nan Gahmna, na Cloiche and Dubh. On the way Barry and I rolled a couple of times to cool down, each time we surfaced we looked around to remind ourselves that we were still in Scotland.

Gill’s mum has a saying “Scotland does good weather good!” The other saying I like regarding home is “Visit often, stay long”, it’s why we moved to the Oban area. Back at Ganavan we nattered about last week”s trip to the Garvellachs, camping on Lismore and maybe a paddle followed by a meal at Oban Marina’s base on Kerrera. It took me half an hour to paddle home and a couple of minutes to fit the trolley and trundle my boat the ninety three paces back to the front gate.

People still ask me if I’m glad Gill and I live where we now live …. Ha! What do you think?

Happy paddling...Colin

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