Beam me up, Roger!

Joan raring to go

17th August - Loch Leven

The Moray coast trip was cancelled so, instead, 10 paddlers had a leisurely glide down Loch Leven. Putting in at Kinlochleven we sailed along with 5 or so knots of tidal assistance and wind. Bill tried the umbrella sailing technique only to watch his inside out umbrella sink gracefully to the bottom of the loch after a swift escape from his clutches. Lunch on Eilean Munde was followed by an inspection of the beautiful slate gravestones on this, the traditional burial ground of the MacDonalds of Glencoe, Stewarts of Ballachulish, and Camerons of Callart. Those murdered in the slaughter of 1692 are buried on the island. Tradition has it that Alasdair MacDonald, (MacIain of Glencoe), was buried here after the massacre in 1692. The island takes its name from an Irish disciple of St Columba, St Mundus or Munn, who settled there for a period in the 7th century. Paddling a short way west we circumnavigated Eilean Choinneich (Kenneth's Island), meeting a brisk breeze whistling down Glen Coe and Glen Fhiodh as we rounded the south corner. The journey back to the take-out point, close to the Loch Leven Sea Food shop and cafe, gave us a bit of a workout and justified a visit to the Corran Inn for refreshments to finish off the day.

3rd. August - Plockton.

Marine biologist and paddling author of "Hebridean Waves", Ewan Gillespie, led a paddle with a look at seashore life in this beautiful area.

28 June - 5 July - Western Isles

Our illustrious leader

Base camp!

Optimistically billed to be a trip from the south of South Uist to Lochmaddy, weather condtions forced a camp based week on Berneray with day paddles where possible. A wee slideshow from the trip pics so far here. If you have any good pics you would like to send in please email them to me.

Sunday 29 June 2008      Berneray

After arriving the previous day and pitching on the dunes near the Gatcliff Hostel, we launched off the adjacent beach at mid-afternoon, the wind having subsided to more manageable levels. We did a widdershins paddle to just short of the beach below Beinn Shleibhe: the F4 breeze and increasing swell deciding for us that we had come as far as comfort allowed. Paddlers: Mike & Sheila, Bill & Jill, Joe & Ed, EL, TL. 6.5km

Monday 30 June 2008       Loch Mhic Phail

Launched off the beach at 10.25 and headed down to Torosaigh, the island beside the causeway. Quite a tough paddle into the wind and the party got rather strung out. We followed the islands and reefs into Loch Mhic Phail and sought refuge behind a little peninsula for lunch. On the water again, we headed southwards for a kilometer or so, but the freshening wind and forecast of “gales later” made turning round a sensible option and we surfed rapidly back to base via Berneray’s shop. Paddlers: Mike & Sheila, Bill, Jill and Rebecca, Roger, Joe, Ed, Muffin, Chris Carter, EL, TL. 16km

Thursday 3 July 2008        Loch Euphort

Friday 4 July 2008               Sound of Harris
We launched from our campsite beach at 10.00 and headed for Killegray. Conditions were calm as we headed for the island. A heavy shower was followed by a basking shark encounter – only about 3m long but unconcerned by our presence. We followed the west coast of Killegray, then over to Ensay (surprisingly little tidal flow) around it until we landed on the Harris facing shore, near to where “Cairn” and “Standing Stone”were marked on the map. After lunch, we followed Chris on an exploration of the adjacent part of the island. We found the prehistoric standing stone; Ensay House appeared to be inhabited and the nearby chapel was in a fine state of repair. The chapel door was carved by the Mouseman, Robert Thompson. After this most enjoyable stop, we headed over to Harris, with another basker en route. The coast was followed to Leverburgh and after a brief halt we set off across the Sound, roughly following the lines of the ferry buoys. The weather was glorious – sun, blue sky and virtually no wind. Plenty of seabirds and the mournful calls of many seals added to the magical quality of the place. Eventually we turned in the direction of the campsite; the tide now against us and the clear water showing how shallow most of the Sound is. We landed in warm sunshine after a wonderful paddle. Paddlers: Bill, Jill and Rebecca, Roger, Joe, Ed, Muffin, Chris Carter, EL, TL. 28km .

13-15th June

Handa

We had a f f f …..freezing w/e of it! 10 of us arrived on the Friday night at Scourie campsite and enjoyed the warmth of the on site hostelry. (Sometimes official campsites are a good thing!)

Simon joined us for the day on Saturday, hoping that we were going to paddle round Handa, but sadly that was not to be. The wind was a Force 4 Northerly, so we opted for a circumnavigation of Loch Laxford, which proved lively enough. The sun came out in the afternoon and we enjoyed a relaxed exploration of Loch a’ Chadh-Fi and a look at John Ridgeway’s Adventure School at Ardmore. Then a bracing paddle back to Fanagmore. Allegedly 2 puffins were sighted. Total distance 15km.

We were hoping for better luck on the Sunday. A Northerly 3 was forecast, so we went to try our luck round Handa.

Ready to launch at Tarbet - Handa looking benign

The tea room at Tarbet

After lunch, we walked over to the Great Stack to see the birds.  At last…puffins...but few in number. We also saw guillemots, razorbills, skuas and fulmars.                                                          

Total distance 11km.

It’s a shame we didn’t manage to paddle round Handa, but at least we didn’t get eaten alive by midges!

Oh yes the paddle.

We set off from Arisaig pier and went the long way round to Camusdarach, doing about 15k in calm seas and sunshine. On the way out we met an Irishman on his way to Eigg and wished him luck. We passed Oyster catchers, terns, various types of gulls and another 3 kayakers on their way to Arisaig. We warned them that we were lucky to escape from there alive so not to go, but they were determined. We never saw them again. Camusdarach came into sight and we bumped into another 4 kayakers coming out of the channel we were going into. Just as I was thinking we need to install traffic lights I realised that it was Richard Cree, his son and party. Duly forgiven, we chatted for a few minutes, but hunger got the better of me and I raced ashore.

Sat/Sun 17/18 May

Two Glens

DAY 1:

Launched 10.40 at Glenfinnan and a coolish NE breeze scooted us down the loch. Early lunch just short of Glen Aladale. Next stop was at the Green Isle, a.k.a. Eilean Finnan.

The island is reputedly haunted, with many gravestones stretching back quite a few centuries.

Arriving at bottom end of the loch by 4.30 we decided to carry on down river while the level was low. There was a fair fair amount of scraping and getting stuck! Arrived at the river mouth at 6.00p.m., just after HT, so it was completely flat - no rapid running needed.

Camped at the foot of the curtain wall on the west side of Castle Tioram, ancient stronghold of the MacDonalds.

33.5km.

DAY 2:

Out of S Channel and round the outside of Eilean Shona.

Met up with 4 other club members who came out from Glenuig to join us. Lunched at Goat island, opposite Roshven, at the mouth of Loch Ailort, then had a pleasant ride up the loch to the jetty.

21.5km.

The first paddle of the touring calendar to take place set off from somewhere along the southern Ardnamurchan coast and headed towards Lochaline. If anyone fancies doing a wee report that would be great - I was nursing my bad foot at home!