into the great solitude

First ski of the season.

2011-12-26T06:15:00.001-08:00

Last weekend was gloriously cold and sunny up here in Scotland, I headed up to the Ben Lawers group; always a good spot for some ski touring. As I walked in with skis still on my pack I saw these tracks, don't come out very well in the photo, but I'm fairly sure their cat. Thing is there's no houses for something like six miles from where I took this. Could it be a Wildcat?

I skinned up into Coire Odhar, quite warm in the sunshine. Beinn Ghlas in the background.
Looking back towards Loch Tay.
Beinn Ghlas from my high point. The snow was mostly windcrust but it held my weight and didn't collaspe under me. The ski down was a bit rough and jerky at times but it was good to be out once again.
I felt fine all day but as I drove home I started sneezing, by the time got to my house I'd developed full on flu. A week later and I still haven't shaken it off and the snows all gone. Oh well.

Out in my back yard.

2011-12-05T05:40:00.000-08:00

I've not been doing much kayaking lately, I'm looking forward to hopefully getting some skiing in this winter. Yesterday I went for a walk with my friends Ray and Tracy along with Olly the dog. We drove to Dollar and walked back to my house via the Doller gorge, the Glen of Sorrows (how did it get that name?), Lord seat Hill, Andrew Garnell Hill, Ben Cleuch and Ben Ever. Lots of snow and a couple of squalls. A really good day out.

In the Dollar Gorge.
Above Castle Campbell.
The Glen of Sorrows.
Soup time
On Lord Seat Hill.

More photo's

2011-11-08T03:56:00.000-08:00

More photo's here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeforsyth/sets/72157627948502581/show/

Night Paddle.

2011-11-08T03:27:00.000-08:00

Every year the Fife club go to Loch Lomond for some night orienteering around the islands at the southern end of the Loch. This year was a cold, clear and still night, it was great for paddling. Didn't do quite so well at the orienteering this year but who cares. Afterwards we had a barr-be and a few drinks. On Sunday we went round again and picked up the markers, this time in thick mist. Even at night when paddling on a bearing you can usually find some reference points to help you stay on course. In the thick mist we had no such references, trying to stay on bearing is really hard without them. However, we all made it across a 3km crossing and were only 25m out.

An air photo of Loch Lomond, taken from a microlight, at the time we were paddling on Sunday.
Wanted dead or alive!

Setting off.

The Gigha Megatrip.

2011-09-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Last year I organized a trip to the Isle of Gigha, it was a really laid back chilled out trip for the five of us that made it. So this year I put another trip in the club calendar. I was somewhat taken aback when at one time over twenty club members wanted to come. In the end seventeen paddlers arrived at the Gigha boathouse campsite in three waves. One friday afternoon, one friday night and some on saturday morning. Once the tents were up we set off for a circumnavagation of Gigha and Cara. Sunday was quite windy, steady force 4 with gusts of force 6. We'd be paddling down wind but as the group was one of very mixed ability we took the ferry back.

St Abbs

2011-08-19T11:08:00.001-07:00

The combined climbing and kayaking trip on Skye didn't come off, oh well you have to keep something back for next time. The consolation prize was a fantastic paddle around Fast Castle and St Abbs heads.

Heading North.

2011-07-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

I've finally managed to get a week off work. I was planning a two week trip up the far north-east coast in June but just couldn't afford to get away. Now I'm going up to Skye for a few days, after that I may stay on the island or I could head for deepest darkest Knoydart. Either way I hope to mix some sea kayaking with some mountain scrambling. When I first started paddling I had this idea of going rock climbing from a kayak, only ever managed it once that was on Lundy many years ago. Now I'm to fat and artritic for rock climbing (or am get fat and artritic because I don't rock climb anymore?). What ever, I'm really looking forward to a long ridge scramble after a good paddle.

Last day.

2011-06-11T13:54:00.001-07:00

Monday 6th June.
Nothing much to do but head home. Here are some more photo's from Canna.

Waiting for the ferry.

Here's a link to Crofty's video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jby5LShjBWI

Sanday.

2011-06-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Sunday 5th June.
Dawned misty and cold, not sure what to expect. (Ray rang home from the phonebox, remember them?) His wife looked at three weather websites they all said widely different things. Decided to paddle around Sanday the smaller neighbour to Canna. As we set off the weather improved. Out in the sound was a dive boat, her skipper gave us a good forcast. We decided to split the party as some wanted to go over to Kilmory Bay on Rum. I've been there a few times but haven't been around Sanday. Four went to Rum whilst three of us stayed on Sanday, Nick had already taken himself off for a walk. The South side of Sanday is fantastic, load of caves skerries and at the western end a blow hole. Crofty tried to film me paddling into the spray. The tide was out, so the channel under the birdge that connects Sanday to Canna was dry. We left the kayaks on a beach and went for a walk.
RHIB for sale, one careless owner.

Pirate ship.

Circumnavigation.

2011-06-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday 4th June.
A cold north wind got up during the evening, overnight it shock the tent hard. Would we be able to paddle? Ray was due on the morning ferry, it got in at 10.00. Half an hour later we were on our way. We went clockwise, doing the sheltered south coast first, very quickly we were poking our noses into caves and dodging around every rock in sight. By the skerry of An Steidh at the western end of the island we regrouped. This marked the start of the very prominant underwater reef. What would the north coast be like? Would it be too rough? What was the wind doing? We'd go as far as Garrisdale Point and see. We shot a gap between the main island and a skerry and out onto the north coast. It was ok.

At the rased beach of Conagearaidh we took a short break before hitting the main high cliffs. Lots of clapotis. It was hard to look for long at the sea birds as the sea was so lively. By the stack of Lorcail a White Tailed Sea Eagle was locked in deadly combat with a Peregrine Falcon. At first the smaller more agile falcon had the upper hand. Then the eagle did a barrel roll and faced the peregrine eye ball to eye ball, beak slassing. I nearly capsized I was craning my neck so much. Who won? No idea, they were still at it the next day.

Return to Canna.

2011-06-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

Friday 3rd June 2011,
How can 150 miles take over four hours? I thought I'd left home with plenty of time, but it was 12.15 as I skidded into Mallaig. A tour bus blocked my way into the calmac ferry terminal. I shot into the seamans mission loading bay. Like a man possessed I stuffed dry bags into my kayak, my mobile rang, it's Anne, "where are you, I can't see you".
The others show up and take Anne's kayak away. I heave mine up onto my trolly, the tyre blows, I swear.
"We'll take it, you park your car."
I shoot off. The long stay car park is chock-a-block. I'm driving around like a maniac. I find a space at the other end of the bay, just about as far from the ferry as I can get. I'm running, jesus I'm unfit. I burst into the ticket office, just what they made of this short, fat, boldy guy, sweating and wheezing I can't inagine.
"Canna please coming back on Monday."
"£21.05 please, I'll radio ahead and tell them your coming."
12.40 I run down the ramp as it closes behind me.

Two and a half hours later our ferry - the MV Lochnevis arrives on Canna. The seven of us, now a little more compossed, disembark. Three trolly and four paddle around to the village campsite.

Some go for a paddle, some for a walk, we all end up at the Gille Brighde for some local beer.

Blown out.

2011-05-24T03:18:00.000-07:00

I'd advertised the club trip to Loch Sunart as an introduction to kayak camping for beginners. In the end the weather had other ideas. Saturday it was blowing a force six with heavy rain. Three of the guys did try to get out but not for long. The rest of us went for a coffee followed by a walk.

Sunday started off better and we did manage a few miles up the loch, it was even sunny for a bit.

Christine enjoying the sun.

Mark wasn't to sure about his stablity to start with, but managed fine.

Loch Sunart.

Around eleven a big black squally cloud covered the sky and the wind returned. To get back to the campsite we had to head into the wind at 45 degrees, a really awkward angle. Things got a bit fraught trying to keep everyone together, a couple of paddler were going very slowly while another was shooting off in front. In the end everyone made it back safely if a little wind blown. Not quite the gentle introduction I'd hope for. Just as well everyone did very well.

New Photo.

2011-05-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

I've just changed the Photo at the top of my blog, just felt like a change. It was taken on the south side of Canna last year by my mate Brian Woodward. It shows me looking at a Basking Shark.

Arisaig.

2011-04-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

The club had a meet at Arisaig last weekend, 13 paddlers enjoyed the event. Saturday was around the Arisaig skerries with a quick visit to Rubh Arisaig. So that Fiona could experience clapotis. She handled it really well, especially as this was only her second time paddling on the sea. Afterwards we went to the village of Arisaig for an icecream, only it was shut.
On sunday we drove around to Loch Ailort and paddled up to Peanmeanach Bothy, the photo's are from this paddle.

Guinea Pigging.

2011-04-04T07:21:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon I drove up to a very windy Isle of Skye, almost thought I'd loose the roof rack and kayak going over the bridge. I was acting as a guinea pig for a four star assessment being run by Gordon Brown and Oisin Hallissey. We went paddling out of Armadale both days, saturday was group management and sunday was wet stuff plus a little playing in the rough stuff near to the rocks.

Oisin Hallissey.

I think he past.

2011-03-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely the sun returns, days are getting longer, the weather getting warmer, people are coming out of hibernatation and starting paddling again. Last sunday we had a really nice paddle from Dunbar to Skateraw Harbour and back followed by exploring the old harbour at Dunbar. There was quite a swell out on the coast one really big one very nearly got me. Had to make a quick left turn and sprinted over it just as it broke. Dunbar Harbour.

Paddling into the harbour, it was quite hard to find the way in you almost had to go passed it and approach from the landward side.

Millport beach.

The weekend before a large group from FSKC visited the Cumbrae Isles in the Firth a Clyde. The weather didn't too good as we arrived but soon cleared. We did have a small squall as we crossed to Little Cumbrae so we didn't do that one this time.

Things are beginning to pick up now the days are getting longer. I've been out on my bike for the first time in ages and I've also been doing some hill walking. Next week the mid week evening paddling starts again.

Lynn of Lorn.

2011-02-28T01:14:00.000-08:00

Been getting out regularly but it's been so overcast of late that I've not bothered with the camera. Yesterday was sunny and mostly warm, there were several squalls tracking south-westward down the Loch Linnhe side of Lismore. We stayed to the Lynn of Lorn side so as to keep out the worst of them. As they past they made the water quite choppy which was fun. On one of the skerries between Lismore and Shuna there was an otter fishing in the bladderwrack, didn't get a picture but it's always nice to see them. Slowly but ever so surely it's turning to spring, at last.
The navagation light on Ardtur skerry.

Looking into Loch Laich.

A passing squall.

Castle Stalker.

The year so far.

2011-02-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

I've just been trying to publish some photo's but Blogger doesn't seem to want to take them, not sure why. Oh well they weren't very good anyway.

Been out paddling four times since christmas, I didn't think Ray would be out till spring, following his heart attack on Boxing day. He had a stint fitted and is fighting fit again he has been out on all four trips. We had a very windy trip to the south end of Loch Lomond. An almost spring like trip form Dunstaffnage Bay to Kerrera, ending with a little play in the dieing ebb out of the falls of Lora. A really Baltic paddle on the Forth. There were four groups out that day. Some friends arrived late, we had already set off, they tried to find us and managed to find the other three groups, but not us. On Sunday we paddled seven miles down Loch Long form Arrochar to Mark's Bothy and back, not bad for someone still convalescing. We also had a pool session on Saturday at Cardenden with the sea boats. There's an old chap, a pensioner, who's been trying to learn to roll for about five years, on Saturday he finally did his first roll, nice one Davey.

New Year.

2011-01-04T07:01:00.000-08:00

So, goodbye to 2010, a very good year as far as paddling went. Highlights include paddling with dolphins off the Cumbrae Isles. A really mellow trip to the Kylesknoydart and Sourlies followed by a night in Frankie’s bunkhouse at Tarbert Bay. Mt forth visit to May Isle for the Puffins and other sea birds session. A circumnavigation of Gigha with some really laid back company. Wild rockhopping at Auchmithie and Stonehaven. Getting to Canna and seeing the Basking sharks, and two white tailed sea eagles in the Sound of Jura.
On a slightly down side I didn’t get the BCU awards I wanted but they’re not that important; maybe I’m just not on the right wavelength. My mate and paddling partner, Ray isn’t very well so wont be paddling for quite a while, just how long only time will tell. In the meantime I’ll just have to get used to paddling my new kayak on my own.
What will next year bring? I’ve a few tentative plans but then I’m always making plans for trips I end up not doing. Hopefully a trip up the far North-east coast of Scotland and maybe a visit to the Hebrides; who knows? With all the paddling in 2010 I’ve not done as much in the mountains, so I’d like to get back into the hills, maybe even get on the rock again!

Maiden Voyage.

2010-12-12T12:30:00.000-08:00

At last we managed to get out paddling today, not quite the sea but a very fridge Loch Lomond. Really pleased with the new kayak. The water was still, the sun was shinning, it was flat calm but at least we were out.

Peter Baker.

Ray Wilson.

A chilly night out.

2010-12-08T02:18:00.000-08:00

I went down to my sister's over the weekend for a family party. Had a nice time catching up with everyone. Driving back on monday, I'd listerned to the East Midlands weather forcast, it said snow showers from 15.00 onward in Scotlands central belt. So, when I crossed the high ground south of Glasgow, without seeing any falling snow, I thought I'd be ok. Ten miles from Hamilton services I ran into the back of mayhem. The snow had been falling all day, the snow ploughs hadn't been able to clear the roads so the snow was hard packed and the heavy lorries couldn't get traction and were stuck. By midnight I'd got as far as half way up the M73, about 13 miles from the start of the jam.
It became clear that this was as far as I would be getting. I wriggled into my sleeping bag, rapped my down jacket around me and tried to rest. Not the most comfortable night I've ever spent. Around 05.00 things started moving and in a series of short hops I moved up to Castlecary. Here in the road works the lanes are divided off by cones. Up ahead a 40 tonner lost grip and began to slid back down the hill. I was stuck once again when suddenly a motorway maintenance gang appeared from nowhere. They moved the cones and cleared the snow so we could change lanes and get around the lorry. I finally got home at 09.00, 26 hours after leaving Leicestershire.

Atlantic RM

2010-11-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my birthday, how did I ever get to be that old? That wasn't part of the plan. I spent the day driving, talk about a busman's holiday. I went up to Oban to pick up my new kayak. A shiny red Northshore Atlantic RM. I took it to the pool last night, rolls really well. Today was to have been it's maidan voyage, but we woke to deep snow and high winds. Should have gone for a walk instead but somehow didn't manage to get around to it, just mooched around the house. I'm not sure when I'll get to paddle the kayak as I've family commitments next week. Hopefully get on the water before Christmas.

New Kayak?

2010-10-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I brought this lovely old North Shore Shoreline kayak. It needed a lot of TLC but was basicly sound. Unfortunatly it's to small for me. The front bulkhead has been set back so it could be used as a footrest. The lady I got it from was very petite, she had 6 inches of foam against the bulkhead. Even with this removed it's still about two inches to short.

I thought about moving the bulkhead, but that is such a pig of a job, I've decided to sell it on. So far, I've taken off the old backdeck mounted pump and I'm replacing it with a new hatch. There's a third bulkhead behind the seat with a screw in hatch mounted on it. This digs in to your back when sat in the seat. I'll be taking this away and blanking the hole off. I've spent today sealing the skeg box which leaked a bit. When all the work is done I'll put it on the market, I'm thinking of asking £600 for it.

I'l be putting the money from the sale towards one of these, an Atlantic RM, again from North Shore. Plastic because a, I can't afford a new fibre glass one, and. b, Plastic takes the knocks better. A couple of weeks ago I tried to get my 4 star, I didn't get it, and the old Anas Acuta took quite a beating. I'll still be keeping the old Anas but the plastic one will be more of a workhorse.

Three star Dave Crocket, not me.

2010-09-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

My atemps to slowly climb the BCU ladder took a bit of a down turn last weekend. Not good enough at controlling the boat in moving water. I just wasn't making the eddies well enough for three star in open canoe. Oh well.

Me atempting self rescue, it's much easier in sea kayaks.

The other on the course, all very good canoeists.

Lunch break on the Tummel.

More of the east.

2010-08-23T07:58:00.001-07:00

The mistic east

2010-08-23T07:42:00.001-07:00

Scotland's west coast is a world famous paddling destination. What is less well known is that the east coast is every bit as good.

Up the Clyde.

2010-08-23T07:29:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago I went over to the Clyde to join up with my old friend Peter and some of his cronies. The plan was to paddle up the Clyde from the Erskine Bridge. Then take the Whitecart river up to Paisley abbey in the middle of the city; not your normal sea kayaking trip. Low water stopped us under the car park. Then we went further up the Clyde to see some new war canoes being made.
Should we really be this close?

Paisley city centre.

The Waverley.

20 years on.

2010-07-04T11:59:00.000-07:00

In 1990 I went ski touring in Norway, the weather was atrocious. Afterward back in England I was talking with some mates down at the climbing club about it. One friend, Phil said he'd always wanted to go sea kayaking in Norway. I said "tell me more", soon after I got my first sea kayak. We decided to have a trial run in Scotland and meet up with some friend of Phil, Brian and Steve. Our route went from Arisaig to Egg on the first day and then on to Rum and Soay on the second day. From there we made out way back along the southern coast of Skye; not bad for a first trip. Eventually Phil emigrated to America and we lost touch with Steve but I still keep in contact with Brian and every year or two we have a trip out on the west coast. This year we went out to Canna and then back to Rum and Soay, twenty years after we first padled this way.
Brian paddling off soay 1990.

Brian (standing) and Phil taking a lunch break on Rum 1990.

Brian with Basking Shark Canna 2010.

Brian taking a lunch break on Rum 2010.

Rockhopping.

2010-06-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Arbroath to Auchmithie, the slowest three miles you'll ever paddle!

Rocks, caves, sunshine and just a little swell, heaven.

I took my camera but didn't take a single shot, I was that absorbed in the paddling. These were taken by Ray Wilson.

Gigha; it's always worth going.

2010-05-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

Went to paddle around the Isle of Gigha over the weekend. The weather really didn't look good as we drove down in heavy rain. Some of the party had gone down friday night and had been held up by a road accident at the "Rest and be Thankful" pass. As we packed the rain stopped. As we paddled the 3 miles across to the island the wind dropped. We pitched our tents by the pub and had a little siesta. By three o'clock things started looking brighter. We decided to go up to the top of the island and have a look. Once at the top it was flat calm so we carried on around. We were back at the campsite by seven and a merry evening followed.

Chel so

The campsite at "The Boathouse".

Christine and Greg

Ray hard at it.

On Sunday the sun really came out we went and played around some skerries before heading home. There was another accident at the Rest and be Thankful; ha ho.

Isle of May.

2010-05-24T07:42:00.000-07:00

As the video takes up so much space on the camera card I only took this one still. It shows the landing beach.

2010-05-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

I took these shots with my compact camera in it's waterproof case, I used a cheep table top tripod tied to my deck elastics. I have to remember not to edge the kayak whilst filming as it tips the camera to much.

Isle of May 2.

2010-05-24T07:17:00.000-07:00

Part 2, there were hundreds of Guillemots, Razerbills as well as Puffins. The Puffins and Turns didn't seem to be nesting yet but the Eider ducks were mostly hatched.

Isle of May 1.

2010-05-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a lovely hot sunny day so 16 paddlers from Fife Sea Kayak Club made the 5 mile crossing to the Isle of May. I made this video of paddling the west coast of the island, it's to big to upload in one go so I've split it into 3 parts.

Return leg.

2010-05-08T01:50:00.000-07:00

From Tarbert Bay to Mallaig is only ten miles but it was the hardest day of the trip. The wind was force 4 from the north west and was being funnelled down Loch Nevis. We hugged the shore and used what shelter we could but it was a slog.
Mad Tom's "Whale" boat.

A welcome break on the shore of Loch Nevis.

Looking across to Inverie, you never can see the wind.

Once out of Loch Nevis the funnelling effect stopped but the wind was now on our beam and my kayak has no skeg. It wasn't so bad in the rough bits around the small headlands but the smooth bit in between were hard work.

Tarbert Bay Bunkhouse.

2010-05-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

We spent the night at the bunkhouse in Tarbert Bay, what a place? As you can see it's an old church complete with resident ghost. It's kept by an old climber called Frank, he kept us entertained all night with a constant string of really filthy jokes. it cost us £2 a head, half the price of the campsite. we didn't see the ghost.

Loch Nevis.

2010-05-05T05:22:00.000-07:00

Next day we set off down the Inverie River and into Loch Nevis. The tide was against us but the wind was with us. The paddle down the Loch was nice and layed back, the sun came out and the winds were light. At Kylesknoydart we paused for a photo session before playing in the tidal narrows for a bit. Kylesknoydart.

At the head of the Loch stands Sourlies Bothy, our lunch stop. Here we met a couple of walkers, they were trying to walk from Fort William to Cape Wrath. Neither of them was in the first flush of youth and seemed to have really underestimated the route. They'd been walking for three days and had already been lost and taken a major wrong route. They were knackered and really down. Their route would have taken them into the Knoydart peninsular all really hard going. They said they were going to walk around the coast. I didn't have the heart to tell them that there wasn't a path and it would be even harder going that way. As we left, I saw them set off, the woman was walking with two poles and limping away at the back.

Sourlies Bothy.

Heading back up the Loch the wind had gotten up, it was now a steady force 4. We creeped around the southern shore all the way to Tarbert Bay.

May Day

2010-05-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday was May Day, a group of us headed up to Mallaig. Not sure why Mallaig as it's a horrid place to put in; but that's where we started. We paddled around into the mouth of Loch Nevis, there's a nice beach by the islet of Eilean Giubhais where we had our lunch.
Eilean Giubhais.

We took a bimble around Sandaig Bay before heading into Inverie for the night.

Sandaig Bay.

Long beach campsite, Inverie.

The sweet river Clyde.

2010-04-27T05:37:00.000-07:00

On a stormy night in January 1974 a Greek ship "The Captayannis" dragged it's moorings, hit a tanker and was holed. Her captain run her into a sandbank in an attempt to save her but she capsized and 8,000 tons of sugar dissolved into the Clyde. 36 years later she's still there a slowly rusting land mark. Six of us paddled out to her last sunday.

Busy, busy, busy.

2010-04-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I went up to Skye, over the weekend I was camping at Sligachan the windist place on the whole west coast. I was using a tent I'd been given a couple of years ago and hadn't gotten around to using. It's a Vango Equinox - not really a mountain tent - so it did well to stay up.
On Sunday I went for a walk arond the base of Sgurr nan Gillean (965m). Last time I went winter climbing on this mountain I was avalanched out of a gully along with my Brother and his girlfriend.

Sunday night the campsite was hit with a force 8 gale and torrential rain, still the tent stayed up. I didn't get much sleep so by first light I was packed up and away down to Breakish near Broadford. This is Gordon Brown's new home; I was doing my four star training with him. Fortunately we were in the classroom for the first day as the gale blow itself out.

Tuesday saw us down at Armadale rockhopping. Now I love rockhopping and this was doing it in conditions that I'd never get anyone from my club out in, let alone anywere near the rock. Needless to say there was quite a lot of gelcoat left on the rocks. One lad even managed to snap the nose off of one of Gordon's plastic Nordkapps. Really good time but can't say I really learnt much.

Next day we went to Kyle Rhea, here we did self rescues, practiced pretending to repair a holed kayak whilst still afloat. Delt with unconscious casualties in the water, did the scoop rescue, paddled in tide and wind, rolled, much more like I was expecting. All in all a great if expensive time.

This Saturday, I played along on my friend Ray's three star assessment, we did this on our home water, the Firth of Forth. That really is enough BCU crap for sometime, so Sunday we went for a layed back paddle on Loch Long.

We put in by the RFA jetty north of Portincaple. There was a yanky Destroyer on the jetty, the police launch guarding the destroyer pulled us over as we set off. The copper on board was most apolgetic as he took our names and addresses. After that we went around to Carrick Castle for a bite to eat, then onto Ardentinny for another break. Out in the Clyde a submarine was going through manoeavers, surfacing and diving. This was the first time I'd been paddling without a drysuit this year and it felt really good to be without that tight neck seal. On the way back I even went without my cag it was so warm and calm.

Club Development weekend.

2010-03-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

The FSCK have just had a fantastic weekend, we hired top coach Rolland Woolven to give us top tips and help with how we organize our trips.
Here he is showing us just what he carries in his kayak and BA, no wonder it's so heavy.

In line towing, we had about half a dozen paddlers pulling this raft with Rolland standing and shouting faster, faster.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and learnt a lot, and the water wasn't that cold.

Last one.

2010-03-09T05:03:00.000-08:00

Pool session.

2010-03-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

Just another small video from the pool session.

2010-03-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a pool session at the Bowhill pool. I made a short video of Ray and myself doing a T-rescue. As well as the rescue we also practiced rolling, re-entry rolls, split paddle rolls and bracing. The pool is to small to do much turning but its good to do these things in the warm.

Kari-tek demo day.

2010-02-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I went over to Fairlie on the Clyde, Geoff and Ann Turner of Kari-tek were having a demo day. I spent the morning playing with a Rockpool GT, fantastic kayak but what a price! Oh well one day maybe. In the afternoon went over to Millport on Great Cumbrae.
The snowy hills of the Isle of Aran from Fairlie.

The Rushes.

2010-01-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Here is the uncut, unedited video I made yesterday on Loch Etive. Unfortunately my little 2GB card only had room for 1 minute 45 seconds worth of footage. It was shot on my 6 mega pixel compact camera mounted on a tabletop stand held under my deck elastics.

As you might be able to see it was a misty and very cold day but dead flat calm.

First paddle of the new year.

2010-01-10T02:48:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Ray and I went over to the west coast to paddle on the fjord like Lochs Long and Goil. Contrary to news reports we found the roads well cleared and gritted. We had to stop after ten minutes of paddling as we were to hot and had to strip off a layer of thermals. There was no wind and in the sun really nice. It did turn very cold once the sun went down though.

It's quite windy this weekend so I've not ventured out. Instead I've been researching my family tree. So far I've traced most of my mothers family back to the early 1800's; next I'll try my farthers side.

White Christmas.

2009-12-26T03:08:00.000-08:00

I'm just not into all this christmas stuff. So as I normally do I went for a long walk in the hills.
The view over the Forth valley from the Ochil hills.

Ben Lawers and the Crianlarich hills from Ben Ever.

The old man of the mountains.

I saw four hardy souls all day, it was great.

UKCC Level one coach.

2009-11-21T07:59:00.000-08:00

After thinking about it and talking about it far far to long I finally went away and did it. Over the last two weekends I've been preoccupied with power transfer, posture, connectivity and feel: the fundamentals of paddling. Along with IDEAS, introduction, demonstration, explanation, activity and summary. Both weekends were pritty full on and with a heavy workload in between I'm feeling totally worn out. The main thing is I passed and I'm now a UKCC level 1 coach, "wow wee" I hear you all shout, all I need now is someone to coach.

Andy showing us all a bow draw I think.

2009-10-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday, around midday and Ray and I leisurely packing our kayaks on the banks of Loch Lomond at Balmaha. Our friends Sebastien and Lawrence have already set off to prepare the course, John and Evelyne arrive and Tom rings from on the island. We take a slow paddle over to Inchcailloch and start unpacking our kayaks and putting up tents, drinking tea, wandering around the island, telling tall stories and picking sloe berries. Gradually over the next few hours more and more kayakers arrive. As the light fades the excitement mounts. We sort ourselves out into teams of three, Jonathon joins Ray and I. At last we are handed a sheet of paper with the grid references on and the clock starts. There are ten check points, a string with a weight at one end and a light stick and a float at the other. Written on the light stick is the name of a rock band, we have to collect the names and get back within two and a half hours.

We wear a light stick on our BA’s and I have another on my compass, we each have a headtorch but keep it switch off most of the time. The first two check points are quickly found one on Torrinch and one on Creinch followed by an open crossing on a compass bearing, 2km to Inchmoan. On the south side of inchmoan is a large bay, the check point is on the western headland enclosing the bay. We’d deliberately headed for the other side of the bay, so that if we’d strayed off bearing a few degrees either way the check point would still be on our left. Paddling along the shore line was an eerie experience as a misty layer was hiding the beach and making judging distance difficult. Eventually we hit – quite literarily – the other side of the bay. We can’t see the check point; it’s amazingly hard to see a light stick floating in water until your right on top of it. We search both side of the headland, no sign of it, we backtrack, it’s hidden behind a rock. Now we have a fix of out position. The next checkpoint is by the castle on Inchgalbraith, little more than an overgrown crannog less than 50m wide. We take our bearing and head off in line abreast. The headlights of cars on the A82 give away its position; we quickly find the light stick - the Rolling Stones.

Head north until we hit Inchavannach then follow its east side up into the narrows. Here we have a choice; there are check points on the west, east and north sides of Inchconnachan and another on the north side of Inchmoan. The points on Inchmoan and the east of Inchconnachan only have a low score so we decided to skip them. Entering the narrows is like a scene from “Apocalypse now” there are four huge fires; at first I thought it was a forest fire. Each fire is big enough to burn a whole coven of witches. There are many very K-lyed people around, one with a very powerful spotlight. We sprint through and away, back into the darkness.

Different coloured dots of light coming towards us as three groups collide at the check point on the north end of Inchconnachan.
“Who’s that?”
“Is that you Owen?”
“Have you found it yet?”
“It’s over here”.
“What’s it say?”
“The fix-ises”
“Who? Spell it”
“J.I.M.M.Y.S.H.A.N.D”
“Bugger off Ian”.
“Wasn’t he in Deep Purple?”
“Now that would be different”.
“It’s the Pixies”.
“Oh, who are they then?”

Bucinch, our next check point, over a kilometre away is clearly silhouetted. We paddle across, flat out. How can three people starting off from the same point and heading for the same place end so far apart in such a short time? Eventually we re-group and collect that point and the final one on Inchcruin. All we had to do now was get back to Inchcailloch. Inchfad with its off-layer island Ellanderroch was clear on the horizon. As we paddled past I said “don’t go through the inside channel it’s very shallow” so we went around and promptly all ran aground. We made it back to the campsite with only a small time penalty and came third; the best I ever done.

All Change.

2009-10-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

I've not posted for a while, I've been quite busy. I'm working full time again - what a shock to the system - moving very large quantities of Scotch Whisky around the Blackgrange warehouse complex. This last month I've had my head under the bonnet of my car for longer than I've driven it. There was a fault with the engine management system, could I find it, could I hell, cost me £100 to put it on a diagnostic computer. Turned out to be a sensor on the camshaft, another £65 to replace that. Then it failed it's MOT, new front brake disc's and new brake pipes, hopefully it'll all be done by Tuesday. Anyway, it's not all been work and trouble, I have done a little paddling. A few weeks ago a group of us paddled the Balvaig river from Loch Voil to Loch Lubnaig; it was really quite a mellow trip.

Ray and daughter Jacqueline on the Balvaig.

I've also got a new toy, a second-hand Pyranha Ina Zone. I don't do much white water paddling these days, partially because I've not had a WW boat, so now I have. Also I can use it in the pool and as I've just posted of my application off for a Level one coaching course I can use it for coaching.

Forth open water swim.

2009-09-07T11:43:00.000-07:00

The annual cross the Forth swimming race was held yesterday. The Fife and Lothian kayak clubs act as safety boats shadowing the swimmers. This year we had a little drama, the race couldn't start until 16.30 after a large ship and a tanker had past. The swimmers got half way across when another very large tanker came down the Forth at high speed, it caused chaos.
The swimmer at the start on Hawes peir.

Two of the swimmers didn't make it across before the tide turned and they were sweeped out under the bridge. Still they didn't want to give in even though they were going backwards. In the end we had to pull them out of the water.

Big Eck.

2009-09-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Alex Knox better known as Big Eck came paddling with Ray and I six weeks ago on Loch Tay. Although he'd been sea kayaking for over fifteen years that was his first time in an open canoe. He was so taken with it that he went out and brought a second hand canoe, a We-no-nah Aurora. For his maiden voyage a group of us meet up on Loch Voil for a warm up paddle half way down the Loch and back, before descending the river Balvag, which flows out of Loch Voil down to Loch Lubnaig. As always with Eck there was a really good banter flying.

"Eck I thought only lesbians wore dungarees".

First try at solo paddling.

On the river teamed up with Mike.

Not quite got the steering in flowing water off pat yet.

White water weekend.

2009-08-17T02:24:00.000-07:00

No photo's this time, I did take my camera but was a bit preoccupied to take any pictures. On saturday we put in on the River Tay at Birnam near Dunkeld and paddled down to Meikleour at the confluence of the river Isla. Eck teamed up with Steve Croft in his Prospector, Nicky and Tony Credland (Tenboats) were in a brand spanking new Mad River reflection, while I was solo in the Pack.

It had pored down all night but by the time we started it had stopped and it turned into a fine sunny day. With all the rain the river was high and fast, so we really whizzed along. This section is mostly flat water with just a few little rapids, nothing over grade 1. We stopped for a picnic by a Roman Fort not far from Caputh a really nice spot in the sun.

Nicky, Tony and Eck had to return home but Steve and I camped at Grandtully. Ray came up on sunday. The three of us put in at Kenmore on the banks of Loch Tay. This time I teamed up with Ray in his "Charles River" and Steve paddled solo. The first rapid is under "chinese bridge" by Taymouth castle, a grade 2. The river bends sharply right just after the bridge and we had to be careful to avoid being sweeped into the left bank. Between here and Aberfeldy there were a few easier smaller rapids. We past a whole family of Red-breasted Mergansers but by the time I'd got my camera out we'd spee'd past them; we also saw some Goosanders.

At Aberfeldy there was a nice grade 1 rapid and then for the last mile or so into Gradtully was a string of grade 2's all bouncy and splashy and fun, but never too frighting. We got off the river just above the grade 3 slalom course, in the high water that looked really meaty.

Fire!!!

2009-08-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't been out paddling for a few weeks but I have been out hill walking. As I've been walking I've been collecting anything I find that may act as tinder for starting a fire with a firesteel; Ray Mears style. I've been coming back with pockets full of dry bracken, birch bark, grass, twiggs anything that looks like it will burn easily. So far I've only found three things that catch fire with any degree of reliability. I videod the result, the first one is down from a large thistle head. The second is cotton grass seed heads which was very easy to light but you can't always find cotton grass when you've run out of matches. The third works a treat.

So, the conclusion of this little experiment is to always have plenty of fuel and keep your matches in a dry place when you head into the great outdoors. Because all this bush craft milarky just isn't gonna save you.

Back on the Road again.

2009-07-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Not been out on the water this weekend as I've been finishing off my new hatch; I had a few problems with it but it's all done now. I'll leave it a few days to really set hard before taking it out on the water again.

On Friday I did a shift, the first days work for five months. I've also got myself another car. It's only an old banger but should keep me mobile for a bit. So if you see a red Astra with an orange Anas Acuta or a green Old Town Pack on top, give me a wave.
Kayak sorted, car sorted, hopefully work sorted so money coming in again, life's looking up after being down in the dumps for a while.

Loch Tay.

2009-07-11T13:33:00.000-07:00

Whilst the fibre glass resin is still green I can't use the Anas Acuta. So, today I continued my re-learning of the open canoe. My friend Ray is an old hand at this game, so he took Alex (AKA Eck) in his Old Town Charles River while I paddled the Pack solo. Eck has paddled sea kayaks for years but this was his first time in an open canoe. He seemed impressed by how agile such a large boat could be when handled rightly.

Ray, stopped for a blather on the banks of Loch Tay.

Filling the hole.

2009-07-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

The bulkhead is now fitted; I very nearly did myself it glassing it into place. Lets just say that crawling in through an ocean cockpit to work it the resin wasn't clever. I was tasting styrene for days after. Yesterday I glued and bolted the disc into place and today I've started filling the gap.

The disc in place.
The back of the gap is filled with modeling clay.

The first layer of filler, it was too runny to do it in one go.

Mellow paddle.

2009-06-29T04:43:00.000-07:00

My Anas Acuta isn't finished so yesterday I borrowed an old Plastic Contour, wow, after the Anas it felt like paddling an oil tanker. Still it meant I got out for a very mellow paddle on Loch Etive. We put in at Bonawe narrows and paddled up the Loch to by the slabs on Beinn Trilleachan; I first climbed there in 1976. The weather was great warm and calm and the company was top notch as well.

Andrea, Ray and Tom paddling down the Loch.

Ray and Andrea at the Bonawe narrows put in.

Andrea in her brand new shiny Tiderace Kayak.

Big Hole.

2009-06-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Today I cut a very big hole in my precious kayak. Hopefully I haven't gone mad, the idea is to fill the hole with a hatch.

The hole.
I've also made a new bulkhead to go in front of the footpegs.

The bulkhead ready to be glassed it.

To fit the flat hatch rim to a curved deck, I've made a disc of fibre glass which will be fitted under the deck so that the hatch stick out of the hole.

Where the disc will be fitted.

This is the hatch rim being stuck to the disc ready for fitting.

Once I've done the bulkhead and attached the disc I'll fill the gap between the disc and the underside of the deck with some filler. This will be quite a fiddly job so it could take me quite some time to finish. I'll put up more photo's as I go along.

After I've finished I'll tidy up the deck lay out before getting into my next project; making and fitting a skeg. That will be very tricky and will take a lot of materals. I've already started to make the mold but it's going to be very complicated.

Lismore: part two.

2009-06-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

The dew was heavy in the morning and looking across to Mull there was a thick ground mist clinging to the hill side. This very quickly cleared and the day turned out to be a glorious one.

The misty Isle of Mull.

We decided that, as the day was so fantastic, we'd paddle out and visit the Lady's rock. We had to dodge, first a tour boat coming out of the Sound of Mull, then the fast ferry out of Oban before we got to the rock. As we reached it two porpoise crossed out path. Next we headed over to Duart Point just for the hell of it. After a quick leg stretch and a pee on the Duke's lawn we paddled back to Bernera Bay on Lismore.

Castle Duart.

Going through the gap between Bernera and Lismore the water was so clear and the kelp so thick looking down was just mesmerizing. All the way up the north-west side of Lismore was just beautiful. Blue skies, flat calm sea, fantastic vistas.

Lismore: part one.

2009-06-15T05:19:00.001-07:00

The weekend club meet was to have been the Farne Isles, that would have meant using an expensive family campsite and plenty of time spent in the pub. Something I have to avoid at the moment. At the last minute it was changed to wildcamping on Lismore; that's more like it. Early Saturday morning saw Ray and I heading north up to Connel Bridge before turning right to Shuna Sound. Jeff was already there and Steve then Alan pulled in, Richard rang to say that Craig, Jim and himself were at Port Appin and would join us on the water. The dark clouds begain to break apart to show blue skys above. There was no wind and the water flat calm, what more could we ask for.

Setting off Shuna Sound.

We were almost past Port Appin and wondering where the boys were when a shout from behind came and they were paddling hard to catch up.

All together in the Lynn of Lorn.

We headed across to the Lismore side and stopped for a tea break on a nice little beach. There was some talk of walking up to an organic cafe but we decided it was to far away so put the trangia on instead. next we paddled over and explored the Creag Islands where we saw an otter and lots of seals. With the tide behind us we very soon were at the end of the island and set up camp near Rubha Fiart overlooking Mull and the Lady's rock.

A happy Ray camping on Lismore.

Campsite with a view.

Flickr Photo's.

2009-06-08T03:47:00.000-07:00

I've been sorting out my old slides and putting some onto my Flickr account. Maybe I'll set up a better website sometime but for now this one will do. Have a look, what do you think?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/owenmerricksphotos/

This is my brother Pete, below Huandoy Sar 6395m in the Crodillera Blanca in Peru.

The Market place Huaraz.

Glacier lake, in the Cordillera Blanca.

I'll be putting up some more photo's of Bolivia, Norway and some more paddling photo's over the next few weeks.

Grounded.

2009-06-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

My old car has finally died. I've has it nine years and done over 150 thousand miles in it. I only paid £1,800 for it so it's done me proud. I took it to the scrapy yesterday and now I'm back on my bike. The first time I've been without a car in over thirty years.
This is going to make life a really pain. I went into Stirling, six miles away, on the bus, £4.20 return, our public transport has to be the most expensive in the world. Just how I'm going to be able to get out paddling now I'm not sure; only time will tell.

Rolling Ray.

2009-05-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

The weekend deteriorated into a comedy of errors, with people taking the wrong turn and ending up miles away from where they planned to be. In the end my friend Ray and I ended up on Loch Lomond enjoying a gentle paddle around the islands. At the get out ray did some rolling practiceing, i didn't that water was baltic. As an experiment I tried videoing him, I've had this camera four years and never used this function before. For another first I've put in on this blog.

Canoe, for a change.

2009-05-15T03:37:00.000-07:00

My friend Ray has a couple of open canoes so he offered to leand one to me. One is a Charles River which whilst being a really good canoe is 35kg a bit much for one man with a dodgy back. The other is an Old Town Pack which is only 14.5kg, the plastic is a bit thin so I don't know how much ware it would take. Yesterday I took it out for a spin on Loch Chon.

Failing to set the self-timer on my camera.

Tea Break on the banks of Loch Chon.

At the put in already to go.

The Old Town Pack really is a light boat, even lighter than some river kayaks and quite a bit lighter than my sea kayak.

Ray also lent me some of his paddles to try, the one on the left is a Redtail the other three hand made. The two on the right were a bit short for me the other two were better my favourite was the one on the right.

It was quite gusty with winds upto force 3 or 4 at times, I found paddling into the wind quite a struggle. Because you only have one blade you have to use a J-stroke. Where the end of each stroke becomes a ruddering action to counter the tendency of the canoe to turn away from the paddle. This I found tended to slow you down just when you wanted to put the power on to push into the wind. Maybe its just because I not very good at the J-stroke; practice makes perfect I gust. Anyway I had a good half day out.

New learning experience or mad paper chase?

2009-05-05T04:48:00.000-07:00

For sometime now, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting into coaching, some kind of in-put to the sport; maybe. However the long list of “pre-requisites” and courses that have to be worked through is daunting to say the least. I, like the vast majority of kayaker, never bothered with all that BCU star tests, meaningless bits of paper. I grew out of that sort of thing with the bronze swimming certificate at ten years of age etc. Still, if you want to do the job you have to work with their system. Last year I went over to Largs and did my three star sea kayak.

But I also needed the generic two star, which covers both kayaks and canoes. It would seem the BCU has this vision of people turning up at a club and being introduced to a wide variety of padlesports. This isn't how it really is, clubs tend to just do one type of paddling.

Now I haven’t been in an open canoe for at least fifteen years. I’ve nothing against open boats, I even had one once, but time and money is tight and sea kayaking is my thing. The old open canoe was hardly ever used so I sold it. Anyway, I went off and managed to make one go in a straight-ish line, turn etc and did a rescue; all well and good. Yesterday, I spent the bank holiday Monday back at Ardmay House on Loch Long doing my “Foundation safety and rescue training”. So, now I have the first two ticks on my list of pre-requisites, I could go ahead and book onto a level one coach’s course now. But first I think I need to go and brush up on my open canoe skills. Passing the two star just isn’t really enough, being just about able to manoeuvre your own canoe wont inspire much confidence in those you are trying to coach.

So now, to show people how to do a sport I know about and have expertises in, know and understand the environment where it’s practiced, I have to go away and learn another sport in a different environment. Seems like a huge distraction to me, especially as I'll have to hunt around looking for people to coach whereas my sea kayaking club has lots of people to coach in kayaking; but we’ll run with in and see.

2009-05-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

Cameras; what to do about cameras? Many moons ago when still a teenager I brought an Olympus OM1; then the smallest lightest SLR. This had served me well over the last 30 odd years. It’s been with me across hill and moor, up a dozen or more 6000m Andean peak, through the Amazon jungle and the Atacama Desert, from the Kenyan bush to the frozen wastes of Finmark and down to the Falkland Islands. All that time it’s never let me down; it’s mostly clockwork only the light meter works on battery, so it works well in the very cold. I did take it sea kayaking, but because it wasn’t waterproof and I didn’t want to get salt water on it, I always kept in inside the kayak in a BDH drum. For on the water shots I’ve had a collection of waterproof compact cameras; none of them lasted long.
Now I have a fairly good digital compact (Canon Powershot A540) and a waterproof dive case, which works really well. I’ve taken some really good – well good for me anyway – kayaking photo’s with it and I really like using digital; saves so much faffing around. For the past couple of years it’s all I’ve taken with me, but the lens has a quite short focal length and I’ve mist out on some really good wildlife shots because of this. Also it’s not always as sharp as it could be.

Like this one.
Not sharp, and so far away. With a telephoto this otter would have been so much better.

I'm a bit happer with this one; still could have been sharper.

I’ve seen a camera that would be ideal it’s a Canon 450D with an 18 – 200mm image stabilizing lens; trouble is its £820 and I’m out of work at the moment. So do I stick with the powershot and put up with its shortfalls or do I go back to carrying the OM and using film?

Night Owls

2009-05-02T06:02:00.000-07:00

For the last few years some friends and I have been going to Loch Lomond on a November weekend to do some night time kayak orienteering. We base it around the campsite on Inchcailloch Island. The check points are lightsticks floating just off shore around the Loch. There's a code written on each lightstick which you have to get. It's all very low key and great fun. Afterward there's bar-bee-que and the next day we go all the way round again collecting up the lightsticks.

Brewing up whilst picking up the sticks.

The morning after, setting off from the campsite on Inchcailloch. (photo Peter Baker).

This is me in a borrowed plastic Nordkapp, very nice boat. Not so keen about having a flash gun fired in my face whilst night paddling. (photo Ray Wilson).

Another night shot, I don't mind so much when it's behind me. (photo Ray Wilson).

Setting off.

The Inchcailloch campsite, you can book it through the National Park.

Back again.

2009-05-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

I've decided to give blogging another look, hopefully things will be ok this time. I've changed the name to "Into the great solitude" after a book by Robert Perkins. The name just says where I like to go; whether mentally or physically I'll leave up to you to decide. The header photo is of me just after rolling in the Clyde at Fairlie near Largs. We'd just had a really nice day out paddling around the Cumbrae Isles.