Guinea Pigging.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.