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.

Atlantic RM

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?

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.