Blown out.

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.

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.

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.

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.