The island is a classic sea kayak venue and with Gordon's parents living nearby, it was an obvious traget for us to explore a location further from home.
After a long drive down a chippy and an Irn Bru saw us right and we paddled out in big seas and high winds to Bass Rock. Nearing the Island the familar stench of ammonia rich bird droppings hit our nostrils, breakers crashed against the cliffs, and the irregular Clapotis kept us on our toes whilst thousands of Gannets soared above us, sometimes diving from the cliff to splash down close to us in the water. We managed to find a rest spot in the lee on the rollers just around the North side of the island to recoup before we set off to surf down down wind, using the waves to aid our return.
In our little eddy a group of young seals took an interest in us, gradually sneaking closer and closer, swimming just inches underneath our kayaks, visible in the clear waters. Heading off into the swell one of the pups started following us, often popping up just behind or infront, sometimes nudging our kayaks as we surfed down wind. Occasionally mid-surf, i would glance down to see him matching my speed and course, just inches below the surface.
Eventually we made it back to North Berwick where the pup gave up the chase in the shallower waters of the beach.
A warm home cooked meal and beer awaited us at Gordons parents house. Something i was incredibly grateful for!
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| Bass rock barely visible behing the rollers |
The next day say us driving just across the boarder to explore the Farne Islands off the coast of Northumberland. This group of islands owned and maintained by the national trust is home to around 290 species of nesting birds throughout the summer, most of which had begun their long journeys south, to be replaced by the largest colony of Grey Seals in the UK. Around 6000 head to the island to mate each year and along several of the beaches sand could not be seen for the writhing mass of Seals and their pups.
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| Launching from Bamburgh |
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| Inquisitive Seals |
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| Longstone Lighthouse |
Stunning scenery and incredible wildlife, combined with the challenging water definately made this one of the best locations i have paddled!
After a stop back at Gordons parents again for dinner we drove back to Aviemore so Gordon could work the following day.
Me and Greg weren't working, so we hatched a plan to paddle from Mallaig to Tarbet bay, where a friend of Greg's, Tom, works as a gillie on the estate there. The estate, owned by Cameron Macintosh, has a small bothy/bunkhouse, complete with toilet, showever and running water. This converted church had been run by a previous gillie of the estate, Frank. When Frank retired Cameron allowed him to stay in his house and maintain the bothy for travellers to the area. A real character and a man never short of a story, Frank left an impression on Greg when he had stayed there previously, as he seemed to with all visitors to the bothy. I was eager to meet the man who had left such an imprint on my friend, however it was sadly not meant to be as Frank has passed away just under a month before. His legacy will definately live on in the memory of all who met him.
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| Franks Bothy |
Winds gusting in excess of force 7 made hard going and it took us around an extra two hours to make the relatively short paddle to Tarbet, however Tom was waiting and gave us gifts of sausages, made from the recently slaughtered pigs that were reared in the bay. About as organic and free range as it gets anywhere in the world!
After a shower and some dinner we shared a beer and dram with another Tom, who had come for some work experience the month before, and arranged a lift over the hill on the quad bike to Loch Morar the next day.
Loading the kayaks on to the quads small trailor and the lift over the steep, rough track certainly added to the sense of adventure on this trip!
Loch Morar is the fifth largest loch in Scotland and the deepest body of fresh water in the British Isles. It's even got it's own monster, affectionately known as Morag! It's beautiful scenerey and collection of small islands at the east end of the loch give an excellent canoe or sea kayak expedition.
We were hoping that the wind from the previous day would help us along as we paddled down the Loch, but unfortunately it had died off, contrary to the forcast.
After paddling down the loch we had to portage the river that flows out of the loch and into the sea at Morar, a pretty gruelling experience with loaded sea kayaks. Putting on the other side was a pleasant experience however and the next stretch down to Arisaig provided beautiful white sandy beaches and interesting paddling amongst the skerries.
A quick hitch hike for me to retrieve the car and once again we headed home after another real sea kayak adventure.
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