The walk on Cara, as well as being a very pleasurable experience, gave us a good leg stretch after being in a boat all morning. It also passed an hour while the tide turned and started to flood again. As mentioned earlier.. when the tide comes in.. it flows north. So we took full advantage of that fact, as we were now travelling north up the exposed west coast of Gigha.
Route planning is very important when using small boats... work with nature and not against it and you will go far. Knowing the weather forecast is equally important. This side of the island can be a wild place in a wind. We knew, while route planning this adventure, that Gigha was enjoying a high pressure area with light winds from the south. Even if a breeze did get up.. it would be blowing with the tide.. therefore I wouldn’t expect nasty chop when wind hits tide going in an opposite direction.
My brother hoisted the sail on his Kayak to assist his journey .. with wind and tide help him along.
While Phil..our other kayaker had to paddle the full way. (He fitted a sail not long after this journey)
While I ploughed on tirelessly in the Seago Slat Floor ( I still don’t have a sail for it )
As we passed through the channel between the Island of Craro and Gigha.. we were propelled by wind ..tide .. muscle power and petrol.
The cormorants sitting on the reefs looked rather amused ... probably wondering why we didn’t travel the easy way... and use wings !
But I do think we looked the part .. as we kept going north. The wind started to drop.. so my brother started to paddle ...
And Phil.. exhausted at paddling this far ... took a rest ... and fell asleep
Yup.. adventuring in small boats can be hard work.. but I still can’t for the life of me .. imagine the fun of passing Gigha in three minutes flat ?
We were only half way round the island.. and it was now late afternoon.
To be continued ...
Many thanks again for commenting guys.
Yup.. its been a long hard working life for me.. but Im now in the promised land.. and making every hour count ..but I still cant get enough days in the week ..
Yup.. its been a long hard working life for me.. but Im now in the promised land.. and making every hour count ..but I still cant get enough days in the week ..
I know exactly how you feel. How I ever found time to go to work I will never know!
__________________
Brian
"Ribbing-the most expensive way of travelling third class"
For anyone thinking of going round Gigha in a small boat..do note that there are not many landing points on the exposed west side. High cliffs and rocks make landings impossible.
We did find one little bay..which I thought best to row into.. due to the rocks just under the surface. Notice how I give clear intentions to all ..even when rowing .. Im signalling to turn to starboard.. while I catch crabs on the port side.
My brother then snapped me ...while I was taking a snap shot of...
Gigha’s mill house and still working water wheel
Further along we came across the funnel of the wrecked Kartli.. a very poignant and sobering sight.
The Kartli was a huge 240 foot Russian fish factory ship. During a storm on December 18th 1991 her wheelhouse was smashed and her engine room and generator flooded by a giant wave off the south of Islay. Four of her crew were killed and 15 were seriously injured. With no power or steerage, she rolled helplessly at the mercy of the wind and seas. Five helicopters were involved in a dramatic and successful rescue of all her surviving crew. Her abandoned hulk drifted relentlessly downwind to her ultimate resting place on the rocks of Gigha where her plates were pounded asunder.
Even on a calm and sunny day, her rusting hulk remains as a reminder of the transient nature of man's dominion over the seas and of our fleeting existence on this earth.
We were now feeling the exertion of a long day on the water and began to long for the never ending rocky coastline to come to an end
Rounding the final point of Eilean Garbh...which is not really an Eilean ? We finally beached on the remote sandy shore, almost at the very northern tip of Gigha. The ferry bound for Islay passed in the distance as we...
set up home for the night. I was that exhausted.. I couldn’t summon up the energy to get my Tesco Value Tent pitched on the grass.. it stood where I fell.
Meanwhile Phil started cookup up our evening meal while the midges descended to make a meal of us.
However as we are seasoned adventurers... we know how to handle these miniature vampires. No midge or mosquito repellent ever seems to work on our west coast variety..but a head net does work.
The only problem being.... it is then hard for us to devour our dinners.
So we cracked open a bottle of soothing medication ... Jura Superstition Single Malt Whisky.. lit a fire .. and watched the sunset over the Island it was made in.
We swapped tales of old adventures together and planned forthcoming ones.. well into the night.. and never felt another midge bite.
I will return to tell about the morning after ... after the weekend.
Im going for another wild camp SIB trip tomorrow. Hope you guys have not fallen asleep with my prattle. Until I return.. have a great weekend of adventures yourself.
I have not forgotten to add the last day of my Gigha circumnavigation ...and will do it soon.
I have been delayed with the great weather that the West of Scotland is enjoying at present. I have been making the most of it with wild camps on a circumnavigation of the beautiful island of Bute, followed by several days camping in Loch Etive. I am only home to refuel then Im heading out for Loch Nevis tomorrow.
All good adventures that I can add at a later date if there is an interest in these areas. Hope the weather is kind to you all and you too are making the most of it.
Red Mist
Keamore
No Name
Sea Borne
..but I still cant get enough days in the week ..
RIB Saffron
Imogen
