The Magic of Skye

[The Gurnard]

I have been very busy lately .. fulfilling a life long ambition of mine.

A complete circumnavigation of the Isle of Skye in a small inflatable boat.

I consider it an advanced SIB’ers adventure and it required careful planning and research as the island is very exposed ... jutting into the Little Minch sea and exposed to the predominant south westerly winds that the area gets.

Most of the SW coast is continuous high cliffs with hardly any places to land. Rolling swells crash on the few landing places between the cliffs and tide rips ravage the never ending headlands. Not a place for a faint hearted SIB’er however the rewards are high to those that do venture there. It is considered by many to be the most scenic coastline in the UK.

The journey is approx 160 miles in length and it took myself and three other friends and a dog .. in SIB’s three days to complete. It was in weather conditions that varied from excellent to moderate. I have recorded some absolutely stunning video footage of the journey. It will take a few days to sort through and make the video.

In the mean time ..here is a video I made of some of the preparation research. I met with some very good friends who are also members of this forum and they kindly took me through the Kylerea overfall. I wanted to know how difficult they could be in a small boat before attempting this section.

So while you await the final video of my adventure.. enjoy a few moments watching RIB’s Miss Isle Imogen and Mr Jingles showing me the Sound of Sleet and the Kylerea narrows.

It was a great day out ..and the beer and banter flowed well into the night. Many thanks guy’s n gals...hope the rest of your holiday went well too

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDEx2TEyhPs

I will post the complete SIB adventure here once I get it made

Best Regards
The Gurnard.

[kerny]

Another great movie Donny and enjoyed your company on the water as well as off with the beers [emoji481][emoji481][emoji481] and also your guided trip up on to Mount Anti Sachanach [emoji6][emoji23][emoji106]

[neil.mccrirrick]

Cheers Donny your running commentary knowledge and guidance are something we all look forward too. Here is to the next time we meet up my friend [emoji481][emoji481] all the very best from us all

[jeffstevens763@g]

great vid donny & thanks to the guys help you to plan our trip although at that speed no time to blink.

[The Gurnard]

Thanks for looking in guys and Im sure the ""Magic of Skye" will not disappoint.

Jeff.. even the three days we had going round Skye .. now seems to have passed in the blink of an eye

Im delighted we did it though..as life can pass us by very quickly too ..so make the most of every day


Attached is part 1 of my last multi day adventure in the 2018 season. It was another fantastic trip and covers some of the most scenic coastline in the UK.

This episode covers why I wanted to go round Skye..and also the Route plan.

I don't just go adventuring on impulse.. these types of journeys in small boats require careful planning and consideration of wind and tide directions. I use them to help push the boat along where possible. Its always easier than fighting head long into wind and waves..but that is not unavoidable altogether .. as you will see in the Day Three episode.

I also have to research and plan campsites which are sheltered from wind and waves. Where the boats can be safely dried out on a shore by the falling tide.

The passage plan is often altered as I go. In fact..the original date for the start of this trip was Friday 31st August but it was postponed until the Monday 3rd September as it would have been suicidal going up the exposed SW NW area of the Island in Force 4-5 conditions.

A quick thanks to Fenlander for donating a better microphone to assist my dulcet tones in the video talk overs..this is the first time I have used it and its better than the one I had..I don’t sound as if Im mumbling up my sleeve so much (perhaps my opinion only though ).

Its also a first for me playing and recording the keyboards parts. I lost several U Tube videos recently when Eddie Vedder ..who allowed use of his songs on U Tube.. change his policy and no longer allows free use. U tube blocked those videos ..so I no longer want to rely on others who may change their policy at anytime. I intend playing their songs myself ..so hopefully that will future proof the videos. I was a keyboard player in a pub band..for several years..so can finger the ivories reasonably well.

Anyhoo..enough said.. Hope you find it of interest .. part two will be in a day or two as Im still very busy with other things in life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igS3dYCUCY4

Best Regards
The Gurnard

[Highland Haggis]

Aye agree sometimes you can be a grumpy got but that makes it all the more memorable Donny [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[spartacus]

Gurnard - your videos are becoming legendary! Maps, animated route markers, your own music. Only a matter of time until they start showing them at Cannes!

150 miles is no mean feat, and the Little Minch demands respect in a sib or rib, so hat off to you.

Looking forward to part 2. Even got the popcorn!

[kerny]

Glad that you guy's made it round Skye it's an achievement for sure especially in sibs. [emoji41][emoji106]

[The Gurnard]

Hi again guys..good to see some interest being shown in this adventure

Kerny..its jusy your funny accent that pronounces it Mount Sassenach ..its real name is Sgurr an-t Sasunnaich ..which may mean peak of the sausage ..but my Gaelic is not too hot either ..so I might be wrong too.

Neil ..looking forward to meeting you all again ... so make sure you come back soon..but this time bring Maximus..he was badly missed this year.

HH ..at least you know the rights of my wrongs and don’t grump back .. I guess that's why I think of you as my long lost laddie.

Spartacus..the only Cannes I know are full of Extra cool stuff ..so Im delighted to think the adventures are cool

Anyhoo ..on with the show .. I managed to get part two completed today.. Its the boring part of Skye coast line.. but it gets better very soon ..I promise you that

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEd1iaU2LvE

Part three will be posted when its made.. the keyboard arrangements take a lot of time as I have to record each type of instrument separately before mixing to the final track.

Best regards
The Gurnard

[Last Tango]

The editing just eats up the hours.......but it's worth it.

Another couple of cracking videos, looking forward to number 3. Harlosh is my favourite bit of Skye despite getting cars stuck on the beach there twice and one of them was a Land Rover.
There's a couple of places that you guys with the SIBs will be able to get right in about so enjoy.

[kev]

Excellent , enjoyed your taste of jura videos and looking forward to more.

[Stevie Bill]

Love the videos... And well done on the adventure, would love to have been along. But!!! As probably the only person still playing vangelis on vinyl.... You need some more expensive kit in your music room. This track is one of my favourites, and, sorry, but your cover doesn't have the depth of the original! Still nice music though, and the voiceover is working for me.

[The Gurnard]

Hi Last Tango.. yup..its time consuming as you know..but I find it very enjoyable. It fills wet days nicely now Im retired. Getting the footage is the best part though and Skye is stunning as you well know

Hi Kev ..The Jura adventure was my favourite one of the year ..the heatwave made it special. Skye is every bit as good as Jura and Im sure you will enjoy this series too

Hi Stevie..thanks for your comments. Having played keyboard in a local band around some of the toughest pubs in the central belt of Scotland Im well used to critics.

All I can say to your comment is only a fool would try to compare a solitary amateur keyboard player with a full blown musical production which included large choirs and full orchestras.

Unfortunately my version is still accurate enough for U Tube to clock it as “Conquest of Paradise” and marked the video as copyright to the composers. You better hold your sensitive ears or not watch the rest of the series as I experiment to see how far I have to murder Conquest of Paradise songs to try to fool U Tube into thinking I am not Vangelis as I don’t want these videos blocked.

If I had used the original recordings..the videos would have been blocked instantly. That is the reason Im trying to move away from other artists music. I may have to resort to original songs written by myself ..to avoid copyright issues altogether .. but whether others will like them..that is a different story and a matter of taste...but Im willing to experiment

If Runrig change their music policy on U Tube..the majority of my videos would be blocked. Eddie Vedder music was popular with bushcrafters etc on U Tube. He allowed the use of his songs for several years..but a few months ago changed his policy and thousands of U Tube videos were blocked.

Hope that explains why I may hurt sensitive ears



Part Three will hopefully be uploaded later today ..thanks for watching

[Highland Haggis]

Poeple shouldn't criticise other people when they are trying to make something memrible it takes a lot of time and commitment to organise trips out and video it plus edit it so other can enjoy and learn from there mistakes or even plan there on trip as for the old yin he's doing very well in his learning of video editing and making his own music keep up the good work old yin [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[Stevie Bill]

Hey Donnie! My comment was intended as a compliment on your choice of music (and praise for the original!). As a very very amateur plonked on the keyboards myself I can only be in awe of your obvious talent. (I play conquest of paradise far less well than you!) Sorry for phrasing in a way that appears critical. I really enjoy your vids, and look forward to the next.

[The Gurnard]

Hi Ali and Stevie.. I don’t think Stevie was being too critical of the video ..and I appreciate his feedback..in fact it has got me thinking again. I can understand Stevie’s thoughts as it is a well known record..so perhaps I should keep away from that kind of music. There is no way I would even try to pretend I was anything like his. I chose it as the song title suited the Skye adventure ..that is the only reason.

In part three..I have used another song from the record ..but really only kept the chord progression so it will be hard to compare it to the original. I will be interested in feedback of any type..its the way Im learning..but at the end of the day.. I will follow my own heart .. as thats what I think keeps my videos unique to me.. if that makes sense. ..so all comments good or bad are more than welcome

[Fenlander]

Stevie B this is more in support of Gurnard really than anti your comments...

Those of us that like music often hold the exact sound of favourite albums/tracks in our heads for a lifetime but that obsessive detail can't be used to judge against the general use of a version of the piece in these circumstances. My take is that Gurnard's done really well to re-create much of the flavour of that music from his "living room" keyboards.

Just be thankful he doesn't start uploading "The making of..." type videos...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLE60Aspsu4

[Maximus]

No real surprise ....but Really enjoyed the Video Donny!
Like Kerny said that's a pretty epic trip in a Small SIB Mate ...well done!

[The Gurnard]

Hi Fenlander ..if I had hair like him ..I would be laughing

Hi Maximus ..yup..I cant please everyone. When the band played the pubs .. we were often asked.. play this song. We had been warned not to play those types of songs as Scots get upset depending on which side of the fence they are from.

If we said we didn't know that song ..it was always.. "Well yer all sh&$ musicians" If we played it.. the other side called us Sh&$. I gave the band up because of that ..I only wanted the groupies ..but sadly..they didn't want me. Such is life

Anyhoo ..

Part three is now here. This continues the trip from Glenelg to Harlosh and is still the first day of the three day adventure. The scenery is getting better by the mile and Fang..the dog .. was almost carried off for someone's lunch

Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU07-ILWFZQ

As a follow on from the previous posts regarding Conquest of Paradise and my playing ..Im delighted to report that although I really murdered Deliverance in this video ..which is a track from the same Vangelis album .. U Tube has not responded with a copyright claim .. yeah.

Part Four may see me murder another Paradise song to avoid copyright issues ..but hopefully you will still find the videos viewable...if not.. just know Im following my heart

It will be uploaded tomorrow

Best Regards
The Gurnard

[Fenlander]

More good stuff Mr G. I watched it with daughter Chloe and she was impressed you could create that soundtrack at home on your keys.

Very interested in this Skye trip report as we've had a couple of close runs but never quite made it to SIB up there.

We came close on a run out of Plockton but only really to the vicinity of Scalpay before needing to head back and pack everything into the car for the trip back to the cottage on Duich.

Using the car we had a look at Broadford slip as a potential launch site which looked fine. We also went round to Elgol and perhaps due to catching it on a bad day it looked a little foreboding with the trip RIBs calling it a day as weather swept in.

I hesitate to dilute your thread with other images (unless a naked organist of course) but will slip in these couple... of a friendly looking Broadford and from a threatening looking Elgol.