A very special induction

The third week of March promised some very fine and warm weather in Scotland.  Having studied the forecasts and checked availability we decided on a sea kayak trip over four days and three nights in the Firth of Clyde and Loch Fyne.  Allan, Raymond and I would start near Tighnabruaich in the West Kyle, Donny would launch his F-RIB from the same spot and Douglas and Mike would kayak from Portencross on the Ayrshire coast to join us for an overnight camp.

Our planning was very flexible, there was no fixed itinerary other than getting out on the water for a journey and to enjoy the fine weather.  From previous knowledge of the area we had several potential wild camp sites in mind for our first night and were able to keep in touch through the day to decide which one would work best for our varied starting points and times.

It's a fair drive from Aberdeenshire to Tighnabruaich, but Allan and I made good time and after stopping for brunch en route we were packing the boats shortly after 1pm - Raymond arrived a few minutes after us from his home near Stirling. We noted Donny's car in the parking area so he was on the water already, a message from Douglas and Mike indicated that they had set off late morning and the weather could not have been better....the plan was coming together!

We paddled south down the West Kyle of Bute and past Ardlamont Point into open water at the mouth of Loch Fyne, it was a cracking day to be on the water.

The slight breeze dropped completely as we crossed to the north end of the island of Inchmarnock - a couple of messages exchanged just as we set off had confirmed our meeting point as the south end of the island where we knew we'd get a good camp site provided that it wasn't inhabited by cattle.

We couldn't quite believe the conditions we paddled in...warm sun on the face, a heat haze and perfect reflections on mirror calm water.  All the more remarkable, conditions were due to be similar for the whole week - and the clocks hadn't even gone forward!

We landed at the shingle spit at the north end of Inchmarnock for coffee and a leg-stretch, greeted by this bright orange Seven Armed Starfish (Luidia ciliaris) which was a very neat colour match with the deck of my Cetus MV.  

"Inchmarnock" means Marnoc's Island and is named for the Celtic monk St Marnoc.  His name appears in several other place names in south west Scotland including the town of Kilmarnock.  Near where we landed a stone "cist" or burial container was excavated to reveal the remains of a Bronze Age lady buried with a jet bead necklace and a finely made dagger.  the remains were carbon dated to about 3500 BC and the lady (subsequently named the "Queen of the Inch") re-interred beneath a heavy glass pane.

Rested and refreshed, we paddled at a relaxed pace down the west side of Inchmarnock, sighting deer and a Peregrine Falcon along the cliffs.  It didn't feel like an afternoon to be rushing along.

In fact, quite the opposite, this was an afternoon to take things very easily and to enjoy the beautiful weather.

A call on the VHF radio from Douglas alerted us that we were just a few hundred metres from the beach above which we'd camp for the night.

Image courtesy of Dr Douglas Wilcox

Douglas took this wonderful panoramic image of Allan, Raymond and I just about to arrive at the camp site; I think it really sums up the day and the superb position.

From the water the position is no less superb, a gently shelving shingle and pebble beach with an area of flat turf above.  This place is sometimes frequented by the herd of Luing cattle which are grazed on Inchmarnock - this breed can be aggressive and don't make good neighbours if camping.  It's their home, so if they're around we go elsewhere to camp!

 After putting up our tents and settling in we joined Douglas, Mike and Donny for dinner around the camp fire.  this early in the Spring there was plenty of driftwood for a fire to be lit below the high water mark.  Raymond, Allan and I had each cooked a fresh meal for one night of this trip - we started this evening with a chilli con carne and rice, accompanied with a glass of red wine - no need to rough it!

This trip was significant for a couple of reasons, the first being that this was the first time we'd been out together for some time, and the first overnight trip of the year for most of us.  The second reason was that all the people on the trip apart from me are retired or semi-retired....and I was imminently to retire.  So, this was a very special induction into the club!

Sat by the fire on a lovely evening in a superb location, sharing a dram with good friends....I think I could get to like this retirement thing! 😊

Calm in the Kyles, above and below

The north end of the Isle of Bute is rugged and difficult of access on foot.  When I lived on the island I walked there sometimes and always found it a slog.  Today I was able to glide past using the last of the flood tide.

This small area of the Kyles makes a great day paddle in itself, one can start at Colintraive and explore the Burnt Islands then across to the popular but concealed yacht anchorage of An Caladh and then if the tide is right head up Loch Riddon (also known as Loch Ruel).  On a rough hillside above the shore at the north of the island are the Maids of Bute, two brightly painted rocks which have watched over the Kyles for well over a hundred years.  I waved to them as is traditional but they didn't wave back, and sadly my photograph didn't do the ladies any justice.

It's not all rugged wilderness hereabouts though; a few kilometres west on the mainland shore are two villages, Tighnabruaich and Kames.  Very pretty and with impressive stone-built waterfront houses, both are popular tourist destinations.  For this tourist, there was a particular attraction - an ice cream from the village shop. This sea-kayaking lark doesn't always have to be a wilderness experience!  :o)

Having eaten my ice cream beside the RNLI slip in a lovely summer scene of folk wandering the seafront and children exploring the beach, I headed back out and past Kames.  I was now heading south down the West Kyle and crossed back over to the Bute shore.

As the West Kyle opens up, there's a view down past the island of Inchmarnock to the Arran hills. The heat of the day was building a haze, something we've not seen since the warmth of late April. 

The calm surface of the water allowed a glimpse into the world below.  Every summer, several species of jellyfish can be found in large numbers on Scotland's west coast.  Most numerous today were Moon Jellyfish, but there were lots of larger Lion's Mane Jellyfish ( Cyanea capillata) too.  This one was about .75 of a metre across with tentacles stretching some 3 metres behind it, the largest yet recorded had a diameter of over 2 metres!.  I kept to one side as the sting can be painful.  The Lion's Mane has a fascinating lifecycle, most of the animals found close to the shore are reaching the end of their lives.  There's an aura of calm about the jellyfish which suited the day's pace perfectly.

I paddled on and arrived at Kildavanan Bay for a lunch break on the warm shingle.  I looked over to Ardlamont Point across a mirror calm sea with not a breath of wind.  How very different to when I was here a few weeks ago!