Ailsa Craig

On sunday myself tony and phil took a trip out to Ailsa Craig this is an amazing island sitting 14 miles of the coast of Girvan.

Phil enjoying to calm waters. we were blessed with a mirror sea the whole day. perfect.

This is the cliffs on the west side of the island. we all enjoyed the arial display of the different birds nesting on the island. this was the first time i had ever seen a puffin and they are beautiful. Its looking like the puffin numbers are on the rise thanks to the eradication of the rats on the island.

Tony and I took a walk up to the Castle and enjoyed the views across the clyde. its not until you see it from here that you can take in the size of the clyde.

We had company when we were having lunch.

This was the conditions on the way back.

paddle around scottland

Well thats the request in for time off in 2012 for my trip around scotland. i am booking 3 months off to complete the trip. i Hope to finish sooner than 3 months but am planning non paddling days into the trip for a rest and to enjoy the places i visit. I want to take everything in on the trip this is not going to be a head down and paddle like crazy approach.

sugar boat

I recently paddled aroung the sugar boat  which lies just off helensburgh on the clyde. I have seen this wreck for many years and never knew anything about it. I pulled the following statement off the local clydesite magazine this is an online magazine on the clyde.

Locally referred to as "the sugar boat" she lies on a sandbank at the Tail o' the Bank (the upper firth anchorage) near to the promontory of Ardmore Point and was the Greek cargo ship CAPTAYANNIS.

On the evening of 27th January 1974 the area suffered from a terrific storm which blew the vessel from its anchor (it was waiting to deliver sugar to the James Watt Dock) and caused it to collide with the BP tanker BRITISH LIGHT. The tanker suffered no damage but the anchor chains of the tanker holed the sugar boat allowing water to pour into her.

Her captain decided to try and make for the sheltered waters of the Gareloch but realised the waters were flowing in so fast she was in imminent danger of sinking, the best thing to do was beach her in the shallow waters over the sandbank and he steered her to the desired spot where she stuck fast and started to heel over.

Why has she never been removed? Much confusion surrounds the identity of her owners, and no-one is willing to be responsible for her removal. There were once plans to have her blown up, but Ardmore Point is a sensitive bird sanctuary and there were fears such a drastic course of action would have negative repercussions - so it seems she will remain there until every piece of metal has rusted away.

The trip out to the sugar boat was fun with a following sea which picked me up and pushed me along at a fast pace. I dropped into the lee side of the boat and enjoyed the protection from the wind.

Even though she has ben here for 36 years she is still a solid structure.

On the way back to shore I passed this deep water marker. The wind was now blasting down the channel from Gareloch which made forward progress hard work but very enjoyable with beautiful views back up the Gare loch.

close encounters of the feathered kind

last time out on loch lomond we met two of the locals who really gave us a close inspection! A little too close for my liking. these are very beautiful birds but i was very awear that these are wild animals and its there rules you go by! I had seen them coming over and had told my son blair to not make any sudden movements and stay calm!

Very noble birds

These guys were looking for food. at this point i felt i was about to be mugged for my sandwichie's but after a few minutes my feathered friend decided he could not get into my hatch so he gave up.

Blair with Ben Lomond in the background.

blair on loch lomond

planning ahead

I am Planning to paddle around scotland in 2012 and starting to put together all the information required for this. If you have any information about tides local information ect could you drop me a line sometime at aln.wilson@tiscali.co.uk

I would be very greatfull for any information at all. you can never have to much.

I have been dreaming about doing this since i was at school many years ago. I read an article while i was at school and that caught my intrest and i started to dream of the beaches up the west coast.

 Have now set a date and contacted the charity The Erbs Palsy Group http://www.erbspalsygroup.co.uk/ and informed them of my intentions to raise money for them. This is to say thank you for all the help they gave us when my son was born with an erbs palsy to his left arm.

Sunsets

One of the finest moments about kayaking is being on the water as the sun sets. This picture was taken by Douglas Wilcox on a trip round Lismore.

A calm night off Ayr harbour

Sun setting off Heads of Ayr

This was my sunset as i was eating my dinner on the beach of Bracken bay

The end of a perfect paddle at largs marina

This is another fantastic view as i was about to paddle back to Maidens beach from Dunure bay.

On the way back to Maidens beach the sun set behind Ailsa Craig

Another beautiful view this time from Little Cumbrae looking across to Bute

Holy Island

The last paddle i was on was ment to be with friends! we had planned to take the ferry across to Arran and drive over to the west coast and go for a paddle over to carradale.But due to a major wardrobe malfunction i had to make a mad dash back to Ayr and collect my drysuit. only to pull up as the ferry was leaving the pier. opppps!!!!

After some quick thinking from douglas and phil we planned a recovery paddle. they would leave my kayak at the ferry terminal and i would go for a trip around the Holy Island while douglas and phil would stick with the original plan.

I picked up my kayak and paddled south to the Holy Island. On the east side of the island there is a wee pebble beach with a white post. Written on the post in four languages was "May peace prevail on earth" which brought a wry smile to my face as i was reminded of an incident when friends landed not so long ago and were threatened with having wild ponys set on them. Very peacfull.

some beautiful red sandstone cliffs.

One of the wild ponys looking very calm.

looking south you can just see Ailsa Craig.

at the south of the island there are a group of rocks that you can have some fun and weave in and out of.

On the way back to Brodick i was very lucky to see two otters playing. I got a video of them playing but i am having real problems posting it on here. Think the file is to big i will try and post it later.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

i wish you all the best for 2010. thanks to everybody that made 2009 a fantastic year.

a trip around the cumbraes

on sunday we went for a wee paddle around great cumbrae and little cumbrae. the start was very cold with an icy start.

we circumnavigated the islands anticlock wise. down the west side and took advantage of the tide and wind. we enjoyed a following sea. the weather stayed cold and overcast but every now and again there would be a break in the clouds

by the time we were heading north again towards millport the sun had broken through.

looking north west we were rewarded with fantastic views of the snow capped mountains.

then we looked south west the view of the snow capped arran mountains took my breath away. wow!!!!

what a beautiful view

i sat in the middle of the tan and took in the beautiful view of arran. it took all my will power to leave and paddle on towards millport.

looking south we could see where we had paddled from. you can just make out the castle on the left.

tony in millport bay

heading out of millport bay enjoying the warmth of the sun as we head back to largs.

a fantastic sunset to finish off a fantastic day.