Helensburgh CC

Club Weekend Camping Trip
Steve, Gordon, Hugh, Innes, Lorna, David, Damien
SE & S F3 – F2, Bright & Sunny, Total distance 48 Km
Wildlife seen: sea eagle, otter, seals, various other raptors, guillemots.
Friday Jul 9th

1430 met at Oban ferry terminal after travelling in individual cars (Covid advice), unloaded and cars driven to McQueens yard. Taxis back to terminal and all aboard with Kayaks on trolleys for 1620 sailing. As well as us the ferry carried a group of Honda C50/90 enthusiasts on a rally and 3 x cyclists towing paddle boards on trailers.
A technical issue had delayed departure but a good dinner aboard and only a little late into Scalasaig at 1900. Quickly off the ferry, most trolleys left at the terminal, some carried in boats. Trip briefing and paddling South along coast looking for a campsite. Good camping for a large group would be West of Rubha Dubh 2 Km down from Scalasaig, but we pressed onto to North East Oronsay on the Dunes, facing East and found superb camping on flat ground. A fire, refreshments and a late evening.

Saturday 10th
0900 start and through the Strand with a good meter of water over the causeway (HW +2.5 hours). Port na Luinege to leave boats and explore priory. Afternoon spent exploring West coast. Lunch in Port Lobh, stop at Port Mor and camp on Traigh Ban Dune above Kiloran Bay. Party to the top of Carnan Eoin. Dinner on the beach by a fire.


Sunday 11th
Forecast was for F4 from SE so expecting a bumpy run down the East Coast, in the event very little wind F3 – 2.
0900 start and paddle to Rubh a Geodha for stop before easy run back to Scalasaig. Noted several possible camp sites on this coast not obvious from the map.
Scalasaig for midday leaving plenty of time to walk via Beinn nan Gudairean to Kiloran House. The sensible ones just did the hill and retired to the hotel.
On board the ferry we compared notes with the Honda gang and the paddle boarders and concluded all had had a good time on the island.

This trip was originally proposed and largely planned by Geoff Riddington who was unfortunately unable to participate but who is undoubtedly going to do the trip soon.

Gordon, Colin, Harry, Ruth, Lorna

F2, 21.2km Saturday 15.3km Sunday

An overnight trip from Resipole Campsite (OS 723 639) into Loch Teacius. We left the cars at the campsite by prior arrangement (and small fee) and paddled West along the South Shore of Loch Sunart, crossing over to Dun Ghallain (OS 648 600) for lunch – a recommended spot. We carried on into Loch Teacius to the East of Carna and explored round the Southern end of Carna and into Loch ne Droma Buidhe via drying channel at Doirlinn we only just got through, suggesting that you need at least 3m of tide.

We tried a new camping spot on the beach (OS 623 568), a quiet spot but when the wind died, the midges were pretty intolerable. On previous trips we’d camped at OS 625 582, a grassier spot but overlooked by the cottages on Carna.

On Sunday, we had a leisurely paddle back along the South Shore of Loch Sunart and were treated to a display of at least three otters, including some cubs jumping clear of the water.

Gordon, Colin, Rachel, Jonny, Sharon

F1-2 SW, 17km

A short daytrip from RNCYC to Kilcreggan where we had lunch. Back via Kidston for an ice cream.

Some transit practice while crossing the tide between bouys – photo below gives and idea angle required to keep a straight line over the ground, and how far you drop down if you just point at the bouy.

Lismore June 12-13, 2021
Club Weekend Camping Trip
Steve, Gordon, Harry & Edward
W, SW & S F4 – F2, Overcast, Springs, 48Km

Circumnavigation of Lismore from Lay by Opposite N End of Shuna
Saturday
With wind for Saturday forecast from the West we decided on a clockwise route gaining shelter from the island. Paddling by 1030 we were into the 2nd hour of the ebb tide. Lunch stop at Achnacroish Pier. Last of the tide down to the small unnamed bay just East of the Southern tip of the island and the campsite of the previous Lismore trip. With the wind having backed to the South we also took advantage of the flood tide and continued up the West coast to Achadun Bay for camping. Dinner followed by exploration of Achadun Castle.

Sunday
1100 start on the water with the sun occasionally showing. Explored several shallow caves and An Sailean before lunching at Castle Coeffin. Midges also joined us so departed to see if we could find the remains of the Fort shown just to the North of the castle, a lovely walk but little could be seen of the fort. The afternoon took in a loop of the large bay at the top of the island and an attempt at finding some tidal streams expected around the islands East of the ferry jetty though these proved to be very tame. Crossed to Castle Stalker and back to the layby just ahead of the rain forecast for the evening.
Despite the South enjoying temperatures in the high 20s and ourselves seeing around 16 this was a very pleasant start to our monthly camping expeditions.

Wild life seen; eagle, heron, unnamed raptors, geese and ducks, seals

The Club Tuesday evening Paddles are now thoroughly underway! Whilst we aren’t intending to post every Tuesday night session it was lovely to meet New and Returning Club Members, as well as having a Canoeist actively joining our session. Which started with a journey and fished with a wet skills session! Geoff demonstrating how to rescue a Canoe from a sea kayak!

Paddlers: Gordon, Geoff, Andy, Sharon, Tom, Edward & Vonna

2nd Club Day Paddle of year. Theme was a gentle return to paddling after an extended COVID break for many. We were pleased to welcome new HCC member Lorna and visiting Coach Heather from Totness Canoe Club.

The weather was still & calm for a nice relaxing paddle. Time to reflect.

Paddlers: Gordon, Colin, Tim, Andy, Lorna, Heather & Vonna. Distance was 20.2km

This marked the beginning of our return to Paddling and was the 1st Club Tuesday Evening session in a long while. It was all about reintroducing ourselves back to paddling after the extended COVID break – well over a year for some. Paddle was relaxed, remembering some of the skills we haven’t used in a while. We launched at Luss – hopped around Inchtavannach, Inchconnachan, Inchcruin and back to Luss. We were lucky enough to spot an Osprey!!! Many a paddler takes up twitching!

Weather was much calmer than forecast – F2. Overcast, with a few showers.

Paddlers: Gordon, Lee, Rachel , Jonny & Vonna

1st day Club Paddle of 2021!!! Whoop!!

We entered the water at Lachlan Bay (nr Lachlan Castle). There was a slip way to launch from & then we moved our cars over to the carpark near the river. Theme of this trip was Island Hopping (Sgeir an Eirionnaich, An Oitir, Eliean Fraoch & Eliean Aoghainn) to Union Bay, just beyond Minard Castle. For the return we island hopped, stopping to look at Comb Jellies. We came in on high tide, travelled a short distance up river to the car park. We then went to explored Lachlan Castle!!

Conditions were calm F1-2. Sun & a few shower – light breeze. Total Distance approx 15.2km

Paddlers: Gordon, Ruth, Colin, Serena & Vonna.

Geoff, Serena, Damien, Steve
S F1/2, Sunny 1-4 degC
This is the 6th club trip run under the Covid 19 rules for Organised Sport Activity.
A bright clear sunny winter morning saw us meeting at Inveruglas for a trip briefing and Covid Rules check. We followed the Western shore to the head of the loch into the River Falloch. Though not on Geoff’s list of Argyle Lochs to be visited (have to be greater than 1Km in length), Damien found a passage through the reeds to Geal Loch. Lunch was had on the Eastern side of the lochan. The afternoon was spent cruising down to Island Vow for a look round the castle ruins before heading back across the loch where a short foray into the Inveruglas Water was made before finishing.

Distance 17Km
Start & Finish from Inveruglas 0930 – 1430

Loch Long & Holy Loch 22nd Nov, 2020
Geoff, Vonna, Serena, Colin Gordon, Steve
W / WSEW 3/4, overcast, occasional showers & sun

This is the 5th club trip run under the Covid 19 rules for Organised Sport Activity.
After a week of avid forecast watching where different forecasts showed significant variations, Saturday evening finally indicated a reasonable consensus for Westerly F3s / 4s.
The trip commenced and finished from 2 separate locations – Coulport Layby for the boys from Helensburgh and Gairletter Point for the girls from Carrickcastle.
After a short crossing from Rosneath Penninsula we all met up below a double rainbow appearing from a squall moving across the loch. The Western Cowal shore provided protection down to Strone were a SW crossing was made to Hafton Park. After a quick exploration into the outflow of the River Eachaig we stopped for lunch below Kilmun Church under the magnificent bus and cycle shelter. A quick tour of the church, mausoleum and graveyard was made before setting out along the N shore thereafter retracing of our route from Strone.

Distance 25Km
HW 0510, LW 1106
Start from Coulport 0930, Finish 1500
Wildlife seen: seals