Category: News

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Sugar Boat, Wednesday 27th June 2012

Paddlers: Anne, Seylan, Jamie, Bill, Frankie, Jim, Geoff, Euan, Oliver, Josh, Sam, Ross, Andrew, Tamara

Weather: Flat calm and Misty.

Route: A beginners trip; Straight out from Craigendoran, Climb on the wreck, and Back

Photos:

Ross, Sam and Oliver

Andrew conquers the boat face
Oliver and Josh about to get on boat, Ross in attendance
Keeping boats safe
Getting back into the boats

Sam being retrieved from slip into the sea by Seylan
Tamara
RMS Capatayannis

On the evening of 27 January 1974, a storm blew the vessel from its anchor while she was waiting at the Tail of the Bank to deliver sugar to the James Watt Dock inGreenock. She collided with the BP tanker British Light. The tanker suffered no damage but her anchor chains holed the sugar boat allowing water to pour in.

Captayannis’ captain tried to make for the sheltered waters of the Gareloch. Realising that water was flowing in so fast that she was in imminent danger of sinking, he opted to beach her in the shallow waters over the sandbank and steered to the desired spot where she stuck fast. The pilot boats, the tug Labrador and Clyde Marine Motoring’s Rover came to assist. The vessel heeled over so far that it was possible for the crew to jump onto the deck of the diminutive passenger vessel. 25 of the crew were taken ashore, but the Captain and four crewmen waited on the Labrador, standing off the stricken vessel. The ship finally succumbed the next morning, rolling onto her side. She has lain there ever since. Most, if not all of her more valuable metals and fittings have been removed by looters, leaving little of the split-style superstructure.

Through time Captayannis has become ‘home’ to marine life and birds. She has never been removed as confusion surrounds the identity of her owners and insurers – no-one accepts responsibility for her removal. Plans to have her blown up were shelved as there were fears about damage to nearby bird sanctuary, Ardmore Point

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Loch Lomond, Sunday 24th June 2012

Frankie, Martin, Euan, Eileen, Geoff, Stewart, Hannah and David

The high winds on the Saturday effectively killed the beginners Canoe Camp planned for the weekend and a paddle on the Sunday was rapidly substituted. Kick-off was the relatively early 9am to fit in with a forecast of wind progressively increasing throughout the day. This proved fairly accurate although in general the winds were less severe and the sun far more obvious than the forecast suggested.

The route taken was an anti-clockwise circuit of the 4 SPA (Special Protected Area) islands; Inchvannach, Inchmoan, Inchcruin and Inchconnachan stopping on the horseshoe beach on Inchmoan, the top end of Inchmoan, the pier at Inchcruin and the Wallaby beach on Inchconnachan.

Martin and Eileen in their new boats on Inchmoan
Euan, Hannah and Stewart in one of the club canoes

Ben Lomond just coming clear of cloud
One of the herd of Fallow Deer seen on both Inchmoan and Inchcruin
On the beach on Inchcruin (joined by a collapsible double)
Arriving at the “Wallaby Beach” on Inchconnachan
Frankie and David observe the wallaby (almost completely hidden by the bracken)
Almost back to Aldlochlay

 

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Skye and Loch Nevis June 5 – 7 2012

Paddlers: Hugh, Geoff, Jamie

Depart from Silver Sands of Morar

Weather: Bright with lots of sun and almost flat calm. The threat of high winds and torrential rain on Thursday after 4pm was an ever present and rather dictated where we went.

Day 1: Morar to Point of Sleat (Skye) 14km (8mi). Point of Sleat to North of Armadale 16km (10mi)

From our put in, the River Morar was very shallow  between extensive sand banks. There was a bit of scraping before embarking on the 8 mile crossing to Skye. This proved easy if lengthy.

The River Morar
Crossing the Sound of Sleat with Eigg and Rum in background
Heading North with Beinn Sgritheall and Knoydart in background
Campsite 1

Instead we headed up north along the Skye coast past Armadale and the Gaelic college eventually camping on a fairly rough site. However the supply of wood was excellent and a brisk north easterly kept the dreaded Skye midge away. A good evening.

Day 2: Skye to Doune (Knoydart) 6.5km (4mi). Doune to North Morar 11km (7mi) to Inverie via Kyles of   Nevis 22km  (14mi)

The wind dropped overnight and our winged friends made breakfast a limited pleasure.

Getting ready to depart

 

Looking towards Mallaig from campsite

We had a break at Doune on Knoydart then pushed on to Loch Nevis.

 

Loch Nevis
Ardintigh (Tom Maclean's Adventure Centre)

Given that it is totally isolated, there is a surprisingly large and active community around Tarbet and the Kyles leading into the upper loch. The tide flows through the Kyles at 5 knots; too fast to paddle against. We arrived just as the tide turned and started flowing in. The result is that if we went on we could not get out again for 6 hours. Given our schedule we had to turn. Even then it was a struggle to do the few hundred metres against the incoming tide.

Back up at Inverie we began the search for a campsite. The dominant factor was midges and the need for a good fire to keep them at bay. The choice between the established site in Inverie and a rough site a km further back was won by the rough site, which in retrospect was probably a mistake. A night paddle was as much an escape from midges as a trip to the pub.

Campsite on Knoydart

Day 3: Inverie-Mallaig 10km (7mi) Mallaig -Morar 6km (4mi)

A quick paddle to Inverie for an ice cream. Knoydart is an excellent example  of a community buy out. The struggling village of 25 years ago is now  busy, thriving and beautiful.

Inverie

 

A wonderful morning and a gentle paddle to a beach just short of Mallaig.

AsA short visit to Mallaig, where two other kayak groups were parked up on the beach, and then on to Morar arriving just as the weather broke at 4pm. Another excellent trip.

Paddling up the river back to the car

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Loch Craignish and Dorus Mor

Paddlers: Stewart, Anne, Geoff, Fraser and Jamie

Weather: Damp/Wet and Breezy.

Report: This was a day when any other outdoor activity (cycling, climbing, walking, skiing) would have been miserable in the extreme. Instead we had an excellent day.

The wind was surprisingly strong (Force 4) blowing directly up the loch  giving a tough paddle into it and a bouncy ride across. Dorus Mor offered a strong tidal flow (up to 8 knots) that did not slacken until around 4pm and a passage through and back was clearly never a realistic proposition. The decision was confirmed by a sea of white horses even with wind and tide flowing together.

Parking was problematic and instead of turning round as soon as we left Ardfern we pushed on to a beach at a ruined township called Kington. The paddle from here was back up the loch and then round and along the large islands on the  east of the loch towards Crinan.

A break on Eilean Righ proved interesting and then on out to a small island at the mouth of the loch (Liath-sgeir Mor) for a late lunch. The paddle across the loch proved enjoyable if a little stressful for some and then a fast wind assisted paddle/surf back to the beach.

 

Finally Fraser entertained the troops by showing he still cannot role on his left side

A good day.

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Round the Islands April 22nd 2012

Paddlers: Geoff, Mel, Anne, Tracey, Jim, Martyn, Eileen, Steve, Frankie, David, Lee

Group on beach: second lunch break

Weather: Bright but mostly overcast, with no wind.

 

The Route
Leaving Aldlochlay

Heading North from Inchmoan

Meeting with Hostellers at narrows: Derek displays paddle used on first Kilda trip
Always

 Video of group paddling available at

http://youtu.be/OawK-KCLu20
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Clyde, Sunday March 25th 2012

Paddlers: Miriam, Lena, Hugh, Mel, Geoff, Derek, Euan (C-M), Callum, David, Jamie, Myles

Weather: Flat Calm, Hazy Sun (Perfect)

Route: Craigendoran, Sugar Boat, Estuary Control (Greenock), Royal West (Gourock), Peninsular near point, Craigendoran

Report: The trip was targeted at novices and proved to be a gentle and extremely pleasant afternoon on the water.

From Left: Back Row; Jamie, David, Miriam, Hugh, Lena; Front Row, Derek, Myles, Mel, Geoff, Callum, Euan
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Loch Etive, March 3/4 2012

Paddlers: Ruth, Alan, Sue, Hugh, Geoff

 

Weather: Very breezy and Cold. Dull Saturday, Bright (some Sun) on Sunday. Rain and Snow overnight.

SPOT Plot of Route

Saturday: We met John Campbell at Taynuilt Pier to collect Bothy key shortly after 10.30. Paddled up East of Loch making excellent progress in strong southerly breeze.  

Our original intention was to explore rivers but that was thwarted by sandbanks.  As day progressed squalls developed and loch turned white.  One was so strong that it lifted and drove the spume along the loch. Wind speed well in excess of 30mph but too busy to calculate! Any of us could have had a cold bath.  After that the next time we heard the roar of the next squall  we rafted up. Eventually made a surf landing at Barrs just after 2pm.

Looking down loch from Barrs beach in quiet period

The Barrs Bothy is owned by Argyll Scouts and is almost completely hidden. It provided excellent shelter on a wet and windy evening.

Morning after night before

After trailing the gear up to the bothy and lighting a reluctant fire, there followed a good walk till dusk, a good meal and an evening of excellent conversation and libation (whisky and drambuie, whisky and honey, cointreu, whisky and whisky). Sleep followed (and apparently some snoring but I never heard any).

Morning broke bright with snow on the hills.

Looking west from Bothy

 

Looking East. Ben Cruachan is just visible

 

A leisurely breakfast, clean up and wood store replenishment led to a lateish departure heading south.

 

 

 

We had a brief stop to inspect the MBA bothy (excellent) which was occupied by 3 youngsters cooking breakfast over the open fire. A stiff southerly breeze slowed progress but periodically the sun emerged and all was well in the world.

Looking into the sun towards Cruachan

We arrived back for lunch just after 2pm.

The loch is one of the wildest and most beautiful areas of Scotland and a wonderful paddle on a breezy winters weekend. Barrs proved an excellent refuge and the beach is an excellent camp site in summer. Thoroughly recommend the trip.

 

 

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News and Training Feb 2012

Adult Basic:

Pool Sessions. Tues 14th Feb to Tues 6th April(Easter)

Open Water: 1. Sun March 11th Luss 10 am, 2. Sun March 25th (provisonal) RNYC 10am 3. TBA

Sea Kayak Weekend. Sat/Sun 3rd/4th March.  Suitable for those who have completed training but need trip experience. Camping.

Club AGM Weds 14th March  .John St 20:30