Why porpoises are like buses.

We recently had our annual Easter egg hunt, I'm saying hunt, but as I bought the eggs, I didn't see why I should go searching them out as well!

The trip was originally well signed up for, but as usual folks started dropping out, as can happen. Then, although I had previously announced that "Spring has arrived!", it certainly didn't hang around for long resulting in more paddlers giving feeble excuses like - it's too cold! Can I point out we stay in Scotland, it's not that cold, maybe cool and a tad breezy at times!

Thank goodness for hats!

By now we were down to 3 for the trip. Me being one, Hubby dear being another and Niall (who must be willing to do anything for a Cadbury's creme egg). Just as we were wondering whether to cancel the trip and just sit somewhere cosy and dry - but still eat the eggs, Iain signed up. With his wee trip round Scotland planned, he was needing to get in some "training". He did realise it was only out from Aberdour, round Inchcolm and back, breaking himself in gently to his strict training regime.
By the time we left Aberdour, there were a few waves, round the corner they picked up a wee bit, when Hubby dear shouted "porpoise". As the saying goes, you can wait for ages on a bus, then three come along all at once, a bit like the porpoises out in the Forth. Years of paddling with no sightings, then 3 one week and another on this trip - brill! Hopefully that wasn't the last of them.
After reaching Inchcolm and scoffing our eggs, it was back to Silversands in the dusk. I was glad it's not completely dark as there was quite a drift and swell by now.

Lovely sunset colours

Back to the May at last!

Leaving Anstruther

After promising ourselves a trip back out to the Isle of May, we eventually made it. We met up with Young Trevor at Anstruther harbour, a busy wee place as a group from FSKC were also launching from there, heading round the coast a bit to Fifeness.

About half way there

Waiting for a higher tide?

We set off on yet another lovely day and didn't take too long to get to the island. After playing around in some of the caves, some being seal occupied, and cutting through areas that the low tide allowed, we arrived at the harbour only to find out that we weren't first there that day.

Fabby coloured seas

Long way up

Going through a cut

Lining up for target practise?

 A large group of kayaks were already there. As we cut through the surf and trying to figure out who it could be, all we heard was "It's Ken and Sarah!" (our Sunday names!). It was Dave and a group from Lothian Sea Kayak Club who had paddled over from "the other side"! - North Berwick. It was a busy place, with the tide being so low, there was a long humph with the boats - us coming in and them leaving.

Young Trevor, always smiling!

LSKC going back "to the other side"

Isle of May Lighthouse

Frothy seas

 We had a nice lazy lunch stop watching masses of rabbits, but no puffins yet.
There was quite a large swell coming from the east which we had to cut back through, but once out it was fine. We  were accompanied as usual by seals until about half way back.

All downhill?

Arriving back in Anstruther harbour, we could see the paddlers from FSKC had just returned in front of us, either that or they hadn't actually left the harbour!
A quick load of the boats, then it was across the road for some well deserved yummy icecream!
Great times!

RNLB Kingdom of Fife