Dolphins! dolphins everywhere

Launching a new hat!

We were recently heading over to Oban Sea Kayak to pick up some new club kit and having gone that distance we were obviously going to have a wee paddle at the same time.
Whilst in the shop, we bumped into David and Andy from FSKC, they were up collecting a shiny new boat, so we arranged to meet at the ferry to go for a paddle round Kerrera.
We got ourselves ready, hung around a bit longer, still no sign of David and Andy. We tried the radio, still nothing, so we decided to set off anyway.

February, but could be May

It was mid February and we were setting off with sun hats and no pogies, it was glorious weather. We had decided to set off north to paddle anti clockwise round the island. With the breeze and tide working with us, we fairly flew down the outside of Kerrera, we then stopped for a bite of lunch down the bottom end. It was lovely and peaceful sitting in the sunshine on our new foldy chairs Hubby dear had just bought. It was his Valentines present to me, not quite a dozen red roses, but much more comfortable! While enjoying the sunshine, I did say that to make the day perfect, it would be lovely for a dolphin to swim by.

Arriving for lunch

Peace and quiet

We carried on round the bottom of the island and back up the Sound.
Just as we were passing Gallanachmore, in the distance were a couple of fins. I was so pleased, the dolphins had made an appearance!

https://youtu.be/qHEyS7s1MIA

We paddled gently onwards, then just drifted. There weren't just a couple of dolphins, there were 3 or 4 having a great old time, leaping and snorting. They weren't in the least bit bothered by us or the boys on the fishing boat who were also watching.

 

There weren't 3 or 4 dolphins, we now realised there were at least 12, but probably closer to 15 - 20, having a real bean feast on the fish. They were leaping, sploshing, zooming all round us. Trying to keep track of them was almost impossible. The only evidence they were under the boats were the bubble trails from their tail flicks, before surfacing again. Seeing them working together, sometimes in pairs, other times four in a row - it was fantastic!

After half an hour we decided we had better get a move on as it was getting a bit late.
Further up the sound, we spotted a sparkling glow! As we got closer, we realised it was David in his shiny new boat, the glow being Andy's day glo, glow in the dark, Tangoed drysuit!
When we had all arranged to meet at the ferry, it would probably have been a good idea to agree on which ferry we were talking about. They had gone down to the Kerrera ferry and had gone round the island clockwise. We must have passed each other possibly at Gamhna, we went round the outside, there was no other way Andy could have sneaked past.
We eventually made our way back across the bay in the near dark.

Oban in the evening

It was a magical days paddling, I didn't even mind missing the icecream shop - that's how special it was!

Big Bash

Looking down under the Ballachulish bridge

From our room with a view

Perfect paddling conditions? No, the car park!

Ever since joining LSKC, we have been told we should attend their annual Big Bash up at Ballachulish, seems it is a really good weekend away. The thought of a couple of days paddling, meals included, comfy bed and a shindig at night sounded good, so we signed up.

 

Good Scottish paddling weather!

For our first days paddling, a day with Seakayak Freedom was arranged for the Falls of Lora. My previous memories of paddling this area was when we were doing the 4* training, specifically being towed by Hubby dear and another paddler in a V tow. Normally this would be lovely, sitting back enjoying the view, however, they had other ideas, paddling on either side of a large dry rock!
This time, Tony took us out. The large dry rock was on the other side of the bridge and safely submerged! We were doing lots of breaking in and out of the flow, giving it a bit more edge before heading over to the north channel, doing the same again in the opposite direction. Helped to unwind us.

 

Dry run edging!

Mark and Laura grabbing a breather

 

This was where things went downhill/downstream for me. Having been getting good edges on one side, I went in this time a bit hesitant (why, I still don't know!) and unsurprisingly ended up going over. Unsurprisingly, whilst still in the swirly area my roll failed. I'm saying unsurprisingly as my river boat roll is OK, unfortunately my sea roll went AWOL quite some time ago now!!!, however I have some tips from Tony I'm hoping will miraculously make it return! Something which did surprise me was my damp pants! My wee swim was obviously too much for my beloved drysuit!

Back in the boat, we finished off a fantastic, if not exhausting days paddling, before heading back to the hotel in time for the evening ceilidh.

On Oban slipway

Heading up the Sound of Kerrera

Looking over to a snowy Mull

 Next morning, Alice had organised a trip down to Oban to go round Kerrera. A lovely refreshing paddle with some bouncy waves round the north of the island. Lunch on the south of the island was accompanied by a sunny hail shower.

 

Coming round the south corner

 

Me!

Not a boat to play chicken with!

  For those of you who commented on the contents of my now famous wee blue sweetie bag containing sweets of various vintages, stickiness and saltiness, the bag has now been cleaned and replenished with new ones where you won't have to sook the wrappers off!

A few new sweets!

The only major incident of the day was not getting back to Oban before the ice cream shop shut! A whole weekend with no ice cream but a great Big Bash!

Garry 3, Kerrara 1, Ice cream 2

Last Monday, I got a frantic phone call from Cathy at Sea Kayak Oban, to say the 4 kayaks that were ordered for FCAG were on their way back up north and that Stuart could meet up with us at Stirling services at 7.00pm that evening. After a few phone calls to rearrange my evening, we headed over to Stirling to collect two of the kayaks, brand new North Shore AtlanticLV, still in their polybags. We would collect the other two at the weekend.
On Saturday, Kevin had arranged a river trip up to the Garry, a bit north of Fort William. A long way off meant an early rise (I'm not very good at them), but Kevin, Kris, Craig, Bill, Liam Ken and myself all met up at the boatshed for 7.30.

We arrived at the river at about 11.00 and once we had dropped the cars off at the bottom, we had a walk up the side of the river. As I was the only one never to have paddled this river before, Kevin was pointing out the different drops and what lines to take, not that I remember any of this once I'm on the water. We put in just below the dam, next to the huge tunnel, hoping they didn't decide to release through here all of a sudden.

Bill

Kris

Where's Kris

Craig

Kevin

Still Bill

 We had a wee play around up at the top, before starting to head down. It wasn't too long before I found out I could still roll! Down to the next bit with a lovely wave, good for side surfing, (well it is for some folks). At the last drop, I followed Kevin's line and survived it all. A nice, short trip, but really good. We got out for a quick bite to eat, when Bill decided he was finished paddling for the day.We loaded the boats into the back of his van and walked up the left hand side of the river, jumped in just below the wave and swam to the opposite bank and up a bit to get the boats again.For some paddlers this is the only way they swim in a river, but not me!

Is this on the swim count Kevin

Sarah getting more water logged

Another one for the swim count

Back up the top, another play, then down to the wave again, this time I managed a good surf before coming out upside down again. Back to the last drop where I followed Ken's line this time. I never got far before I was upside down with the paddles ripped out of my hands, I was in for a bumpy swim back down to the bottom. Boats back in Bill's van, back up the left hand side of the river again (Kevin was determined to get more wild Blaeberries), back in for another swim across the river and back in our boats for a quick last run. All was going well until the last drop. I followed Kevin again, but no luck. I was suffering from deja vu. Upside down, paddles ripped out of hands again, bump, bump, bump down to the bottom. Despite having 2 intentional swims and also 2 unintentional swims, I had a great time, what's more, I think it must be the first river I've paddled down without letting slip a wee sweary - must have been good.

Craig

Sarah

Ken

The others all headed back down the road while Ken and I headed down to Inchree to the Glendevin B & B. Next day the weather had turned a bit windy and miserable as we headed down to Oban to collect the other 2 new sea kayaks for the club. We got changed, picked up the kayaks and had a wee stroll down to the slipway, stopping the traffic as we went to get across the street.

Shiny new boats

Ken posing

 Ken was paddling the Atlantic LV, while I was paddling the regular Atlantic, both with new paddles. We headed up round the top of Kerrera and down the other side, stopping off in Slatrach Bay for eats.

Cuddles are hard to get with 2 B.A's

Grandma at Gamhna island



Ken in his lively LV

  The regular Atlantic is a very comfy, nice boat to paddle. As we were coming round the south end of the island, the wind and tides were kicking up some decent waves, but my boat still handled it easily. The LV was a bit more lively at this point. We turned into the Sound of Kerrera where we swapped boats so that we could try each one out.

Lots of yachts



Sarah



Ken heading home

 We were sharing the Sound with approximately 100 yachts as they finished a race. Back in Oban, we stopped the traffic again as we took the boats back up to the car. Once they were tied on, it was off for an icecream (of course), a  double (of course), Bailies and Ferrero Rocher, I'm sure it was the low calorie version.
What a great weekend.