Isle of Mull Sea Kayaking ...Holiday!

Thursday, 12 September 2013

Isle of Mull Sea Kayaking ...Holiday!

The first self catering 5 star accommodation sea kayaking course was to the Isle of Mull and Sonja, Barry and myself were heading up the programme for 9 keen paddlers. Five days sea kayaking with one day off. Cooking in teams for 3 nights and eating out on the others. What follows is an insight into the first two days ...

The first day was out of Loch Tuath to Calgary Bay, about 20k and with an increasing F3 SE wind. This allowed the group to adjust and get used to conditions and see the coastline passing by ... Its a beautiful place ....

Our 2nd day with a light NW F2 and increasing to F3/4 as the day went on was to paddle either out to Staffa, taking in Gometra and Ulva (39k) or round Gometra and Ulva (34k). We started as one team, and Sonja led an on the water stretching session as bodies were tight after the previous day.

We soon saw our first otter and latter a super few of a sea eagle.

After our main break we then moved into our two teams. The wind was now about F3 ...
fresh but bright and Jon, Sedge, Tracy and Andy, Nick and Douglas were on for Staffa, while Kath, Ann, Sandra, Sonja and Barry continued round Gometra ...

Having been out to Staffa once before, I wasn't really prepared for Fingal's cave. My previous trip, was on the rapid development expedition, 1.5 years ago, but due to 2mt swell and shallow reefs we hadn't been able to get that close. The sun was beaming into the entrance of the cave and the light was reflecting of the surface of the water and bouncing round the ceiling of the cave. It was totally magic and very special ....

We crossed back to Gometra after another break with all keeping a good ferry glide angle in the increasing F3/4 wind ...

The South side of Ulva, had stunning rock formations .... and an hour or so later we were out of the wind and looking up at Ben More, with great light and colours ...