Roof of Britain 2015
der Blog zu unserer Umrundung des schottischen Hochlandes im Sea Kayak
The "Roof of Britain"
a Coastal Spirit Rapid Development Expedition 2015
Arosa 20.12.2013
Es schneit wie wild. Gerade vom Skifahren zurück denke ich nun nicht gerade an grosse Paddeltouren..
Doch da erreicht mich Sarah's sms "hx ..." .. "the roof of Britain" meint sie - die Umrundung des schottischen Hochlandes im sea kayak, 4 Wochen und rund 800km paddeln mit Sack und Pack - phuu toll denke ich, eine super Tour für Sarah mit ihrer Erfahrung und ihrem BCU 5* - aber wohl eine Nummer zu gross für mich.. trotzdem, ein leises "würd ich auch mal gern" regt sich.
2014
Februar 2014, wir haben ein gutes Plätzchen für die Boote und unser Zelt in diesen feuchtkalten Nacht. Als Sarah fragt: Häschs der ezze mal überleit wegm Roof? - Ähmm? Meinsch denn das chännti??
Einige Zeit und viele, viele Zweifel später sende ich die Anfrage mit meinem Vorbereitungsplan an Roger der die Tour im Sinne einer "Rapid Development Expedition" als Coach anbietet. Er kennt er mich von verschiedenen Kursen in Wales mittlerweile gut und kann wohl beurteilen, ob ich die Voraussetzungen für die Tour erfülle bzw. bis April 2015 erfüllen kann.
Die Antwort folgt promt:
"I would be pleased to have you on the team. I love your plan for the preparation. If you could make the BCU 4 star leader training in March that would be perfect because it would give you a good focus and action plan to work with between now and the circumnavigation
of Anglesey in August 2014."
Hurra!! Freude und gleichzeitig phuu.. aber ja, noch ist über ein Jahr Zeit.
Es folgt ein intensives Paddeljahr.
Viele schöne - lange - Tage Distanz paddeln, drei Trainingswochen in Anglesey, tolle Gepäcktouren auf dem Walensee und Vierwaldstättersee, eine kalte windige Dezemberwoche in Sardinien, einige Roll-Sessions im See und auch im Hallenbad, dann eine Vorbereitungswoche in Wales mit den andern die auf der Tour dabei sein werden, sowie viele Abende Karten vorbereiten, Gezeiteninformationen zusammensuchen und Material testen, Gas und Essen sowie Einkaufsmöglichkeiten planen.
17. April 2015
Die Zeit geht schnell vorbei und am 17. April stehen wir schliesslich an den Corran Narrows wo wir die andern beiden - Roger und Tavi aus Wales - treffen werden.
Wir sind in Schottland - Morgen geht's los!
Aufgrund des eher windigen Wetterberichts planen wir mit einem Start in Helmsdale an der Ostküste. Dies bedeutet, 2-3 Tage auf dem Meer bevor es in den Caledonian Canal geht, wo alles etwas zivilisiert ist und darum trotz Wind einfach sein sollte.
Doch die Tour beginnt anders als erwartet...
Am morgen checken Sarah, Tavi und ich den Wetterbericht und dieser zeigt nun ein gutes Wetterfenster für die Westküste. Der Entscheid fällt darum nun auf die Westküste - wir Starten in Kyleakin auf Skye!
Day 1 18. April - Skye Bridge to Ribha na h-Umba - 10 km
Dropped cars at either end of the canal section. Seals saw us off at the Skye Bridge and then paddled 10 km in beautiful sunshine to the first camp at Uags bothy.
Day 2 19 April - Ribha na h Umba to Longa Island - 48km
Golden sand and golden sunshine with a F2-3 headwind. Heard and saw many Great Northern Divers.
Day 3 20 April - Longa Island to Tanera Mor - 47km
Saw our first otter as we left camp and the first puffins of many shortly after. A day of tailwinds and surf behind making really good time. Short stop at Priest Island, beautiful spot with many Storm Petrels.
Day 4 21 April - Tanera Mor to Oldany Island - 48km
Bouncy, lively conditions for our first big headlands made this our best day yet! Nice bit of tide race surfing off the headland just before the Point of Stoer then through an awesome channel between the Old Man of Stoer and the mainland. Finished with some great ditch crawling and exploration at Oldany Island, our most picturesque campsite yet and very "tropical" ;-)
Day 5 22 April - Oldany Island to near Kinberlochbervie - 35km
To Scourie to get weather info and plan Cape Wrath. The only window is Saturday and this means a 4.15 am on the water start to get around. So onward through the Bad Call Islands to position us as far north as we can. A pod of dolphins here made our day!
Day 6 - 23 April - Kinberlochbervie
Currently camped west of Oldshore Beg, on a day off due to a NATO 24 excercise thats been in action for the last 2 weeks. Thankfully the excercise finishes today at. 0.00! Cape Wrath tomorow, before the strong Northly winds, snow and thunder arives! A Hostel in Durness sounds good.
A day off for us all. (Except for me, who woke up at 3.30am and then each 30 mins to see what time it will be light for us to leave tomorrow). Currently in a warm hotel in Kinberlochbie contemplating deserts.
Life is good!!
Blog 2015 Day 1 - 6 by Roger Chandler, coastal Spirit
Day 7 - 24th April - Cape Wrath. 42k
We had a weather window, but the tide times were not ideal. It was going to be an early start! Worse still we faced a 200 m boat carry to the sea.
So alarms were set for 02.30 (ouch). Boats were packed as far as possible the night before. We wanted to be on the water as soon as the light would let us launch through the surf. 04.30 was our best estimate which would let us be at Cape Wrath at 08.00 at slack water. In the end we were ready and waiting in the cold pre-dawn light in the mist. We were paddling at 04.40, the earliest most of us have been on the water!
Mist wrapped the gannet cliffs as we paddled northward. Spooky! We worked hard against the tide and a light headwind. Loud whoops were heard from Roger as we first glimpsed the lighthouse on Cape Wrath!
Soon afterwards we were in big waves in a race heading out across the Atlantic. Fun, but the wrong direction so we moved inshore.
The sight of the lighthouse tower way up above was a welcome one! We were spot on with arriving at slack water.
Cape Wrath itself was awesome, simply stunning even in the mist and conditions that meant there was no chance of playing through the arches. Probably we all have it on our wish list to come back in sunshine and less surf!
Onward past the bothy at Kearvaig, which looked like an amazing campsite except for the pounding surf! Round Faraid Head and into a gully at Smoo just past Durness.
Am-az-ing atmospheric day .. 41k in a mix of 2- 3.5 mt Atlaltic swell and a confused sea.
Day 8 - 25th April - Durness
And here we are now; looks like 2 days storm-bound before we can move again.
Day 9 26th April - Smoo Cave to Durness - minus 3km.
Getting out of a hole! Smoo Cove turned out to be a bit of a trap for us: accessible only at high tide and when the surf is small. Pounding waves were breaking across the entrance as the surf was 7-9ft. No way out by sea. Another solution was called for. On the way back to the hostel we spotted a van with roof rack and a trailer by a house. Five minutes later we had arranged that our hero Wily would transport out boats back along the shore to a small surf beach at Durness. We just had to carry them up the steep steps at Smoo first! And note we went backwards... No holes in this trip! At last we were good for go!
Day 10 - 27th April - Durness to Neave Island
This was a truly awesome day sea kayaking. Big, big swell and sunshine were the flavours making up one of the best days ever! We started off launching our ice-covered boats into 6ft surf - Anita took a big one and nearly went vertical!
Once we were out to sea the snowy mountains made a perfect backdrop to the sparking aquamarine waves. We detoured into Loch Eriboll to kill some time before hitting Whiten Head about an hour before slack. The swell out at the headland was about 9ft with superimposed smaller waves. Conditions were fun, fun, fun and still the sun shone! :) Whiten Head has amazing sea stacks and was a warm golden colour in the sunshine.
A late lunch stop on a sandy beach on Rabbit Island before pushing onto Neave Island, a 5* campsite (max) on Anita and Sarah's scale. The sun set on the sandy beach and we all had big, big smiles.
Day 11 - 28th April - 52 km
Early start from picteuresque Coomb Isl. - we are on the water heading for Farr Point at 5.30 am.
Headland - hopping to Ardmore Point, we are on course for Strathy Point! Its a beautiful morning with winds lighter than the 4 Bft. predicted, and the swell a bit less than yesterday.
About 4 km's from Strathy Point we see water spouts ahead of us.. Dolphins!? The fins look quite big even from a distance and seem to be coming straight towards us.. They pass us and suddenly Roger who is closest, shouts "Orcas, they are Orcas!!"
What anamazing sight! And a first for all of us.
We pass the lighthouse at Strathy Point and head towards Portskerra. Westwind picks up now, pushing us towards the Nuclear Power Station. At the slowest speed ever - we pass. Brims Ness onto the impressive cliffs on the coast to Holbourn Head. Hail and sunshine mix - crazy weather!
After a long day afloat - we find a site by the riversmouth. Landing and setting up camp in wind and rain - as Roger and Anita get the tarp up and supper gets going, life starts to look a bit more comfortable.
Day 12 / 13 - 29th - 30th April
Now in Thurso, we have grown to really like this friendly town and its Café Tempest! We are sorting ourselves, shopping waterproof socks, drying kit in the F 5 wind and stocking up for the next lap - Dunnet Head and Pentland Firth. looking good for Friday!
Day 14. 1st May Thurso to Staxigoe, Duncansby Head - 62km
Long awaited, the Pentland Firth and the Men of Mey. Our biggest day so far, but even so we had a 4 hour siesta in the sun. It was a day that didn't go to plan. We started early 05:45 to round Dunnet Head at 08.00. All good, we had the flow with us and we were ahead of plan. Dunnet Head was golden in the sunshine. Happy days!
We paddled to the beach at Little Clett and had a short break on the pretty beach. From here on though despite the main tide flowing to the east we were in continual back eddies against us and the planned timings began to unravel.
Heading for the Merry Men of Mey tiderace it was clear we were going to be late. We worked hard against flow. Beasting #1! 20 minutes late at the tiderace and 40 minutes before slack and there was no tiderace to be seen, just rocks. Disappointing!
From here we could see that the main Firth was already flowing against us so we worked along the shore hoping we could sneak around Duncansby Head against the flow. Arriving 50 minutes after the tide turned it was clear we had no chance: the flow was moving like an express train right next to the headland. We retreated for that enforced siesta in the sun at the bay of Sannick.
We went for a stroll up to the lighthouse and saw our first glimpses of the east coast. It looked stunning!
We decided to head up to Duncansby Head an hour an a quarter before the tide turned to flow with us fully expecting to sit in the eddy waiting. Surprisingly flow had moved offshore and while the main tiderace was still pumping we paddled around the headland easily.
Duncansby Head is the most AMAZING gateway to the east coast. Stunning stacks, magical channels, caves to die for and arches. Simply mind blowing!! Can't recommend this section of coast highly enough!!!
But for us onwards, first to Skirza Head and then at 18:00 a suggestion, shall we just paddle towards the headland Noss Head in the distance? It has over falls and is a tidal gateway and would be open.
It looked a long way off. We decided to go for it and reassess after 90 minutes. But to be honest there was no plan B as a major surf beach stretched along the shore... We had to make it!
And so we started the 2nd beasting of the day! Luckily I had a good stock of snacks for our hourly breaks including one that turned out to be rocket fuel, a dark chocolate and marzipan bar! Mmm!
Just over an hour and a half later and we were there, and then onwards around the headland into Staxigoe just before dark. A lovely campsite with flat grass, picnic benches and sand. Despite the 14 hour day we were to stay here for less than 10 hours before setting off again. The weather isn't being kind to us, but we're really using what we have. We were all really pleased with the 62km mileage. A record for most of us. Again the day ended with big smiles and a few aching muscles!
Blog Day 6 - 14 by Tavi Murray
Day 15 - 2nd May - Staxicoe to Helmsdale - 57 km
We are up early again to beat the wind to getting to Helmsdale or as far as we can get. Ice in our mugs shows that temperatures were well below 0 in the night. The sun is welcome on the horizon as we pack boats and head south.
The wind is light to start with, pushing us gently - but forecasts report 5 Bft. and swell from East for the afternoon. The colours are amazing today, sunshine, and various blues in sky and water. The cliffs reflect the waves creating clapotis and haystacks that explode in the air. We plough through in our loaded kayaks. The cliffs in many shades of brown, lots of greens with yellow flashes of gorse bushes on the hills. Waterfalls come down, adding to the perfect scene. We stop at Lybster harbour - lunch at the coffee shop in the sun!! Once a busy fishing harbour it's a quiet place today. We also fill up our water supplies before we head on.
At Dunbeath we decide to push on. Its 2pm and the wind is picking up a bit, but we want to try and reach Helmsdale. The 20km that follow are exciting paddling! The stacks and cliffs awesome, thousands of seabirds soaring around us, the waves and swell keep us alert, ready to brace or accelerate at the right moment.
Anita spots 2 dolphins close to her boat! The last 5 km are in a tail wind of F5 - with breakers crashing onto the reefs to our right. All of a sudden Sarah sees Tavi's boat upside down - she got knocked over by a big breaker. On the 3rd attempt she rolls up -after 50km, with a loaded boat, having a big waterbag in the cockpit and the helmet on the backdeck! - well done Tavi!!
We reach Helmsdale just as the wind picks up more. We land and find a campsite spot out of the wind behind a bridge pillar. What a day! 57 km in these conditions - sea kayaking at its best!
And what's more, we are now half way around the Roof. Celebratory fish and chips with a beer for all!"
Day 16 - 3nd May - Helmsdale
Another rainy storm day (day 6...) off the water - 5h in a Cafe.. thanks "Thyme and Plaice"...
Blog 2015 Day 15 - 16 by Sarah and Tavi - written at Thyme and Plaice
Day 17 - 4nd May - Helmsdale - Balintore
Rested and well fed we paddle into a headwind along the coast to Brora. We seem to be crawling along, and it takes 3 hours to cover the first 13 km. Just before we reach Brora the wind drops – happy days! (Guess who said that ;-) ?)
We decide to make the 18km crossing to Tarbat Ness in the gentle NE swell. Our plan to land shortly after Tarbat Ness is destroyed by the swell pounding on various jetties.
We prepare ourselves for a nightnav, dig out headtorches and have a quick food break. It is a fantastic evening with fantastic light and silver clouds – a stunning sunset-lit sea and landscape surrounds us as the light changes from one minute to the next.
We cover about further 10 km, keeping an eye on the shore for possible landing spots. Just as it begins to get dark we spot a green light ahead and the shadow of a harbour wall. Shandwick Harbour / Balintore! Despite the fact we were all quite excited about the idea of a night nav, we are actually quite relieved to slip through the narrow entrance – Anita managing a wave well that tries to surf her into the harbor wall …
Boats out, tents up at 23.00, thanks Roger for the quick freeze dried meals... and bed just after midnight.
Day 18 - 5th May - Balintore to Cromarty - 13k
Up early the next morning to beat the wind to Inverness.
The wind picked up early and as we reach Cromaty we decide to stay here and sit out the storm that is forecasted for the next two days.
Day 19 - 20, 6 - 7th May Cromaty
Great pizzas at Sutors Creek cafe and a very comfortable rental cottage are the perfect infrastructure to get ready for the next lap of trip to Inverness and the Great Glen.
We we now really needed good long days on the water so the blog lost its priority somewhat ...
Day 21 – 23, 8 – 10th May, The Great Glen 42k + 57k + 32k
Thanks to another early start the tide carries us down the Moray Firth to Inverness. Just before the first lock we spot a Bottlenose Dolphin!
Good bye East coast, we are in the Great Glen!
Very soon - after 500 m - it becomes obvious we are more used to sea paddling than portaging ... and we destroy Roger’s trolley and learn the hard way there is no need to portage a swing bridge ;).
Campsites in the Great Glen provide us with the luxury of showers, nice flat grassy patches for our tents and comfortable picnic areas, with even a floating pub to meet Sonja and Liz!
Loch Ness in mirror-like conditions seems endless. The vision of ice creams in Fort Augustus motivate us for the last couple of miles. Unfortunately the best it could deliver was from the local garage!
Loch Oich – more interesting and very picturesque - and Loch Lochy in wind and deluging rain. By the time we reach Neptune’s Staircases we have become experts in portaging, but are nevertheless glad we pass the flight of locks downhill!
At the sealock at Corpach we have a short celebration jig in the pouring rain - we are back on the West coast and back on the sea.
Day 24/25, 11/12th May Corpach
190 km away from Skye Bridge and yet another low pressure and storms are forecasted. In the heavy rain and treading in the already very soggy grass by the locks we vote for accommodation in Smiddy's bunkhouse - another 2 days land-bound ...
With our end date drawing closer and closer it will take an extraordinary finish to reach Skye Bridge on May 16th - or even 15th because of the next front coming in.
Blog 2015 Day 17 - 25 by Sarah and Anita
The last three days …
Day 26, 13 May 2015 Corpach to Lochaline, 68k
We got our boats ready on the beach the night before for an “on the water for 06:00 start” – this means alarms at 04.30. Since we were staying in a hostel Roger cooked scrambled eggs (from his own chickens in Wales delivered by “Sonja express” – thanks Sonja!) and beans on toast. Yummy! We’ve a long way to go (190 km) and only 4 days left for the trip, with only 3 days before the weather is forecast to be horrendous again … A race against the weather!
Despite our efforts we’re off and on our way 15 minutes late … Paddling down to the Corran Narrows we have good tide flowing with us and we quickly catch this up and arrive early.
We paddle on past Shuna Island and to the top of Lismore Island where we call into Port Appin for a very nice lunch with Damian’s parents …
Sarah’s skeg is broken – the string snapped on a rock during a stop, so she starts a repair. In the past it’s taken her 5 minutes to do this job … but in this case it’s over an hour and a half, so our lunch break turns into 3 hours, rather more than we’d hoped for!
We set off eventually for the Sound of Mull, another 20 km on, passing first the north coast of Lismore with the view to the south slowly opening up. The tide is with us until the Sound but then it’s against us. Despite the fact that it’s now quite late we press on, camping next to an abandoned castle at Ardtornish Point just before Lochaline. It’s our largest distance to date … 68 km.
It is a beautiful spot and we enjoy our evening meal watching the porpoises play in the tidal stream close by.
Alarms are set for 04.30 again … we need to get going in good time to reach our goal – we’re to be ready and paddling at 06.00 again.
Day 27 - 14 May Lochaline to Back of Kappoch - 74km
We’re early! Off paddling by 05.50 and making our way towards Tobermory on the Isle of Mull with the wind on our backs. At Tobermory we stop for the real essentials of life: water, egg rolls, and coffee. Mmmm.
Leaving the brightly coloured houses behind the wind drops and we round Ardnamurchan Point in a very light breeze. Yachts beyond out at Rum and Eigg show more wind and a very different direction. We paddle round the point into a light headwind … and here have a planning session afloat. The forecast from the café in Mull points us towards Arisaig instead of out to Eigg – our original plan.
We start the 20 km crossing and know the early finish for the day we’d hoped for has evaporated. We’re by now well used to crossings and settle into our usual 5 mins stop per hour – I even find one of my renowned rocket fuel bars to munch!
Shortly after leaving Adnamurchan Lighthouse we spot flocks of birds in the distance. As we move closer we are surrounded by hundreds of Manx Shearwaters, diving and circling around us. Later during the crossing we even see a Minke whale – what an amazing sight that makes a great day perfect!
It’s our longest paddling day (again!), 74 km. We are rewarded by a great sunset from our tents and a wonderful view of white sandy beaches and the islands.
Blog 2015 Day 25 - 27 by Tavi Murray
Day 28 - 15 May Back of Kappoch to Skye Bridge - 48km
We’d negotiated a lie in – to 05.30. The forecast is for F4-6 increasing to 6-7 later in the day with the wind behind us from the south.
We start off paddling to Mallaig, 10 km to the north, making short work of it as we’re all surfing with the wind behind. We stop briefly for a snack. And paddle onto the Loch Nevis – apparently called “Heaven”. It looks good where we are and so we cross straight over. By the end of the crossing waves are hitting us from behind and the side and we are regretting that decision.
We paddle onto Loch Hourn and the crossing known as “Hell”.
With that F6-7 forecast at 16:00 in mind again we decide to do the straight crossing to the Sandaig Islands: actually it’s only 6 km.
At Kyle Rhea inquisitive seals come to check us out and see us out of the sound. The last bit as always feels furthest and the wind starts to pick up as we cross Loch na Beiste. But we eventually arrive at Skye Bridge…
Blog 2015 Day 28 by Tavi Murray, shortened
The end...
Was für eine Reise endet hier! Ich freue mich, wir habens geschafft - gerade noch. Gleichzeitig regt sich Traurigkeit, es ist vorbei...
...vorbei die Tage unterwegs, vorbei die Tage einfach nur wir, das Meer, das Wetter und unsere Sea Kayaks...
Tavi und Roger wollen zum zweiten Frühstück - oder Zmittag - es regnet und der Wind zieht nun definitiv stärker auf.
Ja dann: auf gehts, Boote auspacken, aufladen und ins nächste Café!
Hoffentlich können wir bald wieder eine neue Tour planen und machen :-)
the end by Anita
Fotos by Roger, Tavi, Sarah and Anita