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2
minutes later, "Tippy things, aren't they?"
Fleet
Bay, waiting for the tide.
Badger's Beach, Fleet Bay, Solway
Firth.
Fleet
Bay and the Islands from Ben John.
Ardwall
Island from Carrick Shore.
Ardwall
Island with the Barlocco narrows behind.
Heading towards Murray's Isles.
Heading for Barlocco beach and bacon
butties.
Heading home, setting sun, ebb
tide.
No
fish, but the bacon butties were good.
Leaving
Ardwall to paddle up Fleet Bay against the ebb tide.
Heading
south for Murray's Isles.
Returning
to Ardwall for a tea break.
Barlocco
beach in the distance from Ardwall.
Ready
for a gentle potter up the road.
From Dunrod Point to Meggerland Point the southerly swell was reflecting off the southwest facing cliffs at 90 degrees. The reflected waves were still apparent over a mile out and the peaks of the two wave fronts combined randomly creating very difficult paddling. We were not even able to turn our heads to look at the Dove Cave never mind explore or even photograph it. Guillimots dived beneath us and flights of fulmars were very curious about us coming in low and close before using uplift from the swell to swerve away. Fortunately they did not puke on us so we still do not smell like proper sea kayakers. The hats are, I suppose, a concession to conformity.
Meggerland Point is in the distance to the northwest.
A temporary
lull in the confused seas off the shallow bay between Manxman's Rock and Ringdoo
Point allows a photo..
Calmer waters
approaching Barlocco Isle.
The Corseyard
shore with Tower behind is much friendlier than the cliffs we had just passed.
At last the
safe haven of Barlocco Beach and bacon butties. After 8.2 kilometres and
1hr38mins paddling in confused seas, exactly 5km/h is not too bad.
Common
Gulls were spaced out at 40cm intervals across the whole island.
The
gulls were nesting so we did not land. Most were common gulls with a few
Greater Black Backed gulls waiting for the chance to snatch an exposed egg. The
whole island smelled of fish from the gull guano and environmental surveys have identified
eutrophication as a problem here.
Murray's
Isles with the Cardoness shore and Ben John behind.
Ardwall
Island from Murray's Isles.
Encountering
Solway swell on leaving the shelter of Murray's Isles. Cormorants setting
off on a fishing sortie flew low overhead.
Murray's
Isles from Ardwall Island. Roe dear with white rumps raced off through the
gorse bushes when they caught our scent (note; we do not smell of fulmars or
puffins, they just have very sensitive noses).
Barlocco
Beach, Barlocco Isle and in the distance, Meggerland Point from Ardwall
Island.
A
sheltered cove for a tea break on Ardwall Island.
A
Solway sky and the Islands of Fleet, on the way home from Ardwall Island.
Exploring
the Cally shore by river boat.
Scottish Mountain Photo Gallery Main Menu
Site editor: Douglas E Wilcox (D.E.Wilcox@clinmed.gla.ac.uk
)
Based on a page created 16/10/02
Page last updated: 24/03/04
An
expensive loan!!
"Sula"
on launch day.
Back
up again.
Islands
of Fleet.
All
alone on a deep blue sea.
CatCraig,
Fleet Bay
Salmon
nets, Fleet Bay.
Ardwall
Island.
The
Chapel, Cardoness.
Cardoness
pond.
Launch on Carrick Shore
Ardwall Island.
Barlocco reef.
Barlocco beach.
Barlocco beach.
Barlocco beach.
Barlocco beach
Rounding Barlocco reef.
Ardwall island.
Carrick shore.
Carrick shore.
Carrick shore.
Launch
from Carrick Shore.
Destination
Ardwall Island.
Approaching
Craigmore Point.
Fleet
Bay.
Ardwall
tea break.
Water
going, going..
gone.
Ardwall,
no longer an island.
Launch at Brighouse Bay.
Brighouse Bay.
Leaving Brighouse Bay.
Calm waters in
Fleet Bay.
Approaching
Murray's Isles
Murray's
Isles.
Murray's
Isles.
Murray's
Isles.
Murray's
Isles.
Murray's
Isles.
Solway
swell.
Barlocco Bay.
Brighouse Bay.