Celia planned another kayaking trip around Gigha for the long May bank holiday weekend. (Ed. Is this to become an annual feature in the cub calendar?)
We met at Tayinloan Pier at 10am, but due to high winds, we had to wait for the ferry, as the crossing was too exposed for a direct paddle. So we boarded the ferry with trolleys attached to our kayaks. Thanks to Andrew for bringing a wide selection of trolleys for everyone to use.
Once we arrived on Gigha, we portaged to the beach and launched, heading south toward our intended camping spot on Cara Island. It was only a short trip, but the wind and swell were pushing us from behind, making for a brisk paddle.
Upon landing on the beach, we discovered that Mark’s boat had been taking on water through the skeg box, and all of his Lomo dry bags had failed. We worked together to dry out as much gear as possible. Thankfully, the sleeping bag was unaffected.
That evening, we took a short hike up to Brownie’s Chair and were lucky enough to spot a pair of sea eagles along the way. We also saw some goats on the island and enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Paps of Jura on our walk back to the tents.
The plan for the second day was to paddle around Cara and up the west coast of Gigha to the Twin Beaches, where we would camp. There was some fun rock hopping and interesting rock formations along the way. This side of the island felt quite undeveloped, adding to the sense of remoteness.
We stopped for lunch near Achamore Gardens, and a small group took the opportunity to explore them. After lunch, we encountered some light swell and oncoming wind as we rounded the mainland and entered a more exposed section. We paddled steadily up the coast and arrived at the north end of the Twin Beaches.
On the third day, we planned to paddle back to Tayinloan Pier. The wind had calmed enough to make a direct crossing feasible without the ferry. A few members of our group weren’t feeling their best, so we worked together and provided some assistive towing to support them across and back to the cars for the journey home.
My tips for a camping trip: – Double-bag essential kit – clothes and sleeping bag; Keep some earplugs in my sleeping bag; Eye mask as it gets bright early; Pick easy things to cook; Practice pitching the tent!
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