Scarba & Jura Sea Kayak Expedition
Mainland Scotland has 6,160 miles (9,910 km) of coastline. Add to this the islands and there is 10,250 miles (16,500 km). There are more than 30,000 freshwater lochs in Scotland many fed by or feeding, an abundance of rivers. At Glenmore Lodge we utilise our wealth of knowledge of this watery world to provide the best possible conditions for your experience on water.
Our instructors combine their passion with experience and knowledge – and have expanded their horizons with their own adventures over the years. Here’s an account of a summer sea kayak mission in 2015 from Giles Trussell, Glenmore Lodge Senior Instructor
Each year I plan a week long Scottish solo sea kayak mission. I am gradually circumnavigating the major islands. It is always exciting as the day approaches as until I have the most up to date forecast I really do not know what the destination or outcome will likely be. For sure I have plans A, B, C, D…to throw into the mix. I love the mix of technical, tactical, physiological and psychological elements. I love the fact that it is my time, my decisions, my outcome all balanced as the natural elements dictate.
The 2015 date was fast approaching, I had already enjoyed a varied busy summer on land but mainly in boats at Glenmore Lodge – open canoeing, river and sea kayaking as well as working on BC/UKCC coach education and BC skills courses. I had a Spey descent and a Great Glen journey under my belt too and had enjoyed a ‘mini’ Spey descent with my kids aged 5 and 7 whilst my wife was on an overseas mountain bike holiday. Days spent in a tent were racking up.
Jura and Colonsay was plan A. I had already paddled parts of Jura a few times so did not mind missing a section I had done if it meant reaching Colonsay. With a week to go it looked ok. With half a week to go it looked less so and with one day to go it was a no-go. Oh no! Actually, I never mind as that is all part of the excitement and anticipation, probably much like arriving for a course at Glenmore Lodge. I know I will make the most of it.
Plan B was hatched. Depart from Easdale, head down the east side of Scarba across Corryvreckan and on around Jura in a clockwise direction. Simples. I use windfinder for much of my planning – caution advised – there is another Colonsay in Canada. Fortunately, I realised this although it would have been nice to have their forecast. Winds here were to increase from the south east.
Day 1
Warm and dry, calm and windless best describes the conditions. Smooth, quiet, glassy water gave a great window into the shallows with my polarising sunglasses. It was good to be off, heading down the east coast of Luing into the Sound of Shuna, with a helpful east and south running tide. Otters soon showed themselves and continued throughout the next 5 days. An easy crossing to Scarba with a bit of aiming off to the north, deck compass, map and transits in use. I pushed on keen to cross the mighty Gulf of Corryvreckan. It was too easy. Half-way across and out of the back eddy the force of the east running flow finally hit and halted my progress. Some quick adjustments, 15 minutes of effort and technical high angle forward paddling brought me back in touch with the coast. Soon it was decision time. Where do I camp? I identified a possible plan A in Lussa Bay and a B in Tarbert Bay and a C in Lagg Bay. Given impending darkness, drizzle, a desire for dinner in the daylight and a potential midge fest, Lussa won the lottery. I camped on my own small Island in the bay – Eilean a Rubha. The midges did their best to feast.
Day 2
It dawned grey but dry with enough wind to combat the midge squadrons from the previous evening. The plan today was just to enjoy. Giving myself 5 days meant I did not need to do massive distances. I set the south end as a target. The breeze built steadily from the south-east, not ideal. A short choppy wet sea persisted for the entire coastline. Hooking into Loch na Mile and inside the Small Isles gave respite. I had my bacon butty HP sauce adorned breakfast mid-morning in Lagg Bay cooked in my jetboil frypan, washed down with an aero press coffee with fresh full fat milk. What holiday luxury. By afternoon the sun pushed aside the clagg and as I turned the south-east cape – Rubha Uamh an Tuill – the wind pressed me on. A final wind and tide assisted flying 4 kilometres and I landed on Am Fraoch Eilean. On my approach deer were browsing having accessed the island by a narrow shallow causeway. Soon they were wading for Jura, nervous of the strange apparition I presented. I luxuriated in a fine dry sunset dinner on a perfect green goose and dear browsed baize with a steady midge dispersing breeze.
Day 3
A lazy departure as I had a shortish 26km paddle and helpful wind and tide. How holiday like. Wind and tide assisted me north up the Sound of Islay. The last time I was in The Sound was on the other coastline going the other direction during a memorable 72hr paddle around Islay. That time the Atlantic seaboard was calm, this time was the same – good planning eh? The persistent south easterlies had seen to that. I landed on a huge raised beach just before Rubha Aird na Sgitheich. Brunch, as before, in the sun. Taking my time now I cruised in and out absorbing the complex coastline features, playing the ‘spot the potential rock-climbing route’ game. Feral goat, probably more wild than feral now, sat in all the best sheltered sunspots above and below the crags. Seal anchored to weed snored while I sneaked by. Turning into Loch Tarbert meant turning into the wind, accelerated F6-7 down glen gusts battered me, fortunately with little fetch the waves were small. I passed the strangely misplaced but stunningly located Glenbatrick Lodge. A possible campsite, I wanted a different feel than the proximity of a building and wall. The next sandy bay on, lay a yacht at anchor, still not what I wanted. Next a massive, raised beach loomed and at its far end I found a small flat area among the bracken. A bit of gardening and perfect. Later I skinny bathed in the fresh water of the Abhainn Liundale, cleansed and refreshed before another grand departure of the sun.
Day 4
Windy, warm, dry. The F6-7 gusts persisted but this time they sailed me out of Tarbert Bay. Heading down-wind I turned the adjustable feather of my sea kayak paddle to near zero to get as much wind assistance as possible. It was a long SW-NE running coastline. The SE wind meant I was always getting hit from the side, I have always found south-east winds to run strongly off western coastlines and again this was the case. I persistently had to lean my body and boat into the wind on the right as well as maintain a low paddle angle. It was the usual reminder that the weather was boss. It added to the challenge and sense of satisfaction of hard-earned enjoyment. Corpach Bay gave a stunning lunch stop where I spent nearly 2 hours. I would have stopped there if I had an extra day. On to Glengarrisdale with a plan to spend a night in the bothy. I had stayed there before on another sea kayak trip. A final short push into the wind saw the end of the day. I checked out the bothy. Nothing about it encouraged me to stay inside. Pretty messy, dank and dreary. My tent seemed a pleasant alternative. I enjoyed a final night of no rain and midges and al fresco dining – how excellent.
Day 5
I decamped early, otters again entertaining. Careful tidal planning had me arrive at the Corryvreckan ½ hour before the east going stream turned to the west. I found a perfect eddy to sit in, watching and savouring the forces in action. Watching too the gannets feasting on an unseen dish in the deep disturbed water. Somewhere a switch of natural forces was flicked, the gannets departed, the tide reached slack and began to turn, I was off across a calm sea, no whirlpool in sight. In no time at all I was cruising the coast of Scarba again. Soon heavy head winds had me fighting up toward the Grey Dogs. Using every available bit of wind-sheltered coastline to progress with the added advantage of micro-eddy assistance. A quick stop to empty and refuel – I hadn’t left the boat since departing that morning – and I was into the Bealach a’ Choin Ghlais – ‘The Grey Dogs’ – and they were running, well more like hurtling. Using my crafty tactical river knowledge, my technical forward paddling ability, a positive psyche and summer gained physical capability in the kayak, I edged up one eddy, sprinted across the flow to another, settled the heart and breathing rate and re-launched into the flow for another sprint across to a micro eddy. Right on the edge of my limit with only a few reserve strokes remaining I forced the heavily laden 17 feet of glass into the calm. And relax. One more sprint effort this time to move up the coastline of Eilean a’Bhealaich into the flow and back in again to another eddy. Kelp hands did their best to inhibit effective paddle strokes on my right side, but I pulled and pushed, in and in and into the eddy. And relax, almost there. A final surge to take me out into the Sound of Luing and I made a bee line for the sheltered shore of Luing in a lively F5-6 from the SE.
It was a pleasant cruise back to Easdale after that, threading islets and having a final fry up lunch stop at Cuan Point…the end of another superb Scottish sea kayak solo mission.
Feeling inspired?
Check out our upcoming sea kayaking expeditions and join us on an adventure around Scotland’s coastline later this year!
Firth of Lorn Sea Kayak Expedition
North West Sea Kayak Expedition
Raasay & Rona Sea Kayak Expedition
About Giles
Fortunate to paddle from an early age and live close by the sea (50 metres from the high water mark) sealed Giles’s future love of sea kayaking. Spring tides were already understood at the age of 11 when he used look for – and find – lost fishing tackle on the shores of the Gareloch – low equinoxial spring tides being the best.
In 1996-97 he had a ‘transformational year’ while on a 13 month Atlantic Circuit in a 9 metre yacht, sailing with one other person.
A few years on and as well as a passion for all things canoe and kayak, sea kayaking exploits have taken him around many of Scotland’s Islands, often solo. He has enjoyed numerous sea kayak expeditions around the world including Southern Greenland, the Mediterranean and an epic circumnavigation of Stewart Island in New Zealand with a friend in 2010. That year only 3 people completed the circumnavigation.
In 2018 he realised a long term ambition to solo sea kayak to St Kilda…and back again.
Most recently in 2020, in between lockdowns, he had the fortune to enjoy a leisurely 9 day solo expedition around the Isle of Mull.
For sea kayaking – he says – “Scotland is as good as it gets anywhere in the world.”
Giles helps deliver the Glenmore Lodge paddlesports programme.