2022 Scottish Sea Kayaking Trip
Day 07 Saturday Mull – Oban to Carsaig Bay by Catriona Hare
Depending on our individual interpretations of the English Language (well fitness levels, existing injury or possibly type of sea kayak.) today we started on the third part of our holiday or endurance expedition. We had a 5- or 6-day weather window which would allow us to circumnavigate round the Island of Mull. A trip long planned by the club but previously always cancelled due to poor weather. This time we were going.
We set off from the mainland close to the Kerrera Ferry slip at 9:15, with the wind and tide expected to be with us for most of today’s trip. We passed the southern tip of Kerrera, when one of the party realised he had forgotten his tow rope. There was some “debate” between our two “distinguished” leaders about how this could happen, something about messy car sharing. Other debates would follow during the week. The rest of us just offered to lend our tow ropes, an offer that was not taken up.
We travelled down to the southeast tip of Mull for about 3 hours, our first long crossing of the trip, admiring the waterfalls that ran down the impressive cliffs on this side of Mull. However, we were all beginning to wonder if there would ever be anywhere to land especially those of us who had drunk to much before getting on the water. Finally, we landed at Port Ohirnie, spray decks were removed and slippy rocks and seaweed crossed with haste, to find appropriate secluded rocks. The next long crossing would be better planned. We enjoyed a late elevenses.
We were losing the tide now as we headed round the unusually named Frank Lockwood Island. As far as I can make out Lockwood was an English lawyer and politician who spent a lot of time visiting the tiny island, to relax and recuperate. Something I think many sea kayakers including me can identify with.
We continued round the coast spotting deer and goats on the now slightly more gently sloping shoreline to arrive at Carsaig Bay at low tide. There was some debate about going further but this bay was fantastic. There were holes in the rock shelf we landed on containing sea anemones and small crabs, and providing traps for the feet of boat carriers, interesting cliffs and good small stones to erect our tents at the top of the beach, on another 5* campsite.
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