Having gone to bed early the night before, we woke up early and alert, ready (hopefully) for what would be our longest single day paddle (if you don’t count the night paddle which went on till 2am). After a breakfast of uncooked porridge oats with water and powdered milk, we were ready to leave just before
Then our friendly landowner, Jeanette, who with her husband owns the Ard Mor peninsula and rear highland cows, came over to offer us some the her world renowned rock cakes! A very welcome gift, still warm from the oven – thanks Jeanette! We were going to ask for water anyway, so we got in our boats, paddled a few hundred metres, then got out below her house. After filling our recycled plastic bottles we were offered a cup of tea which we/I couldn’t say no to, despite our time limited day, the idea of sitting at a table with a mug, having a chat was too tempting. We sat and chatted, both probably thankful of someone else’s conversation other than our own. Jeanette's younger labrador was keen for a swim, and followed me out a bit, but gave up after 5ish meters, thought wiser, and turned around.
An hour later, we were on the water, heading north up to Waternish Point. It was a misty day at times, with the usual ‘rain or showers’ forecast from Stornoway Coastguard. We approached and rounded the point in good time, fuelled by Skye Fudge.
Found a nice toilet stop just round the point at (eroded) jetty next to the lighthouse. Learning point: having to stop on dry land to do a pee was an ongoing frustration – I’m changing my kit to either shorts and thermals or wetsuit trousers so I can pee in a bottle and mitigate the need for any landing at all.
As we set off again I caught a glimpse of something in the water a few kilometres off the coast. At first I thought it was a basking shark but it was too tall. Then I thought it was a dinghy, but it disappeared and reappeared a few minutes later. I couldn’t believe it, it must be an Orca! I shouted to Sam to let him know, a few explicit lyrics later, we headed off in the direction of the fins. I think there were two or three. Sadly no photos of this, as breaches were short and infrequent and far away. Sam was keen to chase, I was keen to get on, conscious we had a long day ahead. We paddled after them for a while, watching the fins pop up, unfortunately getting further and further away, then decided to turn around. Shortly after turning around we turned around we saw some kind of dolphin and chased that for a bit, but it and maybe a few others only surfaced occasionally then they were gone. By this time, the south going tide ever increasing, I was keen to head off on the right direction. So we set a bearing for Rubha Hunish (the mist was causing the point to disappear regularly), and went on our way.
A few hours later, which felt like a few more, we got to a group of skerries and decided to have lunch on the easiest to land – An Dudh Sgeir – a welcome break after the 15km open crossing.
After lunch we carried out, now a good step closer to our final destination. Spotted a few puffins chilling out on the water.
Coming round Rubha Hunish felt like a milestone, being the last of the four corners, the most northerly, having already covered the other most extreme points in each direction, we were now on the home straight! It felt right to have a rest. We sat for an unknown time. Listening to the wind and the waves. Taking in the view, north to Stornoway and the Shiant Isles, west to North Uist, Berneray and Harris, south to our island, and east to Torridon. For the first time, I could taste success on the tip of my tongue.
We carried on, south down the coast,
The wind today had been perfect for our cause, west or south west 4 or 5 veering northerly 3, which after veering, took us nicely down the coast. With the wind, we again made good time and arrived with enough light to get dinner cooking on the stove and find firewood. Also checked in with the coastguard to let them know we were safe. Being the last night of camping on the expedition, we put the wind up radio on, listened to a bit of Scottish Jazz that happened to be on Radio
After a relaxing evening, Sam decided to sleep on the shore next to the fire, and I decided I was too tired to risk an uncomfy night, so slept in the tent.
Food diary:
- Breakfast: uncooked oats with water and powdered milk; cuppa tea from Jeanette on Ard Mor;
- Snacks: Skye Fudge;
- Lunch: oatcakes with cheese, butter and Barra Bramble jam;
- Dinner: Potato (Skye Food group), carrot and onion, bean and parsley stew, cheese. With stir fried beans, onion, garlic.
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