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  • Kayaking Guinea Pig

Kayaking Guinea Pig

Posted by Ben MacGregor on November 26th 2014

These 5-star assessments are now being held on the north coast, conveniently near home, and yours truly had been foolish enough to volunteer as a guinea pig or, to use the correct term, mock student.

Several candidates were being assessed for their 5-star sea kayaking qualification, the highest level where, basically, you should be able to lead a group and cope with any eventuality in just about any sea conditions, weather and tide.  The assessment requires a few guinea pigs who volunteer to be members of a group led by those being assessed, the course assessor meanwhile watches all that goes on.  These 5-star assessments are now being held on the north coast, conveniently near home, and yours truly had been foolish enough to volunteer as a guinea pig or, to use the correct term, mock student.

A south-easterly had been blowing for a few days, generating conditions on the east coast which were considered too extreme for the assessment.  So it had been moved along to Skerray, and the course candidates were to plan and execute a trip around Neave ,  Ron and the Rabbit Islands to finish at Talmine.  In the  force five I’d never have left the shore on my own but in the company of so many experienced people there was nothing to worry about, even with the wind forecast to pick up as the day went on. It would be interesting to see this well-known stretch of coast in rougher conditions!

Lunch on Ron

It was grey but mild November day and deceptively calm as we left Skerry to paddle through the Caol Beag south of Neave Island. There was no time today to land on that lovely sandy beach so enticingly seen from Bettyhill, just carry on round the island in much choppier water.  The first candidate was now going to lead us straight across to Eilean Ron but fortunately the assessor insisted that we do a proper exploration of the fine bays, caves and sea arches of the spectacular rocky north shore of Neave.

The wind blew us across the intervening mile or so of water to Ron, by which time sizeable waves were breaking against the cliffs. There’s a very fine sea cave here which leads through to an open lagoon, from the land this is one of the more spectacular features of the island.  I couldn’t resist following the others, with misgivings though as the wind was blasting through and the sea very choppy. I’d hoped it would be a bit more sheltered in the lagoon but there were frequent strong downdrafts from the cliffs.  Getting back out again wasn’t going to be easy…  the wind was picking spray up off the water and hurling it in our faces as we began paddling outwards. Putting all my strength ( which isn’t that much) into it I was barely moving, not encouraged by as shout from behind ‘paddle harder!’  I started going backwards… but thoughts of how I’d ever get off the island if I didn’t make it spurred me on and I just made it out, hoarse from inhaling the wind blown spray. Trying then to turn the boat against the wind to paddle along the island was another story.

After that brief taste of conditions perhaps approaching the 5-star level the rest of the trip was easy, round the south of the island and into a bay for lunch which, if not exactly summer picnic conditions was at least sheltered. A slight lull in the wind gave a more relaxed crossing to the Rabbit Isles but it soon picked up again and not even the most experienced fancied tackling the cave which runs right through the northenmost rock of Sgeir an Oir.  So through the gap between the two islands, down the western shore and across the remaining water to Talmine with just a slightly tricky landing in surf and a crosswind. 

I’d coped, not bad considering that the others were mostly outdoor instructors and the like and much younger than me, it’s always good to do new things in your bus pass years!

About Ben MacGregor

Ben MacGregor enjoys walking, cycling, jogging and sea-kayaking and writes a fortnightly ‘Out and About’ column for the Caithness Courier under the pseudonym 'Ralph'. He has written several books about the Far North which can be obtained from www.curlewcottage.com. He lives on top of a hill near Thurso with his wife Catherine.

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