Wester Ross – Page 5

Graham Kayak, Gairloch

Doug and Lily where on their honeymoon, travelling around the North Coast 500 #NC500. They had just spent a night with the Pool House in Poolewe, so after a great breakfast they where ready to explore the coastline. We headed out in the sea kayaks, practised some skills and then headed off. On our journey we spotted seals, star fish, urchins, herons and oyster catchers to name a few.

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Congratulations on your marriage, I hope the rest of your honeymoon went as well as our trip!

Rippin Martin Kayak, Mellon Charles

Clare, Carol and John Angus joined me for a paddle at Mellon Charles. We chose to use the sit on top kayaks – they’re great for learning kayak skills with and handle well in the breeze that we had. It was tough going in the wind, but they all got the hang of the boats quickly. They all grew up in the area but hadn’t paddled along the coastline before so were able to see it from a different perspective.

Clare and Carol’s parents are just retiring from their butchers shop in Aultbea, if anyone wants a great business opportunity look here.

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Josiah Ogilvie-Taylor Kayak, Gairloch

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Jo, Abigail and Richard were in the area visiting family and enjoying the beautiful Wester Ross scenery. We went for a paddle from Gairloch Harbour on some sit on top kayaks. Abigail is more used to paddling on the Thames, not a place you want to fall in – unlike the crystal clear waters up here, Richard couldn’t wait to jump in with the seals!

Gairloch High School Paddle, Shieldaig

The Activity Tourism class and Rural Skills class joined me, along with their teachers Mrs Johnston and Mr Milner, for a day out in the boats. The aim for them was to learn about Ewe Canoe, learn some paddling skills and of course have some fun. After setting off in midge hoods we were soon able to take them off and enjoy the sunshine, couldn’t have asked for a better day. DSCF4417

It was clear from the start that some boats were going to capsize, by the end most folk had a good soaking. Had a great time with them paddling around the coast for lunch on an island and playing plenty of wet games.

Sarah & Sam Kayak, Shieldaig

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#NC500 Sarah and Sam are yet more folk doing the fantastic North Coast 500. It’s becoming very popular, it’s easy to see why. On our paddle around we had some very inquisitive seals, coming up right next to our boats for a look. Towards the end of the afternoon we had a light spot of drizzle, this gave a great rainbow!

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Stannard Canoe, Shieldaig

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#NC500 Melissa and Richard are on their own version of the North Coast 500, they met me near the Shieldaig Lodge Hotel. We paddled around the sheltered loch, spotting seals and bird whilst enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.

Knowles Kayak, Poolewe

#NC500 Natasha and Chris met me in Poolewe during their journey around the North Coast 500. We paddled from just in front of Poolewe campsite and headed along the shoreline of Inverewe Garden. As we got around to Camas Glas we found some seals swimming around watching us as we watched them.

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Coats Kayak, Gairloch

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Downton Abbey star, Susie, and her husband, Chris, joined me in Gairloch for a paddle around with the seals in the sunshine. The weather was perfect (this week probably being the best week of weather all summer!) making paddling around the coastline very relaxing and nice. We had seals following us along our journey as we paddled along spotting star fish and urchins under the water.

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They have had a variety of larger boats in the past, Chris was keen to get Susie out in a kayak for her to try it out before possibly getting some. We couldn’t have had a better day to help persuade her!

Taylor Kayak, Loch Maree

Innis has been coming along on some of my sessions recently to practice his paddling skills and see how I run my sessions. Today him and his dad, Robert, came paddling with me on Loch Maree. Robert grew up in the area and has always looks across to the islands as he drives the A832, today he got the chance to paddle through and around them. We had a beautiful day for it, leaving a damp and midgy Gairloch we arrived at Slaterdale in the sunshine and practically no wind at all – perfect. Taylor 7-9-15 (53)

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Boyce Kayak, Gairloch

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Ruth, Dave and James met me at Gairloch Harbour for a great paddle around the coast. We saw plenty of seals, sea urchins and star fish along our paddle and of course there were lots of flying piranhas as normal.

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Malawians & Explorer Scouts, Loch Shieldaig

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Gairloch High School’s Gairloch Malawi Partnership Project had 4 Malawian youngsters and two teachers in Gairloch for a while. They were keen to do an activity with the local Explorer Scouts (which I’m one of their leaders), so we thought we’d take them canoeing. We had a great night for it, sunshine and windless. Everyone had a fantastic time splashing about and getting wet.

More pictures can be seen here.
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Harris Gordon Canoe, Shieldaig

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Neil and Fiona have done most of their boating in yachts, they where keen to try a smaller boat. We headed out into Loch Shieldaig from my normal spot just along from the Shieldaig Lodge Hotel. We paddled around the loch and coastline spotting lots of seals and enjoying being able to paddle close to the shoreline – something not possible from bigger boats. Harris Gordon 26-8-15 (28)

Solomon Wittenberg Kayak, Badachro

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Nicola, Libbi and Kadya joined me again, this time to paddle from Badachro. We set off quickly as they are all proficient paddlers and all had my safety briefing a matter of days before. We had a much dryer session this time, far less swimming. The coastline around here has some great patterns in the Torridonian Sandstone, so we explored along lots of the coast. As normal, seals popped up along our route to say hello.

Brown Canoe, Badachro

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We had a relaxed paddle from Badachro, spotting the wildlife and scenery around us. As well as the normal seals that we had following us around we where lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins jumping through the water as we sat having a brew.

Richards Kayak, Gairloch

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Alan, Amanda, Thomas, Harry and Matthew met me at Gairloch Harbour with the plan of having some fun on the water. We headed out in little kayaks, practised some skills, played some games and entertained some seals. The lads had been keen to get wet throughout the session, so at the end I made sure they couldn’t get any wetter! Richards 24-8-15 (83)

Solomon Wittenberg Kayak, Loch Shieldaig

Nicola, Mossy, Kadya and Libbi joined me just along from the cottage that they stay in up here. I’ve been out paddling with this family for a few year now, and this trip ended up being the first of two this holiday with them. They where all keen to get wet, so at the end of the session we played some really wet games!

Billington Canoe, Mellon Charles

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Bill & Ruth, some old friends from uni were up in the area as part of a trip around the Scottish coastline #NC500. We went for a paddle from Mellon Charles’s ‘Boom’ beach on calm and peaceful water. We had the benefit of a high tide, giving us a small carry to get onto the water.

Vine Paddle, Gairloch

Jeremy, Rachel, Martha and Anne joined me for the afternoon paddling from Gairloch harbour. We started out in canoes before switching to kayaks, learning paddling skills in each, playing games and seeing the wildlife. Martha and Anne soon got to grips with the boats and we had flying piranhas all over the place.

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Good luck with Strictly Come Dancing Jeremy!

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