Welcome to my Sea Kayaking (b)log
Peer paddle with Pete from Kilcreggan via the peer group paddlers message group. I met Pete at Kilcreggan, who was sat all ready to go, on a bench over looking the sea. It was fairly near low tide so it was a bit of a longer carry down to the seashore. At Kilcreggan the...
The first evening paddle of 2026 with Helensburgh Canoe Club from the Royal Northern Clyde Yacht Club. Earlier in the day it was rather windy, with Gare Loch showing many white horses, but by the time we met at 7pm things had calmed down a bit. Consequently, we set off from the RNCYC and...
Another training paddle out in the Taran. it was a lovely sunny morning for it. I had the wind, tide and swell, all the way to Helensburgh, which made for quick progress. Met the lifeboat setting off for a training exercise. They were being reprimanded on channel 73 by KHM for exceeding the speed...
I rather fancied a long'ish paddle for Saturday and decided I would paddle my Rockpool Taran "Disco Boy". With the Taran being a fast sea kayak, even with my poor forward paddle flailing technique, it is a great boat for handling distances. The weather forecast was for it to be overcast, but with light...
The 6 mile trip to Kilcreggan from Shandon is always a nice trip, with the added bonus of having a coffee and cake at the cafe. With clear blue skies and next to no wind it was certainly a lovely day. Before setting off I telephoned the Kings Harbour Master (KHM Clyde 01436 674321...
The first "official" Helensburgh Canoe Club trip of 2026, paddling on Loch Lomond from Luss. The trip was led by Gordon, who had postponed the previous weeks trip due to appalling weather. This week's forecast was better at F4 WNW, however the conditions on the loch were much better than expected with us only...
End of day 1's 16 hour Outdoor First aid training. A quick blast to Bute was in order from Toward Seasports Club. Toward Seasports Club graciously allowed me to park my camper van on their car park for a couple of nights, whilst attending the course near Dunoon. It is a lovely spot. Annoyingly,...
The weather forecast for Saturday morning was looking not too bad, despite gale force winds of 50-80mph forecast for later on Saturday evening into Sunday. Storm "Dave" would be making itself felt across much of Scotland. Looking at the various forecasts, I knew if I was going to get a paddle in, I needed...
A sneaky training paddle out in the Taran, seeing as the weather was so nice and Mrs T had gone paddle boarding on Loch Lomond. Bumped into the Rosneath Castle Bay Coastal Rowers rowing their St Ayles skiff. A good bit of exercise against the wind and tide on the way out and positively...
Tuesday 17th March 2026, was a very windy stormy day. Looking out at the sea from my kitchen window it seemed improbable the forecast weather of light winds, rising temperatures and sunshine for Wednesday 18th March was very likely. I dillydallied all day about paddling on Wednesday, about where I should go, and indeed...
RNLI exercise with Helensburgh Lifeboat. Photos say it all... 6.5 nm 5 hours (Mostly sitting around) GPS track...
Peer paddle trip from Helensburgh out to Kilcreggan and return. Paddlers were Finn, Gordon, Geoff, Martin and me. It was slow going from the off... Weather was great with sunshine and flat calm seas. Stopped for a leg stretch at Kilcreggan, where both Finn and I raided the cafe for coffees and cakes. It...
Another training paddle out in the Taran seeing as the weather was chucking it down! I love paddling in heavy rain when the water droplets are plopping all around you. A good bit of exercise on an otherwise wet drab Saturday afternoon. 6.2 nm 1 hour 35 minutes GPS track...
Another training paddle out in the Taran seeing as the weather was set fair. I'd been thinking about paddling to Kilcreggan for a while now, but this was the first day where the weather made it possible. With next to no wind at times and with hardly a cloud in the sky, it was...
Training paddle out in the Taran. Taking a break from chopping down the jungle and taming hedges with my chainsaw. I hadn't really decided on where I was heading and let the wind and swell decide. With the wind blowing from the SE it made sense to plod down to Helensburgh. Fab 7.5 nm...
Training paddle out in the Taran. Started off looking pretty miserable but turned out to be a really nice enjoyable paddle. Out and about in Gare loch Fab! 6.5 nm 1 hour 36 minutes GPS track...
During the Loch Lomond Helensburgh Canoe Club trip on 27th December, we bumped into another kayaker, Phil Smith, who had driven to Scotland, all the way from Portsmouth. Phil was desperately trying to bag the Loch Lomond Islands to rack up as many points for the 2025 "Performance Sea Kayak 1000 Island challenge". Coming...
A nice between Christmas and New Year paddle with Helensburgh Canoe Club - Gordon, Steve and Stuart. Not only was it my first trip with the club, it was my first time on Loch Lomond and my first trip on fresh water in my NDK Romany Surf. We paddled across to Balmaha for coffee,...
First trip out in my new boat “Irn-Bru”. A Romany Surf with an orange deck and blue trim, as per the IRN-BRU colours. I have to say I am quite pleased with it. Especially seeing as I have never paddled one of these boats before, even before buying it! Thankfully, and as expected it’s...
My plan was to paddle across Gareloch to the house, opposite my house, and then head south towards Rhu Narrows, around to Kilcreggan, across to Helensburgh and return. Except, once on the loch I realised the wind was somewhat stronger than forecast and heading south for me was not going to be a good...
