The KHM chap wasn't wrong, it was certainly misty and vis was poor. As LW was at 07:00 and I was setting off at 09:00, I'd be against the incoming tide. Little did I know at the time, in the shelter of Gare loch, I'd be into the wind too. Paddling down Gareloch you could see the effect the tide was having on the various bouys, moored boats, and me. The tide was certainly having an impact on my speed. As such, I stayed fairly close to the shore, not turning until I was nearly at Rhu Narrows. There was obviously an eddy down there, as the moored boats nearest the narrows were all pointing with their bows away from the narrows. The boats moored nearest the narrows were all pointing at the narrows. ie. in the flow.
By the time I reached Perch Rock, there was little if any rock to be seen, just two seals, comically trying to keep their fins out of the water as the tide slowly flooded over the ever disappearing rock.
At Rosneath Point, I started making my crossing to Gourock. I could just about make out a yacht making her passage by her engine (no sails and yet she was definitely moving), close to the far Greenock shore, but nothing else. Not far from the isolated danger mark in the middle of the Clyde estuary, I could hear a repetitive "clanking" sound.
I initially thought the noise must be coming from the docks at Greenock. But soon after this, I could just make out a huge shape coming out of the mist on what appeared to be, on a course towards me. At first I thought I'd be ok keeping on my current course towards to Isolated Danger Mark in the middle of the channel, but as the shape came closer, I realised carrying on would result in a collision. So I stopped. It was the Paddle Steamer Waverley, and she was coming directly towards me. I have to say The Waverley is a wide vessel with her outboard paddles when looking at her nose on, and she does not look at all like a "normal" ship. Thankfully the captain had obviously spotted me, as I noticed the Waverley change direction. The Waverley would be passing right in front of me. At this point I was desperately trying to get my GoPro to turn on, it wouldn't (why do they always do that?). So, all I could do was snap some photos in the mist with my Olympus Tough camera. As she passed the Captain came out of the bridge and gave me a big cheery wave, which I returned. What an incredible sight.
I paddled as hard as I could past the Kempock Point Ferry terminal in Gourock. The Ferries were berthed, but I had no idea when they would be setting off. By this point, I had just about caught up with the motoring yacht I had noticed earlier. They must have been doing all of 3-4 kts, whereas I was trying to maintain at least 5kts. The yacht was the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland boat, with lots of kids on board. I've no idea why they were going so slowly, but that is one big yacht. I've since found out she is 22m in length and is called the Alba Explorer.
By now the wind was becoming much more noticeable. Always in my face, and the swell was picking up. Now I was against the tide, wind and swell. I also had to keep a watch out for the wash, mostly from passing ferries, coming and going to and from Gourock. I have to say it was pretty heavy going at times.
Down at Cloch Lighthouse/Point, I was in two minds whether to make the crossing or not, across to the Grantocks. I'd be side on to the wind and swell, and it wouldn't be a comfortable crossing. But seeing as I had come this far, I decided to set off. I could always turn back if the conditions deteriorated. As I set off, I couldn't actually see the Grantocks for the mist, but as I slowly made my way over, with the odd support stroke here and there (it was choppy), the Grantocks finally came into view. I did a quick lap around the Grantocks, for the 1000 Islands Performance Sea Kayak Challenge, and set off, with the wind and swell behind me (hooray!) to Dunoon. I'd previously recce'd a cafe on the sea front using Google maps as a good place to make a stop for some lunch.
