Sunday 22 September 2013

The land of giants


Looking out to the Bass Rock
A few weeks back Hubby dear and Dangeroo Dave were running a 3* sea assessment for LSKC, I went along for the jolly, dish out sweets and generally make up numbers.
Our first day was out from North Berwick with a little jaunt east towards the Leithies Rocks where the group were guiding their shut eyed partners round the rocks. It's a bit un-nerving being guided by a river paddler who kept insisting on stating the wrong edge!
Later we had a nice wee paddle over to the Bass rock, always great to get out there again.
Heading out
Getting ready for some "rescues"
Peek a boo!
Next day, we were leaving from North Berwick again and headed out to Craigleith where the group were put through their paces, what with having so many ill, tired, sick paddlers all needing towed!
Our next island was the Lamb where  Dangeroo Dave  found a neat wee keyhole inlet where the group had to do their turning whilst dealing with a lovely swell! Hubby dear had them cutting through other narrow wee channels still aided with the swell. All great stuff.
The ups and downs of surf
Round by Craigleith
Aline concentrating
At least Sandy didn't loose the heid!

Then onto Fidra, never been to this island before, where we stopped for a spot of lunch. Although there was a fair bit of swell especially round the islands, further out the sea was flat calm.
Lunch on Fidra
Playing in the swell of Fidra
Heading straight for a Rock! Rock! #*"!*##**! Rock!

 After lunch the haar came in - thick! Dangeroo Dave  asked me to set off on 180o, which I duly did with the rest of the group following, but with no sight of land, the sea being so smooth, the haar being so thick, it had a weird feeling. After a bit I realised I was blethering too much, was sitting on 150o so changed my course again, A bit more blethering (I like a good natter!) and realised I was on 210o. Oops! Dangeroo Dave was a bit surprised at my zig zag route, Hubby dear is used to my blethering! Ahead of us a shape eventually appeared, Sandy and I reckoned it was the mast of a yacht in the distance, when all of a sudden this yacht suddenly flapped it's wings! It was a cormorant sitting on a rock.  Another couple of paddle strokes when all of a sudden giants started to appear through the gloom. We were almost on the beach. These figures looked like the shadows of people - really long, really weird! This haar was a bit delusional! We could see for miles above us, but only a few feet round about us.
Beautiful views
Could be a Vettriano painting!
 We followed the beach along, feeling sure someone had stolen North Berwick. It was interesting coming back in through the skerries. We had to keep far enough out so as not to land on the rocks with the swell, but close enough in to see where our landing spot was. All very surreal!

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