Day 20 - Port Logan to Port Patrick
Posted by glyn brackenbury on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Welcome to Scotland. I knew I was in Scotland this morning, as I was woken by the hammering of rain on the tent. The winds that had made me leave the Island had arrived, but based on the fact I was going downwind again, and Port Logan, although pretty, wasn't really a venue to spend a few days. I left about 11 heading up the coast.
As I was paddling the winds were getting stronger and stronger, but with no significant groundswell manageable. Then the four horsemen of the apocalypse arrived from the south bringing the end of the World. I've never paddled in wind like it, every time the paddle went above elbow height it was just snatched by the wind, I decided retreat was the way to go, but with no easy way to paddle back I had to carry on to Port Patrick, I stopped in a bay about half way to prise my fingers off the paddles for a few minutes, this seems to be becoming a theme in Scotland.
I limped my way into the harbour, where the first three people I met all were Lifeboat crew, they were really helpful in offering boat storage, but seemed amazed I'd made it in, apparently the gusts were registering at Force 9....
I'm currently supping post exercise ale in the Harbour Hotel, where I've booked in for the night. Tomorrow looks similar, so it could be a weather bound day which would be frustrating, only because I'm so close to moving into the Lochs and having a little more control, over when to go or not. It's quite nice having a rest though...
As I was paddling the winds were getting stronger and stronger, but with no significant groundswell manageable. Then the four horsemen of the apocalypse arrived from the south bringing the end of the World. I've never paddled in wind like it, every time the paddle went above elbow height it was just snatched by the wind, I decided retreat was the way to go, but with no easy way to paddle back I had to carry on to Port Patrick, I stopped in a bay about half way to prise my fingers off the paddles for a few minutes, this seems to be becoming a theme in Scotland.
I limped my way into the harbour, where the first three people I met all were Lifeboat crew, they were really helpful in offering boat storage, but seemed amazed I'd made it in, apparently the gusts were registering at Force 9....
I'm currently supping post exercise ale in the Harbour Hotel, where I've booked in for the night. Tomorrow looks similar, so it could be a weather bound day which would be frustrating, only because I'm so close to moving into the Lochs and having a little more control, over when to go or not. It's quite nice having a rest though...
Been paddling for 30 years mostly as a surf and whitewater boater. Living on the N coast of Devon and growing upon Anglesey has meant that the sea has never been more than a couple of miles away.
