Sea Kayaking on the Forth (21/22nd August)

Over the past few months, I have spent a great deal of time on the website run by Douglas Wilcox. Unless you are completely devoid of imagination, it is difficult to look through the site and not picture yourself emulating the sea kayak journeys recorded in the various pictures.


Inspiration is one thing but the knowledge and skills to deal with the trip planning, navigation - not to mention rescue techniques is also required. With my wee sis having done some sailing courses at Port Edgar and the brochure mentioning weekend sea kayak courses, the only thing to choose was a suitable weekend ….

The 21/22nd August fitted in with shift patterns and the Forth should be “warm” – perfect. As a bit of prep training Lynne did a course down at Castle Semple which included a one star assessment.

As usual with such a course the first 10 minutes was spent milling about trying to figure out who else was there for the sea kayaking. Our instructor arrived and introduced himself as Iain. Quick introductions from Tess, Rob, Kate and Ellen and we started the indoors stuff. We got a look through some charts and books as well as a discussion about how weather and tides etc … can influence route planning. A great introduction but it also helped enforce my belief that a RYA Day Skipper qualification would be useful for helping with the coastal expedition planning!

Down at the boatshed we were introduced to our kayaks for the weekend – almost brand new Prijon Seayaks or Kodiaks. Fitted out with wetsuits, buoyancy aids and cags we headed into the harbour. We paddled forward, paddled backwards, tried a few sweepstrokes before moving onto a sculling draw and a feather draw. Whilst turning the sea kayak was murder … moving sideways seemed easier with a long boat (the wee Riot 007 just spins).

After lunch we head out into the main estuary. Everything started fine. We headed east stopping at Inch Garvie. We rafted up to allow a big ship to clear before attempting to cross back over to Port Edgar – not that anyone wanted to try and race a tanker anyway. The next half hour to hard … very hard. It seemed like an easy paddle but at one point I thought I was going to end up in Stirling! A combination of wind and tide meant steering was close to impossible. No amount of right hand sweeps could keep me on track. By the time I struggled back into the harbour it was time for tea. Sleep came easy that night!

Next morning, the group seemed to have recovered and the water was perfect - flat calm. The plan was to head down towards Inchcolm Island and Abbey for lunch. It was great paddling in the company of the inquisitive seals. As we beached the kayaks I couldn’t help but feel superior to those folks who had arrived via the ferry. We had got there under our own steam after all. The wasps who were trying to eat my lunch didn’t differentiate however.

Back afloat, it seemed too nice a day to hurry back. We stopped at every opportunity and in-between stops chatted to whoever was beside you at the time. We passed Dalgety Bay and as we tried to regroup at North Queensferry - the fun began. Once again, the wind and tide conspired to make steering difficult. Finally, we arrived back at Port Edgar where is was time to get wet.

Nobody had swam (which was a good thing) but it is unrealistic to expect to paddle and not experience that upside down feeling at some point. After some superb rolling demonstrations from the instructor Iain, we had a shot at a “X” rescue and re-entering the kayak full of water. I had a shot at a roll and got up far enough to see the harbour wall before ending upside down again.

As happens with most courses, you get to practice and refine some old skills, learn some new and leave with a hunger to get out and push till once again confidence surpasses skill and another learning opportunity is required !

SOBRA

South of Balloch Rules Apply?

No matter how hard I try to adjust, Scottish guys are just shite in the in the heat. The German's heat stroke in Borneo makes a lot of sense now I've lived in KL for 6 months. The high temperatures are one thing, but the constant high humidity makes the slightest physical effort, a full scale workout.

Air New Zealand have been sending us engines for the past 7 months. We're on trial, as they gather data on our performance. They plan to make a decision on where they will send 12 engines per year for the next 3 years. I really want the work. They are exactly the type of customers we need at GE Engine Services Malaysia.
With the 7th engine just completed, they invited me down to Christchurch for a discussion on the situation so far.

It's a place I've always wanted to visit, for three good reasons.

- First of all, I've never met a Kiwi I didn't like. Their great folk, with a canny similarity to the Scots.
- Secondly, the place is full of Campervans.
- Thirdly, Like Scotland, they have been blessed with Mountains. Very Big Mountains.

Some carefully planning allowed me to mix business with pleasure - or Engineering with Mountaineering, as the NOBRA boys would say.

As the 737 from Auckland touched down in Christchurch, the pilot announced an outside temperature of 7 degrees.
When I left KL, the big thermometer on the Federal highway registered 37 degrees!
My clothing was the warmest gear I had in KL, however it was clearly insufficient for the street, never mind the mountains. I decided a climbing shop was required. I could feel a wee purchase coming on.

As I walked outside to grab the Shuttlebus to my hotel, I was struck by a strange feeling. I looked at the people around me, all with jackets and hats, some with Red hair, most with skin as pale as mine, and as the bus pulled away from the carpark, I smiled. This feels just like home.

The hotel receptionist was a climber. What luck. He pulled out a wee map of the town, and marked down 4 good climbing shops. It may be hard for some people to understand, however the German knows exactly want I mean. I almost ran to the first shop, excited at the prospect of some new gear, and the chance to get some local mountain knowledge from the guys in the shop.

Next morning, accompanied by Ben Waters, the GE Sales Director, we headed back towards the airport, for the meeting with ANZ.
It went well on both Thursday and Friday, with an early finish at 3:00pm, allowing me time to visit the Antarctica center.
Since becoming interested in the adventurer Ernest Shackleton, I'm now fascinated with the Antarctic and it's history. Many countries use Christchurch as their base during explorations, and the center provides as much information on the Continent as you could ever want to know. I loved it, and learned heaps. Karyn doesn't know it yet, but some day she's going on the coldest holiday of her life!

One of he ANZ guys has a keen interest in the outdoors, and kindly offered to take me up Arthur's pass on the Saturday. It’s the highest village in NZ, located right in the Heart of the Southern Alps. Graham McCabe's a great guy, who lived in Northern Ireland for years, so he understands the Celtic patter.
He picked me up from the Hotel, and before long we were driving through Lord of the Rings country. The glacier landscape was amazing, with some serious looking mountains in the distance.
As the distance became nearer, I was doing the same fast scanning wee Joe laughs at when we drive through Glen Coe.
But this wasn't the West Highlands, this was the Southern Alps. These mountains were double the height of Bidean!

We stopped at the Department of Conservation office and bought the guidebook and a map. We then moved up the road to Arthur's Pass village, where we found a Café, had some Tea, and checked the map for a suitable route.
The DoC officer had told us Otira Valley was a good place to go 'tramping' as the Kiwi's call it. It leads to a bridge over the melt water, and then up into a corrie when the big routes onto Mt. Rolleston start.

The walk was excellent and before long we were in the snowline. Up ahead we could see avalanche debris. A number of avalanches had dispatched from several different directions. As we reached the wall of snow, we were amazing by the shear scale of the mountains around. I grabbed some photos, before we moved over the debris, to a better vantage point. I think Graham was enjoying it as much as I was. It was just like the European Alps, with Glaciers, and 2000ft faces all around.

We found our way back down to the end of the first avalanche, and decided that was good enough for the day, since we never intended going to a summit. We were just out for a day in the hills, without any serious mountaineering, although the seed in ma heed, is well and truly planted.
Back at the car, Graham introduced me to Moro bars, as we headed down the west side of the pass towards the new viaduct. The road was previously very dangerous, due to regular landslides.
The government funded a major engineering project, building to a new viaduct, and an open-faced tunnel, complete with overhead stone shoot. It really was an amazing sight.

We then went to Deaths corner for a view down the valley. When we arrived, Graham explained the guy ahead of us was in big trouble. A Kea mountain parrot was on the roof of his car, destroying the trim around the rain gutter. He was trying to chase it away with no luck. They are very aggressive, attacking without warning. They are also protected, so you can’t respond with a stick, although you may want too. I thought it looked like an extra from Lord of the Rings. Parrots in the mountains?

Graham told the guy his best option was to jump in the car and just drive the car fast. It would get the message and fly off. He followed the advice, however we quickly realized it was time for us to bugger off too, since the bird was making it way towards Graham’s car. Probably even more pissed off.!
We left the car park in a hurry, heading back to the Café as the weather started to deteriorate.

By early evening, we were back in Christchurch. I was happy as hell. My first trip into the mountains since arriving in Malaysia, and it had been a cracker.

So my advice to NOBRA is this;
Start saving for an airline ticket (make sure it’s on Air New Zealand for Christ sake!)Hire a campervan and go climbing and “trampin” about in these spectacular mountains.

Oh aye, and don’t forget a gid jacket!

Thanks again to Graham. You’re now the first Southern Hemisphere NOBRA member.
Cheers,
Alan 21st Aug 04

ML assessment for real ....

Below is a wee blog from my pal Jasmin. It follows on from the Cairngorm trip back at the end of June. Most important bit .... SHE PASSED ! Well done girl.

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Finding the courage to go back and complete what I started in September 2003 took longer than I thought it would. My outward attitude was ‘of course I’m going back to do the assessment’, but deep down I was just too terrified of another accident out on the ropes to make that commitment. Eventually I made the booking and then it was a simple matter that I had to be able to abseil whether I liked it or not …. the very first time I abseiled since the accident was completely nightmarish – but I got there in the end…

Sunday 18th July: I arrived at the Lodge in time for some last minute panic reading about environmental topics. I had the luxury of a room to myself and within minutes of arrival it was covered in kit and books.

Monday 19th July: Breakfast – or an attempt at breakfast – on panic stricken stomach. Start to meet other people who were on the same assessment, who all seemed to be extremely calm – although most admitted to the contrary. At 9 we met our instructors, and then it was out on the hill for some basic nav and emergency procedures. Once we got started I was a lot happier! We were given water and contour features to find, taking turns to lead. A few ‘what ifs’ were thrown in for extra measure – and to see if you had the kit to be able to deal with the situation – sprained ankle, early signs of hypothermia and so on. Water hazards followed in the afternoon. I lost count of how many times I went across that stretch of water. Everytime I crossed I seemed to get in deeper and deeper.
The bar seemed like a very good place to be that evening….

Tuesday 20th July: This was the day I was truly dreading: security on Steep Ground. The whole decision making process was as important as the ropework itself - and eventually the day was over. I managed to deliver what was required, but my nerves were completely shredded by the end! Towards the end of the day, the wind picked up and even simply trying to tie a Thompson knot proved extremely tricky as the rope was blown all over the place.
The bar seemed to be an even more welcoming place that evening …

Wednesday 21st July: Well, this was it: the two night exped. I made the mistake of weighing my rucksack – and really wished that I hadn’t found out how heavy it actually was! We started off from the ski car park, walking into Coire an Lochan, each of us taking turns to lead the different legs of the journey over towards Cairn Etchachan. Very grateful to see the campsite – but before we could grab that long awaited brew, several questions on campsite organisation management…

Night nav was hard work. We were out for 4 hours (after what must have been at least a 7 hour day). What an experience - middle of the night on Macdui - pitch black with the cloud base down - remaining snow fields iced over - temperature at about freezing- and headtorch beams bouncing off the moisture in the air!!!! Had a bit of a shock on the leg I had to lead. In the middle of concentrating hard on my pacing I was distracted by clicking sounds and then got the shock of my life as some dark shapes emerged out of the gloom. This was my second close encounter with the Cairngorm reindeer herd – the first being on a solo wild camp last summer when one reindeer started to take too much of an interest in my tent for comfort.

Thursday 22nd July: Peering out of the tent, I established that the weather was ideal – the cloud base was low- hopefully with a day’s nav in this then we wouldn’t have another night nav exercise. Up to the summit of Macdui, over to the memorial, then a knee jarring journey down into the Lairig Ghru, followed by finding a contour feature over the other side of the river (I was getting slightly paranoid by this point as all I seemed to get was contour features – was I getting everything completely wrong???). Up to the Garbh Coire hut for lunch, where we were to treated to an environmental talk. Then over Angel’s Ridge (yup, with full pack!) followed by more navigation across the Moine Mhor, eventually ending up between Carn Ban Mor and Sgor Gaoith, overlooking Loch Einich, where we camped for the night.

Friday 23rd July: After breakfast I treated everyone to an environmental talk (which was over researched – sorry to everyone who had to sit there freezing while I talked on … and on…!)Then the walkout to Glen Feshie, navigating pretty much to the bitter end. We were driven back to the lodge in the minibus – and all I could do was sit there and think that there was nothing more I could do now. Lunch at the lodge was most welcome, followed by a wait for results. I was so pleased to pass. It was something that didn’t seem remotely possible for me to achieve at the beginning of the week – and by passing I have certainly put some nightmares to rest!

The Fisherfield Munros ...6th to 8th July

With a kernel of an idea for a sea kayak / cullin ridge expedition being planted by Bill and a free weekend, all combined with the Beast having a weekend pass the venue of choice was Skye. The idea of another recee over the “interesting” bits and adding a few tops to the Beasts growing collection, seemed the perfect combination. Good weather was forecast right up until the Friday morning where the low winds and high cloud was replaced with high winds and low cloud.

Call me a pessimist if you will but the statistics for ridge attempts in Skye aren’t good:

1- Up Gars Bheinn late in the evening and found a great bivi site. Storm hit about 2am and we were forced to descend at first light.
2- Up from the Coruisk hut just after dawn. Slow but steady progress towards the TD gap in cold and windy conditions. Onwards towards Sgurr Mhic Chonnich by which time … time had run out.
3- Attempt from Slig – woke up to rain and low cloud. Attempted to find pinnacle ridge failed but did manage to fall in a river on the way back down.
4- Another attempt from Slig – woke to rain and low cloud … had the sense to go back to sleep.

There have been as many successful days out in the Cullin but the message is clear – unless the weather is good … forget it.

A quick discussion on the above and the Beast was convinced – a new location was needed. With a strong factor being “how many tops wuid I get” being raised and a midge avoidance strategy being just common sense, the Fisherfield was picked. The journey north was only spoiled (for me anyway) by the aftermath of the Beasts glass of prune juice which had had prior to leaving work. As we passed Inverness I was like one of those mad collie dogs hanging out the window.

The food stop at the Aultguish consisted of beer, mushrooms with garlic dip and haggis – as if the prune juice wasn’t enough. At the car park it was midge hell and even the Beast’s emissions couldn’t hold them at bay. Quick triple repack and we were off. Clear of the woods and the midges eased … until we reached the bothy just before 10pm where the conflict was resumed.

Shenevall was almost full – not that you would of noticed from the noise (everyone was in bed). We got a space in the room with the fire and after a quick beer nodded off.

6am and the alarm went off. By 7am we were heading down to the river and the first crossing of the day. Thankfully it was well down and we still had dry feet as we picked the route up to Beinn a’Chlaidheimh. Sitting on the summit at 8:30am was perfect – great view all around and only one t-shirt change of the Beast. We headed over to Sgurr Ban where we could see a couple of lasses heading up from the other side. We stopped to chat for a while – the Beast reckoned they were of “mahagow” frame of mind (i.e. more than just friends). The thinking behind this seemed flawed but it did help pass the time as we ascended Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair. At this point I raised the matter of a couple of wee subsidiary tops I was after. The Beast decided to continue on and leave me to it.

Heading down towards Beinn Tarsuinn, I met up with a lass by the name of Barbara. We discussed the hill, discussed living around Glasgow, discussed women in engineering until a roar of “GERMANOPHOBYYYYY” echoed across from the summit slopes opposite. This was followed by what looked like a bull fighter impersonation with a red goretex from the Beast. My initial attempts to disown him failed. The shouts continued until Barbara suggested I better go and catch him up if only to re-establish the peacefulness of the place. Apparently, the Beast was concerned I hadn’t seem him and was about to re-ascend Mhic Fhearchair.

Over Tarsuinn, the hard bit of the day began. Not only do you lose a heap of height but there is a goodly distance to cover before the climb up to A’ Mhaighdean. This was broken down to micro-stages (including a water refill where the midges were murder … again). For me the summit views on A’ Mhaighdean are the best to be had in the whole of Scotland – why this is … go and find out for yourself – you won’t regret it. Sitting about the summit were some other guys up from Glasgow. They had driven up (leaving at 03:30am), walked in, dumped gear in the bothy, THEN headed up the hill. Whilst they were only doing two of the hills we reckoned that was harder than doing all six after a night in the bothy.

Over to Ruadh Stac Mor and there was only the walk back to the bothy left before food and drink. A post dinner party with the other Glasgow boys was great – for some reason other folks in the bothy didn’t seem to want to join in.

Next morning dawned with Beast announcing (from the depths of his sleeping bag), that the walk back to the car was about all he could manage. As happens, the talk soon got round to the next hill trip and even extended to the possibility of getting a big team weekend in Gorton sometime in early December ….