See the inside of Tolsta Head

December 19, 2007 on 10:39 pm | In Sea Kayaking |

There can’t be many place or people who are lucky enough to drop off the kids at school and within an hour be out sea kayaking on a calm ocean, under a broken sky with good company.

Mike phoned last night wanting to go out for a paddle and I didn’t take much to convince. We have had run of great weather and the sea is like a sheet of glass.

So deposit the kids, a quick coffee boats on the roof and off. Our destination Tolsta Head about 8 miles north of the house.

There is one down side, a large down hill side. The beach launch (refered to by Mike’s kids as the Gruffalo beach) is at the bottom of a steep, and steeper when you are carrying boats up, sloop. It has been given a fantastic road down and it is all key blocks with parking for boats at the bottom.

After the launch it is a short paddle out to the north end of the bay and under the magnificent cliffs. They are riven with caves and arches, all this within 10 minutes of the launch.

What Mike had omitted to tell me, which he mentioned as we sat drinking coffee rafted up looking north, was it is his birthday.

On the return paddle we had a look at the blow hole.

Then the rare moment we had both been waiting for. In the end of Tolsta Head there is a cave which goes right though the headland, it has a bend in it so you as you paddle you seem to be heading for the dark abyss. As you round the bend the daylight suddenly sparkles on the water and the exit comes into view. What makes this so special is it is very rare the sea state will let you into the cave, let alone out the other end.

So a fitting birthday present for Mike.

Tim Pickering
http://www.canoehebrides.com
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