Day 9: (Morning) Preparing to leave Loch Ayenort for Roisinis

I was too tired to write last night, so I'm now sitting on a rock on the shore in Loch Ayenort, in front of the fire that I cooked breakfast on and am now burning some peat, which has got a lovely yellow coloured ash and nice smell. The morning sun (9am) is casting a pretty light on the Loch, and I'm just about to start packing my boat before going up to say a final good bye to Archie, Angie, Margaret and Graham, who are some of the most generous and hospitable people I've ever met - thank you for all your help!

Yesterday was as usual, a good day. I got the fire going for breakfast, cooked some porridge with jam and boiled some water for a flask for tea, collecting some of the leaves that Archie said could be used for medicinal tea - I later found it was Comfrey.

Then I went up to meet Alistair McEachan, who again was very kind. We had already arranged by e-mail to meet, so Alistair came with gifts of Record potatoes, lamb chops, a joint of lamb and a leg of venison! That'll be on the grill tonight with a few herbs! We had a cup of tea with Alistair before he left.

Then it was off fishing with Archie along a few headlands and reefs out of Loch Ayenort. My fishing attempts so far had failed, so I was eager for success! And to cut a long story very short, it was successful and by the end of a few hours we had over ten lithe and sathe. Also on the trip out we collected some pigeon Cach from a cave, saved a lamb from certain death on a cliff, collected some sea gull eggs which I just hard boiled for breakfast and lunch, and collected some mussels which are tonight's dinner together with fish and venison, or maybe I'll save the venison and mussels for tomorrow!

We had a nice tea with chicken soup, mussels, Barra (Jimmy Ferguson's) pork with Alistair's potatoes, and some jelly for pudding.

I've learned quite a bit over this few days, not least that mussels like a bit of fresh water. So with my faith in humanity refreshed and my water bottles full, I head off to face the next challenge...

Day 7: Blue Lagoon to Loch Ayenort (16Nm, 6hrs)

Another good day - the longest yet. It has been a day that I could not have predicted. I am now of all places, in luxury accommodation – an Otter Hide - it has four walls, a door, a roof, and even a window! The events of today that led up to this were...

I was up at 7.30am for an early start to the long day ahead. I wanted to see how long it took me to get ready, for future reference. It came in a cool total of 2hrs 15mins, including collecting heather, starting a fire and cooking breakfast.

So yesterday I set off on what was to be the longest distance I've paddled yet. It was the second bit of virgin water that I had paddled on the trip, the first being round Berneray/Mingulay, only this time I wouldn't be home for three weeks. It was quite refreshing to be paddling a coastline that I hadn't paddled before, with new things to look at, though I knew that time was tight and that I had to get on. After a nice lunch spot just south of Loch Boisdale, and avoiding the CalMac ferry, I eventually made it to Loch Ayenort around 4.30pm.

When I got ashore I thought I would take advantage of the houses and ask for some water before trying to find a campsite. I got chatting to a guy called Archie, who offered me water, eggs, mussels from the shore below his house, and use of his phone, which I used to check-in with the Coastguard and arrange food pick ups. After some bartering, we arranged for me to do some peat cutting in return for dinner which I thought was a pretty good deal. Archie is going fishing tomorrow in his sailing boat and after yesterday's failed attempts, I'm keen to go along and see how it's done!

Today's food was: breakfast - hard boiled egg, Stornoway black pudding; lunch - bread, jam; dinner - home made soup, scallops fried in butter, oatmeal and cream, and mushroom risotto; and a cup of tea! Wow, creature comforts are great when you haven't had them for a while!

Since the expedition started, I've been noticing an increase in my general levels - maybe because my bodies getting used to the exercise! Also the skin on my hands has turned to leather!

Reflection on today: I was touched by Archie's friendliness, and what I'd like to think is a kind of Hebridean generosity and hospitality. He also offered to let me sleep in the Otter Hide that he built on the shore, which was a warm welcome change from under a tarp.