It’s been an eventful first day. Paddling first against then with spring tides had me on edge slightly, or was that just the solo paddling? I ended up setting off on the water at 3pm, and after some stunning paddling, some wind against tide, and just some wind (coming down off Mingulay), I eventually arrived at 6.30pm.
When I was paddling round the east coast of Mingulay the wind was probably F4 coming off the island, which made the last leg hard and if there’s one thing I don’t like, it’s paddling into the wind.
Then I was given my next challenge…as I paddled down the coast of Mingulay I noticed that it was no small swell that was rolling onto the rocks, and I also saw wee explosions from waves on the beach! Oh no, ‘how big is this surf?’ I said to myself. I had 20mins of paddling wondering if the surf would be too big. After all my training in surf and buying a helmet, I was still scared and ready to paddle back to Pabbay if it was too big. Luckily it wasn’t too big but it was still dumping a wee bit. I chose the end of the beach least surf, chose the bit with the least sideways motion of water on the beach, took my deck off so I could get out quick, then went for it…all went to plan, apart from my cockpit and my left welly getting a soaking!
I worked out what I needed to do: find a place to sleep and make my ‘bed’; find firewood and heather; light a fire and start cooking dinner. However it didn’t go exactly to plan…
I made my bed - a small dugout with a sand pillow, and laid my bivvy bag and sleeping bag down - then went to look for firewood. To my dismay, I found not one, not two, but just three small bits of wood, disaster! I had some mint tea from the flask, went to go and find heather with my long life bag for taking it back, found some but the sprouts were new and full of water rather than the dead stuff which is around at the end of the summer. I couldn’t get the Kelly kettle going and because it was so late, didn’t have time to make tinder/kindling, so I had to use the emergency stove…disappointed! I guess this proves one point that living off driftwood on Mingulay is in no way sustainable! However, the nice surprise was the colony of Atlantic Grey seals on the north end of the beach, I’ve never seen so many, must have been 150 to 200ish.
It’s now 11pm. I’m in my bivvy bag on the south end of the beach on Mingulay. What a stunning place or at least it was when I could see it - it’s dark now. This has been an amazing first day, Mingulay is a beautiful place.
Today’s food: breakfast - nettle omelette with local eggs; lunch - homemade bread/jam and dried local pork; dinner - local potato and pork stew. Lots of mint tea.
It’s been an eventful first day. Paddling first against then with spring tides had me on edge slightly, or was that just the solo paddling? I ended up setting off on the water at 3pm, and after some stunning paddling, some wind against tide, and just some wind (coming down off Mingulay), I eventually arrived at 6.30pm.
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