Here - Kate Duffus Paddling

Seil, Luing and Scarba Sea Kayak Expedition Aug or Sept 2015
Dates: Monday 17th August – Friday 21st August
or Monday 14th September – Friday 18th September
Cost: £350
Number of paddlers: This expedition will run with a minimum of three clients and a maximum of six.
The trip is only guaranteed to run once three bookings have been made and paid for.
Meeting place: We will meet in Easedale at 11am on the morning of Monday 8th June. I will contact
you with an exact location shortly before we meet. We will aim to be back in Easedale midafternoon on Friday.
Expedition Plan: The exact plan and where we paddle and camp will be decided on the day with
access to an up to date weather forecast and tide times. The area is exposed to significant tidal
streams which will dictate where and when we can paddle. We will aim to camp in a different place
every night.
Camping: Scotland has an enlightened attitude to countryside access and in particular wild camping.
Providing we do no damage we have the right to camp almost anywhere. We are likely to find some
stunning locations. Because this is wild camping, there will be no facilities. Toilet functions need to
be done some distance from our campsite, a small trowel will allow burial or you can ‘go’ below the
high water mark. Forgive me if I remind everyone of this before we set off.
Coaching: All trips will be led by me, a BCU level 5 sea kayak coach. Coaching can be provided at any
time throughout the trip if you wish to build on your existing paddling skills.
Food: I will provide the food for breakfasts, lunches and evening meals. Please let me know if there
are any foods that you cannot or do not wish to eat. You might like to bring your favourite on-thewater snacks. I will also supply copious quantities of tea, coffee and soup. If you like something
different please bring it along.
I have sufficient stoves and gas for cooking. I will also bring a tarp shelter so we can be reasonably
warm and dry whatever the weather.
What to bring: Here are some ideas on what to pack for a multi-day kayak trip. These are just my
ideas and I’m sure you will all come up with different things. I’m looking forward to learning new
things from you.
Tent, sleeping mat and bag. No surprises here, but the tent might pack better with the poles packed
separately.
Clothing. I generally take 3 sets that are all suitable for paddling or land use. I wear one for paddling,
one for sleeping and the third is spare and only gets worn on the last day. A warm coat will make the
evenings more pleasant and then makes a good pillow. Woolly hats might be good in the evenings.
Useful bits. Midge repellent and head net, head torch, plate, bowl, mug and cutlery, sunglasses and
hat (let’s be optimistic), footwear for on land, raincoat, toiletries and towel, camera, map of the area
in a map case (OS sheet 55), wet wipes are great for a quick freshen up, trowel and toilet paper and
a lighter to destroy it after use.
It’s handy to have a big holdall in your boat, something like an Ikea bag or a supermarket reusable
bag. Makes it much easier to carry your kit between the beach and camping place and then makes
something to sit on.
Possible Routes: There are a multitude of islands that we can reach from our starting point at
Easedale. Tides and weather will dictate where we can go but the Garvellachs, Jura, Scarba and Luing
are all possibilities.