Sometimes it’s good to turn back and recognise your limits.

We got up well before the birds at 3am to see whether yesterday evening’s unforecasted calm was still making a crossing to the Barren Islands a possibility. We could just see each other and the outline of the rocky shore when we launched at 4.45am. There was only a light breeze but the 4am NOAA forecast warned of E winds increasing to 25 knots this morning. Karel predicted 20 knots.

We decided to see what the sea felt like and decide whether to attempt a crossing or head East 4 miles to another headland. As soon as we left the shelter of our Cove we were being pulled gently North by the rolling swell of a half asleep tidal race, our kayaks bouncing down into the troughs with a light splash. It was a little disconcerting in the dark and Sarah turned to me and said she didn’t like it. We decided not to cross but to head East to Praline headland (not her real name but one chosen by the always-hungry Sarah). After an hour we were half way there and the darkness had lifted enough so we could see the waves. They didn’t look so intimidating now and the wind was still less than 10 knots from the ENE. We discussed options and decided we’d have a go at heading north to the islands. We’d try sailing and see if we could make rapid progress that way. If we could reach the Islands around slack water, we could hopefully avoid the tidal races. Even at the start of the flood
the wind and tide would be in the same direction so it should be calmer. Thankfully we’ve been lent a working GPS by the crew of the fishing boat Venturess who came to Blue Fox Lodge so we could measure our progress.

After half an hour of a 3 foot swell which was bouncy but manageable, we came up to an area of 6-8 foot waves that were breaking powerfully on occasions. I think this tidal rip coincided with a very shallow area on the chart so may well have been short lived but it was enough of a warning to me that we shouldn’t be attempting this crossing today. If that’s the sort of sea we could encounter at random then imagine what the notorious tidal rips that guard the Barren Islands would be like if the wind did pick up to 25 knots. I paddled up besides Sarah who said she really wasn’t enjoying the conditions. We turned around, dropped the sails and headed for a new campsite 4 miles east of our last one.

So here we are, camped up in the grass above a gravel beach which almost completely disappeared this afternoon under one of the largest tides of the year. There have been a few breaks in the rain today so Sarah made a fire and cooked dinner on it and we’ve been drying damp themals over the embers. Tomorrow’s forecast is for 30 knots from the East so we’ll most likely still be here. My flight home on Saturday is looking less and less likely but things sometimes change quickly here.

My friend Luke had been sending me limericks to keep me smiling! Here’s todays!

There once was a lady from Wales
Whose hardness was like that of nails
Her name was Justine,
She liked all things marine
Except force 7 North Easterly gales.