Sea kayak deck from a solo adventure, paddling around the isle of Lismore in Loch Linnhe. Stopped for a break at the little shore inlet of Port na Rubha, at the South of the island. Started from Port Appin, heading around the North of island and down the more exposed West, in near flat calm and sunny weather.

An earlier stop at the ruined Castle Coeffin, with views over to the massive Glensanda super quarry on the far side of Loch Linnhe. On around Bernera Island, as the tide was too low to shortcut it, and then on to the South of Lismore. Despite the flood tide now running at a fair lick, decided to try and make it around Eilean Musdile, a small island to the South of Lismore with a lighthouse that's regularly photographed (and Blipped) by Calmac ferry passengers heading to and from Oban.

Paddling around past the lighthouse was a struggle, and I wouldn't have attempted it when the tide was going as fast in less than the ideal weather of this day. The tide was sufficiently fast to mean it could be heard flowing around Lady's Rock, that's further out in the main channel, and... about a kilometre away!

Would have preferred to have gone at a slower more relaxed pace, and stopped to take photos of the many and varied wild flowers that were in bloom, especially on raised beach areas that weren't accessible to livestock. Many unusual species of plants here, due to the amount of limestone and alkali soils, unlike the acid soils of so much of the Highlands and Islands. Forecast for tomorrow is strong NW winds, which will mean a slog straight into it, and against some tide too for the last stretch, so aimed to get as far around the island as possible today. Also in this area, as I've to give a friend a lift back from cheering on another for the last few miles of the ultra-marathon - West Highland Way Race.

Only travelled a few miles beyond this point, stopping at Port Balure to camp for the night, as the headwind was starting to rapidly pick up speed.

Load of pictures for this weekend in an album, here. Or in the extas:
 - fish trap overlooked by the Ivy covered ruins of Castle Coeffin;
 - heading for the southerly tip of Eilean Musdile and its lighthouse, with the distant beacon on Lady's Rock, to the right;
 - made it around the tip of the island, against a stiff tide; and
 - view to Eilean Musdile from Port na Rubha.