Arisaig is one of Scotland’s little gems. Who knew that a little corner of Scotland had beaches you could mistake for the Bahamas, although you would have to be brave to take a dip in a bikini.
My long term students and I decided that a road trip to the west coast of Scotland would be a great introduction to what sea kayaking is all about. The drive through the mountains whizzed by and the excitement built up with every glimpse of the sparkling ocean. Friendly faces greated us at the quaint little village of Arisaig, and it was time to pack the vast amount of camping gear into my Tempest, which ate up the kit with the ease of the Tardis.
The weather was on our side and we paddled on out to make the most of it
Like a buried diamond the white sandy beaches are hiden underwater at high tide but as the tide drops the gorgeous coral beaches emerge around every corner, glistening in the sunshine.
There’s an abundance of wildlife. We watched seals snooze on the sun baked rocks and found sea slugs awaiting the return of the crystal clear waters – there are many creatures to watch amoungst these Scottish skerrries.
The ability to carry everything in our sea boats allows us to escape to places that feet truly wild. Many kilometres from the nearest house or road, we set up camp and cook our dinner on an open fire. The only thing missing is the fish dinner that Sarah has spent all day trying to catch for us.
There is always a interesting character to bump into and and adventure to find, I think thats why I enjoy sea kayaking in these remote areas of Scotland.
With a sunny start to the season my long term students had an ace intro to the world of kayaking on the sea, I look forward to showing them even more of the delights and challenges that the coast has to offer.
