Great views, warm sunshine and small waves coming through Caolas Beag - and gannets off Lunga plunging into the sea. After a short stop at the fishing station we made our way back, doing it in about half the time it took to get there due to the tailwind.
Given the calm conditions and after leaving Linda back at the slipway I decided to have a crack at circumnavigating Longa Island. Most days I'd looked over to the island the N/NW wind had been creating quite a bit of swell and smashing into the N shore. Today I hoped that the more exposed far end of the island would have light seas - the only way to find out was to go there! The crossing was relatively calm and the waters at the E end were dead smooth making it easy to look into the kelp forests and watch the numerous small fish that they contained. The calm conditions continued along the N shore although a slight swell did start to develop closer to the W turning point. Earlier in the day I'd spotted a nuclear sub making its way up the far side of Longa into the Minch, half way along the N coast I spotted it again - this time coming back down. It was fairly rattling along and soon passed well to the W of the island as I turned the corner to make my way down the W side of the island. Here I also met a couple of like minded souls, kayakers going round the island in the opposite direction. Seas were now a bit more confused due to the swell but the NW wind was picking up again and soon pushed me round the corner onto the S coast. A great feeling of open seas at this point with views up the coast to Rua Rheid, across the Minch to the Shiants and Harris, to Skye and Rona and southwards to Redpoint and Applecross. So far the coast had been made up of low cliffs and rocky outcrops - all fairly dark and uninviting. The S coast although similarly cliff based and indented was more welcoming with white barnacle covered rocks. I suppose that the sun was shining on this coast so it was going to look brighter! There did seem to be more birdlife though and as I turned onto the S coast I encountered a wildlife boat - they seemed to be looking at the birds nesting on the cliffs. Difficult to identify them but one flew passed, all black and showing a white patch on its wing - black guillemots?
I stopped at the boulder beach of Eag Mhor. Longa at this point is nearly cut in two and a short walk over low heath takes you to a similar bay on the N coast, Camas na Rainich. I went as far as the mid point where I has fantastic views over both the N and S bays - the local gull population didn't seem too chuffed and kicked up a bit of a noise over the crags on either side. Back on the water I explored the nooks and crannies along the length of the coast. In doing this I managed to upset another gull. A black backed gull had been watching me from a rock, as I turned into a sheltered corner after the rock I spotted three young gulls in the water - at this the adult gull took off and proceeeded to repeatedly dive bomb me. Later at Stron na Caillich I passed through a colony of shags - or were they cormorants? Views from here up into Garloch and across to the Torridon mountains were superb.
When I got back to the E end of the island the wind had picked up and there was a bit of a fetch developing in Caolas Beag. Pushed by the wind and waves I made rapid progess back to the slipway at Sands, spotting Linda on the beach when I was half way across.
Plenty bird life but no action in the water, not even a seal. Well, we did see a seal just off Sands beach before we set off but I would have expected a few more around Longa! I'd also spoken to a few folks who had mentioned recent sightings of porpoises and dolphins off Longa - not in luck today though.
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