checking for drifters. . .
Published October 10, 2006 | 
All the world is gonna come alive
Do you want to ride the tiger?
-jefferson starship
“Entering Loch Etive from the south bank next to Skerries Bridge, swim out into the flow and then descend to about seven metres. Keep working your way into the tide or you can easily end up in an eddy that will simply deposit you at the side of the loch. You will see various bits of debris on the sea bed from the building of Skerries Bridge. This is where your speed picks up – don’t be surprised if you experience an easy six to eight knots.
Suddenly, you go over a drop-off and you’ll really begin to fly. You’ll be pulled down to about 30m (despite the figure on the Admiralty chart, which states only 20m). Watch out for the eddies at the base of the wall, which are caused by the uneven sea bed. They can hold you there, so swim hard away from the wall and you’ll pick up the main current again.
As the water becomes shallower, the current will slow, as this is where the loch widens. You will surface downstream from where you started – swim from here to the shore or, better still, have your boat pick you up. The dive itself lasts only about ten minutes, but it’s definitely worth it.” Read Complete Article Here.
The first time I read that, I was quickly convinced being in a kayak was the better choice. Preferably right side up. Read more about Justine’s adventure here. (and don’t tell her I was teasing her again. . . )
Thanks to Simon Willis for use of the photo. Simon has many more fantastic photos on his website, SeaKayakRoutes.com as well as his new podcasts. From the moment you start listening you’ll know Simon was made for this medium. You could listen to him for hours. Fantastic! Now if we can just get him to narrate Proust. . .
Related Posts:
15 Responses to checking for drifters. . .
i can’t decide if that’s the ugliest kayak i’ve ever seen or the coolest looking.
You don’t miss a trick do you, Mr Mayoleth? And you would have to go and use the updside down shot of course!!? What – I ask – is wrong with that beautiful wide shot that Simon took showing a river of white swirls, the majestic bridge and me as a tiny speck ( the right way up and pointing in the right direction!)? But I can get my own back a bit – its the ‘Falls of LORA’, not the Falls of FLORA!!
Now stop distracting me, I’ve got great footage to edit!
Alex – It’s cool of course!
Hey now, I just wanted to show off your pretty boat.
Especially since you’re so kind as to correct my spelling. . . Now stop reading blogs and get to work, We’re waiting you know!
Thank You for your web site. It’s a great source of information on kayaking and I tell all my classes at Rutabaga about you site. Admire your ability to come up with interesting things for your blog every day. Thank you for sharing a part of yourself:-)
Wah… I want a tigerskin boat too! I’d even take one right-side-up. Maybe my next SOF… mmmm… Greenland tigers, that could work!
I can’t believe people go diving there for fun. There can’t be any insurance lawyers over there!
I had to do this comment twice, the verification word was just too weird even for me!
We used to do this in the East Pass in Destin, FL snorkeling. We’d get in on the outgoing tide and it was like a underwater conveyor all the way down the rock jetty and out to the ocean, flying like superman over an alien landscape with all sorts of fish from schools of tiny bait to big ole groupers. If you ever get the chance, do it!
Thomas
Hey Thomas,
Yeah it sounded fun right up to the bit about the eddies that “hold you there”. . .
Second hand comment – apparently Axel (who had an ‘aquatic moment sans kayak’ in the Falls) said that he ‘was glad to be wearing his buoyancy aid as he could feel the currents trying to take him down….’
Rather him than me!
Rowland
PS – that tigress does have a rather lovely bottom..!
Rowland
))
Yeah, and her skeg is showing as well. . but thought I dare not go there. . .
Indeed a certain lady from Germany was seen to disappear from view whilst out of her boat – bobbing up and right down in the boils…..not a place you really wanted to come out of your boat last Friday :_0
so both Axel & Freya went swimming eh?
I couldn’t possible comment on that Derrick…
Needless to say a few of us did some serious ‘down time’ in the boils, so a strong set of lungs are useful along with a relaxed, bombproof roll for the Falls of Lorn.
…oh, yes, my first swim after long!
) – kind of entertaing, having been sucked under for some minutes (or seconds?)
)
)…with my new ALAW BACH!!
Justine caught that as a contratst program for my rolling footage on TITS 3
This was not made for my white water experience level – too foamy, vicious and violent! Anyway – I DID TRY!
And I’ll try the Bitches next month
and of course we’re glad you found your way back to the surface! Can’t wait to see your new Alaw!!