Solo Packrafting Scotland | EP3

Okay, I'm on the water. That was one wet and midge infested pack up. I was going to say set up then. Yeah, there goes my spot. Takes everything. That was a nice little spot in the end. Level ground and didn't get disturbed. Didn't see anyone since I got here yesterday. I did see one like fishing boat and that was about it. Um, yeah, I've realized I'm on the really wide stretch of the lock, like the widest stretch. I don't know if you can see me at the minute. To be completely honest, I am quite nervous when it comes to this zip in my boat. I was very wary. I'm getting more confident, but they're just having a zip one chamber and your kit inside the boat. You're just going to, it's just going to sink at the minute. I've just got standard wet bags that I bought for this trip. All color coordinated. Even my waterproof jacket matches. I noticed this morning. It's not like I like red or anything. Um, but it's not raining now, which is lovely. Anna, my lovely mate I've met here last year, said that she picked me up from the start of the lock and she dropped me off at that cabin that I'm, or mountain hut that I'm staying at, which is really nice. I'm just going to see how far I get. Obviously the tide comes back in at about 11 ish, 12. So I've got till then to paddle, but then I'm, I'm going with the current. So it's going to be quicker. It is a shame I can see the direction I could have gone to Oban, but I've got plenty of other trips in mind in this pack raft. I want to make a proper like hiking and boating trip, either this year or for the future. And, um, maybe get my titanium wood burner on here and come up to Scotland in the winter. I just, I'll see. Cause I am really aiming on doing the Cape raft trail. Um, this year, I was going to do it earlier in the year and then I put it off cause I got this pack raft and because it was quite busy in the summer, I think. And a lot of people after in the West Highland way said, yeah, you should definitely do it. Like that's another hike you should go for and all on my channel. So I looked into it and it looks awesome. And Hayes, Hayes Outdoors has done such a good series on it. So it's inspired me to do it more. So if you haven't already go watch his series he done, did it in 14 days, which is mega like crazy. And his set, his sense of humor and his personality is great. So I think I've watched them all or I need to watch a couple more. What a day, what a morning. I think it's about seven o'clock now. I'm looking forward to doing some fishing actually, because I won't be paddling as much. I've got more time for doing some fishing. And I think the further you go down this lot, the more fishing boats you do get, like the proper boats, not inflatable. Right, I've come to the bit now where I'm going to turn. Last minute decisions, which way should I go? It is so tempting, but at the same time, I don't really fancy it. Turns out I'm not going with the current, with the wind. It's coming at me side on. So it's like bloody rocking chair, although not a rocking chair, it's just sideways. So yeah, interesting. This is quite hard going. I'm trying to just keep the boat level and in line while it's hitting me. So it's hitting me from the south. So either way, whether I did go this way or the other way, I would have just been hit side on. I did think it was south-westerly, but no, that's southern, coming from the south. Bloody southerners. I'm out of fish jumping, and as I put the camera away, I saw something in the water. I was like, oh no, it can't be. And then there was a little otter's head, or a seal, I don't know the difference. And yeah, he was just watching me. Probably thought, yeah, good luck to her in that thing. No, I'm only joking. This boat is quality. I've used inflatables in the past, and it doesn't touch this, for how light it is, how compact it is. I could never walk with my other one. And how well it's doing in this wind, and with all this weight in it. So easy to paddle. Well, say that. But yeah, it is. It's really easy to paddle. I'm not an experienced kayaker. I haven't done this for years, or whatever. And I've managed to get the hang of it. I'm no expert. These were whitewater rafting, not this model, this bike packing one. But they do make whitewater ones. So they are great boats, and definitely worth the money. I'm so glad I bought mine. And I look forward to more trips in it. But I still haven't finished this one yet. So yeah. God, it's hard on the arms. It's a real arm day today. Arms back. This weather is crazy. I hate to think what it's going to be like later when the tide's coming in. God. So it is pushing me into shore, which is a good and a bad thing, because I don't want to hit any rocks. So I'm trying to keep my distance from all the rocks over there. This is in for the next couple of days, or three days. So if I did go down that way, wanting to come back up, I'd have been knackered. Because I was hoping to go down in the space of three days, and then come back up in one or two. But with it like this, I don't know. It would have been hard going. Well, that escalated quickly. Paddle a little bit more, and I'm going to stop at the place I got water at yesterday. This just seems to get worse. It is like the sea. I am so thankful and glad I chose to carry on this way, instead of go out further to sea. I'm guessing it just gets worse. This bit is a wide bit, so it's probably only going to get better the further inland I go. I've still decided what to do now. Is it worth just hitching up and waiting for this to pass? I don't know. This is a joke. I just don't want to lose my kit. I really don't. Bloody hell, the water's nearly coming in. Mother nature is not liking me today. We made it. What do you call an adrenaline puff? Right. That is mad. That is mad. If I didn't strap that bag on, that would have been off. I balanced it out quite good today, with the bags each side inside the boat. I've managed to weather. The minute is 35 to 40 miles per hour, so that's what the wind says on the metal fins. High winds, but everything in it. I'm going to take these trousers off. They're soaked and out, I guess. Right. Tent is up. Brew is going in. Coffee. Stopped raining. That's one thing. When you look down the glen from where I came yesterday, it does look like it's brightening up down there. Completely different ball game, because when you're hiking and it's like this, you just zip up your waterproofs and put your head down and crack on. But in a boat, it's completely different. It's definitely more remote on the water, especially here. Like I've said, I haven't seen anyone since. I saw one boat yesterday, a fishing boat in the distance, and I spoke to one guy yesterday on a canoe that I never saw again. So yeah, it's definitely more remote than if you're on a hiking trail. There was a massive break in the weather, so I quickly packed up my brew kit, packed up the tent and loaded everything on and have been paddling quite quickly before the next influx comes in. Well, I'm getting warm now. I was freezing back there. It was so cold. Hair's on a mad one. Yeah, it was freezing. I think where I was really wet and it was windy earlier and then I was just sitting about waiting, I got really cold. So I want to get somewhere a bit more sheltered because that was really out in the open where I was.