The Paddler Magazine Issue 61 Late Summer 2021 | Page 100

ThePADDLER 100
Arriving on Rum completing our journey on the beach by Samalaman Island , close to our starting point six days earlier . We cooked the mussels on our stoves in a little sea water just until they opened , and they were quite delicious .
In six days , we had paddled 145km ( 90 miles ), formed new friendships and strengthened old ones , and learnt a tremendous amount about expedition paddling , crucially the need to press ahead when there are windows in the weather conditions to reach the next safe location .

Top 10 tips

Go with an experienced guide . Sea Kayaking Cornwall has many years of experience leading trips in this area and are known to the island communities , but there are , of course , other providers .
Pack light ! I took too much , mainly out of indecision – unsure which buff / water bottle / gloves to take ; in each case , I took both . Choose before you go !
Pack carefully to ensure a good trim . You need more weight in the stern , so pack tent , stove , gas bottles here , but you also need to ensure that both sides of the boat are well balanced , or tracking will be difficult . Two small gas bottles are easier to pack than one big one . Avoid carrying anything heavy on deck lines – it will make the boat top-heavy .
Take enough water for a week . Take in bladders as they are deformable , fit around other kits , and be more sustainable than taking plastic bottles .
Assuming you wear a dry suit – you only need to take one spare set of paddling gear to wear underneath .
Keep plans flexible to make the best use of ‘ windows ’ in the conditions . It is worth a longer / harder paddle when the conditions are favourable to reach a good campsite if you need to hunker down for a day or so .
Compare several weather forecasts , as they use different models . SKC used three or four , including XC weather and the Met Office , and chose the ‘ windows ’ when they told a consistently favourable story .
Be respectful of local communities . They will value your custom but will naturally be concerned about Covid and toileting .
A storm cag is an essential piece of kit that I had not come across before . Its primary purpose is thermal regulation – you pull it on over your buoyancy aid when you stop on the shore .
Finally , this is not a trip for the faint-hearted . We paddled for 32km ( 20 miles ) on successive days , and on one day , we paddled for 42km ( 26 miles ). You need to be prepared to paddle for five hours at a stretch .
Sheltering at Galmisdale Pier , Eigg