Story: Zoe Abbott

Photos:
Zoe Abbott,
Jamie Magee,
Clare Farley and
Nida Batcheldery

Intro: Mike Sunderland

We ran an introductory programme from freshwater taster sessions to coaching skills weekends and a ‘Salty Sea Experience’ on the estuary near Barrow, opposite Peel and Walney islands, with tides, waves, wind and wildlife, to over 30 participants new to the sport.

The Muck experience was designed to develop new paddlers to gain further skills, confidence, independence, and understanding of the sea and its coastal challenges, including rescues, wet sessions, and trip planning.

Eight paddlers and four volunteers, who are experienced, qualified coaches/leaders, paddled from the Isle of Muck bunkhouse for six days, returning home each day to the comfort of our new home.

This is the second event we have run from Muck and last year was our first, with a different group of paddlers who are now totally hooked on sea kayaking and enjoying exciting trips safely.

The Muck experience

After a rather ‘bouncy’ crossing from Mallaig to the Small Isles, we were somewhat green as we wheeled our flotilla of boats off the ferry and onto the island of Muck. As novice kayakers looking forward to progressing from our limited experience of sheltered day paddles towards more ‘grown up’ expedition paddling, this could have boded better. We disembarked from the boat in bewildering chaos of boxes, bags and boats, some wheels falling off, looking every inch the novices we were. But, by the end of the week, the gains made by each of us under the expert and generous guidance of our coaches (Mike Sunderland, Marie Corry, Mike Beechy and Mac Knowles) were far beyond what any of us had thought possible. Each of us grew in confidence, skills and sheer enthusiasm for playing around in boats. 

The first lessons were in logistics and bunkhouse diplomacy. Whilst we wrestled our boats down the island’s single tarmac lane, our wonderful hosts shuttled gear and food crates to the bunkhouse a few hundred metres beyond. The bunkhouse sat perfectly on the edge of the sheltered, seaweed-strewn bay and was surrounded by a few cottages, rolling hills and many free-ranging cows.

the bunkhouse

Small but perfectly formed, the bunkhouse provided a warm and welcoming base, summed up by team member Clare Farley as, “The best Scottish bunkhouse ever – perfect for sea kayaking.”

Admittedly, living as a group of 12 in a small space was an area of concern; it was going to either make or break the team, but, as Jamie commented, “We had a great bunch of people who got on with each other in a rather small space.” Through consideration, shared interests and some good humour (which, to be fair, was mainly at team lead Mike Sunderland’s expense, but he took it well!). As a result, we quickly adapted to bunkhouse living.

Each morning we could watch the waves and the weather over coffee as we discussed conditions with our coaches and made plans for the day, and each evening we dried out together over whiskey and wine. Dinnertime became a well-choreographed dance around the kitchen and shower routines, a marvel of courteous negotiation. The team worked.

on the water

Out on the water, things were less cosy. The conditions were challenging, particularly in the first half of the week. Clare and Dan Farley reflected that ‘high chipolatas’ (Mike Sunderland’s description of a high brace) were employed at random gut-clenching moments, also suggesting that many of us quickly learned the benefits of an effective reverse stroke in the early days as we backed away from rather more gnarly situations than some of us would have liked. But as Clare observed, “If conditions had been flat calm, we would never have learned so much!”

Muck’s small size and many bays and headlands gave us the perfect opportunity to experience a variety of conditions and find the right spots to either seek shelter from or engage with the conditions. It didn’t take us long to realise that we were all far more capable than we knew. An eventful midweek circumnavigation of the island revealed that the challenge of sea kayaking lay in adapting to and working with the changeability of conditions.

windblown west coast

A flat and calm start around the east of the island gave way to a big and windblown west coast, but precisely these conditions brought us on as paddlers as we gained the confidence to tackle the conditions head-on. Swims were taken and dealt with, increasing our confidence to have a go. By the end of the week, flat conditions were deemed boring.

a real-world, changing environment

The other enormous benefit was that it allowed us to participate in the daily discussions on weather, tides, navigation and route decisions in a real-world, changing environment. Certainly, this was one of the unique aspects of this introductory programme and the Muck experience. We were prepared to progress as independent kayakers. We were encouraged to participate in the whole process of planning and decision-making rather than being led on a tour of the islands. The world of exploration and journeying from our boats became possible for the first time.

Unfortunately, on this occasion, the plan to have a two-night mini-expedition to Eigg was thwarted by the weather. Conditions did improve enough over the week, however, to allow for a day trip to Muck’s larger neighbour on the last day and, having been challenged all week, we were rewarded with a beautifully still morning as we started. We paddled the crossing to Eigg in flat conditions, spotting porpoises and seals as we crossed, skirting around the south of the island and landing to enjoy the sights, including the infamous Massacre cave and, for some of us, a climb to the top of the iconic An Sgùrr which had dominated our skylines all week.

‘have-a-go’ approach

Most of the week’s success and the rapidity of our progress on the water lay in the dedication of the team leaders. They had taken time to discuss what we hoped to get from the week, and we all benefited from their various approaches to leading and coaching. Mike S’s positive, ‘have-a-go’ approach challenged us to do just that and pushed many of us beyond what we believed we were capable of.

Like ducklings, we followed him from rock to rock between narrow channels of frothy, dynamic water (though I still think we need more convincing by his footwear advice).

detailed coaching

Marie’s detailed coaching and her care and patience allowed us to improve our paddling and rescue techniques. It was an excellent opportunity to be led by Mike B and Mac, whose advice and expert paddling gave us great models from which to learn. The award for the most sophisticated piece of coaching probably has to go to Mike B, who left us in no doubt about what to do in a sticky situation – “Just paddle and keep paddling!”

Off the water, things were relatively more relaxed. Because of the size of Muck’s tiny community, our team of twelve was a big feature for the short time we were based there. We were welcomed with genuine warmth, which is becoming harder to find as tourism reaches industrial proportions in Scotland.

We enjoyed a lovely evening living it up with drinks at the lodge on the island’s far side after our first day’s paddling and rounded the week off with handmade pizza and beer at the cafe a few paces up from the bunkhouse. And, though this team embraced every opportunity to get out on the water, we could immerse ourselves into the simple pleasures of island life when we had finished for the day.

space and solitude

It may have been just me who became obsessed with prioritising a daily visit to the cafe for cake and fresh bread, but we all indulged in evenings spent wandering the island’s hills, watching the seals wallowing at the north of the island and enjoying the space and solitude after intense days on the waves. We could even stretch our tired muscles whilst taking in panoramic views during some yoga sessions in what was probably the best community hall we had ever seen.

The hardier amongst us (note: the ladies) took advantage of the clear water for morning swims. A wonderful opportunity to reciprocate the island’s generosity came on our last evening when Mike S. and the two Dans escorted the island Scout group around the harbour in our boats, which we were reliably informed made for the best scout trip ever!

We returned to Mallaig on a much smoother crossing with boxes full of crabs bought from Sandy, Muck’s resident fisherman, and enormous excitement for how much our experience on Muck had opened up Scotland’s coast to us and our boats. In reply to requests for feedback from the coaching team, providing constructive comments for improvements has been near on possible, as I can think of nothing that I would change. The rest of the team, it seems, have had similar troubles.

Massive thanks

The week provided an excellent chance to experience a unique way of life on a Hebridean island whilst simultaneously pushing us to improve our skills and emerge on the other side as ‘proper’ sea kayakers confident enough to get out on the water and explore independently. Massive thanks go out to the coaching team – we are all in awe of the dedication, generosity and patience it takes to organise and lead such a trip. Here’s to graduating to ‘intermediates’ – bring on Colonsay 2023!