Crossing the tide

The race ends as we get ready to launch from Hatston slip.

Who said there are no rivers in Orkney? For this paddler today's trip felt like crossing a huge river as we went north with the ebb tide then ferry glided across the flow. Hopping from skerry to skerry and dealing with the tide as it flowed around each small landfall was an education. At one point my learning curve became rather steep and I was glad to be able to shriek call politely for further instruction! The calm conditions meant focussing on what was happening in the tide was all there was to deal with which was just as well for me. It was easy to imagine what conditions might be like with wind and tide combined.

An unexpected familiar face in a fast boat greets us as we leave Kirkwall Bay.

Looks calm...

Hitching a ride with the north going ebb tide.

In an eddy at Vasa Skerry - no more photos taken until Gairsay...

Dennis heads for the Mainland.

Arriving at Tingwall in the rain.

It was a great learning experience and I appreciated being on the water in places usually only viewed from the north isles ferries. Many thanks to experienced fellow paddlers for taking me along and coaching me across those eddy lines.

About 8nm? - don't know, left the GPS on in the car, again!