The Farne Islands, Guillemots Galore

 It's good to see the birds arriving back on the Farne's after winter. It's mid February and the Guillemots are arriving back on the archipelago in great numbers. Early Spring storms may see them head off back out to sea but if remains settled they are here to stay.
 

Huge numbers of Guillemots filled the skies as we approached Inner Farne.

We met at the boardwalk to catch the first of the Ebb flow. The conveyor of tide would carry us out to sea and Northwards to Inner Farne. We stopped on Hutchinsons slab where we met up with Brian who had paddled out of the Tweed Estuary at Berwick to meet us.  



Brian getting used to his new Taran. Conditions were perfect today to put it to test.
 



 

The South facing headlands were all very active with the Ebb tide pouring in against them. The incoming wind driven waves were met by clappotis bouncing back off the rocks. This created some exciting paddling conditions.

As we turned into Wideopen Gut we found shelter and met up with Brian who was waiting for us on Hutchinsons slab. It's still lovely and peaceful in here, no tourist boats landing yet as the National Trust wardens are still ashore. 

The view above is taken from the tower on Inner Farne. Knoxes reef affording shelter to the moorings of the Kettle in the foreground. In the far distance you can see Staple Island to the right, Brownsmans to the left and Longstone lighthouse just visible beyond.

 

 

As we crossed Staple Sound it became clear that the wind had strengthened and there was a lot of tidal activity of Skeney Scar on the Southerly most tip of Staple Island. Rather than battle with the tide and wind we opted for the easy option and paddled along the sheltered west shore of Staple Island. We slipped passed the seals soaking up the rays on the boulder strewn beach of the South Wamses.



 

We landed under the Longstone light and found a nice spot sheltered from the biting wind. The sun adding a little warmth to a cold spring day. 

 

After a short lunch break we loaded up and re-traced our route back to Inner Farne.  

 

 

The birds have the place all to themselves at the moment but the tranquillity is about to end as thousands of  tourists will soon return.



 

We arrived back at St Aidans Dunes just before 4.00pm. A fine day on the water for February and a good 25k under our belts, for most of us anyway. Brian's trip had clocked up nearer 50k with his Tweed launch site. 

 





Boulmer Haven to Craster

A great little winter trip providing there's not too much swell running. This stretch of coastline is very exposed so beware of any larger swells ranging from the SE through to the North. As soon as you leave the shelter of Boulmer Haven you will find lots of shallow reefs running out to sea. The first of these is the Red Ends just to the North of Boulmer Steel. Take a wide berth on this point and you will soon be heading back inshore towards the lovely clean surf beaches of Howdiemont and Sugar Sands.

The view from the launch site in Boulmer Haven looking South towards Coquet Island

Paddling in the shelter of Boulmer Haven. The North Riens offering shelter to the moored boats.

One of the traditional Cobbles that work these waters.

Dunstonburgh Castle in the background as we approach Craster Harbour.

Continuing Northwards you will round the headland at Rumbling Kern. Cullernose point will soon come into view, this promontory  gives access to deep water close to the shore so expect to see a few anglers lines in the water as you pass by here. Depending on the state of tide you should now be looking to tuck inside Great Car and look for Craster harbour entrance.  It will be difficult here not to be drawn further North by the splendour of Dunstonburgh Castle. The ruins of the castle adorn the skyline and have made the perfect backdrop for many local kayaking photographs.



The small gravel beach in the back of Craster Harbour.

Looking North over Craster Harbour, our boats hauled out on the kelp.

Refreshment time, The Jolly Fisherman in Craster.



If your lucky enough to arrive when the smokery is open you can fill your hatches with locally smoked Norwegian Herring.

A Rock Pippit looking for a meal amongst the weed.

Turnstones feeding on the high water mark at the back of the harbour.

Oyster catchers forced onto higher ground as the spring tide reaches it's peak.

  



Looking back towards Dunstonburgh Castle, the swell breaking over the Great Carr.

Alan and George taking a shortcut out of the old swimming pool under Earl Grey's bathing house





George enjoying the ride in his new Rockpool GT.

Playing in the surf on Longhoughton Steel

The perfect end to a day on the sea. A pint in the Fishing Boat Inn in front of a roaring fire. 

A visit to the Farne's in winter.

This was a short Sunday outing which was originally planed as a blast on the river. A favourable forecast the previous evening forced us to change our plans, light winds and no swell, to good to miss a day on the sea.  With only a half day pass, a trip from Bamburgh  out to Longstone was a tall order but with a good forecast and a flat sea it was possible. After all the entire Island group has been circumnavigated in under two hours.

 We met at the end of the Wyndings road just as the sun was starting to appear over the turrets of Bamburgh Castle, a rapidly approaching weather front made for a spectacular sunrise.

With a short walk down onto the beach form the car park we were soon ready for the off. The light in the sky was now spectacular, it seemed to change every few minutes as you looked skywards, truly a wonderful time of the day to be on the water.

We launched into a calm sea, the sun low in the sky casting yellow hues across the surface of the water. We made steady progress out to Megstone via the Swedeman Buoy.

The first signs of life came into view as we approached Megstone. Turnstone's scurried around the rocks, chased higher up the Barnaces by the flooding tide. Shags lined the channel in the Island like sentry guards as we squeezed through the shallow, narrow gap.

The seals were curious, but rather than creating the usual mad stampede they slowly slipped into the sea and watched us silently glide past them.

Some of the younger pups just couldn't be bothered to move and lay there looking at us, possibly the first humans they have seen since entering this world a few weeks ago.  

We then progressed across Staple Sound making our way towards Longstone for a coffee stop. The sun was trying hard to make it's presence felt but struggled to break through the approaching weather. It was rapidly turning into a day of big skies and silhouetted figures .

Thankfully our coffee stop under the Longstone light was free from seal  pups so we kept  a low profile and took a short break on the sandy beach. 

Although the small beach was free from the furry little caretakers  the rest of the Island was out of bounds and still a wash with seal pups.  

We packed our flasks and  headed back to shore via the Pinnacles and Staple Island. The sea was so calm today that even the normally turbulent area around the Pinnacles was lying flat, that's got to be a rare occurrence for January.

Take a closer look at the two pictures below, in particular on the top of the cliffs. It might be a bit high for a seal launch or is it ?

Hopefully these pups will make there way back to a lower platform and find a safer passage to the sea.

The archipelago is so much quieter in winter. No birds or tour boats, just the haunting cry of the seals and the distant calls form skeins of geese passing overhead.

The prominence of Bamburgh castle behind the Inner Farne.

By now slack water had come and gone. The ebb was well underway and pushing us back up the Inner Sound towards our launch spot at Stag Rock.

A fantastic morning on the water for early January. No two trips out to the Farne Islands are the same. With the strong tidal flows and it's exposed aspect to North Sea swells it can be very unforgiving. Today it was like a mill pond. I would bet my boat that the next time it will be a very different scene !