Here are some helpful facts about preparing a route for a kayaking trip:

• Use an ordinance survey map instead of a sea chart. This is because we kayak close to shore, so we use a lot of land based references to navigate by. 
• Do not be afraid to add information to your map. Adding more information, such as reefs, rocks only visible at low tide and tide times, makes a land map even more useful for kayaking.
• Laminate the map to make it water proof. This will stop it from getting ruined by the sea and rain when on the deck of the kayak.
• Highlight land marks such as light houses and mountains. This will make them easier to spot when out on the water. 

This information was found on www.canoekayak.co.uk 

Here are some of measurement in my trip, these figures come from a website called digimapforschools.edina.ac.uk :

• The Paps of Jura are 5.52 KM from the sea.
• The route we are taking will be about 16 KM.
• The distance across the Sound of Jura at the shortest point is 1.08 KM

I hope you have enjoyed  reading this blog!

Bothies

        On our trip we plan to stay at a Bothy on Jura. The Bothy we will be using is at Cruib, which is on Loch Tarbert, at grid reference is NR 566 828. The initial distance from the map is 16 kilometres. Here are some facts about Bothies.

Bothies are remote man-made mountain shelters, usually constructed of stone, which can be used by anyone at any time, and at no cost. Bothies are largely a Scottish phenomenon and there are believed to be more than 300 north of the border. England and Wales are another story entirely: very little information exists about mountain shelters south of the border.

There are traditional hut-style bothies as well as modified caves and even holes under boulders. They include former stalkers’ shelters, shepherds’ huts and old stables, and they range in size anywhere from a garden shed to a six-room two-storey building.

Most bothies date back to a time when landowners kept separate quarters for permanent ground staff. The buildings haven’t been abandoned but, with the invention of the Land Rover, they’re simply no longer necessary for use by the ground staff. Landowners of today rely on the common sense of walkers to use the bothies appropriately.

There is a strict code of practice surrounding the use of bothies, and many in Scottish are looked after by the Mountain Bothies Association (MBA).

 

The Bothy Code 

The Bothies maintained by the MBA are available by courtesy of the owners. Please respect this privilege.

Please record your visit in the Bothy Log-Book.

Note that bothies are used entirely at your own risk

Respect Other Users

Please leave the bothy clean and tidy with dry kindling for the next visitors. Make other visitors welcome. If they are not MBA members set a good example.

Respect the Bothy

Tell us about any accidental damage. Don't leave graffiti or vandalise the bothy. Please take out all rubbish which you can't burn. Avoid burying rubbish; this pollutes the environment. Please don't leave perishable food as this attracts vermin. Guard against fire risk and ensure the fire is out before you leave. Make sure the doors and windows are properly closed when you leave.

Respect the Surroundings

If there is no toilet at the bothy please bury human waste out of sight. Use the spade provided, keep well away from the water supply and never use the vicinity of the bothy as a toilet.
Never cut live wood or damage estate property. Use fuel sparingly.

Respect Agreement with the Estate

Please observe any restrictions on use of the bothy, for example during stag stalking or at lambing time. Please remember bothies are available for short stays only. The owner's permission must be obtained if you intend an extended stay.

Respect the Restriction On Numbers

Because of over crowding and lack of facilities, large groups (6 or more) should not use a bothy nor camp near a bothy without first seeking permission from the owner.

This information is from:

http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog posting!

MAP READING ON THE COBBLER

Last week I went to a family house in Arrochar and climbed a famous mountain called the Cobbler, and I was the map reader for the climb. Our party consisted of, my dad, my uncle Jonny, my uncle Laci and my Grumps. When we were away my grumps gave me his hand held GPS. This will help me navigate, but I still need to learn to read a map. So now I have started to learn to read a map, now I need to learn to read a map from a boat.

Me in a kayak!

 Also last week a reporter from a teachers newspaper came to interview my class but unfortunately I wasn't there, so instead my mum and dad sent in some photos of me in a kayak!
I hope you enjoy reading this blog!
















  

My first official Blog Entry

Last week at Kayaking Club I was practicing the stages of an Eskimo roll, with my dad's help. I can now, roll over into the water, lean back to help myself get upright again and now all I need to master is the hip flick to get fully upright.

At school I have been learning how to read and make maps on a site called digimap.

I hope you enjoy taking this trip with me.

Intro to my Blog

I have started this blog for my school endeavour project to show what I learn as I attempt  to kayak from Islay to Jura.  I started to learn to kayak in May 2012 for about two hours at a time. This crossing on the other hand will take at least six hours, so I still have a lot to learn. I have learnt to back paddle and forward paddle but I still need to learn the Eskimo roll and pass my first Kayaking grade, among other things for this trip.  I hope you enjoy taking this journey with me.