“Skirting the tiny islands at the mouth of the loch, we glide over its glassy surface.”

Guardian journalist, Michael Tait joined us for our West Coast Explorer Trip and his poetic reaction is something to behold!

We were pretty confident that we could treat Guardian journalist Michael Tait to a great experience when he joined us for a Sea Kayaking trip around the West Coast. But what if the weather didn’t play ball? What if he found the transition from the big smoke to the big wide open spaces a bit of a shock to the system? After a break from paddling of nearly 30 years would he still remember what he enjoyed about it?

Well, it turns out he was easier to convert than we thought! His article was published alongside this short film that documents his experience with us.

The Freedom to Go Anywhere

“We camp on Eilean Muinean, a tiny spit with 360-degree views around the crucible of Knoydart’s wild crags, and push the mussels delicately into the edges of our driftwood fire to poach in their juices and hinge-open slowly to reveal delicious little smoky jewels.

I dive into the freezing loch to cast-off the hot hours working in the boat– it’s good for a douse but too cold to swim for long. A ringed plover is settled on her eggs in a little scrape in the pebble beach and we tiptoe around her to eat.

Wind, sun and six hours of paddling take their toll and we peel off one by one into the tents to sleep as deeply as the occasional shrieking Arctic Tern will permit.”