Alastair Dunnett - The Canoe Boys
First published over 50 years ago as "Quest by Canoe" written by Alastair Dunnett, before he was elevated to a knighthood, this book is one of the classics of sea kayaking literature. It was reissued in the mid 1990’s as part of a Rediscovering Scotland series. Many of us see the west coast of Scotland as one of the last remaining wilderness areas in the British Isles, but what must it have been like in the 1930’s?
Two young journalists headed out from "Glasgow to Skye", the subtitle of the 1950 book. It was their response to a failed publishing venture. More than a paddling book, this is a record of the communities which existed along the western sea board of Scotland prior to the Second World War.
Although the written word has remained constant between the two editions of the book, the photographs have not fared so well in the transfer from the older to the newer volume. The original ones were much crisper, mainly because they were printed on higher quality paper. The photographs depict many of the classic areas of British sea kayaking - looking out across Easdale towards Scarba and the Sound of Luing or the view from Elgol towards the Small Isles. Areas which will stir the imagination of many sea paddlers and evoke memories of past adventures.
The two young paddlers left from Bowling, which is on the north shore of the Clyde, between Dumbarton and the modern Erskine Bridge, and headed down the Clyde to Bute. The access to the cruising grounds of the western coast was via the Crinan Canal. From there it was north through such famous areas as Luing, Seil and the Clachan Bridge to Oban before heading through the Sound of Mull towards Ardnamurchan Point and the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg and Rhum. The ferry port of Mallaig provided access to the waters of the Sound of Sleat, Knoydart and Kyle Rhea before the haven of Kyle of Lochalsh was reached. They aimed to cross the Minch to the Outer Hebrides but by now it was too late in the season to contemplate the crossing with any degree of certainty and after three months on the water they called a halt to their watery wanderings.
Anybody who has explored the waters off the west coast of Scotland should endeavour to read a copy of this superb book but it should appeal to everybody who has an interest in either sea kayaking or Scotland. Search the second hand bookshops for a copy of "Quest by Canoe" or buy a copy of its modern reincarnation, "The Canoe Boys". You won’t be disappointed.
Two young journalists headed out from "Glasgow to Skye", the subtitle of the 1950 book. It was their response to a failed publishing venture. More than a paddling book, this is a record of the communities which existed along the western sea board of Scotland prior to the Second World War.
Although the written word has remained constant between the two editions of the book, the photographs have not fared so well in the transfer from the older to the newer volume. The original ones were much crisper, mainly because they were printed on higher quality paper. The photographs depict many of the classic areas of British sea kayaking - looking out across Easdale towards Scarba and the Sound of Luing or the view from Elgol towards the Small Isles. Areas which will stir the imagination of many sea paddlers and evoke memories of past adventures.
The two young paddlers left from Bowling, which is on the north shore of the Clyde, between Dumbarton and the modern Erskine Bridge, and headed down the Clyde to Bute. The access to the cruising grounds of the western coast was via the Crinan Canal. From there it was north through such famous areas as Luing, Seil and the Clachan Bridge to Oban before heading through the Sound of Mull towards Ardnamurchan Point and the Small Isles of Muck, Eigg and Rhum. The ferry port of Mallaig provided access to the waters of the Sound of Sleat, Knoydart and Kyle Rhea before the haven of Kyle of Lochalsh was reached. They aimed to cross the Minch to the Outer Hebrides but by now it was too late in the season to contemplate the crossing with any degree of certainty and after three months on the water they called a halt to their watery wanderings.
Anybody who has explored the waters off the west coast of Scotland should endeavour to read a copy of this superb book but it should appeal to everybody who has an interest in either sea kayaking or Scotland. Search the second hand bookshops for a copy of "Quest by Canoe" or buy a copy of its modern reincarnation, "The Canoe Boys". You won’t be disappointed.