Embrace the Elements

All of the Falls of Lora group managed to get onto the Friday four o-clock ferry from Oban to Mull. I travelled up north with Freya Hoffmeister and she could still change her ticket from the six o-clock ferry to the four o-clock one. After which we learned that the rest of the Friday crossings were cancelled because of the strong winds of an approaching storm... On our way to Fionnphort on the Ross of Mull, where Mark Tozer organized the first Storm Gathering: Embrace The Elements... Most of the participants arrived on the Saturday morning ferry, the first ferry to be running again. The whole week we had force 5 to 8 Beaufort winds from NW to S. Freya stood a full three days in the water teaching Greenland-style rolling. I linked-up with Fiona Whitehead for skills sessions. Most of it was now all about boat control and trim in the very strong winds. On Monday I joined Aled and Mark (not Tozer) for a crossing to Iona. Mark lives on the island and he is the owner of the classic Nordkapp that I noticed at the harbour on my July trips. Next year, the Storm Gathering is held at the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. What's in a name...

Simon Willis of SeaKayakRoutes.com recorded this interview with Mark Tozer at the 1st Storm Gathering symposium.

Check-out Mark Tozer's Blog for information on the upcoming Storm Gathering symposium.