highland memories

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

I have so many good memories of living and working up there, it would be a books worth or more!!! lol. But one time I made a silly choise, and im sure I could have easily been killed It was blowing a hooley!! As my boss would say, a massive chopp on the loch meant that someone had to walk around the loch to feed the ponies which were situated in pairs at two different locations on the hills on the loch side. I drew the short straw, and my boss and the ghillie went on the long journey to get food and supplies. Well, it was hammering down with sleet, so I thought f**k it, ill take the boat! Well it was hard enough trying to take the small rowing boat out to the mooring and clambering aboard the motor boat, and that is in a sheltered bay!! But hey Id come this far, im not turning back now... or should I? I had never seen waves like this in this part of the loch before, so i was ablolutly dreading going through the 'narrows'(a narrow channel joining our bay to the main loch) and into the main part of the loch, as I knew fine well that the wind was blowing from the west, and the loch was nice 7 miles long running east to west, so the waves were going to be, well, BIG and to get to the ponies I was going to have to go straight into it!

As I cautiously bobbed through the narrows I saw the white water and spray spewing accross the surface, and huge waves one after the other comming towards me. All sorts were going through my mind, should I turn back?, am I going swimming? am I going to make it? I had to cross the loch, which wasnt too bad, as I kind of rode a wave, but when I had to turn into it all hell broke loose, the boat was leaving the water, and the propeller was screaming as it hit fresh air, the waves were so close together, the boat was landing on the peak of the next one, almost snapping it in half, and sending the nose into the base of the next wave, which went right over, then the process would be repeated, some waves, that were bigger than others were nearly sending the boat verticle into the air and I hung on! I had to remember where the rocks were and also where to park up in the sheltered bay, and with the conditions were so bad I could hardly keep my eyes open as I peered over the cab, but finally I made the first park, and jumped onto land, quite shaken, but strangely also happy, (buzzing off the adlenaline i would think I was soaked through, but felt not cold at all, and I quickly threw a bale of hay to the hungry ponies, which are so hardy, they really can endure some nasty conditions.

Again the waves had to be met head-on, as I headed up the side of the loch, to feed the other two ponies, but as I reached the widest part, with huge waves crashing down onto the boat, the fuel ran out er........SHIT!! I turned the boat around almost capsizing it, and going with the wind and waves I had to quickly swap lines onto the motor, the boat kept going sideways so I was had to jump back to steer it straight, then quickly prime the fuel into the engine, luck was on my side, and it started with no problems, again, i nearly went over as I turned back round, but by now I was giving the boat loads of revs up the waves and it was clearing the next wave and landing smootly on the second, this went ok until a monster wave came along, or the pattern of approaching waves changed, when again, the small boat was sent into the air or plunging into the water! Feck I was happy to get to the beach! Sorted the ponies and headed back, the return journey was fairly straight forward, I just rode on wave the whole way down, smiling to myself, but also thinking, what a plonker! It could have easily been so much worse!

 

You can see from this pic, the bay which harboured the boats, and directly above the ponies (on the right) saddle, is the narrow cut into the main loch!

[thurso jack 3]

nice read that mate, where abouts were you working at the time?

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

Cheers TJ, ..............Invernesshire/Rosshire borders

[Guest SJM]

Good read I enjoyed that

[thurso jack 3]

Cheers TJ, ..............Invernesshire/Rosshire borders

 

 

bonny part of the countryside

[alimac 882]

there was more midges inside that bothie than there was out side

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

there was more midges inside that bothie than there was out side

Hellish! Little barsterds.....

[BIGPETE 0]

I have so many good memories of living and working up there, it would be a books worth or more!!! lol. But one time I made a silly choise, and im sure I could have easily been killed It was blowing a hooley!! As my boss would say, a massive chopp on the loch meant that someone had to walk around the loch to feed the ponies which were situated in pairs at two different locations on the hills on the loch side. I drew the short straw, and my boss and the ghillie went on the long journey to get food and supplies. Well, it was hammering down with sleet, so I thought f**k it, ill take the boat! Well it was hard enough trying to take the small rowing boat out to the mooring and clambering aboard the motor boat, and that is in a sheltered bay!! But hey Id come this far, im not turning back now... or should I? I had never seen waves like this in this part of the loch before, so i was ablolutly dreading going through the 'narrows'(a narrow channel joining our bay to the main loch) and into the main part of the loch, as I knew fine well that the wind was blowing from the west, and the loch was nice 7 miles long running east to west, so the waves were going to be, well, BIG and to get to the ponies I was going to have to go straight into it!

As I cautiously bobbed through the narrows I saw the white water and spray spewing accross the surface, and huge waves one after the other comming towards me. All sorts were going through my mind, should I turn back?, am I going swimming? am I going to make it? I had to cross the loch, which wasnt too bad, as I kind of rode a wave, but when I had to turn into it all hell broke loose, the boat was leaving the water, and the propeller was screaming as it hit fresh air, the waves were so close together, the boat was landing on the peak of the next one, almost snapping it in half, and sending the nose into the base of the next wave, which went right over, then the process would be repeated, some waves, that were bigger than others were nearly sending the boat verticle into the air and I hung on! I had to remember where the rocks were and also where to park up in the sheltered bay, and with the conditions were so bad I could hardly keep my eyes open as I peered over the cab, but finally I made the first park, and jumped onto land, quite shaken, but strangely also happy, (buzzing off the adlenaline i would think I was soaked through, but felt not cold at all, and I quickly threw a bale of hay to the hungry ponies, which are so hardy, they really can endure some nasty conditions.

Again the waves had to be met head-on, as I headed up the side of the loch, to feed the other two ponies, but as I reached the widest part, with huge waves crashing down onto the boat, the fuel ran out er........SHIT!! I turned the boat around almost capsizing it, and going with the wind and waves I had to quickly swap lines onto the motor, the boat kept going sideways so I was had to jump back to steer it straight, then quickly prime the fuel into the engine, luck was on my side, and it started with no problems, again, i nearly went over as I turned back round, but by now I was giving the boat loads of revs up the waves and it was clearing the next wave and landing smootly on the second, this went ok until a monster wave came along, or the pattern of approaching waves changed, when again, the small boat was sent into the air or plunging into the water! Feck I was happy to get to the beach! Sorted the ponies and headed back, the return journey was fairly straight forward, I just rode on wave the whole way down, smiling to myself, but also thinking, what a plonker! It could have easily been so much worse!

 

You can see from this pic, the bay which harboured the boats, and directly above the ponies (on the right) saddle, is the narrow cut into the main loch!

Great read. A cracking part of Scotland, I was lucky enough to take a couple of Hinds when I stayed up that way a few Christmas' ago. Really enjoyed it although Graham.N (stalker) must have been half mountain goat, I think I left my lungs at the first lift! my full respect to you regular hill stalkers. Just read your other post too, another good read.