Day 29 – A mostly wind assisted day

• Tentsmuir to Crail
• 30 kms

The skylarks were singing over Tentsmuir from the time I awoke at 4.30 to when I set off paddling almost four hours later. I had the beach to myself and only saw the first person and dog head my way as I pushed the kayak out onto the calm water.

The light offshore winds provided no hindrance on the paddle south to St Andrews, and then as they increased in strength, they assisted me on my journey southeast towards Fife Ness.

This is not a section of coast I have paddled before, but one I have hiked with Wendy and our neighbour, Mike, as we have slowly picked off sections of the Fife Coastal Trail – making good use of our “old people” bus passes. It’s interesting to see familiar views from a different angle.

At lunchtime, I was approaching the nice sandy Kingsbarns Beach, so I stopped with the intention of eating my normal fare – tin of mackerel, broth from a food flask prepared in the morning, and some fruit. However, I was surprised to find a sauna, toilets, and, best of all, a food van! My lunch plans changed immediately. I thoroughly enjoyed the special of the day – a Philadelphia Hoagie – sitting at a table.

I was hoping to reach Crail today – the first harbour after turning the corner at Fife Ness and heading southwest into the Firth of Forth – but was uncertain about how the sea conditions would change as I picked up a headwind parallel to coast.

I needn’t have worried. Although the wind was strong, the sea was still slight, and by hugging the shore line it was quite easy to make steady progress towards Crail.

I arrived at Crail Harbour just after low tide. It was possible for me to drag the kayak across the shallow water at the entrance, but once within the remaining pool of water inside the harbour, my only route to harbour wall or slip was across deep smelly mud. I chose to exit the harbour again and use the alternate beach and slip on the left of the harbour entrance.

I had time to unpack my kayak and wheel the empty boat across the soft sand to the slip before Wendy and my sister, Jane, arrived to collect me. Tomorrow’s forecast was for very strong winds, so I had decided yesterday that Crail would be a nice place to have a mini-break.