•≈ Sunday...
Sunday 28 October 2007

...& rain in the Valley, so to speak - & rain in the sky. Streaks of sun & white scratches across the seas. It can be a tough existence on the islands, make no mistake. Executive decisions often plague us, decisions far tougher than those that plague the white settlers, such as which direction to point the damn kayak in, or which one to take...Should I wear black...or black? Which untouched coral beach should I set off from... So sometimes you just sit in the machaired garden & take shots of rain on your black Acuta & get a wee bit distressed by it all, in woolly socks... wi a cup of tea... It's Sunday afterall.

This evening I'll maybe start writing up an amusing draft for OP of the Sgor na Lice & Sulasgeir solo - basically paddling out to a large distant gannet skerry full of poo, & back, pursued on occasion, by insane Nisich. I will also deftly weave into this, a relevant historical Norwegian handover in 1266, of a group of islands later to become known as the Na h-Innse Gall & later still, the Hebrides.

 
posted by •≈ Sgian Dubh at 12:25:00 | 0 Retorts
•≈ Flames...
Sunday 21 October 2007
...18 seconds before sunrise, & fire in the trees & along the creeping paths - & shedding a million paper streams down through her mountains & towns, when I returned home, Autumn was waiting, dressed like a Geisha, weaving ahead of the light & a world in flames...

The ensuing days will be spent stripping the crass decals from my otherwise perfectly jet black new Anas Acuta with a heatgun. The nylon deck lines will also be replaced with traditional Taqqat & Qoorutit using bone & antler. The silver bolts will be blackened down & the task of making a laceable storage sock out of ballistic nylon will begin. The newest black knife needs to look good for the Fugloy solo from hell aye, even if it won't last, & that rock covered in snow is a 3 course sight for the soul. Well, ballistic nylon is my material of choice when skinning framed boats & being a versatile material, it could arguably be used to fashion some seriously hardcore underpants. It's also a great winter storage bivvy for sea kayak asleep under the leaves. -& wave pilots who are over the limit for hill walking-

A big handy shaky thanky moment as well to •≈Doug Wilcox≈• for his invaluable help in getting the latest slinky black beast onto the islands in time for some wave & roll demolition. For now, Qajariaq VII is in pre-match isolation...Soon we will, let the boxing begin. One distant day, when time is cursed with more folds than a sword, we will meet in The House of the Trousers & not care for boxing, but for now, it's time to practise more Qajaasaarneq in the tall trees, with Sigur Rós.

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posted by •≈ Sgian Dubh at 18:49:00 | 0 Retorts
Wednesday 17 October 2007
Playtime warm-up for the Seven Hunters -58°17'N 7°35'W- solo sprint

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..& rolling through chasms with Storm Petrel...& wind waves, & the wild wild knife parties & this black streaked with silver & these snot lines down our faces & this laughter ache in our eyes, jumping waves like standing stones, skinless blizzard bleached bones & dressed in rags...Some glitterball, this life, its currents & its ways beyond contestation, all paraded over & lit up. These narratives of navigation, by foot, or water drop. Push the stove door closed with your toes -We should go out into the rain again - just like we said we always would...

Time for a jolly out across a horizon cut with swell again.
 
posted by •≈ Sgian Dubh at 16:48:00 | 0 Retorts
Wednesday 3 October 2007
Just a wee reminder to everyone that the 2nd UK Storm Gathering is closing in This year it's being held on the Isle of Lewis from the 18th through to October 20th. An update of swell is forming at the website link below. Last time I spoke with Freya she said she probably wouldn't make it this year, & was on about NZ, so we'll roll together some other time. Mike is also stuck over in Dunning Glen...I say stuck...wi a pint more likely & May-Lee is away to the clear warm waters of Toikey -Toikey being the Bronx twang version aye- on her big deep dive master & rescue course. I however, get to sit on a seaweed rock & throw stones at shopping trolleys in a grey harbour...hmm anyway, Boyles Law miss!

p¹V¹/ p²V²
pV = k


Well, New Zealand or Stornoway harbour?...hmmm that's a hard choice. Either way it should be a great gathering with plenty of locals on the island hoolie hop & grabbing sea taxis here & there...Thursday morning I'll be meeting Doug Wilcox off the ferry at Harris - Soon I'll be starting work on the black & white kayak rolling film. Stormy weather ahead?...aye, a ghillie in the mist can hope.


Waiting for the storm..
 
posted by •≈ Sgian Dubh at 15:28:00 | 0 Retorts