PLANS to be up early are slightly scuppered by a late night and too much to drink and it’s nearly 10am by the time I’m out on the water for a paddle.

Once again, conditions aren’t as ideal as the Windy app on my phone suggests they should be and my paddle is a mixed back of extremely choppy, flat calm and everything in between. The relative tranquility between Inchcailloch and Inchfad is spoilt by three speedboats racing each other and doing ‘doughnuts’ as they speed to and fro beside me.  I don’t give them the satisfaction of kneeling down or bailing and ride the wake as hard as I can 😉

When I come ashore at Port Bawn for breakfast there’s a gathering on the beach and a few folks dressed as Scottish clansmen re-enacting a fight scene as they tell stories. I keep myself out the way and head up tot he far end of Torrinch – new territory for me – where I find a lovely wee inlet to finish my coffee and do a quick livestream.

The paddle home is a mixed bag of choppy and calm but I’ve got almost four miles done…and I’m hoping that one more six-miler will see me complete the challenge before the end of the month.

I’d like to have managed another mile to two but we’re hosting a garden concert this afternoon for a neighbour’s retirement party – he has a bunch of colleagues and business partners coming top form down south for a weekend of activities.

When I get back we have (my second part of) breakfast outside, put the canopy on the gazebo and do a little tidying round the garden then I jump in the shower.

While I set up the PA system and stuff Margaret sports out seating and tables and we’re all set up and ready by the time the party arrives. It’s a beautiful afternoon and we have blast.

We’ve been invited to join the party as ‘honoured guests’ for the dinner at the local pub and have an hour or so to get the garden back to normal, cleaned up and down to re-join the party. We have a lovely night and make loads of great new pals…all of whom seem to have enjoyed the music 🙂