Are you up for a paddling experience in Spirit Dancer? 

Spirit Dancer along the British Columbian coastline, Canada This is a unique voyage which started in London in May 2008 and circumnavigates Britain clockwise to finish in London in 2010.

Spirit Dancer is a 12 person open canoe based on the cedar wood Voyager Canoes used on the east coast of Canada which has been custom built for the challenges of open ocean paddling. It is 42 feet (12.8 metres) long by 67 inches (1.7metres) broad. The canoe is made from fibreglass and wood and a full spray deck encases the paddlers with individual cockpits as in a standard kayak.

It is paddled using single bladed “Canadian” paddles from a seated position. The organiser of the project is Chris Cooper from British Columbia who has been a professional guide and explorer in Canada for the past 30 years.  I’ve been asked, as a member of the Scottish Canoe Association, to help plan, publicise and look for paddlers aged 18 or over for a month of the journey. I’ve split the month into 4 sections, but paddlers are welcome to do more than 1 section.

The weather will ultimately dictate the timetable but the provisional dates and places for Leg 7 are: 

Section 1 - Port Carlisle to PortpatrickLeaving Port Carlisle Fri 5th Sept Available until Thu 11th incase of inclement weather in the Solway Firth, but may get to Portpatrick on Tue 9th 

 Section 2 - Portpatrick to Campbeltown via NE IrelandAvailable in Portpatrick from Wed 10th Sept but may not leave until later if it's been windy in the Solway Firth, and need a weather window for the Irish crossingArriving Campbeltown Wed 17th or Thu 18th Sept  

Section 3 - Campbeltown to Crinan via Arran, Cumbrae, Bute, Crinan Canal Leaving Campbeltown Thu 18th Sept, arriving Crinan Fri 26th Sept 

Section 4 - Crinan to Cuillipool via Islay & JuraLeaving Crinan Sat 27th Sept, arriving Cuillipool Sun 5th Oct More information is available at http://www.spiritdancercanoejourneys.ca/index.html  If you want to paddle you will be expected to arrange your own transport to/from your start/finish point and to be self sufficient in food, personal gear and camping equipment which can be accommodated in one 80 litre and one 30 litre waterproof bag in the canoe.

There is not a set fee for the trip but participants are invited to make a donation towards the project. If you would like to paddle on the trip, want more information, or to offer hospitality etc please send details marked for Spirit Dancer to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it    Lorna McCartney