(Mark getting the canoes back down to the Middle Tummel)
The next day began with Mark, Tony and I lowering our boats to water level. Dave elected to portage after looking at the first rapid. This section of the Tummel was the most technically demanding. It would involve 2 portages, 2 rapids that we elected to line our boats down and some excellent white water paddling and poling. In fact, pretty much everything expedition
canoeing has to offer - problem solving, riverside decisions, teamwork, and physically demanding work hauling expedition laiden boats.
(Mark and Tony lining down a (Tony seal launching at the Linn
rapid in the middle Tummel) of Tummel)
We eventually joined Dave at the bottom of this section of river where the Tummel widens out and becomes Loch Faskally near Pitlochry, and yet another dam to portage!
The Lower Tummel flows out of Pitlochry and confluences with the Tay at Ballanluig. It's mainly
grade I shingle rapids intersperced with salmon fishermen and long flatwater sections. We decided
to push on down as far as we possibly could and managed to get to the Tay - Isla confluence at Isla
Bridge (where Dave and I had left our cars). We arrived at Isla Bridge at about 9pm after a mammoth days paddle. The bivvy here was the worst on the trip unfortunately it was by a road, yet we were so tired that we slept the sleep of the righteous!
The next day Dave elected to drive home after running the shuttle for my car. I left my car at
Waulkmill Ferry. We enjoyed a fabulous paddle on the Tay to Perth. We enjoyed the paddle through Campsie Linn and Stanley, playing and surfing a little on the way. In fact we were enjoying the paddle so much that Mark and I passed our get out by about 3 miles! Tony lives near Perth so he paddled on as far as salt water.
However, this gave Mark and I the opportunity to practice two of the as yet untried open canoeing techniques, upriver tracking and poling!
(Myself (L) and Mark at my car at last)
(Myself (L) and Mark at my car at last)
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