Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more

General => Meets, places, trips and reviews => Topic started by: b0ogaloo on September 17, 2011

Title: Return to Salt Island
Post by: b0ogaloo on September 17, 2011
Tuesday

I was going stir crazy  stuck in the house . the bloody wind just didn't seem to be letting up
XC  Weather was forecasting a lull on Wednesday . packed my kit into the landrover and threw the yak onto the roof on Tuesday night , sacrificed two small children to appease Poseidon and prayed XC had got it right


Wednesday

My weather station (tree outside my window) indicated that indeed they had got it right. ate a quick breakfast and drove to Killyleagh . loaded the yak and set off on the short crossing to Salt Island

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6yZzBMElrrM/TnN1_46MaaI/AAAAAAAAFUk/J3hG9yOydeg/s640/IMGP3005.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-zoOl1fkIVvw/TnN2DQVfaqI/AAAAAAAAFU0/-KZNADdb9Jo/s640/IMGP3009.JPG)

Carried my kit up into the forest behind the bothy and set up camp

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-R9taawsr20s/TnN2QAqspHI/AAAAAAAAFVY/NLALgIFMnm8/s640/IMGP3018.JPG)

Since my last trip to the island . I had a few new purchases that i wanted to test , but my main reason for the trip was to do a bit of tidying up.
I camped on the island a few weeks ago for the first time in a year , a serious illness had put me out of action for ten months and I was quite shocked/annoyed at the state of the place . the island is a fantastic resource, one of the few islands on the Lough that kayakers can legitimately camp . Why people litter the place , take stones out of the perimeter walls to build fire rings . strip the bark from tree's etc I have no idea ...it really really annoys me

I had brought some bin liners . a pair of leather work gloves and a few other bits and pieces with me . i started off by  collecting most of the rubbish . beer tins/ bottles, discarded kettles . foil and the mesh from disposable BBQ's , tin foil. crisp packets etc etc .  I managed to fill two bin bags from the bothy grounds and the forest

My kayak was fully loaded , perhaps even overloaded so I couldn't carry this rubbish back with me. so I dug a hole  and buried the rubbish. I will retrieve it the next time I'm out for a day paddle

In the evening after my meal and a pot of coffee, I lay in the hammock read a book and caught up with the shipping forecast for the next day. by the sounds of it I wasn't going anywhere for a while

Moon rise
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nNqroHPDONE/TnN25Q1_87I/AAAAAAAAFXg/EEfbRg7Xr1s/s640/IMGP3052.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xgwBWO7sG3A/TnN0KfdQEVI/AAAAAAAAFPQ/bf55aD-lU2c/s640/IMGP3058.JPG)

Thursday morning and i awoke to a fantastic sunrise

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--qbYLbZFiUA/TnN0OoagVqI/AAAAAAAAFPc/zTQG4TCz024/s640/IMGP3061.JPG)

I got the stove lit and the coffee on . I cant function until at least one double espresso

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--Nz5kDwr01s/TnN0RbNf8oI/AAAAAAAAFPk/X3h_eQOL0E0/s640/IMGP3063.JPG)


The wind had swung round from the west to a southerly and the forecast had indicated it would stay that way for the next few days so I had to move my camp 90 deg to keep the wind off me

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ogyVf_Mv_kk/TnN0p-M4c1I/AAAAAAAAFQg/DGN8j3zAv7s/s640/IMGP3078.JPG)

After breakfast I resumed the cleanup

There was a dead sheep at the gate of the bothy and it was rank. so i decided to leave it until my breakfast had settled a bit

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vbBOaKUIEw8/TnN1OyZ98LI/AAAAAAAAFSI/bgb8eZ4E8XY/s640/IMGP3104.JPG)

First job was to repair the wall at the BBQ area , the strones from which had been used to build a fire ring


Before

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x3vJ8kYSv_o/TnN1A62zrdI/AAAAAAAAFRs/Lsxsr-D7USA/s640/IMGP3097.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5pLYpxXXR1o/TnN0_IXhHNI/AAAAAAAAFRo/Reyx2UNjq4Q/s640/IMGP3096.JPG)

After

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AnqLmc8uQgk/TnN1G1hgS4I/AAAAAAAAFR4/4mSxrEZS4b8/s640/IMGP3100.JPG)


Next up was the wall at the other side of the bothy across from the water butt, again the stones had been used to build a fire ring

Before

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xNhwbVn685U/TnN1C6EmYFI/AAAAAAAAFRw/gFfiNxVig7E/s640/IMGP3098.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i81LbNNgfYc/TnN1EzC8Q8I/AAAAAAAAFR0/nyru962TYw0/s640/IMGP3099.JPG)

After

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7dnuM_xMdPg/TnN1LIB3NVI/AAAAAAAAFSA/Dy8MAnLQzBg/s640/IMGP3102.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1g7w5-Ixg3Q/TnN1XKnXMSI/AAAAAAAAFSY/whfVrVR8ETg/s640/IMGP3108.JPG)

That done I removed another fire ring at the rear of the bothy and  repaired the wall at the side gate

Before

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IejhiEQVkBg/TnN1Rc499oI/AAAAAAAAFSM/Wmk7nGJM0Pg/s640/IMGP3105.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-55lC3oPV4Gk/TnN1My5wI8I/AAAAAAAAFSE/gDPc0lduhB8/s640/IMGP3103.JPG)

After

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bOSPgU3xSVc/TnN1TQW7GvI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/-jVBIGq31jA/s640/IMGP3106.JPG)

I was getting hungry at this stage so went back to my camp baked a fruit soda type thingy , made more coffee and mulled over the problem of the leaking waterbutt

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jR2WYPSFNR8/TnN14s6sNII/AAAAAAAAFUI/w7BxBW41_F4/s640/IMGP3135.JPG)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9ft3826CfGs/TnN1VFriUCI/AAAAAAAAFSU/41_POG9jkpU/s640/IMGP3107.JPG)


On the previous days litter gathering exercise  I noticed quite a few of the pine tress had been producing resin  to cover the wounds inflicted by  the people who don't know the difference between dead wood and living wood

So I gathered some of this resin and melted it down in a lidls finest spam can

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-uk8-X9M_i2Q/TnN1sC1U6fI/AAAAAAAAFTc/PXIpbBE6_sc/s640/IMGP3125.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UztiLQLbIHU/TnN1tIdgd_I/AAAAAAAAFTg/NbCtfDT4XR0/s640/IMGP3126.JPG)

Removing the valve assembly from the barrel was easy enough , I cleaned the valve seating area inside and out . replaced the valve and then used the resin to seal it

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ecUAk5KT_kk/TnN1xaJHE7I/AAAAAAAAFTw/X0CWHIMTnD8/s640/IMGP3130.JPG)

I took the barrel down to the shore and filled it to check the repair was water tight . and cleaned the barrel inside and out

The resin worked a treat :D

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6znzN2yCN4o/TnN1yzRDKcI/AAAAAAAAFT0/O-Y809qdiiw/s640/IMGP3131.JPG)

Next up was the thistles ..  An improvised sickle made short work of them

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-OohSjzQSsVw/TnN1eu0OjMI/AAAAAAAAFSw/u4sLlIpT1YI/s640/IMGP3114.JPG)

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yxKfb0ZLw8g/TnN1lVrCV1I/AAAAAAAAFTE/7bJeca4yshA/s640/IMGP3119.JPG)

(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vwyhatoo0-8/TnN1i-6pH6I/AAAAAAAAFS8/9a2dmio5qZ4/s640/IMGP3117.JPG)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fHuavDNGP0o/TnN13h-_ZpI/AAAAAAAAFUE/qLcXQpU8FCg/s640/IMGP3134.JPG)

The final job was the dead sheep...  not a particularly pleasant job although I did manage  to keep my lunch down , It now resides in a bed of thistles a hundred yards from the bothy

Happy with the days work I retired to camp, read a bit and carved another spoon

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3Ki_8Vs_Gnc/TnN1Ye4BgSI/AAAAAAAAFSc/VOir26cs5jE/s640/IMGP3109.JPG)

Packed up on Friday and paddled back to the launch spot

Good to get away for a while

Andy

Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: VMCC on September 17, 2011
Thank God for people like you. It sounds like you had a great time, and the pictures are fantastic. Onfirths the photos I wouldnt have believed that the walls would be robbed of stone and not put back, what happened to 'leave no trace'
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Rumblebum on September 17, 2011
Andy, well done to you for making the effort and tidying the place up.

I dunno but i think theres a serious amount of people ruining our wee country through vandalisim and dumping litter everywhere, our streets and roads are a mess. Im just back from florida, which is massive but yet its so well kept.

Theres been talk on this forum about salt island and im gonna have to get myself over sometime, it looks pretty good, though i wouldnt be setting myself up a hotel Babalon like you did. Id say your missus wasnt impressed when you ripped out the wood burner from the chimney breast.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: b0ogaloo on September 17, 2011
You should go over .. its a lovely place and a very easy paddle from Killyleagh , takes me about 20 mins

The rubbish wasn't just left there recently , going by the faded labels on a lot of the tins and bottles is been accumulating for quite a while. however there is no excuse for littering

Andy
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Eamonn on September 17, 2011
Simply inspiring :)
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Gerry on September 18, 2011
Well done that man. Remarkable!!
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: big chris on September 18, 2011
Well done Andy, thats a fantastic job you did  (http://bestsmileys.com/clapping/1.gif)

Hmmmm just wondering are you any good at gardens (http://bestsmileys.com/expressions/9.gif)
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: RedLeader on September 18, 2011
Great stuff. The National Trust used to go out every year and clear the place up and fix the walls. Wonder have they stopped.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: whoRya on September 18, 2011
Well done Andy, a generous heart you have. 

Would do no harm if someone were to drop a link for this thread on any local canoeing websites there may be.  There are some people who plainly don't care but there are others who haven't just thought it out yet.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Paul72 on September 18, 2011
Well done fine sir, an inspiring example.

Have to say I'm also a bit envious of you, I haven't been out properly in ages and wish I could do something like this!
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: LandyLiam on September 19, 2011
Very impressive work, now why did i just sell my canoe  ??? Andy are we going to salt island next weekend now its all tidy  ;D (andy will probably eat the sheep  ;) )
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: big chris on September 19, 2011
Very impressive work, now why did i just sell my canoe  ??? Andy are we going to salt island next weekend now its all tidy  ;D (andy will probably eat the sheep  ;) )

That might be a case of "grubs up" lol.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: MG1 on September 19, 2011
Fair play mate. There was talk a good while back of his heading into the Mournes and doing a bit of a tidy up. I think we should consider this again, seeing what you can do by your self.

Donard wood could do with a clear up.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: b0ogaloo on September 19, 2011
Fair play mate. There was talk a good while back of his heading into the Mournes and doing a bit of a tidy up. I think we should consider this again, seeing what you can do by your self.

That probably took me about 8 hours to do ...  although I did have three raw weetabix for breakfast :D

Just be careful if your lifting litter .. especially food waste or anything rats would have an interest in , a friend of mine who's a warden for the National trust ended up with Weil's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospirosis) disease and it nearly killed him . It got in through a tiny scratch on his hand . so always were gloves and don't put your hands anywhere near your mouth, eyes or pick your nose :D until you've washed them

Andy
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Sawyer on September 20, 2011
Hey Andy,

Great trip and nice set up you have there. Also well done on the cleanup after thew messers.

Can I ask - what's the situ with campfire wood. Do you have to bring your own or can you legitimately use the local dead wood?

Cheers
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: b0ogaloo on September 20, 2011
Hi

Bring your own wood .. there are plenty of twigs on the ground for kindling but your not allowed to take branches from the trees dead or not .. although going by the state of the forest not many do bring their own

Rules and Regs are available here  (http://www.canoeni.com/Salt%20Island%20Bothy%20Booking%20Notes.pdf)


Andy
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: RedLeader on September 20, 2011
You can use the deadwood though.

Quote
Feel free to use any branches you find laying on the ground but please do not cut any branches from the trees.

Hi

Bring your own wood .. there are plenty of twigs on the ground for kindling but your not allowed to take branches from the trees dead or not .. although going by the state of the forest not many do bring their own

Rules and Regs are available here  (http://www.canoeni.com/Salt%20Island%20Bothy%20Booking%20Notes.pdf)


Andy
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: sjh1 on September 20, 2011
That's some brilliant work Andy! Only thing I would say is thistles are great for feeding birds at this time of year (esp. goldfiches) so it's not always necessary to clear them.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: b0ogaloo on September 20, 2011
The whole island is covered in thistles .. huge patches to the left and right of the bothy outside the walls

Andy

Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: sjh1 on September 20, 2011
The whole island is covered in thistles .. huge patches to the left and right of the bothy outside the walls

Not a problem then, was just a thought. You did a great bit of work out there. Makes me want to get a canoe and visit these places.
Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: CAAN Chris on September 21, 2011
Andy,

On behalf of everbody at CAAN I just wanted to respond to say your blog is simply inspiring.  Thank you very much for all your hard work on Salt Island.

It is really rewarding for everybody at CAAN to read about your endeavors.  We work very hard to develop and promote outdoor recreation product in Northern Ireland so it is great to see somebody like you setting the example and giving something back.

Maintenance of Salt Island is the responsibility of The National Trust but the is an ongoing battle so any assistance is greatly appreciated.
 
Craig McCoy is organising another clean up day on Saturday 15th October meeting outside the gates of the Killyleagh Yacht Club at 10.30am.  From there, you can either take a lift on The National Trust boat, or make your own way out to Salt. 

Please let Craig know if you are interested in coming along (by emailing craig.mccoy@nationaltrust.org.uk or by phoning / texting 07776462537). Feel free to circulate this email around your canoe clubs etc or pass on to anyone else you think might be interested.

CAAN Chris
www.canoeni.com
www.facebook.com/canoeni

Title: Re: Return to Salt Island
Post by: Oisín on September 21, 2011
Good to see someone getting credit for what could easily have gone unnoticed.

Bravo.