I'm just back from a week on Salt Island this is what I got up to
Launching from Killyleagh with the tide on Saturday I paddled an extremely heavy kayak over to the island and set up camp,
The plan was to build some benches and possibly a picnic table at the front of the bothy, I had permission to fell a tree for the construction, but I decided to have a good look around the island first to see what timber was available
The big old ash trees on top of the hill had shed a few branches so i brought them down to my camp first using a fish crate as an improvised sled
A piece of chestnut from the fire pit at the bothy was also rescued and added to the collection
That was how i spent Saturday, gathering materials and planning the construction ,
Sunday
After a great nights sleep and a hearty breakfast i began to build the benches
I had intended to do it all without using power tools , but after a fall at work which resulted in a sprained wrist I didn’t fancy trying to hew logs by hand so I brought the chainsaw and relative safety gear
First job was to split the chestnut trunk in two to form the top of the benches
I then cut the legs for the benches from a piece of old ash , just as i had finished cutting the heavens opened ... jeez did it rain, one of the advantages of hammock camping is you and your gear are off the ground , just as well as the floor of the forest turned into a river
Thankfully the downpour only lasted for half an hour and after relighting my fire and a cup of tea i resumed work
I cut out the mortices for the legs to go into
I then bored holes for the securing dowels with a scotch eyed auger
using a draw knife i chamfered the edges of the bench so no one gets a splinter
Withe the two benches completed i retired for the evening , the fun would start in the morning , So i had a shower cooked some dinner and lay in the hammock reading until dusk
Solar shower = cold shower on overcast days
Monday
In an ideal world I would have a Canadian canoe with a 500 kg capacity , but i don’t so I’m limited to what i can carry on my kayak this means i just didn’t have the room for a jackhammer , but i really wish i could've brought one
The ground at the front of the bothy has 2 " of topsoil then its rocks , it took me most of the day to dig out the holes for the legs of the benches using an old WW2 entrenching shovel and a lot of cursing
one bench installed , one to go
both benches installed
using an adze to level out the surface a bit
I also removed the old fire ring and built a new one with the rocks i had dug out for the bench and table legs
Tuesday
As mentioned earlier i had scoured the island for usable timber that was already down , but the just wasn't enough to make a table with So i decided to fell a 8" diameter ash tree , having done this i began to saw it into planks , Again in an ideal world i couldve brought a chsinsaw mill with me but .... So i had to do it manually
once i had the planks cut i began assembling the table top
Ciamohe my dog was supervising as always
Wednesday
With the table top built next job was to dig holes for the table legs ( i had prayed the previous night for a JCB and rock breaker ) This proved an interesting day
that rock was my nemesis .... its been swore at in several different languages and even had some new swear words invented specially for it
Eventually i got it out
Thursday
On Thursday morning I paddled over to Killyleagh to get some supplies , it was a glorious morning the lough was like a mirror on the way back I saw a sea otter which made my day . i managed a crap photo and some video ...
Back on the island work resumed after a coronary special breakfast which consisted of various pig products and eggs in a wholemeal roll ... yes i know it should've been a soda but the spar didn’t have any
The legs were buried in the hole and the table top fitted
Friday
I woke at dawn on Friday , made a quick cup of tea and got the kayak launched in the hope of seeing the otter again ,,, but the sea fog meant I had no chance
I spent the rst of the day lounging about in my hammock , reading and listening to the radio, packed up early the next morning and paddled back to Killyleagh
thanks for reading
Andy
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Topic: A week om Salt Island (Read 21196 times)