I have just received confirmation that a boat trip to Ailsa Craig, with sufficient time to climb and activate the summit (GM/SS-246) is possible during the week 8th - 15th August 2009. (I have explained our ‘agenda’ to the boatman!).
The boat can take up to 12, of which we have my family of four, plus first refusal to GM4COX and MM0FMF both of whom expressed a wish to be on the trip.
The boatman would like to know our numbers, and in due course I expect he will want to know our preferred date. Anyone who is interested in joining us, please confirm in this thread, and I’ll take it from there. I haven’t had any quotes for prices etc yet.
Thanks for the heads up Tom. I may be in W6 land for a half of July and possibly the start of August (work trip not holiday). I wont know the agenda for a few days but put me down as possible.
A couple of years ago when we were up in that neck of the woods at about the same time as yourselves, with it being a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area, we were refused permission by the land owner to operate. May be worth checking.
If you don’t ask “them” for permission then “they” can’t refuse it!
Or put more sensibly, people say no when you give them a chance to say no. If you phrase the question correctly they are more likely to say yes. However, your comment is noted. Many of these bird sanctuary places are off limits during parts of the breeding season. Outside of those times, access is much easier.
Jimmy has been busy gathering expressions of interest for this trip, and has firm intentions to join from four people (two groups of two) to join our family of four. That would leave four places on the boat which can take up to twelve, so it looks like we could be in a position to book an exclusive trip.
This would be good, because we could have the extra time needed on the island to the climb and activation, rather than rushing straight down to get the boat back with the rest of the tourists after two hours ashore.
Once I’ve got a firm list of 12, plus maybe some more on standby if demand is greater, I will get back in touch with the boatman to discuss dates, prices etc. I don’t know if the date would need to be slightly flexible with regard to weather, tides etc. All I know at the moment is that it will happen in the dates 9th to 14th August 2009.
So if you are interested, reply to the email Jimmy has sent you (he has sent several to potentially interested parties), or email me (via http://tomread.co.uk), or say so in this thread.