Please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/islepaddle to donate. THE EVENT
In July 2023 I will be kayaking 100km around the Isles of Coll and Tiree, to raise funds for RNLI Tobermory lifeboat station on the Isle of Mull. Supporters donating at least £30 on my JustGiving page can guess how long it will take me (enter hours, minutes and seconds in your donation message) for a chance to win
fantastic prizes donated by local business on the beautiful west coast of Scotland - further details below. Of course, donations of any size are very gratefully received - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/islepaddle
THE CHARITY
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the RNLI is ready to save lives at sea. Powered by courage, determination and the support of generous people like you. Tobermory lifeboat station on the Isle of Mull is crewed by volunteers, who provide a 24 hour search and rescue service. The fundraising target of £3,885 is roughly how much it costs to train and kit out a new crew volunteer and all money raised will go to the station towards training and running costs so they can continue to save all lives at sea. THE PRIZES
Return flights for two between Oban and the Isle of Coll with Hebridean Air Services Limited - https://bookhebridean.co.uk
Two tickets to Detour Discotheque (22 - 23 September 2023), on the Isle of Coll - https://www.detourdisco.com
Sea Kayak Experience Day for one with Sea Kayak Oban - https://www.seakayakoban.com/adventures/day-trips
Half-day guided wildlife walk for up to four persons on the Isle of Coll with Wildsmiths https://wildsmiths.co.uk
Experience Snorkelling course for one from Oban with Basking Shark Scotland - https://baskingsharkscotland.co.uk/activities/snorkelling
Seafood basket from Robertson Shellfish - https://visitcoll.co.uk/sea_food
Hamper with cheese and biscuits (and a little special extra) from Isle of Mull Cheese Sgriob-Ruadh Farm - https://www.sgriobruadh.co.uk
Bottle of Isle of Coll Hebridean Gin from the Isle of Coll Distillery - https://isleofcolldistillery.com
Bottle of Haig Club Mediterranean Orange Whisky from the Coll Hotel - https://collhotel.com
GUESSING A TIME
Here is some basic information to help you guess how long the event will take:
My best guess of the distance is 100.2 kilometers, calculated using plotaroute.com, based on my likely route. The actual distance completed during the event will depend on various factors, but is likely to be close to 100km. In 2021 I paddled 47.36km around the Isle of Coll in 6h 35m 57s, averaging 7.2km/h. To make things as fair as possible I will post details of all my longer training paddles on this site. My actual speed for the event will depend on a whole host of factors, including my training, how I'm feeling on the day, wind, waves/swell, tides, incidents, etc. I will also need rest stops. I will plan to make best use of the tides and complete the event as fast as I safely can. PRIZE CONDITIONS
1) If you donate £30 or more via my JustGiving page you can enter how long you think it will take me (in Hours, Minutes and Seconds). £50 for two guesses, £60 for three guesses. When making your donation you will be asked whether you want to leave your name and a message - please enter your name and your guess in the message, so I can register your guess. If you wish to remain anonymous please message me via the Isle Paddle page with your name and guess. Please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/islepaddle to make your donation. The people with the three guesses closest to my finish time will win a share of the prizes. I will divide out the prizes as fairly as possible, taking into account the preferences of the prize winners but giving the person with the closest guess priority over the second closest, and second closest priority over the third closest.
2) If a guess made is exactly the same as one already recorded by another person, the person making the later guess will be offered the nearest higher or lower finish time to record as their guess.
3) I will record the time taken to complete the event (my 'finish time') using a Garmin GPS watch. I will press start on the timer when I start paddling from my start point and stop the timer as soon as I get out of the kayak at the end of the event, when I reach the beach that I started from. The timer will keep running during stops for rest and food, which may include me getting out of the kayak on the way round.
4) The distance I will travel to complete the event depends on the route taken on the day, but I estimate this will be close to 100km. The route and the time taken to complete the event will depend on a range of factors - including weather, sea state, tides, training, fitness, injury, illness and any incidents on the day.
5) I will share information about the event and my training on the Isle Paddle page which may be used to make your guesses. I will not give any additional information to any persons at any time that would put them at an unfair advantage in guessing my finish time. Even on the day of the event I will not know myself how long it will take and will not adjust my route, speed or any other factor to put anyone at an unfair advantage.
6) I will train to complete the event as quickly as possible, but safety will be my primary consideration. The final date of the event and exact route followed will be based on safety considerations and unavoidable work or personal commitments.
7) The timing, availability and other specifications of the prizes will be entirely at the discretion of the people or organisations providing the prizes. The prize winners will be responsible for contacting the provider of the prizes to make arrangements. You can request the transfer of parts or all of the prize to another person (family or friend) , and approval will be at the discretion of the event organiser. No prizes may be sold. SAFETY
I will be undertaking my training and the event solo and unsupported. I understand the risks of paddling alone and make every effort to reduce risk to myself and others through training courses, safety equipment, trip planning and paddling within my level of skill and experience. I am not a sea kayaking leader/instructor/coach and nothing on my Isle Paddle JustGiving page or Isle Paddle page should be considered as advice or instruction in relation to sea kayaking. Anyone planning to get into sea kayaking or other paddlesports should undertake training with an appropriately qualified instructor and follow their guidance.
