22 September 2012 - All tracks for 2012

[It's a bit slow to display the tracks as there are lots of tracks.  There is probably a better way to do it which is faster]

View all tracks for 2012 on Google Maps
You can zoom in to individual tracks: click on the little arrow to the right of the date

View All Tracks for 2011 and 2012.  Only includes West Coast for 2011
You can zoom in to individual tracks: click on the little arrow to the right of the date

View the tracks of all walks. Click on the little arrow to the right of the date to zoom to the track.

Wednesday 19 September – Clean and pack

Fortunately we had a bright, mild day to do the big clean up and pack, so we could hoist the storm jib to dry and put the cushions out to air.  Eventually most things were sorted, various lists made, and we headed off the Chris and Anna’s in Edinburgh on the first leg of our journey home.

Tuesday 18 September 2012 – Holy Loch to Kip Marina

A much better day.  Made a reasonably early start but as we had to be at Kip in good time we motored most of the way there.  The replacement tack ring was fitted very efficiently.  After lunch we went for a test sail.  Seemed to work OK.  On the way back Pam caught some mackerel.

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Rainbows during our afternoon sail

Looking North.  Kip marina is behind the row of white buildings

Monday 17 September 2012 – Holy Loch

Strong and gusty wind with an assortment of rain, sometimes light, sometimes torrential.  Stayed put.  Unfortunately I have finished all the books I brought with me (Note for next time: bring more or longer books).

No photos – just not that sort of day

Sunday 16 September 2012 – Burnt Is to Holy Loch

Wet in the morning with no wind.  Eventually we started in the afternoon, by which time most of the boats we had seen earlier must have got back home – it was very quiet. The weather was rather dull and grey, but slowly cleared until Arran was more visible than yesterday.  Saw some porpoises.

We arrived quite late at Holy Loch and picked up a mooring.

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Ocean Youth Trust boat also anchored in Wreck Bay

Leaving the Burnt Isles

Arran is now visible in the distance

Typical Clyde scene: Clouds, Calmac ship and yachts

Saturday 15 September 2012 – Cairnbaan to Burnt Isles

A better looking day than yesterday. The swallows are still here and some gather on the upper spreaders and one cheeky one on the wind vane.  Maybe they are also ready to head south.

We stopped to buy diesel, milk, bread etc at the garage near Oakfield bridge. This might not have been a good idea as we then were held up for a while whilst a maintenance gang was replacing part of a lock gate.  We had lunch while we waited and eventually left the sea lock at Ardrishaig at about 2 pm.   After a while the wind got up to the level at which I would normally reef.  However I don’t want to reef the genoa at present as it is not properly fixed, so took it down and put up the storm jib.  The wind of course dropped off a bit and so we went very slowly.  With lots of very grey low cloud it was not possible to guess if the wind would increase or not.  After a while Pam caught a fish and I put the genoa up again and the mood improved.  Near Ardlamont Point we saw 2 dolphins; however they must have been busy feeding as they did not take much interest in us.  Caught 2 more fish in the West Kyle (of Bute) and eventually anchored at Wreck Bay by the Burnt Isles, by which time it was almost dark.

Later I found that we have 3G network here, the first for ages.  I am caught out with no blog entries prepared, so it has been a long evening.

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Friday 14 September 2012 – Cairnbaan and Kilmartin

A very windy day, but it did not look as wet as yesterday, so we took a bike ride to Kilmartin Glen to look at some of the ancient sites and the museum.  It was a hard beat down the road to Bellanoch Bridge, then a reach along the long straight road across Moine Mhor which is a huge area of bog and peat. Kilmartin glen has lots of standing stones, burial cairns and other remains.  We visited some of the burial cairns which are in a line in the valley.  It struck me as similar to the Valley of the Kings in ancient Egypt, but I don’t think the Dalriadan Kings were as rich as the Pharaohs.  The museum was small but very well presented. However after a while I get tired of reading lots of detailed explanations – it would be good to have a paper copy of the same stuff to read again later.  Good cafe. Follow the bike/walk on Google Maps

The wind was in the same direction on the way back, but less strong, so we had an easier ride back.  Back at the canal, the swallows were still flying busily round and chattering, so maybe summer has not completely finished in spite of the autumnal weather.

Tomorrow we hope to leave the canal and visit the Kyles of Bute.

Temple Wood Stone Circle

Alignment of standing stones

Cup marks

Nether Largie South Cairn

Inside the cairn

3 of the burial cairns

One cairn has been completely excavated
and a modern chamber built over it

Decorated stone in the modern chamber

Old grave slabs in Kilmartin churchyard

Old crosses in Kilmartin church

Thursday 13 September - Bellanoch (Crinan Canal) to Cairnbaan

Drizzle or rain for most of the day.  We went up the 5 Dunardry locks and then down the 4 Cairnbaan locks.  This started very slowly as we had to turn the locks round before entering.  After 2 locks we got some help from the lock-keeper and moved a little faster.  The summit level of the canal between these 2 sets of locks is quite short and so does not hold much water.  I was surprised to see that the level has at least half a metre below normal – there has been plenty of rain.  We stopped for lunch just before the Cairnbaan locks and then had some help from the lock-keepers which made it much quicker.

The rain continued for much of the evening, but a brief break allowed us to visit the bar at the Cairnbaan hotel without getting wet.  This is a good stopping place with plenty of room on the pontoons so tomorrow we hope to visit Kilmartin

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Going up

Wednesday 12 September 2012 – Puilladobhrain to Bellanoch (Crinan Canal)

The wind and sea state seemed much better then yesterday, so we had our first early start of the trip to get through the tidal gates of the Sound of Luing and the Dorus Mor.  We meant to start at 6, but eventually made 6:30, by which time it was easily light enough.  After getting clear of the anchorage we motored as far as Isle Insh, by which time we could make adequate speed under sail with the wind from W or NW.  We did not seem to get much tidal assistance through the Sound of Luing and by the time we came to the Dorus Mor (which means Big Door) we were against about 2 knots of tide.  After entering the canal we stopped at the “bird hide” near Bellanoch.  In the afternoon we biked to the place where the beavers have been re-introduced.  No luck with seeing them, but we were advised that the best time is about dusk.  So we returned later but still did not see anything.  The cycling made a welcome change from sitting around on the boat.

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Morning sky shortly after leaving

In the sea lock at Crinan

Toytown swing bridge.
The bridge keeper turns a handle to open it

View over the river Add and Moine Mhor

The hill in the middle of the marsh is Dunadd,
ancient capital of the Dalriadan kings

Moored by the bird hide

The Beavers’ dam

Lake made by the beavers’ dam

Tuesday 11 September - Puilladobhrain

Our position in the anchorage had a view across the Firth of Lorne – just a small amount is visible through a gap in the rocks.  The sea state looked most uninviting, with lots of white horses.  In the anchorage the wind was strong and gusty, with the strong wind coming with heavy rain showers under patches of dark cloud.  Apart from the wind and rain it was a sunny day and the solar panels did useful charging.  We sat around all morning reading, knitting and doing a few minor boat jobs, with the intention of going south on the afternoon ebb tide if the wind lessened.  However the wind remained until late into the evening, so we stayed put.

We plan to go on the last of the morning ebb tomorrow.

Hoping for some lunch

Monday 10 September 2012 – Tobermory to Puilladobhrain

Essential shopping in Tobermory (that means chocolate shortbread from the cake shop).  Rather a slow sail.  However we sailed most of the way and Pam caught 4 fish (Mackerel).

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Looking towards Mull

View or Firth of Lorne between the rocks. Mull behind

Looking towards the entrance to the anchorage

Sunday 9 September 2012 – Salen to Tobermory

Damp and drizzly morning with odd bits of gusty wind – not enough to really stop us going anywhere but enough to provoke a postponement.  So we chatted to the people on the other boat and then had a cup of coffee and made sandwiches.  We put in a single reef and departed.  It soon became apparent that the bay at Salen was quite sheltered!  We found strong gusty wind, black clouds and white horses, and it felt as if something would break, so put in a second reef.  After the job was done and the massive flapping of sails had finished the boat seemed to go along quite happily under main only at 4 – 5 knots thanks to the lack of waves.  We could see the far end of the black cloud so carried on hoping for improvement.  It did not seem to be sensible to fiddle with the genoa with no proper tack fixing in the wind, so rigged the storm jib which worked well.  Of course the wind died back somewhat but we made good progress and moored at the pontoons at Tobermory – 2 pontoons in 2 days! what luxury!

Tomorrow we will buy shortbread and other tasty stuff from the bread shop and head to Oban or Puilladobhrain.   The general trend of the weather is very unsettled with depressions queued up across the Atlantic.  We were expecting a lot of wind on Wednesday, but this now seems to have been delayed until Thursday. Hopefully we can be in the Crinan Canal by then where we can get wet but not blown about.  The change of weather is giving the place a very end-of-season feeling – we are taking the hint and heading south.

I forgot to mention it yesterday but the deepest parts of Loch Sunart are more than 400m deep.  That's according to the chart - the echo sounder can never see more than 20-30m.  So it is the deepest  water we have ever sailed on.

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New pontoons at Salen

Salen bay from the head of the bay

Looking back at Salen.
We did not get round to photos in the windy bit!

Saturday 8 September 2012 – Loch Drumbuie to Salen (Ardnamurchan)

Weather still misty with drizzle so we put off doing anything for a bit.  I guess it’s the turn of the South East to have some fine summer weather – there have been several weeks when we have had brilliant weather and have heard on the radio of rain, floods etc further south.  Now the jetstream is back in its normal place and so it’s time for us to head south. To play for time we decided to motor round to Sailean Mor which is a narrow inlet in the tidal island of Oronsay.  We had been there years ago in the Wayfarer.  This formed a pleasant lunch stop and we have since heard that the innermost part dries out to sand and is a good place to shelter in bad weather.

After lunch we motored and sailed slowly up Loch Sunart and stopped at Salen.  This has been much improved since our last visit and now has 4 moorings and a new pontoon with several spaces.  We chose the pontoon. After supper we walked to the hotel for a drink.  Whilst chatting to a pensioner couple who had moved here a few years ago we were entertained to note that the wife had finished a bottle of wine; however the husband was drinking beer so we could not measure his consumption.  On the walk back to the boat we carefully stepped off the road whenever we heard a car.

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Approaching Loch Sunart

Friday 7 September 2012 – Eigg to Loch Drumbuie

A brief trip ashore for teabags – panic over.  The shop is well-stocked for a small island shop but unfortunately we don’t need anything else.

We left at high water with the intention of going to Tobermory or anywhere else suitable on the way south.  The genoa seemed to work OK with the tack tied down with string.  The problem is that because the furling drum is in the way it has to be tied down a bit behind its normal place. However I don’t want to take the furling drum off as it’s still possible to furl the sail once I have untied the tack tie down string. The wind remained light so there was no great stress on the sail.  After a while drizzle and mist filled in and continued for the rest of the afternoon – the first traditional Scottish weather we have had on this trip.  Saw 2 cruise ships and went to Loch Drumbuie as Tobermory might be a bit busy.

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Approaching Ardnamurchan Point – low cloud beyond

Ardnamurchan lighthouse  now in the mist.

Thursday 6 September 2012 – Eigg

Wet and windy as promised, but this is a cosy place to be, especially in SW to W wind.  It's usually a good walk to the Sgurr from here with magnificent views from the top, but today the trip did not appeal as the Sgurr was invisible from the harbour. The morning seemed to drag a bit as we had already done our share of reading and knitting on Tuesday.  After lunch the rain had pretty much stopped and the tide had gone out, so we cleaned the bottom of the boat.  It was in quite a good state with just a bit of green/brown slime.  We then went over to the shop and cafe but found it was early closing and they were both closed.  After a chat with Chris from Khoubar we returned to the boat for tea.

Tomorrow we are promised better weather so hope to make some progress. We also have to decide how best to jury-rig the genoa tack and find a shop to resolve our teabag near-emergency.

Today's photos show we don't always have sunny weather:
(note: I have also added photos for yesterday and the day before)

Dried out in the inner harbour

Entrance to the inner harbour with tide flooding

Wednesday 5 September 2012 - Arisaig to Eigg

A fine day with lighter wind, so we could get ashore, do some shopping and pay for our mooring. Then topped up the water and headed over to Eigg.  After a while we had a good wind to sail (a beat as expected) and all was going well until the tack of the genoa pulled off the furling gear.  It seems that this highly stressed component is made entirely of plastic - I would be happier to see some metal in it.  Tied it up with string and made various phone calls to try to arrange to get it fixed.

Anchored outside the harbour at Eigg (Galmisdale) and waited for the tide to rise enough to get in, which we eventually did around 8pm.

No plan to go anywhere tomorrow as strong wind is forecast - just clean the bottom of the boat and try to arrange for the furling gear to be repaired.

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View of Eigg and Rum (before the genoa tack panic)

Tuesday 4 September 2012 - Arisaig

Strong SW wind.  Not going anywhere.

I have just entered the tracks of walks.  Look here for the tracks of all walks. Click on the little arrow to the right of the date to zoom to the track.

I have also entered all the other tracks up to now - it took ages, but there has not been much else to do as it has been blowing F5-6 all day so we have felt disinclined to go ashore.

Forecast is a bit better for tomorrow but windy again on Thursday!

View from the anchorage looking W - not a great day to go anywhere

Later - maybe tomorrow will be better

Monday 3 September 2012 - Back to Arisaig

Arrived back by train and collected our gear from the store room.  Graham mentioned that there was a bad forecast for tomorrow but that conditions were always lighter here than forecast.  The brief interval in wind and rain seemed to finish as we left the shore, so we got covered in rain and spray on the way back to the boat.  Then set about drying everything off and sat back to recover from a day of sitting in trains.

Tomorrow we will catch up on reading and knitting - no chance of going anywhere, not even back ashore!

No photos.

Wednesday 29 August 2012 – Plockton to Arisaig

Early start needed to get through Kyle Akin and Kyle Rhea with the tide.  We left at 8 which is early by the standards of this trip.  After yesterday's unstable weather everything seemed a bit more settled.  Normally we would complain about having to motor for much of the day, but it seemed so much preferable to the weather of the previous 2 days that we did not complain.

Tomorrow we do the washing and then head off towards James and Abi’s wedding.

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Skye, Scalpay and Pabbay + a lot of cloud

Skye bridge

Cloud lifting over Skye and Scalpay

Tuesday 28 August 2012 – Plockton

Wet and windy all day. Stayed on the boat. Did a few odd jobs.

The weather had quite an unstable feel to it.  The mooring area was quite sheltered but we would get big gusts up to 30 knots and then periods of calm.  Sometimes heavy rain, sometimes a bit of sun.  It did not seem worth the effort of getting fully dressed in waterproofs just for a short walk ashore.

It would have been nice to have a photo of our own boat at the end of a rainbow,
but I did not fancy going out in the dinghy

Monday 27 August 2012 – Plockton

I had hoped to wake to the sound of lashing rain and howling wind, but it seemed to just threaten, but not really arrive.

Did some reading, went ashore and took the short walk up “the Brae”.

No photos

Sunday 26 August 2012 – Plockton and Lochcarron

The weather forecast for tomorrow and possibly Tuesday is pretty bad with strong wind.  There is nowhere with really good shelter between here and Arisiag so we decided to go for a day trip up Inner Loch Carron and then stay at Plockton until the weather improves.

The village beside Inner Loch Carron is called Lochcarron. A dinghy race was in progress as we approached – it seemed to go on for ages in the light wind as we came up the loch. At last the OOD shortened course so it was all finished before we arrived. We picked up the mooring beside the hotel, did some inessential shopping and bought some diesel fuel.  This place is not sheltered enough for the forecast wind, so we returned to Plockton.  On the way back we heard a Mayday Relay about the canoe accident in Gairloch. The coastguard said they had taken 4 people ashore and were looking for one more.  We thought the incident sounded quite serious, however we did not realise at the time the awful scale of the tragedy in which 4 people died.  We had passed the scene of the accident when entering Gairloch just 2 days ago.

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Moorings at Plockton

Inner Loch Carron becomes visible through the narrows

The old ferry slipway.
We chartered a boat here a long time ago

The village of Lochcarron beside Inner Loch Carron

No wind.  We will have to motor back