Thursday 31 May 2012 – Carsaig Bay (Eilean Dubh) to Eilean Dubh Mor

We expected this to be a motoring day and started in time to make good use of the tide not bothering to hoist the mainsail as it would just get wet in the rain. After a while a bit of wind arrived and we could sail properly. Meanwhile the almost sea-level cloud slowly lifted from the surrounding land.  We kept a careful eye on our track to make sure we did not follow the tide down the Gulf of Corryvreckan and were surprised to see a Calmac ship “Lord of the Isles” coming through slowly against the tide.  To our further surprise she turned round and went back again, getting up to 19 knots according to her AIS.  I didn’t know Calmac ran joy-rides.

Once through The Sound of Luing we turned West just before the strange island of Balnahua.  This has been almost completely quarried away as it was made of slate.  A strange-shaped cliff remains, which I presume is not slate, together with a few ruined buildings.  We then beat against a much smaller tidal flow to the island of Eileach an Naoimh (pron: Neeve).  This is the most interesting of the Garvellachs.  The anchorage faces SW, directly into today’s wind, which was less than ideal.  However the wind was light and weather seemed settled so we anchored, had lunch and went ashore.  We explored the ruins which also include "beehive" cells, chapel, food store, an old monastery graveyard etc, all carefully maintained and with minimum signs.  This was not a good anchorage to spend the night, and they say there are ghosts on the island, so we moved a few miles North (against the tide again) to Eilean Dubh Mor, which has quite a safe anchorage.  The rocks seemed to be very close on each side as we swung to the anchor, but from the shore it looks as if we have lots of room.  Brief trip to the island which is used for survival training, so bearing evidence of human teenage visitation, like the dry firewood and bracken bedding in a cave, the odd lost sock and sweetie packet.

Tomorrow we may go to Oban or if wind to Tobermory as we badly need to buy some food and also fill up with water.

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Scarba wrapped in cloud

“Beehive” cells

Anchorage at Eileach an Naoimh

Graveyard and other parts of the ruins

Food store or punishment cell

Wednesday 30 May 2012 – Eilean Mor (MacCormaig Is) to Carsaig Bay (Eilean Dubh)

The plan had been to go to the Garvellachs.  However the day started very still and with poor visibility, so we made a late start and as we did not fancy lots of motoring we stopped at Carsaig Bay to go shopping at Tayvallich. We anchored behind Eilean Dubh as the main bay is not a good anchorage.  A long dinghy ride and short walk over the hill took us to Tayvallich. We had lunch in the cafe whilst waiting for the shop to open.  We could get the essentials such as bread and milk but the choice was no better than a shop in a small island.  I presume that the people who live in the expensive houses get in their expensive cars and do all their shopping in a supermarket miles away.

Back on the boat there was still no wind.  We had a lazy afternoon.  I had another tinker with the charging problem. This morning the engine was charging fine, with the battery at 13.8v or so.  Then later it dropped to 13.3 which is not good enough; I think this results from a poor connection somewhere, so when at anchor I wiggled the wires behind the alternator, started the engine and it was back to normal.  The problem is it’s hard to wiggle just one wire and hard to do it with the engine running, so I don’t know which wire to blame.

Late tonight the weather is very still and misty and this is the quietest place of the trip.  There is no sound of any boats, cars, planes or anything else, also no sight of lights from any house, boat or navaid.  So I did not spoil it showing a riding light. Maybe tomorrow we will go to the Garvellachs

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Young grey seal

Our quiet anchorage at Eilean Dubh (near Carsaig Bay)

Tuesday 29 May 2012 – Craighouse to Eilean Mor (MacCormaig Is)

Overnight an annoying bit of swell had moved into the bay.  Annoying because there was no wind so you might not expect the swell.  I put the keel down as it had started to clonk and went back to bed.  There was a light wind from SE, so we headed for he Eilean Mor, the largest of the MacCormic Isles, as this was the nearest interesting place in the right direction.  We ran out of tide just before arriving, as I had omitted to notice that the inshore stream changes 1 hour earlier than the main stream.  We motored into a small sheltered inlet and anchored.  Later an old Clyde puffer carrying a charter party arrived and anchored off the entrance.  Their steam windlass made a great clanking noise dropping the anchor, with lots of steam coming out around the bow.  Then more clanking as they used it to lower the dinghy.

The island is very interesting and well cared for.  It was given to the SNP some years ago (why would they want an island? Maybe one without constituents is no bother) and is run by a trust.  We met some people from the trust who were there in a motor boat.  Explored the old chapel and hermit’s cave.  Decided to stay overnight and tied the stern to a ring in the rock to discourage the boat from swinging.  There is a corncrake calling from very near the anchorage, but of course we cannot see it.

Tomorrow we head North, hopefully to the Garvellachs in the Firth or Lorne.  We can either go through the Sound of Luing or through the Gulf of Corryvreckan(!).  Going via the latter at slack tide means we would be against tide in the Firth of Lorne, so maybe that’s not a good option.

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Ancient Celtic Cross (top is missing)

Mooring to a ring on the bank

Replica cross. Original in the museum in Edinburgh

Remains of the chapel by the cave

Getting busy! The Clyde puffer anchored outside and brought people ashore

Monday 28 May 2012 - Jura

Perfect day for going up the Paps of Jura, except it is forecast to be hot.  We took the bikes and lots of drink.  The bikes were great and got us to the start of the path with a short gentle ride.  There we met 2 other groups: 2 men who were going to head up Evans’s path and an assorted group of 6 going up the main path to the loch, same as us.  Meeting all these people suggested that the mountains might be popular, like Goat Fell.  However it was not so, these were the only people we met on the the walk.

We made good time to the loch, passing the other party, then went up Ben an Oir.  This turned out to be easier than expected, with a reasonable path and good surface underfoot.  There was just enough breeze to stop us getting really hot.  At the top we had our picnic, carefully looking for a spot with some breeze, which seemed strange as we are normally looking for shelter on a mountain-top.  The mountains are unusual in that they are entirely made of the same stuff: quartzite, except for a number of dykes of basalt.  We are more accustomed to mountains where we meet different rock types and shapes during the day.

Down much the same way to the col, where we met the 2 men we had seen at the bottom (so I think we chose a better route) and then headed up Ben Shiantaidh.  On this slope we were again in full sunshine and it was very hot work.  I had hoped to go down via the East side of the mountain, but this seemed very steep and led in an unhelpful direction, so we went down the scree towards the Loch.  We now realised why several of the people we have spoken to had given up before the top – it must be a horrible way up, but was pretty good for going down.  Careful study of the books of walks suggested that doing the route this way round would be easier.  Most mountains we walk on have either been worn out or tidied up, and there’s no scree to play with.  This was different – rattling down the slope ankle deep in chunks of quartzite, making a big racket and raising clouds of dust.  At the end of the mobile scree we moved onto bigger chunks of quartzite, and moved with care as they were not fixed to the ground and I did not want to be wading in moving knee-deep rock!  Eventually we reached the road and returned to the bikes.  Great to be able to cycle back to the hotel for a refreshing drink – it really seemed a rest after all the walking.

We heard a cuckoo for ages on the mountain.  This seemed unexpected as there were no trees or bushes – we did eventually see the cuckoo but took a while to recognise it.

Total trip 25.4 km, some by bike. See track of walk and ride

Ben an Oir

Ben an Oir, at the top

Top of Ben an Oir. Sound of Islay behind

Ben Shiantidh

Near the top of Ben Shiantidh. All shattered quartzite

Sunday 27 May 2012 – Port Ellen to Craighouse

The project to upgrade the pier continued. Today they were stripping away the old (perfectly good) paving and had a gang of men all set to lay the new paving.  I guess it’s paid for by whisky money, but I hope the lorry loads of old paving get re-used.  The wind seemed a bit lighter than yesterday, so we decided to head through the Sound of Islay to West Loch Tarbert.  The beat to the start of the sound started well, wondering if a reef might be needed.  However by the time we reached the SE corner of Islay we were not making sufficient progress, so motored to Craighouse, which is on the E side of Jura.

There were lots of visitors’ moorings, so we picked one up and visited the hotel, the only source of refreshment on the island (apart from “tea on the beach” – see last year).  This was still busy with competitors and supporters of the Fell race up the Paps of Jura, which had been on Saturday.  Jura is living up to its reputation for remoteness. No Orange mobile signal, but I think they have another operator.

Tomorrow the wind is forecast to be very light so we hope to go up the Paps, well one or more of them.

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Port Ellen pier. Boat is delivering blocks.
Crane busy with the building work

Approaching Craighouse. Paps of Jura behind

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Saturday 26 May 2012 – Islay

We discovered the Islay Whisky Festival was in progress for the whole of the coming week – a different distillery has an open day each day of the week. There seem to be a lot of visiting whisky enthusiasts from abroad.  We visited the open day at Lagavulin distillery, by bike, where we found a long queue to buy the Festival Bottles.  These must be very special as there is a limited bottling of about 800, they cost £85 and sell out about lunchtime!   All the tours were already booked so we looked round the sideshows and had a brief taste of 16 year old and Distillers Edition (or something like that which is kept in 2 types of casks). These were provided with the correct tiny nibbles of cheese and shortbread.

We cycled along to take a look at ruined Kidalton church which has a fine Celtic cross, and then continued almost to the end of the road for a late picnic by the beach at Claggain Bay.  After lunch we cycled back and stopped again at Lagavulin, where they were in the middle of the prize draw.  So we made our way to the tea and cake counter for refreshments.  Later we found another room which was supplying whisky to taste (free this time), so of course we tried it.

More washing with instant drying in dry wind.

Went for a swim in the only handyy place which is the beach at the ned of the harbour.  This turned out to be only knee deep, except for a tiny pool by the rocks where we could swim a few strokes. Refreshing in the heat but not too cold.  We were told that a lot of the grassy land at the top of the beach had eroded in the last 5 years.  I wonder if there is any connection with the marina being dredged out of the lower part of the beach!

Lagavulin Open day

Celtic Cross at Kidalton

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Old grave slab inside the ruined church

Friday 25 May 2012 – Gigha to Port Ellen

Woken early by movement of the boat and the keel clonking (in spite of the "hold right up" device).  The wind was getting up from NE, to which the bay is quite open.  Being unable to sleep and thinking the wind might continue to rise, I got up about 5:00 and tried to start the day early as I was keen to avoid a repeat of our NE wind experience at Lamlash.  There was not enough wind to impede breakfast, but we decided that the Ardmore Islands were not sheltered enough and so headed off to Port Ellen on Islay.  We had a good reach but could not see Islay until about 5m away, arriving about lunchtime, which is a bit unusual for us.  The visitors’ pontoons were nearly empty and in quite a sheltered place – a big improvement on the facilities when we came here years ago.  The only problem is noisy building work on the pier, which receives grain for the maltings and is being massively improved.  Apparently the builders are expected tomorrow morning as well.

Walking ashore was like stepping onto a Mediterranean island.  The heat seemed to reflect back from the houses and we tried to stay in the breeze. We did some shopping, so I hung about by the chiller cabinet.

Too hot to explore the interior of the island.  I had a snooze and Pam did some washing which dried almost immediately in the warm wind. Maybe tomorrow we will explore a bit of the island and possibly visit the open day at Lagavulin distillery

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Pontoons at Port Ellen

Thursday 24 May - Gigha

The forecast is for warm sun and no wind, so it’s an ideal day for exploring the island.  We went ashore complete with bikes and landed at the very convenient pier.  The tidal range is so small here that landing is generally easy.  It turned out to be an ideal island to try out the bikes, with good roads and hardly any traffic.  After visiting the N end of the island and looking at other beaches which you can land at we returned by the same road – there is only one – and went to Achamore Gardens.  They were founded by Colonel Horlick (of the hot drink) and are very fine.  The gardens contained a great variety of rhododendrons and azaleas and are generally informal and quite wooded.  The trees suffered during the gale in January, so there were piles of firewood in many places and a lot of work will be needed to restore the ground where trees were completely uprooted.  The garden was very quiet, with only a few visitors and no tea shop!  We stopped at the hotel for tea and scone on the way back.

Using the bikes was a success, though we will have to be careful taking them ashore in windy conditions.  Returning to the boat there was no wind at all.  Tomorrow we need to move to somewhere close as it looks as if we will have to motor all the way, possibly the Ardmore Islands off Islay.

Lots of bluebells around the island, also red campion

One of a number of standing stones

Achamore House Garden - the walled garden

Unusual blue flower, Meconopsis or Himalayan poppy

Rhododendrons

Wednesday 23 May – Campbeltown to Gigha

I woke in the early hours to hear drip, drip, drip.  Can’t be rain as it’s not that sort of weather.  Oh no – it must be fog, condensing off the sail cover and dripping in the cockpit.  When the alarm went off the harbour and town were quite foggy and so going back to bed seemed the best option.  However as we had breakfast the harbour and loch cleared, so we left only slightly late and sailed down the loch and out to sea.  There were fog patches around but visibility was not too bad.  We started heading down to the Mull, which turned out to be against wind and tide.  After a while it became obvious, even to me, that we were not making enough progress to keep to the necessary schedule to get round in the tidal window.  So we started motoring and the fog closed in.

Sanda just visible

After a while we could see Sanda Island as we passed between it and the mainland – then it disappeared in the mist again.  When turning W along the Southern edge of the Mull we could bear away enough to use the genoa, but kept the engine going slowly until just near the lighthouse when it was no longer needed.  We then seemed to move into a completely different climatic zone, with no fog, warm sun, clear sky and fair wind.  It took another 4 hours to reach Gigha, during which we used the cruising chute for a while, so we have now tried out most of the boat’s equipment. Having started the day in thermals and waterproofs we now felt the need to remove a few layers.

We picked up one of the mooring buoys and took a quick trip ashore, meeting the crew of another boat which had come round at the same time.

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Tomorrow we explore the island.

Mull of Kintyre lighthouse

Approaching Ardminish Bay, Gigha

Ardminish Bay moorings from the shore with school party bathing!

Tuesday 22 May – Lochranza to Campbeltown

Slow trip with not much wind.  Heard cuckoos on Arran.  Saw porpoises.  Took quite a long time to get back to the latitude we had been at Lamlash a few days ago.  At Campbeltown we moored next to a nice new Wayfarer "Love Ludo" which is doing a sponsored round-UK trip.

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Island Davaar at the entrance to Campbeltown Loch.
Ailsa Craig just visible

Visitors' pontoon at Campbeltown

Monday 21 May 2012 – Port Bannatyne to Lochranza

Clear sky, warm sun and light wind.  Maybe Summer has really arrived.  Problem is if we want to go round the Mull of Kintyre we want light wind to go round, but enough wind to get us there as it’s about 40 miles just to get to Campbeltown.  Anyway we will head in that direction as the next few days are forecast to be light easterlies.  We left at the usual leisurely time of 11 am and headed up the East Kyle of Bute.  Simon and Margaret were going to head back to Holy Loch and test drive a different outboard motor tomorrow.  After motoring to the Burnt Isles we were able to start sailing again, continued past Tighnabruaich and out into the open water near Inchmarnock.  Here we had a good view of a Minke whale, quite close to the boat.  We could see its head as well as the back and dorsal fin. We had a lot of slow sailing and motoring and eventually arrived at Lochranza around 6 pm.  Of course a nice bit of wind came up for the last half mile, but it did not seem reliable enough to be trusted to take us any further.

A quick walk ashore.  We decided that the drying area behind the castle is not a good beaching place, took a few photos and returned to the boat for a late supper. This Loch is renowned for gusty winds blowing down from the hills making for an uncomfortable night.  Just now (at 1130) the wind has started quite suddenly and is about 15-17 knots.  No worries tonight as we are on a good buoy, but we did have a disturbed night at anchor here years ago.

Maybe tomorrow we will head down towards Campbeltown with a view to rounding the Mull

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Goodbye to Simon and Margaret.

Lochranza

Sunday 20 May 2012 – Holy Loch to Port Bannatyne

A leisurely breakfast then decided to sail in company with Simon and Margaret to the Burnt Isles.  We would call in at Kip and collect some stuff which had been left in the car.  The wind was light so it took a while to get anywhere and some motoring was necessary.  On leaving Kip we decided on a new destination near Ardyne Point, for a lunch stop anyway.  The wind was light everywhere – so the organisers of the yacht race, which I think was Kip Regatta, had made a short course near Dunoon.  They chose well as further south we soon ran out of wind.  After many phone calls to Simon we eventually finished up in Port Bannatyne (the next bay to Rothesay), which has quite a well equipped small new marina.  The pontoons are very good quality and there are a number of big boats there.

We took a walk ashore much of the way to Rothesay.  Simon explained that the walk had lost most of its interest since last year as the big sewer replacement project has now finished, so there are no interesting machines or holes in the ground, just newly sown grass which we tried not to walk on.

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Panache in light weather.

The fleet. Note the pontoons

Saturday 19 May 2012 – Lamlash to Holy Loch

At last, overnight, the wind and swell went down to a comfortable level.  So we felt an urgent need to get out of Lamlash to somewhere more comfortable – or at least different.  It would have been nice to visit Holy Island, but we were no longer in the mood for any more of Lamlash, so that will have to wait for another day.

We sailed fairly slowly to a lunch stop at St Ninian’s Bay, which is on Bute, behind Inchmarnock.  After lunch we contacted Simon and Margaret, hoping to meet in the Kyles of Bute.  However they had only time for a brief trial sail before visiting the shops to provision the ship as they had only launched the previous day.  So we sailed and motored round the southern tip of Bute and made our way up to Holy Loch, which seemed a very long way in light conditions.  Here we at last Met Simon and Margaret who have kept their Hunter Delta “Panache” in Holy Loch marina since early last summer.  We shared a meal and planned to go sailing together tomorrow.

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Inchmarnock on R. Arran behind.

Friday 18 May 2012 – Lamlash

People will tell you that Lamlash is a sheltered mooring place.  Well, it is not in a NE wind.  We should have thought about it more carefully and gone somewhere else.  Anyway in the early hours the boat started to move about in an increasing wind and chop from the NE.  Some time before breakfast I let the keel right down as it had been bumping about in spite of my “hold right up” device.  The mooring was good and strong, so there was no worry about that. We considered heading to Millport or somewhere in that direction – a long way dead to windward. Or going to Campbeltown – this would be downwind, but seemed a bit of a one-way trip which we were unhappy about.  Another option was to anchor beside Holy Island.  It did not appear to be a very secure anchorage and if we had to come back we would have had difficulty picking up the visitors’ mooring again (these all have a shackle on the top and no pick-up buoy).  Anyway we just stayed put, pitched and rolled a lot, read and knitted and got pretty fed up.  The forecast kept saying that the wind would drop to 3-4 but id did not seem to change.

Thursday 17 May 2012 – Brodick to Lamlash

A rainy day with light wind, as forecast.  After yesterday’s efforts, we made no attempt at an early start, but eventually wandered over to Brodick Castle, arriving in time for its 11 am opening.  We had an interesting tour of the castle, but I found the enthusiasm of the guides a bit overwhelming – I don’t really want to know the fine details of the pedigree of the Hamilton family.

After lunch at the castle we returned to the boat and headed over to Lamlash.  As this is the next bay, and there was hardly any wind, I expected to motor all the way.  However there was enough wind, from the S, for us to sail properly.  We picked up a visitor’s mooring and went ashore to meet Chris Brown, who is the PSSA Area Officer for Scotland.  We enjoyed a meal in the pub near the pier.  From Friday to Monday is the Arran Mountain festival, which will keep Chris and family busy all weekend, but I don’t think we will take part.  Apparently the organised walks fill up very early.

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Wednesday 16 May 2012 – Brodick and the Mountains

Reasonable forecast, so we headed up to Goat Fell.  We were shown the way to the path by a local dog-walker.  On the way we passed a tame heron called Old Bill, who did not seem disturbed by the dog.  The path was well graded and well maintained – not surprising as it seemed quite busy, including a good-sized German party.  On the lower slopes we passed a stag which seemed fairly unconcerned by the passing walkers.  Then on up the mountain, with ever-increasing views over the Clyde and Bute and beyond.  For a while this became lost in a snow shower, which stopped before we reached the top. Goat is a bad adaptation of a Gaelic word so “Goat Fell” roughly translates to "Windy Hill”.

After a brief lunch near the top, we continued to North Goat Fell.  This is the more dramatic side of the mountain, and contained no other walkers.  We then went down a long way onto The Saddle, and then decided that we had enough energy to try Cir Mhor (pron: Keer Vor).  All of these mountains are granite, some of it really solid, some rather crumbly, some eroded into strange shapes and some so rough it was painful to use as handholds.  The granite does not make great shapes for holding on to, but this route did not seem to require much scrambling, so that was not a problem.  Anyway Cir Mhor was a steep and tiring climb up and I was glad when we started to descend the path down towards Glen Rosa.  Walking down the Glen took ages, but was on another good path.  Near the bottom we found some more deer which were fairly careless of our presence.

Track of the walk, totalling 22.6 km

Ridge to North Goat Fell

Cir Mhor

Deer

Tuesday 15 May 2012 – Rothesay Bay to Brodick

The plan had been to go up the E Kyle to Colintraive or somewhere.  But why go all that way against a fresh wind and ebb tide?  Maybe we could go the other way and finish up at Brodick or Lamlash or somewhere else.  So we had an excellent fast sail with one reef in, running and then reaching to Brodick, where we picked up one of the visitors’ buoys, all of which were vacant.

After a late lunch we went ashore for a look round and did a bit of shopping. By this time all the shops were closed apart from the co-op, so we did not get any postcards or Arran sweaters.

We are still in shake-down mode - trying to remember how things work.  This normally takes place in a few day sails from our mooring, but this season it's happening at the start of a cruise, which seems strange.

Maybe tomorrow we will have a walk in the mountains – the weather forecast is quite good, but cold.


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Brodick, Goat Felll behind

Rothesay

Monday 14 May 2012 – Kip Marina to Rothesay Bay

Leaving Kip Marina

We have started at last!  Yesterday the weather was foul – rain all day with strong wind up to gale force, so we definitely did not go anywhere.  Today was much better, with a reasonable forecast for the rest of the week.  Somehow we did not manage to leave until mid afternoon, and as soon as we got clear of the marina realised we were short of a fender.  We had earlier seen one on the bank, so went back to recover it.  Turned out not to be ours – however ours was on the next pontoon where someone had picked it up and tied it on.
The plan was to go up the Kyles of Bute, possibly to Caladh Harbour.  However after rounding Toward Point, at the start of the East Kyle, we put in the second reef, and decided the beat up the Kyle did not appeal as it was cold and would be late by the time we arrived. Picked up a mooring in Rothesay Bay. Could not be bothered to go ashore.  Maybe we will go up the Kyle tomorrow and visit the shop at Colintraive – we have an inexplicable shortage of vegetables but plenty of meat.

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Fitting Out

Back in February we did all the hard work when the boat was out of the water.  All the messy stuff of cleaning off old antifoul and putting the new stuff on.  We also fitted a new fridge unit, new keel cables and other stuff.

So now all we had to do was put our gear on board and head off.  Somehow it did not work out like that.  We soon had the sails on - just before total darkness as the next day was forecast to be wet and windy.  Then discovered that some of the circuit breakers on the switch panel were broken (I am sure I checked them some time ago and they were OK).  The firm which was very helpful last time I needed these don't seem to be an approved distributor any more so ordering new ones took ages and they will appear by post in a week or three.  Another little job turned up when Pam's boot bravely prevented a flood under the washbasin.  So that required some dismantling and careful application of sealant etc.  The heavy rain tested the seal round the shroud plates - and more sealant was needed here.  The rudder blade decided it did not want to be lifted, but was eventually persuaded.  However my keel-hold-right-up gadget seemed to work OK.

Anyway that's enough moaning - we are nearly ready to go