31 August to 18 September
Our final month of cruising for 2022 started in Ardfern, Loch Craignish as we awaited the arrival of Dominique and Al – our dependable crew for 4 days and extra hands to transit the Crinan canal. They arrived by bus from Oban on Wednesday 31 August at 1440 and we immediately set off for Crinan a short 7 mile motor down the loch. They must have brought the southern summer with them as we basked in truly warm early Autumn sunshine. There is a pool in Crinan behind the first sea lock and we stayed there for the evening as we had no intention of rushing our trip through this pretty canal. Much to the admiration of the lock keeper (and Nick and I) Doll and Al went for a dive off the old pier in the morning and a quick swim in the chilly waters. That seriously deserved a bacon, sausage and egg roll which we all thoroughly enjoyed. A little after 1100 we left the sea locks behind and began to wend our way through the canal. Having a young and willing crew who were happy to run between the locks in a flight and open and close the gates made this trip serene and easy for Nick and I. 2 long ropes for attaching to the bollards and pins on the lock side are a must and our heaving skills to get the ropes up to the waiting crew improved with practice.
Leaving Ardfern heading South
Beer o'clock
mmm it might be cold tomorrow
Ready steady....
......GO
Crinan sea lock
Doll and Al
Sun setting towards the Dorus Mor
Early morning - late summer sun
We overnighted in Cairnbaan, enjoying the delights of the local hostelry and set off fairly early the next morning to motor the rest of the way through to Ardrishaig and out into Lower Loch Fyne. With light winds and a little sunshine on this part of the trip we motor sailed to Port Bannatyne through the delightful Kyles of Bute. The last mooring was available to us and after 35 miles of sailing we enjoyed a pre-supper rum and a few glasses of wine. Needless to say we all slept well.
Awaiting the first bridge opening
Such a pretty canal
Did you say lunch????
At 0900 on Saturday we left Port Bannatyne in fairly blustery conditions with a crossing sea and gusts of 27kts. This F6 prevailed for most of the trip round to Rhu interspersed with squalls, heavy rain bursts, low scudding cloud and diminishing viz. Aiming for Cloch Light we crossed the Clyde and made for Kilcreggan only to find ourselves politely accosted by a Police boat requesting we keep clear of the channel as an American warship was exiting from the Gairloch. All very well but we were heading into shallow waters and after 5 short tacks had to hove too and watch as the warship slipped past us barely 100mtres away in the main channel! As we headed towards Rosneath Point the wind dropped and we eased out the reefs in the main and headsail. Too early - as the wind suddenly picked up again to 25 kts steady and we had to quickly head to wind and drop the sails. Great news said our trusty crew as they headed below and within minutes produced delicious rolls and hot tea. Not realising the time was now 1530 I realised they were extremely hungry!
They left us that evening as they headed South and we felt a bit bereft as they had been our first visitors since April and it had been such fun planning their time with us. However, they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and have promised to come again next year.
where's the sun gone?
Al on the helm
Doll on the helm
US warship
Phew - tied up in Rhu
So Monday 5th September saw us motor across to James Watt Dock in old Greenock docks for a lift out, scrub off and prop anode change. It became a bit of a marathon as checking the main anode, which showed little sign of degradation, it just fell off in my hands – the bolts completely rusted through. In hindsight a blessing as the anode could have dropped off at any time and we would have lost hull integrity and maybe taken on more water than was healthy! So they chocked us off and we spent 4 days suspended in mid air as we sourced the necessary bolts to re-attach the anode and a marine engineer to wire it all up. Yachts are not meant to be suspended 60ft above the water and it was a truly weird position for a few days. However the trusty Rowan, an Australian boat builder and marine engineer, had us watertight and fit for purpose again by Friday 9 September. Gently popping us back in the water by 1100 we did a last food and drink top up and headed for a peaceful anchorage in the Holy Loch Marina for a couple of nights. It was an easy sail across the Clyde and we moored up to await the arrival of our next crew, Peter who was due to arrive on 10th September.
Really???
Flags at half mast - a lone piper plays the lament from the pier
Going back in....thankfully
11th September saw us leave the Holy Loch and meander gently in a Force 4 and not much sunshine to Carrick Castle a peaceful anchorage in Loch Goil. En-route we carefully negotiated the exclusion zone around the nuclear loading facility at EHG. Nick knows these waters so well as his naval career was spent on the submarines that provided, and still do, the nuclear deterrent for the UK. He found it a bit eerie seeing these familiar landmarks from the sea in a yacht.
A peaceful night on the buoy under the castle allowed us to slip early on 12th. Light rain and hazy sunshine showed us some of the most amazing rainbows we had seen all year. We thought we were in for a long motor to Rothesay but the wind picked up and after some judicious tacking out of the Holy Loch we had a great sail in 20kts to Rothesay on Bute. There is an interesting dynamic to entering Rothesay, in between the ferries that visit on a regular basis from Greenock, Weymss Bay and Colintraive, the tide is strong and the entrance extremely narrow. However we arrived safely and after a short walk out to the castle and along the esplanade where the Highlands meet the Lowlands, we visited the extremely well renovated Victorian toilets. They have to be seen to be believed – the Gents especially have been renovated to recreate the splendour of that age. In the mid nineteenth century, as the city of Glasgow grew and the industrial revolution created greater wealth many folk travelled “doon the watter” to experience the delights of unspoiled Bute.
Carrick Castle anchorage
early misty rain and sun
Leaving the anchorage
EHJ
HMS Vanguard approacing Rhu narrows
..and in Rhu narrows
We had a super lay day in Rothesay and took the open topped tourist bus around the island listening to the knowledgeable Iain’s story of the history and stories of Bute. We left the bus at Mountstuart the gothic castle and ancestral home of the Bute Family. Although we didn’t visit the inside of the castle we had a fascinating walk around the gardens and sea shore. There are thirty eight Scottish Champion trees located in the grounds of which 13 are British and Irish Champions and each of the gardens reflect the desire of the many owners to bring exotic and different species of flora back to these shores from around the world. How wonderful to be able to provide the land and means to preserve and develop these amazing trees and they are available for everyone to see – for free.
Mountstuart beaches
boathouse
OAPs out for the day
The wee garden
Champion cypress
Mountstuart
water gardens
Our next trip took us from Rothesay to East Tarbert on Jura. Another great tacking day as the wind came in at F5-6 from the North West and with three on board the engine did not get a look-in till we passed the ferry and headed to a delightfully sheltered anchor spot opposite the Burnt Islands at the top of East Kyle. Parallel with the aptly named Buttock Point on Bute we had a restful lunch stop before heading South down the West Kyle to pick up an overnight buoy in Kames Bay. Another brilliant 17 miles sailed.
Watching the weather that night we were delighted to see another good sailing day ahead of us and with 20-25kts of wind from the North West and bright sunshine we kept up a blistering pace round Ardlamont Point to East Tarbert. Arriving in time for a late lunch we then took a meander through the town and walked up to the castle. Tarbert Castle, although a ruin now has a fascinating history. A treaty between Edgar, King of Scotland and Magnus II of Norway ceded all Scottish Islands which a ship could sail around. In 1098 King Magnus II dragged his galley overland between West and East Loch Tarbert and secured Kintyre for Norway until 1265. The Battle of Largs in 1263 was influential in reducing the stranglehold the Vikings had on the Scottish Islands and thus the ownership of Tarbert Castle passed in time to Robert the Bruce. He enlarged the castle in the early 14th century and later as title passed on to James IVth the influence of this strategically placed castle increased. It is thought that James even held a Parliament there. A night at a local restaurant sampling the local fayre and a glass or 2 of wine completed our day in East Tarbert.
Peter on the helm
Boys in charge
don't mix the direction of buoyage
45 degree heel?
Tarbert Castle
The Kyles and loch Fyne - all stitched up
A siege of Herons
We were now on a mission as we needed to be clear of the Crinan Canal by Sunday 18th September or our crew Peter would not be able to return to England on 20th September. So at 0900 despite the frisky looking winds we left East Tarbert and headed up to Ardrishaig. It was a blustery 20 mile sail, again with North Westerly winds of F7 and gusting up to 30kts on occasions, we had 2 reefs in the main and 2 in the genoa. It was a really cracking fast tacking sail and probably one of our last for this season so we all thoroughly enjoyed it. As we headed towards Ardrishaig we were called into the first sea lock and headed for the relative calm of the canal.
Stopping at the Spar garage for lunch and a quick top up of food we motored on through the canal until we reached Cairnbaan, where we again spent the night. The beer was just as good the second time of tasting! Before the beer we had walked up to see the cup and ring stones in the hillside behind Cairnbaan. This prehistoric art form dating back to around 4000BC has only been found on the Atlantic seaboard of Europe and what it represents or was used for is not really known. However it was a humbling feeling to know that we were standing on rocks that had been carved by our ancestors so long ago; I wonder what their landscape had looked like and why they had chosen this area.
Next morning we entered the first of the down locks as we headed towards Crinan and our last night in the canal. It was an easy passage with another boat so we shared the toing and froing of the lock gates and headed into the main Crinan pool about 1500. A final night in the pool – but no early morning swimming – allowed us to take a walk up into the hills behind Crinan following the Crinan trail. It was a delightful walk with outstanding views and although we didn’t quite make the castle we enjoyed our walk to the viewpoint. Returning to Whimbrel we got ready for our final exit lock and final sail back up to Ardfern. It was a gentle sail with flat calm seas and 12kts of breeze from the West giving us a chance to enjoy our last sail of the season.
ancient rock art
Thank-you:
Our trip around Scotland has been much enhanced by the information contained in Hamish Haswell-Smiths “The Scottish Islands”. His informative and delightful prose has brough the islands we visited to life and made us appreciate the history, geology and wildlife of the Islands.
The Clyde Cruising Guides have been an invaluable resource for planning and linking places to visit. Coupled with the Imray Planning Charts for passages and Bob Bradfields detailed Antares charts we have found some amazing anchorages and little known and sometimes difficult to enter harbours.
We have also benefitted from the advice and information so freely given by Captains Mate from the Cruising Association. We have contributed a little to this incredible resource but have probably taken more from it this year. Perhaps we can offer more next year.
2023
We have started our thinking for next season – it will of course start in Ardfern and we hope to then continue sailing around the islands, out to the Western Isles and up to Orkney before heading South and then out to The Netherlands.
Ardfern from the air - he's mastered the drone!
