Next stop England...........

We are now in Eyemouth, our final stop in Scotland, having attained a new speed record and a collection of excellent jokes (none of which can be published here!).  On Monday we left Inverness passing through the narrows at Fort George, with High Barbaree leading the way through the drizzle.

The following wind and a confused, choppy sea, made for a long and uncomfortable passage in the Moray Firth to Whitehills, a small harbour built at the end of the 19^th Century and established as a Trust Harbour (owned by the residents) by an Act of Parliament in 1895. In the fading light we followed the sectored light to guide us to the narrow channel and even narrower harbour entrance at right angles to the channel and therefore unseen until the last moment!  Chased in by a strong tail wind and a big swell we passed the point of no return and seconds later were safely in the well protected harbour.  The next morning, drinking coffee in the friendly harbour café, we wondered what all the fuss was about!

The next day we motored uneventfully to Peterhead, the large commercial fishing port, for an admin stop and a visit to the Life Boat.  As we go around Britain we are collecting signatures from the crew of all the stations that we visit; these will all be bound and placed in the RNLI Museum in Poole.  This has been a welcome excuse to visit and chat with RNLI crews who have been ready and willing to show us around with professionalism and pride. The 2^nd Mechanic at Peterhead Station even gave us a lift back to the Marina!

We had a fantastic sail to our next destination, Stonehaven, a delightful harbour with local fishermen and harbourmaster ready to take the time to chat and advise on……everything!

We moor up on the harbour wall and are later joined by Vlieter and Cygnet and enjoy watching the evening activities; sea cadets training in the harbour and dinghy racing in the bay. 

The next morning we have time before the favourable tide to head off up the hill following the signs to ‘The Castle’ with excellent views over the harbour.

On the way we came across an impressive circular, temple-like War Memorial on a hill overlooking the harbour, the castle and surrounding coast line.  The memorial is unfinished, to represent, it is said, the unfinished lives of those it commemorates.

The ‘Castle’ turned out to be Castle Dunnottar Dunnottar, home to one of the most powerful families in Scotland, the Earls Marischal.  One of the darkest chapters of Dunnottar's history is that of the Whig's Vault where, in 1685, one hundred and twenty two men and forty five women, whose crime was their refusal to acknowledge the King's supremacy in spiritual matters.  They were imprisoned with little food and no sanitation from 24 May until the end of July in the gloomy, airless cellar.  We thought it wasn’t too bad with its spectacular sea view!

We set off behind Cygnet but just before Vlieter in favourable conditions and are soon sailing with all four sails set.  Vlieter is sailing too – have we got a race?

In Arbroath we are joined by Vleiter’s skipper who presents us with a beer saying that we won.  No start or finish but the fact that he couldn’t catch us qualified as a win – we love Dutch pragmatism!  In Arbroath we found an excellent fish and chip shop (there are in fact several) owned by a Frenchman where Duncan was able to conduct a lengthy conversation, even understanding the Parisian accent, much to the intrigue of the locals!
Up early the next day in time for the lock gates that keep the inner harbour flooded at low tide.  It’s a nasty, rainy day and the temptation to stay here for another day is strong!  We go and after a couple of hours it begins to clear and the wind steadily increases.  One reef, then the second and then we furled the jib.  Force 6 was forecast and that’s what we got, surfing down the waves at 8+ knots.

The approach to Eyemouth put us all on our toes as we picked out the leading marks and an elusive cardinal buoy to guide us through yet another narrow channel between rocky reefs.  Once in the shelter of the bay we could drop our main and head for the harbour entrance feeling that today had been epic (in a good way!).

Here we say goodbye and thank you to John and Duncan who, as two experienced sailors, have allowed the Skipper to have a holiday!  As other Gaffers arrive for a gathering on Monday, we put Capraia to bed for a few days.  We won’t be leaving Eyemouth, with a new crew, until Friday 5^th July but the harbour 'pet' will be keeping an eye on things...

If you want to follow our progress on the combined map for all the RBC Gaffers go to:  http://oga50.herokuapp.com/map/ 

We left the Caledonian Canal on Monday with a new crew after four days of concerning ourselves with warps and fenders rather than tides and weather forecasts! Did you know that the Caledonian Canal is 60 miles (statute not nautical) long of which 22 miles are man made canal?

The other 38 miles are fresh water lochs, the two main ones being Loch Lochy (which was the only part of the Canal that we managed to sail) and Loch Ness.

We arrived at the Corpach, at the western end of the canal, late afternoon on 17th June expecting to spend the night in Loch Linnhe but were immediately waved in to the first series of locks.  It was all rather daunting with its rules and regulations and its 'dos' and 'don'ts' but we soon overcame our doubts with the help of the attentive Lock Keepers who, with lively banter, kept us amused as we slowly ascended (and later descended) with anecdotes and history about the Canal and its constant flow of travellers!

There are a total of 29 locks with a big climb at Neptune's Staircase at Banavie, seen here with Loch Linnhe in the background, at the western end...

some more locks (and 10 swing bridges) in the middle.......

... and the descent to Loch Ness at Fort Augustus....

 

 

 

 then on to  Inverness and the Moray Firth in the East.

 

The weather was rather dull and overcast so we certainly didn't see the Canal and the scenery on offer at its best but this busy water 'highway' is certainly beautifully maintained and geared to look after its visitors whether they be on the water or making the journey beside it.  Many yachts from Scandinavia heading for the West coast or returning home.  We also met two yachts from the USA and the Scottish midge was also in evidence!

 

 

Greensleaves joined us at Fort Augustus, at the south eastern end of Loch Ness and sailed (motored actually) with us to Urquhart Castle where we anchored for lunch.

 

 At Inverness we moored up at the Seaport marina, on the outskirts of Inverness for a couple of days admin in the pouring rain before saying farewell to Rose and welcome aboard to John and Duncan.  

 

It's been a relaxing few days but Capraia and crew are now champing at the bit to get back on the open sea! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our cruise off the West coast of Scotland has come to an end and in our search for those perfect, isolated anchorages we also, not surprisingly, found places where it has been impossible to connect to the internet!  So this post covers the last two weeks until entering the Caledonian Canal.  Hopefully from now on we will be able to update the blog more frequently!

On 3rd June we headed off for the Mull of Kintyre with two stops en route, an isolated anchorage at Carradale Bay with views across to Arran

and the busier harbour at Campbeltown.  An early start from here to get the favourable tide and the windless, calm conditions made for an erie passage around Mull of Kintyre.

Our next anchorage off the Island of Gigha proved to be rather busy.  No doubt, like us, others were attracted by the impressive Achamore Gardens. 

In the 19th Century a Captain Scarlett purchased the Island, built Achamore House and began developing the gardens.  Interestingly he also had Witch, one of our fellow gaffers, built!  Colonel Sir James Horlick (the bedtime drink man!) bought Gigha in 1944 and, making the most of the Island's unique microclimate, grew a variety of the rhododendrons as well as creating 48 new cultivars of his own.  The garden is presently home to 26!  You can imagine what the crew thought of that!  Today Gigha is owned by the Islanders.

 

 

The next day we head northwest for the island of Jura, its conspicuous 'camel's humps' helping us steer a  true course to Craighouse, home of the Jura Distillery. 

 



 





 

Over breakfast we watched other departing yachts struggle with anchors fouled with huge amounts of cabbage kelp - luckily we picked up a visitor's mooring (money well spent!).  After a visit to the Distillery, and taking advantage of the opportunity to sample a wide variety of their whiskeys, we are off again heading North along the East coast of Jura. Our destination is the tiny anchorage in Lussa Bay  - which hardly gets a mention in the Pilot (good sign) and is described as cabbage kelp free!  The conditions were perfect - we sailed up to our anchorage in total, intoxicating silence.  Once ashore we fry sausages on a beach fire then, on a short walk to the head of the bay, we see a sign advertising tea and cake  - "please place your order using the 2-way radio" and meet some builders from Notting Hill!

 

  

 

Departure times are, as always, dictated by the tide, so again we depart early and head North for the famous Gulf of Corryvreckan.  The Corryvreckan is famous for its 8 knot currents, whirlpools and huge waves - but in calm weather at slack water it was placid with no hint of its wild side.  The only unusual thing we came across was 20 swimmers crossing the Gulf  - obviously we had chosen perfect conditions for our passage!

 

We were making for an anchorage called Tinker's Hole in the Ross of Mull, Mull's south western corner.  We had a brisk sail as the wind got up in the afternoon and even had a chance to play with the topsail!

 

 



 

Tinker's Hole provided a challenge with swinging room as the tide turned and although there are some mooring rings to enable yachts to moor fore and aft, these weren't being used by the yachts near them.

 

On the first long legs from Wales to Scotland it was food that seemed to punctuate our day and feature high on the agenda - now it's anchoring, tidal calculations and pumping up the dinghy that occupy us!

The next day, 9th June, we visited the Island of Iona and landed feeling we were in the Bahamas (as long as you didn't stand in the water for too long)!

 

St Columba settled in Iona having brought Christianity to Scotland from Ireland.  The Abbey is impressive from sea and land....

  

 

... and popular, no doubt due to the fact that it was, coincidently, St Columba's Day and pilgrims were hoping for a fast track through Purgatory!

 

Onwards and northwards in the afternoon to Gometra Harbour where we are invited to cocktails aboard a yacht that we met at Tinker's Hole. This was a most fortuitous meeting as our hosts have their mooring at Loch Melfort where we are meeting all the other Gaffers next weekend.  As they are away cruising we can use their mooring right under the nose of the party venue!

 

 

 

The next day we had time before the tide to take a much needed walk around Ulva, the Island across the harbour from Gometra.  This is a beautiful place and we are seeing it at its best.  The weather is fair and the wind brisk enough for a reef in the main as we head around the south western corner of Mull and head for Tobermory.  We plan to have a couple of nights there to re-victual, refuel and wash....ourselves and our clothes!

 

No photographs of our stop over in Tobermory - it poured with rain but we didn't care!  It's now 12 June and we are heading back to the mainland and Loch Melfort for the Gaffer's party with a couple of stops en route.  The first was Loch Feochan where we anchored in the bay and took the dinghy ashore in search of an excellent pub about 2 miles away (luckily we got a lift one way!).  Our second stopover was at Puilladobhain (pronounced 'Puldrohran'!) nestled between the Island of Seil and the mainland.  We walked to nearby Clachan where the bridge over the water that separates Seil from the mainland is known as 'the Bridge over the Atlantic'.  

 

 

 

 

 

To get to Loch Melfort we negotiate the narrow, V-shaped Cuan Sound which connects the Firth of Lorn with Seil Sound and Loch Melfort - another one to be negotiated in favourable tidal conditions!  In Loch Melfort we pick up our promised mooring and are soon joined by Witch.

 



The day of the Gaffer's party, Saturday, started with dismal weather and we imagined us all partying in full oilies.  But, as so often seems to have been the case here, the latter part of the day brightened up and gave us a lovely sunny afternoon and evening.  A contingent from the East Coast Gaffers had driven hundreds of miles to join the Loch Melfort gathering and our hosts, Robert and Lorna, provided the most spectacular venue, delicious barbeque, games, music and pipes from Northumberland and Scotland!  The gaffers of course had to sing too and Ben excelled himself in leading us in his trademark sea shanty.

 

On Sunday we all raised our anchors and saluted our hosts for such a good party.  We were off to the Caledonian Canal, others were spending more time cruising the area before we all meet up again in Eyemouth on 1st July.

Our final sea loch on the West coast was Loch Linnhe which took us all the way to Fort William and the start of the canal. Another beautiful day with spectacular views.

We arrived at Corpach at the start of the Caledonian Canal in the late afternoon expecting to moor up for the night on the salty side but are immediately waved in for our first lock experience - quite daunting with all its dos and don'ts after the freedom of the Lochs and Sounds! In the shadow of Ben Nevis, with snow still lingering in the North facing corries, we settle down to a very different routine of fenders, warps and an abundance of 'facilities'!

 

 

 

 



We finally leave Wales for Scotland, via the Isle of Man, on Friday 1 June.  It's about 36 hours to our destination, Largs, in the Firth of Clyde. Largs boasts the largest marina in Scotland which in itself is reason enough to give it a wide berth; but it's convienient for Glasgow Airport and our new crew - Rose.  Also Ian has friends in Largs where he plans to have a night recovering and telling salty tales before heading back to Wales.

Not much wind as we motor out of Holyhead and past the Skerries lighthouse - what wind there was, is of course.....a northerly.

Towards late afternoon and into the evening the wind increased to force 5 and we put in a reef as we battle to windward - something we are well used to by now!  At about this stage we decided to wait out a foul tide in Ramsey on the north east shore of the IoM and the famous hot dogs are served up to boost morale.  Ian is now an expert at operating in the galley at a 20+ degrees (angle certainly not temperature!).

The IoM is a huge island when you are moving at 5mph!  We eventually drop anchor in a bumpy bay off Ramsey at midnight.  We ate a well cooked moussaka (it's been in the oven for nearly 3 hours!) is washed down with a famous gamebird before we make the most of a short night.

Up at 5.00am and away with a favourable tide around the north of trhe IoM and across the Irish Sea to the Mull of Galloway which can be seen...due North. Once off Scotland we sailed close to the shore enjoying the coastal scenery in sunshine and our first lunch (very appropriately) in Scottish waters. 

 

 

 

 

As we entered the Firth of Clyde we had a fantastic sail (the wind has moved around to the north west) past the spectacular island of Ailsa Craig which is the home of thousands of Gannets feeding in the sea around us and nesting on every available ledge.

We were making for an anchorage at Lamlash on the eastern side of Arran, sheltered by Holy Island.  We had a wonderfully peaceful night with only the occasional sound of sea birds.  Next day, Sunday, we left Lamlash Bay in sunshine and (at last, a light southerly!).  The main event of this final passage to Largs was to get the topsail up - always a challenge when done for the first time in the season.   Success after several attempts and an extra half a knot on the log.

The largest marina in Scotland presented Capraia and her skipper the usual challenges and stresses of manoeuvering in tight spaces!  At last safely tied up, a tired gaffer amongst a miriad of shiny white hulls.  Farewell to Ian who has been a brilliant crew and welcome aboard Rose for a Scottish cruise!