Cly de Cruising Club
Jour n a l 2 015
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Contents 4
Clyde Cruising Club Flag Officers & Committee
5 6 8 16 20 24 28 38 42 50 56 58 61 66 71 74 80 84 86 90
Welcome to the CCC Journal Prizewinners 2014
8 16
Todrick Trophy Coats Cup
Todrick Trophy
Donald McNamara Trophy Vatersay Cup Caledonian Trophy R.G. Mowat Memorial Trophy Christie Watson The Ogg Cup
Coats Cup
24
Special Junior Prize
20
Two Crews to Canna “The Tobermory Race”
Donald McNamara Trophy
28
Are you sure the rocks don't move? Free Spirit – West coast wanderings Greenheart South America 2013-2014 Tiftie 2014 – Fuel for Thought Around Fyn
Vatersay Cup
38
Recollections of the first ARC Baltic Cruise Summer Holiday Cruise July 2014 St. Kilda and back Lofoten Islands Cruise
Caledonian Trophy
42
Commonwealth Flotilla July 2014 Letters from Saracen Pupils CCC Report 2014 Prizegiving and Dinner Dance Members’ Cruises 2014 A normal day on Pinocchio Coruisk Trophy Winners
R.G. Mowat Trophy
Christie Watson
Obituaries
96 100 104 110 113 114 120 122 129 130 132
Published by D-Tech Publishing Ltd., Suite 3.3, Station House, 34 St. Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4DF. Telephone 0141 222 2202. This journal is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without the written permission of CCC Ltd. and the publishers. The proprietors of this publication are publishers and not agents, or sub-agents of those who advertise therein. They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication. The views expressed by authors of articles published in this publication are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the views of or shared by the publisher or the directors, shareholders and/or employees of D-Tech Publishing Ltd.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 3
Clyde Cruising Club Flag Officers & Committee The objectives of the Club include encouraging cruising and cruising races plus promoting the interests of sailing and yachting generally.
2014
Flag Officers
2015
Patrick Trust Hecate
Commodore
Patrick Trust Hecate
Clive Reeves Lyrebird
Vice Commodore
Clive Reeves Lyrebird
Alan Cassels Jupiter Dane Ralston
Rear Commodores
Dane Ralston Helen Kirk Toy Buoy
Office Bearers Jennifer Rolland
Honorary Secretary
Jennifer Rolland
Graham Crawford
Cruising Secretary
Graham Crawford
Des Balmforth
Racing Secretary
Des Balmforth
Stephen French
Treasurer
Vacant
James Graham
Captain Dinghy Section
James Graham
Sandra Smith
Treasurer Dinghy Section
Sandra Smith
Edward Mason
Editor of the Sailing Directions
Edward Mason
Iain MacLeod
Assistant Editor of the Sailing Directions
Iain MacLeod
Elizabeth Balmforth
Editor of the Journal
Elizabeth Balmforth
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE – 2015 Freda Forbes Des Balmforth Andrew Boal Chris Evans Hugh McLean Jonathan Anderson Susan Morrison Matt Wells
Clyde Cruising Club, Suite 101, The Pentagon Centre, 36 Washington Street, Glasgow G3 8AZ Tel: 0141 221 2774 Fax: 0141 221 2775 Email: office@clyde.org Web: www.clyde.org Honorary Secretary and Administrator: Jennifer Rolland Cover Photo – Sunset over Lofotens July 2014 by Emily Whyte, Alba Explorer Racing Photos courtesy of Marc Turner, PFM Pictures
The views expressed in this Journal are those of invited contributors and not necessarily those of Clyde Cruising Club Ltd, Flag Officers or Committee. No responsibility or liability shall be accepted by the Clyde Cruising Club, Flag Officers or Committee for any injury, loss or damage that may occur as a consequence of any inaccuracies in or omissions from any material contained within this journal.
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4 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
"I can't see a submarine, Grandpaboat."
Photos by J Trust.
Welcome to the CCC Journal 2015
The helmsman must keep a good lookout.
An Anniversary Year
Photo by Eckhard Krabel.
W
elcome to the 2015 Journal with yet more tales and of amazing voyages all over the globe. It is also good to see that younger members are now writing for the Journal, and we welcome young writers and photographers to add interest for the ancient mariners. 2014 marked the 40th Year for the Scottish Series with nearly 100 boats competing and the increase in numbers bodes well for the future. It is also 100 years since the Great War started and the memorial brass roll of honour to our 78 members who did not return home was taken to Loch Spelve Muster in August to honour their memory. The Club lost over a third of the members who are listed in the 1914 handbook. However, one member born in 1914 has just celebrated his 100th Birthday in Andorra! As quoted in the 50th Edward Allcard with the Queen's card. Anniversary history of Bardowie Dinghy Section in 1982 Edward Allcard, who was made an Hon. Member in 1951, said ‘I first sailed round Bardowie Loch single-handed then became more ambitious and did the same thing Round the World!’
A solo circumnavigator again won the Todrick Trophy which was presented by Gerry Hughes, our first winner last year, to Stuart MacDonald who undertook a quite different voyage of exploration taking his time but still completing an amazing feat of sailing. Of course the West Coast of Scotland provides the best sailing in the world, and there are logs galore to show it, but you can also travel in these pages to Norway, France and South America as well as starting off in Holland. We were lucky again last summer with weather to encourage all of us to return for adventures in 2015, and then write up the log with your great photos. Our log judges Ian Buchanan and Dougie Bilsland have done a great job and editor Lizzie Balmforth has again juggled work and family to produce a great read with your logs and superb photographs. I hope it was easier for Lizzie working from the East Coast of Scotland than last year when she edited from the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. Jennifer in the Office has again assisted organising proof readers and managing Dropbox for working with our printers D-Tech. In another month or two the 2015 Yearbook will be dropping on your doormat and I hope the stories and events in this Journal may persuade you to join in with the many events organised by the Club from Musters to the 41st Scottish Series from 22nd to 25th May with new events for ‘White Sail’ classes. So let the Journal inspire your planning for this year, be it Round the Mull, through the Crinan Canal or Round the World!
Patrick Trust Commodore
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 5
Prizewinners 2014
Todrick Trophy Awarded for an ‘extraordinary feat of sailing of any kind (i.e. seamanship, cruising or racing)’ – at the decision of the Commodore and Main Committee and annually only if there is a candidate of sufficient merit. Stuart MacDonald, Beyond
Coats Cup Best cruise of season unrestricted as to duration or size of yacht. Charlie Craig, Monkey Business
Donald McNamara Trophy Unrestricted cruise of merit but no credit to distance under power. Mark van Bemmel, Lemminkainen.
The Ogg Cup Best short cruise of season preferably less than 21 days. Geoff Crowley, Contender
Christie Watson Trophy Log of two or more yachts cruising in company or for a narrative of distinction. Alastair Cameron, Dream Catcher.
R.G. Mowat Trophy Best maritime narrative submitted which is aligned with the aims and objectives of the Club. Paul Read, Shian
Caledonian Trophy To the winner of a cruising competition that is judged solely on the distance a yacht covers during its cruise, anchorages visited and route taken. Helen Holden, Seewolf II
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Vatersay Cup Log of merit by a cadet member. Emily Whyte, Alba Explorer.
Boyd Tunnock, Lemarac, was presented with the Sunflower Salver. Cowes Week Volvo 65.
6 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Clive and Flora Reeves, Lyrebird, won the John Dobie Trophy. The CCC committee encourage you to submit logs and high quality photographs of your adventures. The CCC Editor’s email address is:
journaleditor@clyde.org
We look forward to seeing you on the water.
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Winner of the Todrick Trophy
THE FOURTH AND FINAL YEAR:
The Long Way Home
False Bay Yacht Club Simonstown.
B
FOREWORD eyond left Mauritius early in November 2013, and arrived in Richards Bay, in South Africa, on the 22nd, after an occasionally difficult fifteen day passage, during which I experienced some of the toughest weather I had seen since leaving Scotland, despite the fact that this was summer. When I was two hundred miles east of the South African coast a severe gale game through, during which I spent around twenty hours under three-reefed main and no headsail, jogging to windward in forty knots plus, taking the occasional big lump of water across the coachroof. At the height of the fun a wave came over and went straight through the sprayhood, demolishing it and tearing the frame off its mountings. Unfortunately, I was sitting in the hatch at the time, and ended up wearing what was left of it as a hat.
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8    Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Quite a bit of water went down the hatch, but at least it was warm. After a while the wind shifted into the SE and began to ease to a steady thirty knots, and I was able to bear away a bit and get going towards the coast. It was still uncomfortable, and the boat was damp down below, but I was going fast and in the right direction, although without a spray hood it was pretty wet. I thought about the days when I started sailing, when sprayhoods were almost unknown, and began to get some appreciation of how much easier our cruising is these days. I was very glad to get in and it took me quite a while to rest my weary bones and attend to a knee injury, which had me hobbling around for a while. Over the next two months I made my way round the coast, resting at Durban, East London, Mossel bay,
Port Elizabeth, then at Simonstown, in False Bay, just East of the Cape of Good Hope. The South African Coast is certainly tough going for a single hander. With one exception, all the passages involve an overnight sail, and you have to wait for the right forecast to go. Add to that the Aghulas current which rips along the coast, the heavy concentration of commercial shipping, the fact that the weather turns almost without warning, and it all adds up to hard going. In addition many of the marinas are tucked in one corner of mainly industrial harbours, poorly maintained, dirty and subject to a lot of surge. Often bulk carriers will be working mineral cargoes and dust and grit gets blown across everything. Durban was the exception as far as surge and cargo work goes, but the water around the International Jetty in the marina was
Winner of the Todrick Trophy garbage strewn and filthy, as were some of the downtown areas. Simonstown, however, was the pot of gold the end of the rainbow, and I spent a very pleasant couple of months there, getting the boat back into top shape after its hard year in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. I have rarely enjoyed a stopover as much. Apart from being a beautiful place, the False Bay Yacht Club has everything the weary sailor could wish for. Boats on voyages like mine, “Internationals“ as they are known, are given temporary membership status for a nominal fee, and the friendly welcome has to be experienced to be believed. There could have been no better place to spend the time and with the Pound being so strong against the SA Rand, I felt for the first time in the entire trip that I had some money in my pocket. Aurora arrived from Buenos Aires ready for the trip North and we did a few tourist type things, in between getting everything ready. Looking at the chart, you would think the easiest way to get back to Europe would be to head up to St. Helena, then to the Cape Verdes, then over to the Portuguese coast, and if you were in a motorship that’s what you would do. But after St. Helena you would be facing headwinds and unfavourable currents, so although some cruising boats take this route, most take the easier, although longer, route from St. Helena, over to the coast of Brazil, and then up to the Caribbean, before looping across the Atlantic (again) to the Azores, with some calling at Bermuda on the way. At this time of year you can almost always rely on having moderate wind and current astern, from the Cape to Brazil, and it’s well worth the extra distance.
South Africa to St. Helena We left Simonstown and rounded the Cape early in February, but only a day and a half out, we experienced problems with the engine cooling water and had to put back into Capetown to sort things out. The customs and immigration formalities for clearing outwards from South Africa had been slow and frustrating, and clearing in again, and trying to
explain that we had never actually left territorial waters, was not an easy process. But we got there in the end and sorted out the cooling problems by installing a conventional seacock and by-passing the saildrive intake altogether. We duly attended the various offices again, waited around, presented our documents and eventually got clearance to leave. But South Africa had one final surprise in store. Eight hours after our second departure, with a strong South Easterly on the quarter, Beyond came off a wave, luffed, and the Monitor failed to correct. I got into the cockpit as fast as possible and saw that the servo blade had hit something, most probably one of the very large stalks of kelp that float around, and the shear tube had done what it was supposed to do and parted company with the rest of the gear. It trailed behind on its safety line. Thankfully I had a spare on board, but changing it in the weather conditions we were experiencing was out of the question. Back again and a thirty mile beat into what had previously been a welcome fresh wind from astern! We crept anonymously into the marina at one in the morning without reporting to Port Control on VHF, slept for five hours and at first light I fitted the spare shear tube, and we crept out again… telling no one. I like to think that I had, finally, beaten the system. For the first three days and nights the strong South Easterlies continued, with big seas and apparent winds in the high twenties on the quarter. Combined with the following current it gave us a great start and we managed 167, 183 and 170 miles with just a small headsail, good going for sure. After that the weather settled down a bit and we got into a routine of six hours on and six hours off. It might sound a lot to do at one spell, but we like it and in good weather, provided the motion is steady, the time goes quickly and the advantage of six straight hours in your bunk is certainly worth it. The wind eased for a couple of very light days, and we motored, but thankfully it filled in again and at dawn on the 7 March we sighted the
SUMMARY OF BEYONDS CIRCUMNAVIGATION AUGUST 2010 TO AUGUST 2014
FALMOUTH TO FALMOUTH
2010
FALMOUTH France, Spain, Portugal, Porto Santo, Madeira, Canaries, Cape Verde, Barbados Grenada. 2011
Union Isl, Carriacou, Bequia, St. Lucia, Martinique, Bonnaire, Curacao, Panama, Galapagos, Marquesas, Touamotus, French Polynesia, Rarotonga, Tonga, New Zealand. 2012
NewZealand, Fiji, New Zealand. 2013
New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatau, Australia, Cocos Keeling, Rodriguez, Mauritius, South Africa. 2014
South Africa, St. Helena, Fernando Noronha, Grenada, Carriacou, Bequia, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Les Saintes, Guadaloupe, Nevis, St. Maarten, Horta, Terciera, Punta Delgada, Camarinas, Camaret, FALMOUTH>
TOTAL DISTANCE, 43 500 MILES. FOUR YEARS AND THREE DAYS.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 9
Winner of the Todrick Trophy Stuart and Aurora Canessa.
grim outline of St. Helena, its peaks shrouded in rain clouds. By mid morning we were secured to a buoy in Jamestown Bay, thirteen days and 1730 miles out from Capetown.
St. Helena St. Helena is an island of contrasts. From seaward it has a grim and forbidding appearance, its volcanic peaks shrouded in cloud. There are no beaches, the shore is steep to rocky and heavily fortified, and rain squalls sweep down to the water. No wonder Napoleon felt like giving up hope when he first sighted the place. In years gone by yachts would anchor off Jamestown, but it is subject to constant swell, and several have wound up ashore. In recent years the piracy problem in the Northern Indian Ocean has seen more and more yachts rounding the Cape of Good Hope en route back to Europe, and a field of mooring buoys has now been laid to the South of the port. Because of the swell, and lack of any beach or jetty, there is no possibility to use the dinghy and access to the shore is by a small dilapidated ferry, which runs between the moorings and the landing place, which is a small stone built ledge above which ropes such as we used in the gym at school are rigged. The ferry runs in with the lifting swell
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and, as she rises, you grab a rope and swing ashore, any jerry cans and so on that you have are thrown after you. It is certainly not for the faint hearted….. But once ashore, the friendly and welcoming attitude of everyone you come into contact with makes up for the difficulties of getting there. It’s a bit like stepping back in time, the manners and speech of the people, most of whom are descended from British soldiers and seamen, or from imported labourers, have been uncorrupted by the Americanisms and slang which have become so much a part of the everyday life in Europe. Whilst this seems strange at first it is actually very refreshing. It was not unusual for locals to approach you in the street and simply ask, “who are you?” Internally the countryside is green and pastoral, with small herds of contented looking cattle grazing in the valleys, and from the narrow and winding roadside the ocean views were magnificent. We visited the house where Napoleon had spent his years in exile, where he eventually died, and stood by his grave in a shaded glade where he used to walk daily. His remains are no longer on the Island, and the grave, surrounded by a simple iron railing, bears no inscription, because English
and French Governments could not agree on the wording. But there are changes afoot. A huge area is being cleared and half a mountain being blasted away with an airport, a five star hotel complex and golf course to be built nearby. In a few years the island will change, as have all remote islands once it simply becomes necessary to pay up and board a plane to get there, rather than to make a long voyage by sea. Coincidentally, of course, the runway will be long enough to take large military transport aircraft, and with the Falklands a key oil and gas reserve, it may be that some of the future tourists have tin hats. I felt that we were very lucky to experience the island as it is now, and would happily have stayed longer, but the seasons don’t wait and after five days on the mooring and numerous acrobatic trips ashore we had ferried enough jerry cans of water and diesel out to fill to capacity. Having scoured the shops for what vegetables we could find, we were ready to go and on the afternoon of the 12 March we slipped from the buoy and headed off for Fernando Noronha, off the coast of Brazil, as another rain squall dumped down from the peaks.
St. Helena to Fernando Noronha We sailed steadily on our way making about 120 miles or so a day, often with both headsails poled and the main stowed. In low apparent wind from the stern it is much better to leave the main down, and let the headsails pull the boat along. The barometer is of little use in these latitudes, unless there’s something really dramatic about to happen and thankfully in our case it just moved through its diurnal variation each day. The breeze, such as it was, stayed well out on the quarter as we moved steadily North West towards our destination just South of the equator. The watches changed and we rolled along, with occasional bouts of flapping. I had first met Aurora in the Carribean nearly four years previously and, although we had spent quite a lot of time together in the intervening years, this was
Winner of the Todrick Trophy the first occasion on which we had sailed together for any length of time. Aurora is a successful solo ocean sailor in her own right, and being of Latin temperament tends to shoot from the hip. With both of us used to sailing our boats in our own way, we occasionally found it irritating to have someone else to consider! But, happy hour generally remained happy hour, the weather was undemanding and we ate and slept well, despite the heat. Nonetheless we were both glad, when after 13 days or so we sighted Fernando, and anchored well offshore, still rolling, and conscious of the constant noise of the surf breaking on the rocks.
coolers. These are hard to handle off and on the dinghy in the swell so, once we had got the jugs to the jetty, we decanted them into our own jerry cans then dinghied those out. It’s a lot of work to fill the tanks and we hired a beach buggy to make life easier. The buggy enabled us to get to the beaches but, under recent new regulations, all the good beaches have been fenced off and access is via visitor centre gateways, for a substantial fee. Once inside you have to hire a guide, who takes you swimming with the dolphins,
for a fee, of course. No thanks. We wondered how the locals felt having to pay to visit their own beaches? We did visit a couple of the open beaches but the surf was so heavy and the undertow so strong that even wading to knee depth was dangerous. I am sure that if you can afford to jet in and stay in one of the many hotels, you will have a wonderful holiday, but for the visiting voyager, on a budget and used to enjoying the coast and beaches of the islands you visit, the whole system was less than appealing.
Fernando Norhona When I first looked at the route from South Africa to the Caribbean, I intended to sail direct from St. Helena to Grenada, but Aurora had called at Fernando some years ago as a stopover on an Ocean race, and was keen to go back, and of course it split an otherwise very long voyage into two more or less equal portions. Fernando Noronha is a Brazilian national marine reserve and, like St. Helena, has an uncomfortable anchorage with plenty of swell, but there the similarity ends. Where St. Helena has made a conscious effort to attract and help passing yachts, Fernando seems to have geared its self to attract the very top end of the international air travelling tourist market. Whilst visiting yachts are tolerated, the policy seems to be to discourage them. Because the bay is shallow inshore and cluttered by various sections of a wreck, yachts lie well off, rolling constantly in the swell. For this privilege the shore authorities charge an entry fee, and on top of that a daily fee for each person on board, since they are considered to be visiting the reserve. The landing jetty is filthy and crowded with dive boats, and there are no facilities in the port area for visitors, other than one public toilet without running water which could be smelt two hundred yards away. Welcome indeed. There is no fresh water available in the port, it all has to be bought at the shop a bus ride away, and comes in 20 litre jugs, such as you see in water
Jamestown, St. Helena.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015   11
Winner of the Todrick Trophy We christened the island “Fernando Horrible” and left after three frustrating and not particularly enjoyable days, heading North West again, towards Grenada two thousand miles away.
Fernando Noronha to Grenada For the first few days of winds were light and the constant swell meant that we spent many an hour flapping along, with barely enough to keep the sails quiet. On one particularly depressing day, we managed only 97 miles, the worst day’s run ever for Beyond. It was hot…… But generally we managed about 120 miles until, on the third day in, about one degree South latitude, we ran out of wind, so we had no choice but to resort to occasional use of the engine. In these circumstances it’s always difficult to decide on how long you should keep motoring and using fuel, before you decide that enough is enough and just stop and wait. But even that has little to recommend it because you could wait a long time, and the boat is never still, constantly rolling and flopping around in the swell, raising irritation levels and generally making life miserable, particularly in the heat you experience in April and you are only just South of the equator. I know of one sailor who spent nearly four days just sitting, sweating, and rolling. It would be enough to drive you potty, even in cooler conditions. We had plenty of food and water, but we looked at the diminishing
Racing Martinique.
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12 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
fuel reserves with some concern and finally, on the evening of the fifth day, with still over thirteen hundred miles to go, we reluctantly decided to head for French Guyana to try and get some diesel. Neither of us knew much about the place, apart from the fact that none of the rumours we had heard were good, and access to the river we were headed for was only available at high water. But, as had so often happened in the past, just when things were looking less than optimistic, a breeze kicked in early the next morning and we were off again. We later learnt from two other boats who had called there that things were difficult, and that there seemed to be no fuel available! Someone must have been looking out for us. In order to make the voyage North you have to cross the doldrums of the ITCZ and the limits of the band of calms and squalls move North and South with the seasons. The direct course cuts the zone at an acute angle, prolonging the time you are likely to be in it, so we decided to head in a more Northerly direction, which would increase the total distance, but should shorten the number of windless days. And so we sailed on, the breeze held and by the time we had reached six degrees North we were sailing well, in apparent wind of up to twenty knots. That was until the inner forestay on which I set the staysail stranded, and began to unlay its self from the upper fitting downwards. I got the
stay-sail down and rolled out some genoa, but the loose portion of the stay was flogging back and forwards hitting the main halyard and the mast above the headboard of the main, in which I had two reefs. I couldn’t let it go on doing that and it was clear that I would have to go aloft, not a job I relished in the rough conditions. I decided to leave it till the morning and was mentally preparing myself for the task, when during the night the loose strands, which amounted to about half the thickness of the stay, jammed themselves between the main halyard and the mast! A perfect solution. It did mean that I couldn’t take the reefs out of the main but that seemed a small price to pay to avoid any further damage. We sailed on, but began to suffer from an adverse current which, according to the pilot chart, should not have been there. I have often noticed that the current predictions on these charts are far from accurate, particularly around the outer limits, but the data used to compile the charts is in some cases a hundred years or more out of date and with the changes that are now taking place in the oceans its hardly surprising. With six hundred miles to go we were well into the North East trades and had around twenty knots just aft of the beam. We were making between one hundred and forty and one hundred and sixty miles a day, even with the reefed main…. good going! Two days out we picked up a favourable current of about one knot
Winner of the Todrick Trophy and, like a tired horse sniffing the stable, Beyond forged on. On 14 April, she crossed her outward track just South of Grenada and closed the loop. By noon we were swinging on the hook, in Prickly Bay, sixteen days out from Fernando Norhona. The Champagne cork popped, I had sailed around the world.
The Caribbean This was my second visit to the Caribbean and, even though I have now spent many months there, I really can’t decide whether I like it or not. The climate is fine and although the sailing between the Islands, particularly heading North from Grenada, can be rough and windy, generally those two aspects are ok. But there’s a strange atmosphere about some of the Islands and I often felt that there was an unpleasant edge just beneath the surface, despite the smiles and tourist theatre façade. The boat boys no longer paddle out in old dinghies, they roar out in boats with big outboards and intercept inward bound yachts well off-shore. They can be pushy and pretty aggressive at times. I am used to doing things for myself and I don’t need anyone to help me onto a buoy or to anchor, and I don’t like being hustled to pay for things I don’t need. Certainly there’s a lot of poverty and many of the young men there have very little in terms of possessions and very little chance of improving their lot, so its easy to see why there could be a bit of resentment when there are so many relatively affluent Europeans, and even downright wealthy Americans in yachts around. Americans, for some reason tend to just pay up, which ruins the market for the rest of us! There was one robbery related murder on a yacht in Rodney Bay anchorage, St. Lucia just before I got there, and certainly security is important. Having said that, I had nothing stolen, so I haven’t anything to really complain about and I did meet some very helpful people. Having visited so many countries over the past four years I find that I become easily irritated by some of the needlessly ponderous customs and immigration formalities, and with many of the Caribbean Islands
belonging to different countries, or being independent, you are often required to clear in and out at almost every island you visit. This becomes farcical if you are only anchoring for the night, as I often did on the way North, so I tried to arrive in the various anchorages in early evening when I knew the offices would be shut and to leave before they opened the next day. Some of the smaller Islands are certainly ok and Les Saintes is probably one of the best, but some are just not worth the trip ashore, and my system seemed to work well although perhaps no one really cared anyway. I worked my way North, as far as St. Maarten and rested there, for a while. I had been on my own again since Grenada, and was quite enjoying my regained independence, having the boat to myself again and pottering around generally getting ready for the solo trip back across the Atlantic.
St. Maarten to Horta Like the passage from the Cape to the Caribbean, the voyage from the Caribbean to the Azores is not as straightforward as it looks on the chart. There are two weather systems in play; the Azores High which moves around within a more or less regular pattern between the islands and the area to the West, and the North Atlantic Westerlies, further North above Bermuda. The rhumb line takes you straight through the large area of high pressure and weak and variable winds and, although some yachts load up with fuel to push on under engine on the direct route, most try to avoid the calms by heading North initially, until they pick up the Westerlies, then turn east and head for the Islands. Some go via Bermuda, to break up the journey, but Bermuda is further West than St. Maarten, and I couldn’t see the point in heading away from my destination and making the overall trip longer. With all the pressure and wind information now available on GRIBs via satellite phone, you can see exactly where the High is sitting and if you watch it for a few days before leaving you can anticipate its movement to the West and then back again. The idea is to look three days ahead, see where the
Western edge of the system is going to be, and head for that, keeping as far East as you can and easing back off to the West if you start to lose the wind. The end result is a curved course, but probably the most efficient way of getting there in terms of sailing. With the boat getting further and further from the trades and into the temperate zone, the barometer becomes important again and it certainly makes for interesting tactical sailing. After leaving St. Maarten Beyond stayed hard on the wind on Starboard, managing to keep just east of North and making good progress. Then, after few days of light stuff, the wind backed towards the West, and I was able to head directly towards the Western limit of the high-pressure area. So I sailed round the high then into the Westerlies, with two days of gale or near gale force wind from out on the quarter. Five days out I got into a very wet and windy pattern with the wind from astern and the log reads, “very rough sea and big swell, overcast and cold.“ I hate wet weather from astern…. Because I don’t like having the boards in it all gets a bit damp, but we were getting along at a steady 140 miles a day with much reduced sail. I have always sailed the boat cautiously, and I certainly didn’t want to risk breaking anything at this stage in the trip, so once a reef was in it tended to stay in. All parts bearing an even strain as my father used to say. I wound up more or less on the same latitude as the islands and headed East, making good time and arriving in Horta late in the evening of my twentieth day at sea.
The Azores The Islands that make up the Azores belong to Portugal and are a true ocean crossroads for cruising yachts, some of whom are completing an Atlantic circuit and some of whom have come from much further afield, as I had. Some have sailed there as main destination, simply for the pleasure of the visit. The authorities are laid back and friendly, the harbours are clean and the towns are uncrowded, quiet and spotlessly clean. In addition there is plentiful excellent food, and technical assistance of every kind, so not
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 13
Winner of the Todrick Trophy
Plaque on seawall Horta, Azores.
surprisingly there is always an interesting gathering of cruising yachts in the various ports, and it’s a very social place to be. A night in Horta with electricity, water and wi-fi was only eight euros, so its not surprising that many yachts cruise there from Europe year after year. I would certainly go back. The islands are volcanic and, although the summer high pressure system can give days of calm around them, close inshore between the islands it can get very windy indeed when the cold air drops down from the peaks. My stay there was relaxing and just what I needed after the rather tough trip from St. Maarten. Beyond stayed in Horta for a couple of weeks, meeting up with old friends some of whom I had first encountered as long as two years previously, away back up the line. One of the real benefits of being part of the worldwide ocean cruising fraternity is that you make strong and lasting friendships with other sailors and its always a pleasure to see them again. So my time in Horta was relaxing …. And of course, you have to paint the boats name on the seawall. At first I hadn’t intended to do this, because it has become such a clichéd ritual, but then several people
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14 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
told me that it was bad luck not to do so. I knew the people on many of the boats whose flags and names adorned the stone, some now faded by age and weather and some, sadly, no longer with us. I joined the club and Beyond now has her place in the colourfully documented history of the port. From Horta I had a very windy day sail round to Terciera, with katabatic squalls off the Island of Pico, whose volcanic peak is so frequently shrouded in cloud. It was baffling sailing, in the space of one hundred yards, a gentle breeze suddenly became a squall, the sea turned white and the boat roared along with two reefs and no headsail, then she would sail out of it, and sit entirely without wind, in a deep blue millpond whilst fifty yards astern the sea remained wild and steep. Terciera is another lovely place, but windy, and it seems to attract far fewer boats, possibly because the harbour is often subject to swell. I was told that, as winter approaches, all the local boats are moved into the inner recess of the marina, and the outer pontoons are disconnected and lifted ashore. Having your harbour in the middle of the Atlantic certainly presents problems and the guys who used to launch their longboats from the shore and sail
and row out in pursuit of the whales, which abound in these waters, must have been great seamen. Beyond, fuelled up, watered and well stored sailed from Terciera on 2 July, with the intention of sailing directly to either Spain, or Portugal, about eight days away to the East. I set off sailing in a generally NE’ly direction, on a shy reach. It was grey and overcast, but I was getting on fine, when at about six thirty on the second morning out the boat luffed and the headsail started shaking violently. That’s usually a windvane problem but, when I got up to the cockpit, everything looked normal. The vane had applied correcting helm but nothing was happening. I unlatched the windvane and put the wheel over to bring her back on course. Nothing. Turning the wheel had no effect on the rudder. My heart sank and I had visions of another major rudder problem such as I had experienced three years before in the Galapagos. I was mighty relieved when I put the emergency tiller on and was able to steer normally so the rudder was fine. Then it dawned on me that the connecting rod between the wheel downshaft and the crank on the rudderstock must have become disconnected. So I dived into the aft cabin and took down the wooden housing on the deckhead which encloses the link arm and, sure enough, the ball joint at its inner end had failed and allowed the link arm to drop clear. I lifted it back up into place and bodged it up with an outsize washer and some monel wire and, although there was about an eighth of an inch of play, the wheel would steer the boat again. If I had been on the middle of the passage I would have made a better temporary fix and carried on cautiously, but Punta Delgada on St. Miguel lay only ninety miles downwind, so I bore away and headed there, creeping into the harbour in the dark at three thirty the next morning. I had a spare ball joint on board and with the help of Thomas the local repair guy; by mid afternoon it was all as good as new. But I wasn’t, I was tired so I decided to wait for a couple of days before setting off again. Whilst lurking in Punta Delgada, the weather window closed, and the wind shifted back into the NE and looked
Winner of the Todrick Trophy like staying there for a good few days. But I wasn’t in a hurry and I had no intention of setting off on what would have been a ten-day beat, so I made the best of the situation and enjoyed the break. Old friends on Wanda, a steel Van de Stadt design arrived. They had also left Tercierra with the intention of sailing direct to Europe, but had suffered rig problems and like me had diverted to Punta Delgada. More socialising! I left Punta Delagada on 10 July, with the aim of making landfall as far North on the Spanish Coast as I could to give me a good springboard for the Biscay crossing. The first few days were spent sailing quite fast, hard on the wind. It was grey and cold and, for the first time after several years of barefoot and sun-soaked sailing I was having to make sure that I kept warm and dry. I thought fondly of the two years I had spent in the sunny Pacific. After three days the wind began to ease and the sun came out. By the fifteenth I was doing my best to keep going in near calm conditions. I finally arrived in Camarinas on 18 July, relieved to be back where there were no restrictions on port entry and departure, and where I had no need to report with all my documents every time I wanted to check in or leave again. I guess being in Europe has advantages after all. The wind was due to shift back into the North in a few days and to stay there for a week, so I only stayed
in Camarinas for twenty four hours before heading off to cross the Bay of Biscay. I had a rough and windy but fast trip over the Bay but as I approached Camaret the sun emerged again and things dried out. The Eberspacher had been idle for over four years, but in spite of what I have since learned was a piece of stupid neglect, it started. For a very encouraging fifteen minutes it ran and managed to send a weak but relatively warm stream of air into the cabin, but that was it…… it stopped and refused to do any more. Camaret is one of my favourite French ports, and it was good to be back. This was around the time of the classic boat festival, the sun shone, and there was a great gathering of traditional craft, much traditional piping, seafood feasting, Breton dancing accordion playing and wine drinking. After three days in Camaret I took advantage of a fair wind and headed off across the channel to Falmouth; the port I had left the UK from over four years before. I passed the Manacles early the next morning and sailed in past Pendennis Point, where my son and my brother stood waving………. it was great to see them again. Over the next few days more family members turned up and I floated around in a pleasant haze of reunions. I stayed in Falmouth much longer than I had intended, partly
because of the arrival of the tail end of Hurrricane Bertha and partly just because I liked it there. But I had aimed to be back on the Clyde by the end of August and, after a very pleasant break, I headed down to Penzance, around Lands End and over the Bristol Channel to Milford Haven for more reunions with old sailing friends. Then, across the Irish sea to Dún Laoghaire and Howth, dodging gales and getting caught out in a couple of bad days as I made my way further North to Ardglass, then Bangor. I was constantly cold and alarmed at the costs of almost everything related to boats and marinas… whether its because of the tax system, or the cost of employing people and running a business here, or simply corporate greed, it seems to me that in comparison to other countries, recreational sailors here in the UK are seriously taken to the cleaners. From Bangor I sailed over towards Brodick, passing the old familiar landmarks, and picked up a mooring; enjoying the beautiful evening colours on the hills and the water. Finally, early in the afternoon of the last day in August, I slipped into Largs Marina and made fast. Four years and forty three and a half thousand miles since leaving, I was finally home.
Stuart MacDonald, Beyond
OUTLINE AND DISTANCES Capetown to St. Helena
1730 Miles
13 days
St. Helena to Fernando Norhona
1764 Miles
13 days 17 hrs
Fernando Norhona to Grenada
2053 Miles
16 days 5 hrs
Caribbean Cruising (Solo) St. Maarten to Horta (Solo) Horta to Terciera
499 Miles 2437 Miles
17 days 20 hrs
70 Miles
Terciera to Punta Delgada
210 Miles
Punta Delgada to Camarinas
998 Miles
8 days 2hrs
Camarinas to Camaret
364 Miles
3 days 1 hr
Camaret to Falmouth
75 Miles
Falmouth to Largs TOTAL MILES IN 2014
550 Miles 10740 MILES
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 15
Winner of the Coats Cup
M ONKEY BUSINESS LONG HOT SUMMER CRUISE, FRANCE, 2014
Douarnenez.
Monkey Business – Beneteau First 38 S 5 – built 1990 Owner/Skipper: Charlie Craig Crew: Tomoko Iwata, Roland Craig, Sandy Donald and Ron Pattenden Guests: David and Frances Grant, Steve and Veronique Cassells
H
ot heads, cold beers, locked up; sometimes, despite the combination of detailed planning and experience the unexpected happens. Familiar cruising grounds, a well proven yacht, good crew, and a cruise plan drafted to allow crew changes, sacrificing a little flexibility for increased sociability; I was confident the summer cruise would be memorable. On a windy Friday 18 July Sandy, Tomoko and I boarded Monkey Business at Tighnabruaich. We postponed our departure for Bangor until midnight, as the wind fell away after eight o’clock and continued to ease throughout our 80 mile passage. By the following afternoon a mist had set in, reducing visibility on our approach to Belfast Lough to less than 500 metres. A ship at anchor off Black
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Head only became visible at close range and, as we passed close astern, the upper parts of her superstructure and cranes remained hidden in the mist. Without difficulty we entered Bangor marina and were secure by 15:00. On Sunday my brother Roland joined us, replacing Tomoko. Before midday on Monday we departed and set a course through the Copeland Sound with favourable tide. With the light SE breeze, never above 5 knots, the temperature pleasantly warm, and the forecast stating “An area of high pressure building over British Isles, bringing a period of settled weather” the mood onboard was relaxed. By early evening we had views to Scotland, Isle of Man and Wales. Lamby Isle and the approaches to Dublin Bay were passed in the dark, followed by fog mid-morning, keeping the Arklow offshore wind
farm hidden from view. As we approached Arklow it cleared briefly to reveal dredging operations at the mouth of the river. At midday we entered the old dock as the fog rolled back in. Here we obtained fuel, before berthing on the pontoon opposite, after 130 miles. Our 08:20 departure on Wednesday towards Tuskar had the benefit of south going tide, at 14:00, 3 miles north of Tuskar we watched a pod of killer whales. The weather continued hot and without breeze, providing a beautiful sunset and clear night. In the darkness we carefully plotted the lights of the fishing fleet over the 380m Celtic Deep and the frequent shipping movements into the Bristol Channel, but after that all was quiet. Our approach to the Isles of Scilly was in haze, making them visible from only 6 miles. My
Winner of the Coats Cup intention had been to anchor at St. Martin’s but due to the spell of prolonged settled weather all available anchoring space was occupied. Fortunately our arrival at 15:30 was just before high water at 16:30 and enabled us to enter New Grimbsy Sound and continue south over the Tresco flats towards St. Agnes and Gugh. Even there the north anchorage was full, so we continued to the south cove and succeeded in anchoring in 15m amongst another 24 yachts. Sandy, who was occupying the aft cabin complained of the heat and lack of ventilation while retiring for the night, in a moment of thoughtlessness I called to him from the forward cabin and bragged of the pleasant breeze through the forward hatch, minutes later I found him waltzing about the saloon while removing the aft cabin door from its hinges to improve his comfort. Next morning, after a short walk ashore, we departed at 11:30 the following day to catch the tide in the Chenal Du Four. The forecast was for continued high pressure, hot weather and a light breeze; the maximum we recorded was 8 knots. In the benign conditions watch keeping was easy; Roland spent hours sitting on deck, back to the mast, engrossed in “Hard Kill” the latest novel by JB Turner, and announced that this was perhaps the least challenging channel crossing in maritime history. Monkey Business had us in French waters before dinner that evening, in the darkness we crossed the separation scheme off Ushant and sighted 11 ships at one time. On
arrival at Chenal Du Four visibility was less than 100m, even with the chartplotter were unable to locate the first buoy, so at 08:10 we selected the Chenal De La Helle after identifying Le Faix. By 10:00 conditions rapidly cleared to reveal nearby islands, rocks, yachts and, best of all, the coast; relieved, we hoisted the French and Breton courtesy flags. At 13:00 we were at Camaret enjoying very hot weather after our 124 mile crossing. Next morning we departed at 07:30 heading the 60 miles to Benodet, passing inside the Chenal du Toulinquet and Le Grand Tas du Pois, the impressive limestone sea stacks, as we had done in 2004 when we atteded the International Festival of the Sea and discussed plans to return for the 2016 festival. By 11:00 we were through the Raz de Sein, passing the iconic La Vieille lighthouse in flat water without the breaking waves of the famous posters and postcards. We seized the opportunity of a gentle sail in the light warm wind which held and took us across the Bay d’Audierne and past the Pointe de Penmarc’h, allowing us to reach the Port de Plaisance marina by 19:15 where the marina office still proudly displays the CCC plaque. Reluctantly, as Roland’s time was limited, we decided to forego a visit to Concarneau and sail to Audierne. To achieve this we had to depart at slack water and first light at 06:15 which allowed us to reach the St. Evette anchorage by 12:30 and, as we could not enter Audierne until 16:30 at the earliest, we basked under
the hot sunshine at anchor, watching a windsurfing competition. With sufficient depth we took the short approach to the pontoon at the town. We liked Audierne, although not as sophisticated as Benodet, 36 miles away. On Wednesday departure was dictated by high water at 09:30 we slipped and returned to St. Evette which, unlike the day before, was flat calm. Although the forecast was still good a cool breeze filled in providing a gentle sail which had us at the Raz just before slack water and by 17:30 we were within Moulin Blanc marina having sailed 38 miles. Next morning Roland took a taxi, 20 Euro and 10 minutes, to the airport after having had a great time during his first blue water cruise. Sandy and I decided to venture up the Riviere de L’Aulne, which we had attempted in 2004 but were unsuccessful due to low water levels. My pilotage guide advised that there would be a power line with clearance of 19 metres, barring us access to Chateaulin, but we intended to proceed as far as safely possible. With the rising tide we made good progress, first passing the rusting French warships anchored at Landevennec, then passing under the newly constructed bridge at Pont de Terenez with adjacent old bridge, its deck now removed. As we passed under power cables, marked as having greater than 27 metres clearance, we were apprehensive, they looked dangerously close. To our great surprise we arrived at Guily Glas lock in front of the mighty 56 metre high viaduct, entered and enquired about clearance ahead, and were informed that nothing barred our way. The lock keeper assured us there were no power lines ahead with such low clearance and at no cost locked us up. We were delighted and continued, passing otters amongst the riverbanks, first to Port Launay then onto Chateaulin where we secured at 21:00 alongside very sociable company. Sandy and I were impressed by Chateaulin with its tree lined river bank, historic bridges and architecture along with good supermarkets and facilities, so rather than a quick visit we decided to stay for a few days, watching a family of otters each
La Vielle on a calm summer day.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 17
Winner of the Coats Cup morning on the adjacent river bank which amused us for hours. I had made an arrangement for Stevie and his wife Veronique to join us for a weekend from their holiday home nearby and inland cruising appealed, so on Saturday they joined us on-board and we returned downstream to Port Launay. On Sunday we set off downstream, arriving at the Guily Glas lock for 10:00 to find Stevie and Veronique waiting with fresh croissants and pastries. The outgoing current in the river gave us an additional knot SOG and as we passed below the power lines we were more relaxed than on the inbound trip. We continued 20 miles to anchor at Le Fret, the pleasant sheltered anchorage on the south of the Rade de Brest. The next day we returned the 7 miles to Moulin Blanc marina and enjoyed a fine seafood meal to bring Sandy’s cruise to an end. On Tuesday, being the thrifty man that he is, Sandy, in competition with Roland, took the bus to the airport, 1Euro 45 cents and one hour, while I remained at Brest for a few days. Ron arrived on Friday morning, having cycled 250 miles from Sussex, and spent the rest of the day dismantling his bike and storing it. On Saturday Tomoko re-joined, having flown from Glasgow and a late start allowed us to carry the tide south out of Brest where we passed a French warship returning to the naval dock; all crew neatly lining the decks. In contrast to the earlier part of the cruise we now had winds of force 4/5 but at Morgat we found perfect shelter and the hot sunshine in this pretty beach resort persuaded us to stay a couple of nights. Douarnenez, only 12 miles from Morgat had a different atmosphere. Famous for its connection with sardine fishing and wooden boat heritage, it now has visitors’ pontoons in the old commercial port. On Monday, just after midday, we sailed over there with the wind perfectly on our beam. Just outside Douarnenez we passed a multinational fleet of laser dinghies and learned they were in preparation for the under 21 world championships being held the following week. We arrived at 15:15
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18 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Roland at sunset English Channel.
however the lock was inaccessible until 16:00 so waited briefly alongside at Treboul before progressing into Port Rhu. For the second time Monkey Business was locked in and we could not have wished for a better location, around us were historic wooden boats and opposite us the former Scarweather lightship. On our second evening there we shared in the carnival as a refurbished wooden ship was towed down the river beside us. Having enjoyed additional nights in both places we had to amend our cruise plan, as we were now into a spring tide with tidal coefficients of 112 combined with strong winds from NW. A sail south to Concarneau would give us a difficult return passage through the Raz and, in turn, lessen the time available for our inbound cruise. We therefore decided to sail the 24 miles north to Camaret on Wednesday and, as anticipated, this was lively as we beat into the big swell under continued blue sky and bright sunshine. That night we watched a spectacular fireworks display from the marina. Camaret has a number of disused and rotting wooden boats aground adjacent to the marina; these provide popular subjects for artists and photographers alike, however on Thursday due to the exceptional high tide all of these briefly had the appearance of being afloat. That afternoon we took a walk to the Point de Pen Hir enjoying the views across to the Tas de Pois where I had sailed earlier in the cruise. I stopped at the museum for the Second World War Battle of the Atlantic which honours over 70,000
seamen; German, French and British, amongst others, mostly in their early 20’s who had been killed during that conflict. On reflection I thought of the multinational fleet of Laser sailors at Dournanez, of the smart French naval crew at Brest and of my own experience at sea. I took comfort knowing that in recent days I had seen only pleasure being had from the waters of the Atlantic. Our inbound journey started at 13:00 on Friday to catch the tide turning at Pointe de St. Mathieu and the north going stream in Le Four. There we had clear views unlike our inbound trip, but had to contend with NW winds increasing from force 3 to 5 which gave a rough crossing. At night we observed many shooting stars across the clear sky. The clarity also assisted when crossing the busy shipping lanes and, unusually, made the Isles of Scilly visible from 14 miles. We sailed 125 miles and anchored about 16:30 again in St. Agnes which only held two other yachts this time. The forecast for a deep unseasonal low between Scotland and Scandinavia caused much unease on-board that evening. We rose on Sunday to an overcast and windy morning and lifted our anchor at 08:30 to cross the Tresco flats with high water at around 10:00. Conversation was minimal and the mood on-board subdued. I felt that all was not right for our crossing to Ireland, so at Tresco we picked up a visitors mooring and accessed internet forecasts to discuss tactics. We saw that winds would remain NW but would
Winner of the Coats Cup ease slightly and the weather should improve next day and so unanimously decided to remain there for the day. Although windy it rapidly cleared and became hot, we visited Bryer, bought fresh, island grown vegetables, before visiting Tresco for cold beer and Pimms. Tomoko was so smitten by the charm of these islands she claimed to be in paradise. On Monday we slipped from the mooring at 08:00 and, although bright and sunny, the strong wind produced a big swell beyond the Islands. Once we had Monkey Business reefed down she took off at good speed and with a comfortable motion hard on the NW wind. Initially our heading was too far east and a sighting of Lands End proved unwelcome, however, with the turning of tide and a slight backing of the wind we made an improved northerly course, but accepted that there was little chance of making Arklow as planned, and headed directly for Milford Haven. Our progress had been rapid and from 25 miles the high intensity red lights on top of the chemical works were visible; in the clear air and with slight fatigue it was hard to comprehend that they were so far off. In addition to this, four very large crude carriers were at anchor outside the Haven, each with decks fully illuminated. The combination of both gave a disoriented feeling, despite the chart-plotter reassuring us that we were in safe water. Dawn came slowly and, for the first time on the cruise, I felt cold until the sun rose and slowly
warmed my upper body. The low sunrise dramatically illuminated the cliffs, fields, walls and lighthouses and immediately altered that atmosphere of the area. On entering Milford Haven we were sheltered from the wind and surrounded by its industrial landscape and many large tankers. We identified the approach channel to the marina and, accompanied by a local yacht, entered the massive lock and dock. One hour later, and for the third time on this cruise we were locked in, under hot sun with cold beer, 121 miles from Tresco. The earliest permitted exit was after midday on Wednesday and, in the company of five other yachts, we departed and sailed inside Skomer Island taking advantage of the tide race before passing close to South Bishop lighthouse and setting a course directly north for Ardglass. We were fortunate that the strong winds which remained had become more Westerly than Northerly so progress was again rapid and comfortable; we saw little shipping and disappointingly, no wildlife. With a projected leg of 170 miles we were unsure whether we could make Ardglass before midnight and were delighted to enter at 16:30, on doing so recorded our best ever 24 hour run. Being close to home and having done all our required overnight passages, we had a late start on Friday and departed Ardglass at midday, heading 42 miles to Portpatrick. Our arrival at 20:15 coincided with that of 3 other yachts, all of whom had enjoyed a downwind sail from
Northern Ireland and once past the swell at the entrance we found it calm inside and enjoyed a quiet night. Ron had decided to cycle home from here rather than continue to Tighnabruaich, due to time constraints, so on Saturday morning we located all the parts of his bike and hoisted them onto the quayside for reassembly. Tomoko and I waved goodbye to him starting his 485 mile ride home and headed off at 10:00 with the force 3 NW wind taking us easily towards Arran keeping west of Ailsa Craig. As we passed Whiting Bay we realised it was perfectly sheltered with the breeze blowing directly between Arran and the Holy Isle, so at 18:00 and almost at the end of our cruise we had a new anchorage. That evening, as Tomoko and I sat in the saloon, the windows appeared to be frosted, such was the quantity of dried salt onto them. We realised that the last time rain fell on the boat had been a brief shower in Camaret and that, despite the strong northerly winds, we had missed the unseasonal low that had been named Hurricane Bertha and enjoyed hot sunny weather throughout our cruise. For the first time in weeks, on Sunday morning, the light breeze came from the south and we headed off at 11:00 for the Kyles. Arran looked splendid and we noted that the sea birds were beginning to raft up, an early sign of the end of summer.Views towards the Paps of Jura and a sighting of a basking shark reminded us there is no finer place to sail than our home waters and we continued past our mooring and sailed around to Colintraive to end our 1276 mile summer cruise. The quantity of sun tan lotion used to protect the heads of the male crew was unexpected, spending days locked into previously unvisited ports was unexpected, but there was no surprise whatsoever in the quantity of cold beer enjoyed during this memorable, long, hot summer cruise. The next International Maritime Festival at Brest is 13-19 July 2016; I have every intention of Monkey Business being there.
Charlie Craig, Monkey Business Chateaulin.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015   19
Winner of the Donald McNamara Trophy
Summer cruise 2014 Channel Islands & Cowes S/V Lemminkainen, Baltic 39 (NED 537) 17 July – 11 August 2014 Crew: Marc & Elisabeth van Bemmel, Josephine (16) and Sarah (14)
I
ntentions and planning are one thing, being able to realise all these plans is another, especially if one has to start the cruise in Holland against the prevailing South Westerly winds. For a long time on our cruising bucket list are the Channel Islands. The planning for this year was to head South to the Channel Islands instead of our much loved cruising area in the Baltic. Although the weather dictates much of the trips success, the whole week prior to departure was not promising with a stiff South Westerly breeze. We Dutch have to make some ground to get to the better cruising areas and therefore spend at least half of the
On our way to Cherbourg.
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available time to get there and back again. By the end of the week a dream scenario unfolded, grib files showing a full week of Northerly and North Easterly winds. A stressless preparation for departure with a nice dinner at the Muiden yacht club and anchoring in front of Muiden with sunset and a view on the castle. We are ready to set off! Motoring through the city of Amsterdam is always special, also to a Dutchman. The shore changes each year with so much development going on. A call from friends, sailing a speedy Banner 41, revealed they
were sailing 3nm in front of us also heading South – a nice surprise and we agreed to sail along for the coming days. Once through the locks in IJmuiden we headed South in light North Easterly winds. Once passed the New Waterway into Rotterdam the wind dropped and the engine was started as we headed to the fishing port Stellendam for the night, finally meeting our friends after tailing them all day. The first 65nm into the right direction. An early start next morning in rapidly dissolving fog with destination Oostende, Belgium. A bumpy ride with Northerly winds up to 22Knts but advancing well, another 62nm – again into the right direction. For the first time we spent a night in the Mercator Dock in the city’s centre and the following night was spent in the basin at the Royal North Sea Yacht Club. The winds delivered nice surfing waves at the beach; Sarah made her first full surf. Her holiday is already a success!
Winner of the Donald McNamara Trophy Next destination was Boulognesur-Mer in France. Again Northerly winds and blue, bright skies, an absolute holiday feeling – although not completely as almost all yachts are Dutch. First dolphins sighted. Sailing gently with our gennaker through the Channel past Calais and rounding the first cape: Cap Gris Nez. Although Boulogne itself is nice, the port is at the end of a river with not the cleanest water of all. The first taste of French croissants and baguettes made up for it. Another 58nm logged. With the good weather firmly settled the plan was made to sail through the next night to make it to Cherbourg in one go. Again the best weather for sailing! At night a French custom vessel circling around asked by VHF what our intentions were – they disappeared as quickly as they came.You feel surprised every time it happens. A steady wind all through the night, at sunset briefly touching 25Knts, nicely surfing along dead down wind into the right direction. Impressive thunder and lighting near the coast line far away entertained us through the night. Our daughters are old enough to join us on watch and we have good moments together watching the stars in a clear, moonless sky. As it often happens the last miles take most of the time. A fierce tide against us around Cap Lévi saw our speed over ground being reduced to less than 3Knts. A well deserved English breakfast made by Sarah made us enjoy the last miles. Entering the breakwater of some French ports does not mean you are there, often another lake must be crossed before entering the marina. These are “très grands” ports! Our friends arrived an hour earlier and had coffee ready at our arrival. Another 141nm logged. We now arrived at the gate of the Channel Islands, blessed with northerly winds and a good and sunny forecast – we could not have hoped for more! At night an enjoyable combined dinner with the High Five crew at a local fish restaurant for a premature celabration for reaching the Channel Islands. Not only friendly weather but also favourable tides all along; not too early in the morning. In one tide one
Cowes Week Volvo 65.
Anchoring Muiden before departure.
Very early morning near Breskens.
can make from Cherbourg to Jersey. For the reverse trip you will need two tides. Only little wind predicted and seen. But when gliding along past Cap de la Hague through the Race of Alderney it is lively enough without wind. With 14Knts over the ground plenty of progress. At least 3Knts of tide all the way to Jersey. We Dutch, used to flat lands, especially enjoy views and islands with high shores and hills surrounding beautiful bays. Distance sailed 52nm. From St. Hellier Marina (with a sill at the entrance) parts of the island were discovered by bicycle. Not to be recommanded unless you favour climbing a lot. A rental car would have been the better option. The St. Hellier Marina is not too charming; new construction and an industrial atmosphere conflicts with the island itself. Anchoring in the bay does the trick. Our first headwinds of our cruise on our way to Guernsey. A short 23nm trip. With a good 20Knts North Westerly winds beating our way up to St. Peter Port.Visibility and the weather improving by the hour gave a beautiful view of the Herm and Jethou islands east of Guernsey. White beaches and clear green-blue water, just like you imagine the Channel Islands. St. Peter Port is built on a hill and almost surrounds the habour. The inner marina is with limited access and kept at depth with a sill. In the port itself plenty of visitors pontoons are foreseen with direct access to shore, although it can be a climb with almost 10m of tide differences. Even fresh water is provided on the pontoons. The town is nice and with good atmosphere and flowers all over the towncentre. Plenty of shopping facilities and lots of places for food and drinks. A visit to the Royal Guernsey Yacht Club with its beautiful view over the port is worthwhile. Of course we had to buy the islands’ own courtesy flags. Something we were told worth to visit was the Beachette Marina only 6nm north to St. Peters Port – so close we even sailed by, driven by a fierce current. A well hidden old stone quarry with a very narrow entrance. Guidance from
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 21
Winner of the Donald McNamara Trophy St. Peter Port Guernsey.
the harbourmaster provides a safe entrance. It is not every day we have 18m depth in a marina! A nice hide out for walks along the Northern shore of Guernsey with beautiful beaches. A very good restaurant at the marina with wide sea views completed a good stay. Our last stop at the Islands was for Alderney, only 18nm away. In very light winds we motor-sailed to Braye Harbour and picked up a mooring. A wonderful island. Water taxi or dinghy to shore. This is also the last sail along with the High Five. As they had an extra week to spare, they sailed from Alderney to Darmouth, we headed directly north to Poole Harbour. The weather was to change with more wind expected. Wind direction now from the South Westerly, there was no complaining from our side. We were on our way back to Holland. Once in Poole Harbour (logging a 58nm) we were disturbed by serious sounds of a big ship and much to our surprise the ferry catamarans to the Channel Islands also enter the narrow channel of Poole Harbour. We thought we had left them behind. The following day we had a very nice sail of 28nm to Cowes through the Needles Channel in a good South
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22 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Westerly breeze increasing to 30Knts once we were in front of Cowes (right in between all sorts of yachts finishing the a Cowes Week race). Demonstrating Cowes was and is the centre of yachting history and future, all sorts of yachts sail or rather fly by: Volvo 65’s, ORMA 60’s tri, MOD 70, Clippers Race yachts, the Gipsy Moth – great to see! With lots of luck we were able to find a berth in the East Cowes Marina for 2 nights (at astronomical rates!). Cowes was buzzing. A visit to the shop of Beken of Cowes was worthwhile. Nice lunch at the Royal Corinthian with views onto the yachts racing. Cowes was our second goal of the cruise and once leaving Cowes we all had the feeling of going back home. Heading East through the Forts in the Solent we left for Newhaven (not for its beauty but for its practicality). We covered 51nm leaving dark clouds and rain behind us. The next day we passed Seven Sisters and Beachy Head, which we visited last year over land for a field hockey exchange in Eastbourne with Josephine. The burned down pier from Eastbourne was clearly visible. The intentions were to spend the night in Dover. However the Navtex
forecasts were not favourable predicting F 6-7 from the South, remaining strong for the next 24hrs.We decided to carry on for the night and cross the channel to be on the right side if the F7 would come through. Early next morning we tied up in Breskens noticing the first rain since departure. Another 142nm in one go. The next day a beautiful coastal cruise along Flushing and its high dunes. This is where we watch the sea during our autum holidays since long – now we we see it from the other side. Late arrival at Scheveningen (55nm) and a very early departure the next day brought us back in our home port in Muiden (47nm). A total logged of 806nm. More importantly – very happy people aboard, destinations seen and a reliable boat! The gribfiles showed really a lot of wind for whole week after. How lucky we have been. One more season in Holland (and a Fastnet Race 2015) is foreseen before coming to Scotland for a few seasons. We are looking forward to that!
Marc van Bemmel, Lemminkainen
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Winner of the Vatersay Cup
LOFOTEN 2014 7 July to 5 August 2014 Alba Explorer chartered from the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland Rob Humphreys design, built by Devonport Yachts for the BT Global Challenge of 2000/1 LOA 72’ (22m), Beam 18’ (5.49m), Draught 10’ (3.05m) Log by Emily Whyte aged 17
Tim flies from boom.
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Winner of the Vatersay Cup
T
his summer, twelve pupils from The Glasgow Academy, me included, undertook an expedition which was to give us an experience of a lifetime. The summer before sixteen pupils undertook a weekend of challenging tasks with a bare minimum of equipment to try out for the Lofoten team. On the first night we had one army ration pack to share for dinner and a small tarpaulin to sleep under. The weekend was a big treasure hunt during which we were pushed to the limit by walking for long hours at night and even taking part in a set-up cycling accident to test our first aid skills. Thankfully, I was selected from this group and we began our year of planning before we set off to Norway. We were to sail from Inverness to the Lofoten Islands then rock climb, mountaineer and sea kayak once there. Throughout last year we did a lot of fund raising from running the West Highland Way, to baking a large number of cakes. Finally though July arrived…
7 July 2014 We met at and departed from School and arrived in Inverness at 13:00 whereupon the group was introduced to the crew and kit stowed in the lazarette. We prepared for the coming expedition by hanking on the jib and staysail, later followed by an evening meal of a large spaghetti Bolognese. We began to plan our journey and went for a stroll down to the sea lock before having a mug of hot chocolate to help us enjoy our only calm night’s sleep until we saw land again on the other side of the North Sea.
8 July 2014 We had an early start to the day with happy hour, when the boat is cleaned, before we headed out of the sea lock leaving the Caledonian Canal behind. To reach the open sea we had to overcome our first hurdle (thankfully we did not need to jump over the Kessock Bridge only to fit under it). It has a clearance of 89’ 8” and our 72’ yacht’s mast verges on being too tall to clear it (air draft 95’). Fortunately we passed underneath at low tide with some space to spare and made our way along the Moray Firth.
The vessel that had been chartered was the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland’s yacht ‘Alba Explorer’. She is an ex BT Global Challenge Yacht built for the race in 2000 with a steel hull. The fleet of these yachts was developed to sail west about around the world, the ‘wrong way’, ie against the prevailing winds and currents, so our voyage was relatively short and easy for her. The first five days were filled with fog, seasickness and a new four hours on/four hours off routine. We began watch duties after lunch (my first one was 2000 – 2400) and so we had our first experience of night sailing. Unfortunately by this time some of the crew were beginning to feel the effects of motion sickness and the buckets were taken to bed. The team quickly fitted into their watch periods as we made good progress through the rough weather. Seasickness, however had taken down a few members of the team and some were unable to leave their bunks.
9 July 2014 This was one of the toughest watches I had on board; it was rough today. I and one other watch member had to helm for four hours and do all of the work as the rest of the watch was paralysed. Ally and I alternated between helming and resting. ‘Team A and E’ fought through and kept the boat moving. I too succumbed to seasickness later that day. A memorable quote from that rough day was from James. He succumbed after his meal, which he ate down below and was overheard telling his bucket “I got too ambitious”.
10 July 2014 The fog really set in today whereas it had previously only been variable, the foghorn was now on permanently. The mainsail was reefed because
of the conditions; however we still achieved a speed of 9.9Knts. Unfortunately due to seasickness we had lost three crew members who were unable to fulfil their duties and so more pressure was put onto the rest of the team. It was on this day that a large wave crashed over the boat and it happened to soak me as I was writing my log and ruined my notebook. The wave also broke over my meal of mince and tatties, splashing food about the cockpit. Another tough watch took place that night as it was windy, wet and cold. I can clearly remember huddling in front of the wheel asking myself why I had undertaken this madness.
11 July 2014 The fog had not dissipated at all and its cold fingers had begun to get to the morale of the crew. This was saved however by the beginning of a riddle competition and some fresh bread baked on board. One riddle answer has still not been discerned as Tim had forgotten the answer. I still ponder it to this day! We were also singing ‘Donald where’s your Troosers’ and we saw our first bit of sunshine for days. We had one crew member with serious pains in her back and we realised that we were going to have to make an unscheduled stop in to the Norwegian mainland. Kristiansund was the nearest town with a hospital so we headed there; entering the port at night with the most stunning sunset any of us had ever seen. The sight of land was welcoming to the team and the soft ribbon-like water with the orange dipping sun brightened our mood. It was magical entering the harbour formed by three islands with mountainous scenery surrounding us. The houses were all shapes sizes and colours and instantly I just wanted the moment to last forever. The islands were linked by bridges which we had to motor beneath to reach the safety of the harbour. Those five days had been the hardest that some of the team had ever experienced and we only survived due to biscuits, impossible riddles and the thought of our sleeping bags when we were released from watch.
The 4 girls jumping.
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Winner of the Vatersay Cup Sammy and Emily.
12 July 2014 In Kristiansund we went for an exploratory walk and had some ice cream before the boat headed out of the Harbour again. After leaving two crew members there we headed North only to experience another amazing sight. As the sun set that evening the moon rose on the opposite side so that they were facing each other. It is unlikely that I will ever see that again and so that made it the more magical to watch. On board we began to play a real life game of Cluedo for the rest of the voyage – this had some hilarious results and impossible challenges.
13 July 2014 My first watch had been at 04:00 and I had felt very groggy and tired as the lack of sleep caught up. It was nice however to know that we were making up ground after our forced stop in Kristiansand as we were motor sailing due to the wind being dead on the nose. All the previous fog of the trip had dispersed and it was sunny and windy for the rest of our trip. It was lovely to be out on a boat with the wind whipping our hair. One crew member was still suffering from
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seasickness and was still hiding in his bunk. The sun was only dipping beneath the horizon for about an hour and we saw the last sunset and sunrise of the whole trip as we were heading so far North that the sun would not set. There was a big swell that day, but a decent wind powered us along with our reefed sails.
14 July 2014 As the scenery brightened, so did our morale as our sailing skills had improved so much that we were trundling along at a good 10Knts with all three sails up, although the main was reefed. There was a small island called Traena which sits just below the Arctic Circle where we went ashore to mark having reached so far North and it was very interesting to see the traditional life of a small Norwegian village. We did not stay long ashore and continued our journey North. However it was on this island that we first saw mountains rising straight from the sea into the sky. After seeing this for the first time we saw hundreds more on the remainder of the journey to Lofotens. It made for the most awe inspiring views. As we crossed over the Arctic Circle (66° 33’ 44”) we celebrated with
a small party, indulging in biscuits, blowing bubbles and decorating ourselves as Hawaiians; we also began to make a cake. We had an amazing fajitas dinner and caught our first sight of a glacier in the Norwegian mountains on the mainland. The swell had decreased and the engine had been off for a while. I remember saying to Sammy that evening as we sat in the cockpit looking at the sun hiding behind the mountains and shafts of light reflecting down onto the sea. “Just look – those foggy miserable days were worth it – this is when I love sailing”. The sky that evening was a gorgeous pink as we had the last night of sailing on the boat. After a total of nine days of sailing we reached Svolvaer which is one of the main towns on the Lofoten Islands. It was here that we initially based ourselves as there was good access to the mountains as well as to super markets. We sadly said good bye to the boat and headed off to camp for the remainder of our time in Norway. The team quickly found their land legs as we scrambled up two peaks, Floya and Blatinden. These gave us a first glimpse of how chokingly beautiful the Norwegian mountains are.
Winner of the Vatersay Cup Our next campsite was situated at the foot of a large mountain, but very close to the sea. It was here that we found our favourite climbing spot of the whole trip. It was aptly name Paradise and consisted of sun-drenched granite and gloriously sparkling bays. It was here that we learned to ‘lead climb’ putting our lives in our own hands when placing the climbing gear into the rock.The team, however, had not expected sunny weather and as we climbed our energy was being sapped, so we decided to flip the clock onto its head and move into night mode.This was not difficult to do as there was twenty-four hour daylight. By climbing at night the team avoided burning themselves as much as they had and we could enjoy the coolness of a slight breeze. It was fortunate that we had done this as the days became hotter and hotter reaching 30 deg C which is way above the average of 15 deg C. For the next two weeks we varied our activities between rock climbing and mountaineering. A memorable walk was up a mountain called Trolltinden.The team was to trek up the steep side of the mountain; however, although the map showed a path, there was none to be found.This meant hacking away at overgrown plants reaching to the same height as us all. It took us twelve hours to get to the top passing lakes at each level of the mountain. Finally we had succeeded and we quickly collapsed exhausted into our sleeping bags.The next morning as we were bivvying out on a flat rock we woke to the most stunning view; this was a canopy of mountains above us each with its own glacier slipping down into the fiords below.This panorama topped with smoke rising off a small corrie behind us is what I imagine when I close my eyes and think back to this expedition. The trek had been a struggle, but with this view to reward us we were glad to have put in the effort.The weather closed in forcing us to retreat back down the The team on The Goat.
mountain, only to find the path we had sought on the way up. A memorable ascent was a climb called The Goat.This is a pinnacle with two prongs at the summit where some people jump from one to the other. We climbed at night with a great view over Svolvaer and a great pride on having completed one of the honey pot climbs.This rock formation at 54m high is many times the height of the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Cuillin Ridge on Skye. It was one of the best climbs I have ever done on some of the most amazing rock in the world. Looking down was a bit harrowing and even reaching across and up to some poor hand holds on pitch two made me perspire with fear. On reaching the top, however, everything had been worth the effort.The view and the pride of completing the climb, as well as doing it with friends, made this one of the more special moments in Lofoten. To diversify our trip we travelled to the most southerly tip of the Lofoten Islands. Here we pottered up to bivvy outside a DNT (Den Norske Turistforeningen) hut called Monkey Bu. We found a domestic cat lurking behind some rocks in the middle of nowhere and the next morning, as we ran down past a fjord to catch the local ferry, the cat began to follow us. Its dedication to following us down these treacherous paths meant that it became our mascot and we named it Ferry Cat. The loud noise of the boat, however, scared the beast away never to be seen again. Our last week of exploring the archipelago of Islands was back on the sea. This time we were in kayaks hired from Yan the Kayak Man. We experienced a new point of view, now craning up at the looming mountains. Our first day of kayaking led us to a secret coral beach where Arctic terns were diving for fish and the seabed was hidden by sea urchins. The turquoise water was very inviting and the distant mountains reminded us of the stunning landscape that we were camping in. The next day however the weather broke and we only managed to kayak around the little island that we were camping on. It was on this short exploration that we found a hidden sea loch that was warmer than the cold Norwegian Sea. Here we
All on the boom.
practiced capsizing and some boys tried to complete an Eskimo roll. The team had bought fishing equipment and we began to drop our lines. We caught a good quantity of fish to supplement our plain and simple dinners. The next afternoon we headed for Trolltinden Fjord. This is below the famous mountain and was also a hot spot for tourist boats. Whilst we were there the gang received six large cod from an Orca safari boat and also witnessed a huge Hurtigruten ferry enter and turn in the narrowest of channels. The fjord itself was awesome with towering smooth rock faces on either side stretching vertically out of the sea reaching incredible heights. It was impossible whilst sitting in your kayak looking up not to feel overwhelmed. The team then headed southwards down Eagle alley, spotting, of course, three white tailed eagles. Once arrived at our next campsite in Orca alley we went on our next fishing expedition. It was at this point that we caught sixteen large cod and managed to eat them all, having fried them on our tiny gas stoves. Our fishing was so successful that no other fishing will match up. Our campsite was on a white coral beach looking up at the array of mountain tops and as it was one of our last nights we all sat around the fire recounting tales of our favourite moments. The trip was such a huge success, as not only did we now have unforgettable stories, outdoor experience and new friends, we also had respect for one another for pushing ourselves to the limit. Before I left I was told that it would be a life changing experience, but I was a bit sceptical. I can now honestly say that I had the best and most hilarious four weeks of my life with so many memories I will never forget.
Emily Whyte, Alba Explorer
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LOG OF
SEEWOLF II SUMMER 2014 Moody 44 (1972) Ketch Owners David & Helen Holden
A
fter seven seasons away, summer 2014 finally saw us wrenching ourselves away from the delights of Baltic Cruising. Split into four sections, this is the log of our return trip from the east coast of Sweden and the Stockholm Archipelago
Seewolf Flying the flag Baltic style.
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Winner of the Caledonian Trophy back to the River Clyde. More new anchorages, places and countries were visited. Acquaintances were made and from the North Sea crossing part of the trip, valuable experiences (not all of which we would wish to repeat) stored into the sailing bank of experience.
LEG ONE The Stockholm Archipelago
CREW: DAVID & HELEN HOLDEN After Launching and commissioning Seewolf in late May, we returned to our marina berth in what has become our Swedish “Home Port” of Oxelosund. A short distance from the headland of Landsort and the gateway to the Stockholm Archipelago, Oxelosund is perfectly
placed for short or extended trips within what must be (after the West coast of Scotland, of course) one of the finest cruising grounds in the world. The plan was for the two of us to spend two to three weeks just pottering through the islands, enjoying the perfect weather, visiting new anchorages, as well as revisiting as many of our favourite ones as possible, before picking up crew and starting the long haul westwards to Home waters.
07 July – Log 10845
Barometer1018 Water Temperature 18 degrees We departed Oxo early in the afternoon and made for the beautiful anchorage of Ringson, a completely
Winner of the Caledonian Trophy sheltered spot where we have spent many a delightful night. The wind, needless to say was from the east, extremely light and forecast to remain so for the next few days. Distance 13m
08 July – Log 10858 – Ringson – 58.44N/17.26E
Barometer 1018 Water Temperature 18 degrees We went through Landsort after which the wind filled in for a short while and allowed us to sail a short distance North to the new anchorage of Stora Maskar. After much deliberation and referring to paper charts, Swedish pilot book, CMap and iPads we made our way in through a narrow channel to yet another pretty well sheltered anchorage. Distance 25m
09 July – Log 10883 – STORA Maskar – 58.53N/17.58E Barometer 1018 Water Temperature 19 degrees
With the anchor up and away, Dave was at the bow washing down the foredeck as we retrace our steps and make our way slowly (fortunately) to the “exit point”. All of a sudden, we hit a rock. Whilst not an uncommon occurrence for yachts cruising in these waters, as the many dents evident on keels at lift out are testimony to, we had rather prided ourselves (obviously in retrospect before a fall), on the fact that we had managed to avoid this in 7 seasons of cruising these rock strewn waters. The fear in these parts is always the problem of getting off, with no option to wait for tide to help. We successfully extracted ourselves and, fortunately in this instance, after I dived on the keel later in the day, we ascertained that no lasting damage had been done. Examination of our inward track showed that I had been a short distance to the north on exiting and that said rock was very definitely not marked on any of our navigation aids. Slightly chastened, and wondering what we would find when I dived on the keel later in the day, we nevertheless enjoyed a cracking sail, tacking around 25 miles north eastwards at 6-7 knots to Kolnasviken. Distance 31m
10 July – Log 10914 Kolnasviken – 59.05N/18.23E Barometer 1018 Water Temperature 21 degrees
We had a frustrating day watching dozens of yachts running in gentle ENE winds under full sail in the exact opposite direction to which we wished to go. With our objective being the very northern end of the archipelago, we decided that we might as well make as much Northing as we can. A combination of engine, sail and motor sailing saw us proceed north through the increasingly narrow channels which, when combined with the light airs, predicated against a heavy long keeled boat like Seewolf tacking. We eventually nosed our way into another new anchorage, Hemvik on Ladaon. Distance 32m
11-13 July – At anchor Hemvik We had three restful days at anchor, exploring this pretty island and making the acquaintance of Merv and Sandi from England who were spending three months on their 27 foot home built sloop exploring these waters. We were able to help them out by providing them with some water – the nearest pump well was a fairly strenuous walk away (with jerrycans). The weather was unrelentingly glorious, a constant 25-30 degrees and the sea at 19-20 degrees, just crying out for swimming each day. We did note, however, that as the winds were freshening outside our sheltered harbour, the barometer was starting to fall, indicating the passing of a weather system.
14 July – Log 10946 – Hemvik 59.25N/18.42E Barometer 1009 Water Temperature 18 degrees
We dragged ourselves away and motored a short distance north against a stiff 20 knot plus easterly wind to Paradiset. This anchorage is one of the most famous in the archipelago and attracts hundreds of yachts during the summer. Located on the island of Finhamn, as well as being extremely sheltered, it has the additional advantage of a ferry link to central Stockholm and we have previously used this as a crew change point.
Despite the fact that it attracts many yachts, it still manages not to feel crowded as the majority of Swedish and Finnish sailors elect to moor bows to the rocks, thus leaving a huge sheltered anchorage for larger yachts and the anchor diehards such as us who prefer to escape the mosquitos and lie to anchor. Distance 6 m
14 July – Log 10953 – Paradiset 59.28N/18.48E
Barometer 1007 Water Temperature 18 degrees The forecast wind change to the south materialised and we decided to make for the northern most point of our trip. As the wind gradually increased from 7-20 knots throughout the day, we enjoyed a brilliant 25 mile sail, initially running and then reaching at 7 knots plus towards Arholma. The usual succession of large ferries heading to/from Stockholm and Helsinki and sailing craft that is Sweden on summer holiday passed by. These ranged from beautiful, sleek, long, narrow, varnished 8/10 metre sloops to motor yachts and high speed RIBs, all with families on board and all waving to us. We arrived in Arholma which, at 12 metres depth, is one of the deepest anchorages that we visited. Needless to say, this was the precise point that the gypsy jammed on the windlass and in a gusting wind we quickly laid out 40m of chain by hand. Safely anchored and temporary repair to windlass effected, we enjoyed that wonderful feeling of glass in hand, watching everyone else either anchoring or tying to the rocks as the anchorage filled rapidly with yachts using Arholma as a staging post to/ from the Aland Islands. Distance 25m
15-16 July At anchor Arholma With the wind now not forecast to change to a northerly direction for a couple of days we took the opportunity for maintenance works, including the aforementioned windlass and varnishing. Another weather front passed through which saw a massive thunderstorm and the first rain of the trip. After an afternoon of torrential rain, service resumed as normal and clear skies returned. Two UK yachts appeared (making only three on our
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Winner of the Caledonian Trophy trip) and we were invited over to Kelpie for evening drinks. On board were David and Annette Ridout who, together with Angus and Bridget Dick of Swaraj, were on an informal RCC cruise of the area and heading towards Finland. We enjoyed a pleasant evening swapping notes and discovering mutual friends, acquaintances and yachts.
17 July – Log 10978 – Arholma 59.5N/19.7E
Barometer 1017 Water Temperature 17 degrees We left the most northerly point of our trip and started on the long trip south and eventually home. Before we left, however, we experienced yet another example of the unfailing kindness and helpfulness of Swedish sailors. A young lady in her late twenties accompanied by her four year old rowed over in a home-made clinker dinghy from a small yacht parked over at the rocks and offered us assistance. She told us that she saw the red ensign and, knowing that we were foreign to these waters, she was wondering if there was any information she could give us. Her own story was fascinating in that she and her husband had sailed the Atlantic with their little boy, then aged 2, in their 24 foot yacht. Having arrived and then cruised in the Caribbean for a period, she then fell pregnant with number two and they sold the boat out there before returning to Stockholm for the new arrival. She told me that they missed sailing so much and the boat they were on was an interim vessel whilst they counted down to “the big one” of sailing round the world in a larger yacht. This would, however, need to wait until the kids were eight to ten years old as she, not surprisingly, felt it would be too hard to cruise long-term with two wee ones! It’s great to know that adventure and ambition lives on! We then motored across glassy water for the Stor Nassa group of islands. Settled weather is required to stay overnight at this far outpost of the archipelago, and we had never previously had the right conditions. Fate decreed that this was not to be and, having anchored and had lunch, increasing SW winds and little swinging room forced us to
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reconsider our overnight options. We lifted anchor and headed 7 miles west under sail to the familiar shelter of Lokaon. Distance 40m
Baltic supper.
18 July – Lokaon – Log – 11017 59.24N/18.57E
Barometer 1020 Water Temperature 18 degrees After a peaceful night people watching as families gathered on the rocks to BBQ their suppers and pass the evening, we set off south through the beautiful Bocko Sund. The wind freshened enough to allow us to tack for a short period before we passed west through the ‘Sandhamm Gap’ which was very busy as boats from all over the archipelago filter through this area on their way to/ from Sandhamm, Sweden’s capital of Sailing. On this occasion, we bypassed the fleshpots of Sandhamn and instead made for another new anchorage of Namdo Skarvassa. Distance 19m
19 July – Namdo Skarvassa – Log 11030 – 59.12N/18.42E Barometer 1019 Water Temperature 17 degrees
We woke to find the water around the boat covered in the thick algae that is so common in these parts during the summer. As it certainly was not inviting for swimming, we instead drifted slowly southeast for all of 9 miles to Gronskarfladen. We arrived in time for lunch and extended swimming as Gronskar was clear of algae. We finished off a perfect day by rowing ashore and setting up our BBQ on a small rock – idyllic. Distance 8m
20 July – Gronskarfladen – Log 11045 – 59.08N/18.48E
Barometer 1019 Water Temperature 21 degrees Another lazy day started with a morning swim before we drifted South with an Easterly wind to Fjardlang. This is another narrow fjord like anchorage with room for only a few yachts to lie at anchor. We have visited here many times and although seemingly remote with no facilities by way of shops, water etc it is very popular with the locals. This, in part, is due to the fact that the island is
owned by the Archipelago Foundation who service the paths around the island, together with the earth toilets and rubbish bins on the shore and generally assure that landing on the island is a pleasant, peaceful experience for all. The majority of yachts always tie bow-to the steep rocks here and today was no different. Sweden was on holiday and tied to the shore – perfect shelter in the gentle easterly wind. As we were preparing to anchor, we realised that a sailor onshore was beckoning to us and suggesting that we should come in to tie up to the shore. We have moored “Baltic Style” on several occasions but generally in specific harbours where we know that there is sufficient depth close in and also that the wind is unlikely to shift, pushing our stern downwind. Generally cruising just two up, we have discovered a very definite “protocol” to the whole process of tying up. Firstly you nose in close to ascertain depth, in our case usually from a yacht already parked there. Having confirmed the depth your prospective neighbour, stands on the shore waiting to take one of the bow lines. Having deployed the fortress anchor on its tape reel, Dave steers the boat slowly in and I go forward, ready to pass over one of the lines and then go down onto terra firma from our bow ladder with the other line and attach said lines to trees or rock pitons. In turn, we then help the next arrival to park. It sounds congested and busy, but the amazing thing is that, after enjoying a convivial evening having BBQs and light refreshment on the warm rocks in the evening sun, all the kids suddenly stop running around and disappear
Winner of the Caledonian Trophy Seewolf Baltic mooring.
and by 22:00 everyone is in bed and total silence descends! This evening was no different. Interestingly our Swedish neighbours (as usual) spoke perfect English – almost too perfect as it turned out the mother was actually English, having come over as a student to Sweden twenty five years ago and never returned. Distance 7m
21 July Fjardlang – Log – 11052 – 59.02N/18.3E
Barometer 1019 Water Temperature 20 degrees We woke early after a peaceful night, preceded by a swim to cool off before bed. Fortunately we had taken the precaution of tying a breast rope out the night before which was now holding us perpendicular to the shore, in spite of a freshening beam-on wind which had developed more North in it overnight. This meant that we were able to sail part of the way to Nattaro, our last stop in the archipelago before picking up our crew at Nynashamn for the next leg south towards Copenhagen. An extremely hot day with temperatures in excess of thirty
degrees saw us lying at anchor in Nattaro, alternately swimming or seeking shelter under the Bimini. Distance 15m
22 July Nattaro – Log 11067 – 58.53N/18.8E Barometer 1019 Water Temperature 22 degrees
We left Nattaro early on an already sweltering morning for the 10 mile crossing North to Nynashamn to ensure that we got a place at the guest harbour. A busy port and transport hub, Nynashamn has the advantage of easy rail and bus links to Stockholm and, having successfully parked, we cleaned the boat, did laundry and provisioning whilst awaiting the arrival of our crew for Leg 2. Distance 7m
LEG 2 Nynashamn to Copenhagen
CREW: DAVID & HELEN HOLDEN, BARCLAY DOUGLAS, IAN DUNCAN After brief overnight pit-stop in Oxelosund, (Distance 36m) to say a final goodbye to our Swedish friends,
as well as pick up kit from Oxelosund Batvarv, where we have wintered the last five years, the journey south began in earnest with our first night in the Sant Anna islands at Harstena. Distance 28m
25 July Harstena – Log 11138 58.15N/17.01E Barometer 1020 Water Temperature 25 degrees
We had an early 06:30 start after a peaceful night and a pre bed swim to cool down in water temperatures of twenty seven degrees at 21:00! We now wanted to make miles and, instead of tracking through the many wonderful islands, we headed out east for an offshore route. In light Northerly winds we had the cruising chute up and down several times as we tried to maintain an average speed of 5 knots. Our intended destination was south of Vastervik and by 19:00 we had covered 65 miles and were approaching Kiddeholm. Again this was a clearly marked anchorage with an approach off the main channel and in the low sun we headed slowly
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Winner of the Caledonian Trophy The Bridge.
west into the entrance and towards a small channel marked with red and green buoys. Suffice to say it was little consolation later when we were told by a local yachtsman that we had been “extremely unlucky to hit the local stone at 2 metres”.Yet again, good soundings one minute, “bang“ the next and, after yet another encounter with an uncharted rock, we were feeling slightly bruised but fortunately unhurt. The local sailor who had seen us hit came out in his dinghy and escorted us in, telling us we were not the first by any means and that, in the morning, we would see the informal leading marks he had erected over his rather large shore-side house for his own yacht. With the sun being so low and the marks not mentioned in the guides, we had neither seen nor been looking for these which in the light of morning made leaving easy. Distance 65m
26 July – Kiddeholm – Log 11203 57.14N/16.3E
Barometer 1119 Water Temperature 23 degrees After an uneventful departure following the, by now very obvious and helpful, leading lines we headed south down the Kalmar Sound under full sail including the staysail. Having passed under Kalmar Bridge and making good speed, we stuck to our
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plan of doing one long hop overnight direct to the Danish Island that, at first glance on the chart, doesn’t exist – Christianso. Distance 126m
27 July – Christianso – Log 11329 55.19N/15.11E
Barometer 1012 Water Temperature 25 degrees We arrived at 10:20 after an excellent overnight sail averaging 5.5 knots plus as we reached ever Southwards on an Easterly breeze. An added bonus was missing the thunder, lightning and heavy rain which we saw in the distance. Officially we had arrived in Denmark and a new courtesy flag went up in the tiny harbour of the equally small island of Christianso. Our early arrival ensured that we found a place alongside in the tiny, but deep, harbour where a local told us to take the ferry berth as at the weekend, it was not due in until later the next day – perfect. Although tiny, this island, dominated by a small fortress and with all the original buildings intact, is magical and we spent the day walking around, swimming from the diving boards on the rocks and generally absorbing our first taste of Denmark. The general consensus was that this is a “must see” spot for anyone visiting the Baltic and transiting the Southern end of Sweden.
28 July Listed, Bornholm – Log 11339 55.68N/15.06E
Barometer 1010 Water Temperature 26 degrees Our original plan had been to head for Svaneke on Bornholm, however after Barclay and Helen met another couple as they all took their morning swim from the rocks, plans changed as we were persuaded that the tiny harbour of Listed would be a better option. Assured of deep water, space to manoeuvre and a helpful harbourmaster whose telephone number we were given, we duly headed the 10 miles South over to Bornholm. Suffice to say, that had we not had the prior assurances, we would probably have taken fright at the perilously narrow harbour entrance. However this was safely negotiated and the harbourmaster helped us into a perfect berth in this tiny, peaceful harbour. Although tiny, the shore-side facilities were all there and immaculately clean. Later in the day we walked the 3 km into Svaneke and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the harbour there, which was full of Danish yachts and tourists generally as Bornholm is one of Denmark’s main ’staycation’ holiday spots and it was high season. A swimming session also indicated that we must be approaching the mouth of the Baltic as, for the first time in five
Winner of the Caledonian Trophy years, the water feels slightly salty and, interestingly, more of Seewolf’s boottop is showing as she floats higher in the water. That evening, we enjoy a quayside BBQ and a stunning sunset going down on yet another magical day. Distance 11m
29 July Ronne, Bornholm – Log 11367 – 55.06N/ 14.4E
Barometer 1011 Water Temperature 20 degrees A crew change beckoned and, with excellent short communications to Copenhagen and the airport itself, we rounded the North end of Bornholm and made for the main town of Ronne. We covered the 28 miles largely under engine and berthed in the North guest harbour where our neighbours were a real cross section of countries from Europe; Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Holland, Germany and, of course, nearby Sweden. In an indication of how long we had actually been in the Baltic and in Swedish waters in particular, we were hailed by a couple on one of the
Swedish yachts. They turned out to be from Oxelosund and recognised Seewolf, having looked out their kitchen window at her every summer. They had also been parked alongside us during winter on several occasions. The rest of the day was spent on travel plan reconnaissance with Barclay opting to fly out the next morning. Distance 28m
30 July – 01 August
Guest Harbour: RONNE
LEG 3 Denmark to Peterhead
CREW: DAVID & HELEN HOLDEN, ROBERT & FIONA LINDO
02 August – Falsterbo, Sweden – LOG 11430 – 55.24N/12.56E
Barometer 1010 Water Temperature 20 degrees After a three day enforced stay due to high winds, we set sail with the new crew. With the benefit of an ever increasing ENE wind we sped across the main traffic channels
separating Denmark and the South of Sweden and headed north towards Copenhagen. After 65 miles and a maximum speed of 9.2 knots, we tied up back in Sweden at the north end of the Falsterbo Kanal. Distance 63m
03 August – Copenhagen, Denmark – Log 11461 55.24N/12.56E
Barometer 1009 Water Temperature 24 degrees Another day, another country saw us re-hoist the Danish courtesy flag after we passed under the iconic bridge connecting Malmo in Sweden with Copenhagen in Denmark. After attempting to berth at three different guest harbours in Copenhagen, all of which were full, we were directed by a local to a new facility, Sondre Frihavn, in the regenerated former docklands area of the city. This proved to be a useful find as it was both deep, easy to park and within walking distance of the city centre where we enjoyed a lovely meal that evening, courtesy of Robert and Fiona who had previously lived in the city and
Canons eye view Christianso.
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Winner of the Caledonian Trophy thus knew it well. It had been an extremely hot day but this was broken by a massive thunderstorm late in the evening, the rain from which we fortunately just missed as we walked back to the boat from dinner. Distance 31m
04 August – Helsingborg, Sweden – Log 11484 – 56.02N/12.41E Barometer 1012
The air felt much fresher and the sea colder and saltier as we headed up the Kattegat and there was a distinct impression that we were leaving the Baltic. We ended the day berthed on the Swedish side of the narrow two mile strait separating Sweden and Denmark at Helsingborg. This really was to be our last night in Sweden as we had opted to enter the North Sea by way of the Limfjord. Distance 23m
05 August – Grenaa, Denmark –Log – 11545 – 56.24N/10.55E Barometer 1012
We left at 06:30 and headed NE, alternately sailing and motor sailing. After another 60 plus mile day, we tied up alongside a large Danish yacht in the pretty guest harbour of Grenaa on the East side of the main Jutland peninsula of Denmark. On hearing our plans for the North Sea, our neighbour immediately said to
Still Home waters Oban.
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us, unprompted, “well you won’t be leaving on Friday or Saturday then”. Whilst we knew from our own examination of Met sites that strong winds were likely over the next few days, the Danish met office sites our neighbour showed us, appeared to indicate much stronger winds in excess of 35 knots. Whilst the Limfjord itself is relatively sheltered and effectively cuts out the Skaggerak, it nevertheless suggested that we might be delayed on the West side of Jutland depending on how quickly the weather system moved through. Distance 61m
06 August – Aalborg, Limfjord – Log – 11602 57.03N/ 09.54E Barometer 1016
Overnight we noted the Barometer had climbed quickly and the cloud patterns also suggested that something was definitely afoot weather-wise. We pressed on North West for the entrance to the Limfjord, between the sandbanks at Hals where we finally said ‘goodbye’ to the Baltic. After proceeding through fairly industrial and uninspiring scenery for 16 miles we tied up at the main town of Aalborg for the night. During the day the barometer had dropped back to 1010 and the weather forecasts were now showing consistently strong winds for the next few days. Hurricane Bertha and its associated
weather systems were now making their impact felt on this side of the Atlantic. It remained to be seen whether the tail end of the hurricane was to follow its predicted pattern over the South of England and Northern France or head North towards the North Sea. Distance 57m
07 August – Thisted, Limfjord – Log 11602 – 56.57N/08.41E Barometer 1009
With delay at our West coast exit point for the North Sea a certainty, we opted to see more of the Limfjord and diverted slightly to the pretty town of Thisted. Set in more agricultural surroundings, we were now seeing more of the attractive rural side of Denmark and the Limfjord proper. Thisted proved an excellent choice, with an excellent guest harbour maintained and run by the local yacht club and with all facilities either in the clubhouse or close by in the town itself. Distance 40m
08 August – Lemvig, Limfjord – Log 11683 – 56.33N/08.18E Barometer 1010
We passed through beautiful agricultural countryside and under several bridges before arriving 20 miles later at Lemvig. The guide book indicated that the yacht club guest harbour would probably be too
Winner of the Caledonian Trophy shallow for us as well as very tight to manoeuvre in, particularly in the strong winds that were now picking up. Instead we opted for the total shelter of the town quay which served us well in spite of the fact it felt like half the town was strolling by and having a good look at us. Given that we were to find ourselves there for four nights, its close proximity to the shops, and the local ice cream parlour in particular, was a bonus to the complete shelter it offered. Distance 40m
09-11 August – Lemvig Harbour The winds continued to strengthen and we recorded 35 knots tied up at our berth. Of more concern was the fact that the tail end of Hurricane Bertha was now tracking across the North Sea. We sat and waited, knowing we could not leave from the Limfjord for Thyboron 8 miles down the coast with the forecast winds. We enjoyed further meetings with local yachtsmen, one of whom took us in his car down the West Jutland coast to Thorsminde and the museum there. Given that the museum is home to all the marine artefacts from the many shipwrecks along this notoriously dangerous coast, this was perhaps not the best place to visit before what promised to be a not particularly pleasant crossing of the North Sea!
12 August – Thyboron – Log 11696 – 56.42N/08.13E Barometer 990
We had all began to suffer from Lemvig Syndrome and, although still blowing a proverbial hooly, after four nights we decided to move the 12 miles down the relatively sheltered waters of the Limfjord to Thyboron, a fishing and industrial port from where we were to exit into the North Sea. The wind was blowing a steady F7 as we made the short passage and safely berthed in the harbour. We now had the advantage that we could actually physically look out over the harbour wall and the sand dunes beyond to see the sea conditions. It certainly did not look good as we watched several large trawlers see-sawing their way out of the harbour and over the shallow waters and sandbars that mark
the entrance. Instead, we checked our lines and swapped notes with the many German and Dutch sailors all waiting in the harbour for a suitable weather window. We were hopeful that a small window of opportunity would present itself the next day. Distance 12m
13 August – 16 August North Sea Crossing Constant scanning of various sources of met info and the weather routing tool, PredictWind, suggested that if we didn’t want to be in Thyboron for another three days, we needed to leave that day. The forecast winds for the following 2436 hours, whilst strong, were from the SW. Our proposed route was to take us on a circle route Northward to the North of 58 degrees North and approximately 70 miles off the Norwegian coast. We decided to leave on the basis that if the winds didn’t do as forecast and became cyclonic after 36 hours before possibly shifting to a more easterly direction, we could always stop and reconvene on the Norwegian coast. We duly left at 11:00 to avoid a wind against tide exit and tumbled into the North Sea proper. As predicted, the first 6 hours were extremely boisterous but with Southerly winds and jib and mizzen we bowled Northwards averaging 6-7 knots. Also, as predicted, poor Robert, a fellow crewman from my ARC transatlantic, started being violently seasick, a state of affairs that was to continue for the entire crossing. With one crewman effectively out that left three of us; Dave and I doing single three hour watches and Fiona, not feeling confident enough to stand a solo watch, providing crossover cover for a period which meant we had some company during part of our watch. The first 48 hours went fine and good progress was made North before, still in sight of the Norwegian coast we turned west and headed 270 degrees direct to the Moray Firth. The nights were particularly magical as Fiona experienced her first overnight passage and witnessed shoals of dolphins with their trails of phosphorescence and other sea-life. The wind did become cyclonic and die altogether, during which period
we opted to motor and keep our average speed above 6 knots, just to get there as quickly as possible. Thereafter, when it filled in again, whilst initially from the North as predicted, it started to back and became more and more on the nose resulting in an increasingly close fetch in ever strengthening winds. More worryingly, and certainly not as predicted, Robert was showing no signs of recovery from sea sickness and, if anything, after 48 hours seemed worse. By this time we had passed through some of the major oil and gas fields and, with 150 miles still to go to Inverness, we decided to bear off and make for Peterhead, by now only 90 miles distant. This turned out to be a blessing as events below decks slowly developed into a serious medical situation. From around 60 miles out, Robert had been experiencing severe abdominal pains, was highly flushed and running a temperature. Something was clearly not right. As Dave continued at the helm, Fiona tended the sick below and Helen eventually established contact by VHF with Aberdeen coastguard through a relay call with an overhead helicopter flying out to the rigs who had heard our call and offered to help. The result of this, and the subsequent patched call through to the duty doctor at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, was that an ambulance was to be quayside waiting for us when we eventually did make Peterhead. We ploughed on motorsailing against the headwinds, eventually approaching Peterhead Harbour in the darkness of the wee small hours. The authorities were absolutely marvellous with coastguard, harbour master and ambulance crews all coordinated and in place to descend on the boat the minute she was berthed alongside. Having been met at the harbour mouth by one of the tug boats who had offered to show us the way to the berth through the huge expanse of this, Europe’s largest Whitefish, port, Robert was dispatched off in the waiting ambulance with Fiona whilst Dave and I were taken by the tug boat into the very inner harbour for the night. There we sat, looking at each other at
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Winner of the Caledonian Trophy 3 in the morning, asking ourselves if this had all really happened?! Distance 354m
17-20 August – Peterhead – Log 12050 – 57.3N/01.46W Barometer 1015
We remained weather bound in Peterhead Marina growing ever more frustrated at the strong NE winds that had established themselves. Peterhead Harbour authority are responsible for the Marina on the southern side of the harbour which was full of Dutch, Polish and German cruisers, all waiting for a suitable weather window to cross the North Sea.The harbour master managed to find us a space and we were able to leave the fish quay and enjoy the facilities of the marina which was obviously more geared up to yachtsmen. Meanwhile, Robert and Fiona were able to take their leave from us with Robert happily discharged and on the mend.Without breaking medical confidences, interestingly he had been told that with much longer at sea an even more serious situation would have developed, so thank goodness we had opted earlier to head for Peterhead. Dave and I were on our own for the rest of the journey home.
LEG 4 Peterhead to Rhu
CREW: DAVID & HELEN HOLDEN
20 August – Peterhead – Log 12051 Barometer 1010
The wind had been forecast to change to the South and to ease for 24 hours before reverting to strong Northerlies on the Thursday but on Wednesday morning , the wind started to ease and late afternoon saw some South in it. Together with a Dutch yacht, Nikisa, who was also heading for Inverness, we decided to head overnight direct to Inverness and try and round Rattray Head in what was the most likely favourable conditions. After having waited for the tide to rise enough over the sand bar at the entrance and with several people helping us to extricate ourselves from a tight position on a pontoon, we finally left Peterhead at 21:00. Suffice to say, it was one of the nastiest overnight trips we have made with the combination of wind and tide
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making its effects felt until well into the Moray Firth. I am extremely glad it was dark as then we couldn’t actually see just how much water was coming over, although the bilge was a good indicator!
21 August – Inverness – Log 12159 Barometer 1003
After a long night, dawn broke and Nikisa and ourselves were within 2 miles of each other with the worst behind us. The barometer continued to fall but as we approached Inverness, the rain stopped and the sun came out, enabling us and the boat to dry out a little. By 16:30 we had entered the sea-lock and subsequently moored at the Seaport Marina. Our decision to leave Peterhead had proved to be the right one with the 108 mile journey done in 19 hours, ahead of yet another lot of strong winds coming in. Distance 108m
22–23 August Transiting Caledonian Canal Distance 48m
24 August Corpach – Log 56.5N /5.08W Over two days we enjoyed stunning scenery as we transited the Caledonian Canal and at 10:45 on the Monday morning, Seewolf officially returned to the West Coast as we left the Corpach Sea Lock. It was as if Scotland was laying on its finest weather and scenery to welcome us back as we made our way south to Oban. This was where the circle was complete, having left from here on our travels 7.5 years ago. To mark the occasion, we invited David, Lesley and Tricia Scott, on whose mooring we were
safely parked, to join us and help put out of its misery a special bottle that had been lying in the bilge for just such an occasion! A very enjoyable evening ensued. Distance 30m
25 August Oban – Log 12236 – 56.24N/05.29W The next morning we were away by 10:30 in an ever freshening Easterly and heading for Crinan. Having bucked the tide at the Dorus Mor, and recording 35 knots of wind, we were safely tied up in Crinan Basin by 16:30 Distance 27m
26 August Crinan Canal – Log 12262 – 56.05N/05.33W The Crinan Canal laid on the best weather as we passed through without incident, enjoying the assistance of Steve Flannigan who had driven up for the day from Helensburgh to help us and experience a canal transit. By 16:00 we were tied up at Ardrishaig, enjoying a very early sundowner in the company of a Bearsden couple who had been walking the length of the canal and had offered their assistance at various points – all very welcome when you are only shorthanded. Distance 9M
27 August – Ardrishaig – Log 12272 – 56.07N/05.26W Barometer 1015
We were out of the sea-lock at 08:40 And sped towards Rhu. The blustery E wind that was forecast continued to strengthen and, under full sail, we charged homeward through the Kyles arriving at Rhu Marina At 16:30. Distance 43M.
David and Helen Holden, Seawolf II
Journeys End – Rhu – Log 12315 – 56.07N/04.46W Barometer 1015, Water Temperature 12 Degrees Total Distances Covered Leg One
229 Miles
Leg Two
Nynashamn – Bornholm
294 Miles
Leg Three
Bornholm – Peterhead
681 Miles
Leg Four
Peterhead – Rhu
264 Miles
Total
1468 Miles
Silvers • • • • • • • • • •
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01436 831222 Silvers Marine, Silverhills, Rosneath, Argyll & Bute G84 0RW Tel 01436 831222 • Fax 01436 831879 Email info@silversmarine.co.uk Web www.silversmarine.co.uk
A DIVISION OF
Winner of the R.G.Mowat Memorial Trophy Shian on a windward passage from Dominica to Martinique.
SHIAN’S
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38 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
EVENTFUL WINTER CRUISE 2013/14
Winner of the R.G.Mowat Memorial Trophy Paul and Janie Read Shian is an Olsen 40 – a one-off built in Denmark in 1989 Home Port: South Shian
W
e returned to the UK in mid December 2013, following a TransPacific crossing in a container ship and a land based holiday in New Zealand, and had our first Christmas in our land home for 9 years. As a consequence, we returned to Shian later in the Caribbean sailing season than usual, arriving in Antigua in early January rather than early November. Shian had been stored ashore in Jolly Harbour for eight months so we spent a hectic couple of weeks completing some boat improvement projects and commissioning her. We rented a small villa for part of this period, which made boat jobs easier and allowed us to have Shian’s brightwork stripped and re-varnished. Antigua is the ideal place for this work as the varnish tradesmen service the super-yachts and are amongst the best in the Caribbean. It was an enjoyable time, particularly in the company of friends, but we were feeling tired after three months of travelling. One bonus in Antigua was that we were able to enjoy the unexpected company of Helen and Mark Hampton and their young sons, who were completing two month’s cruising on Mark’s father’s yacht. Helen is the youngest daughter of our Edinburgh friends Jim and Ann Buchanan (CCC). Sadly, Jim passed away in August. In January, little did we think that the next time we met with Helen and her family it would be at her father’s funeral. For our shorter sailing season we had planned to head north to the Virgin Islands and then cruise South down the island chain to Trinidad, where Shian was to be laid up for hurricane season. Paramount in this plan was the desire to attend the Ocean Cruising Club 60thAnniversary celebrations in Dominica in mid March. We sailed from Antigua to St. Barths on 23 January, making the most of a short weather window during an early winter season that had been
dominated by enhanced Trade Winds and big seas. In St. Barths we spent almost a week relaxing in one of our favourite anchorages, Anse de Colombier, but by this time we had our first indications that Janie was not 100% fit. We then sailed north to Sint Maarten and anchored in the sheltered waters of Simpson Bay Lagoon, intending to take advantage of the island’s tax free status to stock up with boat spares for Shian and new clothes for ourselves, as well as enjoying the buzz of this busy place. However, within a couple of days of arrival, we realised that Janie had shingles. Medics confirmed our diagnosis and told us she would not be fully fit for six weeks. Much to our surprise they were absolutely right! She was extremely unwell and we lingered in the Lagoon for two weeks while she did little other than sleep. Under the circumstances it was a good place to be – a calm anchorage with easy access to good facilities, including doctors, pharmacists and take-away restaurants. The restaurants were appreciated by Paul who was running Shian single handed. It was clear that a Plan B was required for the rest of the season’s sailing, so our visit to the Virgin Islands was abandoned leaving us with almost three months for a leisurely cruise south to Trinidad. As soon as Janie had sufficient energy, we returned to Anse de Colombier for convalescence. It was while we were anchored there that we saw and photographed an exceptionally vivid green flash. The green flash is an optical phenomenon which, in the right conditions, occurs immediately after sunset and is visible in the absence of horizon cloud. It is more
intense close to the Equator and is caused by a mirage effect intensifying refraction. These are not uncommon in the Caribbean but they are difficult to capture on camera. Shian’s log records eleven sightings during the season. The winter of 2013/14 in the Caribbean continued to be exceptionally windy and squally and, in these conditions, the anchorage of Anse de Colombier was ideal for resting and doing very little. Swimming and snorkelling conditions in Anse de Colombier are near perfect but, to Janie’s frustration, she was not allowed in the sea whilst the shingles persisted. Nevertheless, time passed quickly and, during the third week of February, we sailed south to St. Kitts and Nevis. Unfortunately, our forecast weather window of milder conditions proved inaccurate and we had a very tough 51 mile windward passage to St. Kitts, during which it was clear that Janie was still far from fit. Once we had cleared Customs and Immigration in Nevis, we anchored in delightful Whitehouse Bay, St. Kitts where we settled ourselves for another week of convalescence. At the end of February we took advantage of another forecast of moderate winds to sail the 76 miles to Dehaise, Guadaloupe.Yet again, this was a strenuous windward passage, passing Montserrat and its active volcano close to leeward, but it was a good sail and Janie managed well. After a couple of pleasant days, but windy nights, in Deshaise, we sailed south again to the French holiday islands of Isles de Saintes. Here we had the good fortune to meet up with Douglas and Mary Lindsay (in years past, the owners and masters of the charter vessel Corryvreckan) and their crew of family and friends who were cruising a chartered catamaran – the yacht, about the size of a tennis court, was ideal for entertaining and we had a pleasant evening aboard with them. By this time Janie was really on the mend and was once more an active crew for the short passage to
The green flash seen from Anse de Colombier, St. Barths.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 39
Winner of the R.G.Mowat Memorial Trophy Simpson Bay Lagoon, with the anchorage at Marigot Bay, on the French side of the island, in the foreground.
Prince Rupert’s Bay in Dominica. It was just as well that she was fit as we then took part in and assisted with the OCC Anniversary celebrations. These were organised by the OCC Roving Rear Commodores for the Eastern Caribbean, our friends John and Chris Lytle of Oriole. They did a marvellous job and the crews from nineteen yachts enjoyed; a special lunch with entertaining speakers in the restored Officer’s Quarters at Fort Shirley; hiking in the rain forest; a local cooking demonstration held on the beach; and various informal gatherings. Janie managed the four hours of strenuous hiking in the rain forest, at the end of which we declared her fully recovered. By mid March the winter Trade Winds were moderating but, as inevitably happens, the mild conditions that we had enjoyed at anchor in Dominica were forecast to end at the same time as the OCC celebrations. So we chose to miss the last day of these in order to have an easier passage south to Martinique. This proved to be an excellent sail, although we experienced exceptionally strong tidal currents. These strong currents plagued cruisers for the next few weeks, building steep seas around the islands. In Martinique we lingered in our favourite anchorages – it really is a delightful island to cruise and we enjoyed a
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40 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
rare period with time to ourselves. We hiked, swam a lot and enjoyed some excellent French restaurants. In short, we had a holiday! We continued our cruise south from Martinique, spending four days in Rodney Bay Marina, St. Lucia, catching up with some maintenance and re-provisioning before moving on to the Grenadines. The moderate winds continued and we were able to make the best of our short stays in Bequia, the Tobago Cays and Mayreau. It was whilst we were leaving Admiralty Bay, Bequia that we heard on our morning OCC radio net the dreadful news that Oriole had been hit by a ship whilst anchored in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou. We were less than two day’s sail from Tyrrel Bay but our help was not urgently required so it was another five days before we arrived at the scene of the accident. The story of Oriole’s accident is complicated but worth relating. An ancient car ferry got stuck in reverse whilst trying to go alongside a dock during sea trials and it ran into the port side of Oriole at anchor in the busy anchorage.This would have capsized Oriole but for two factors which saved the yacht and the lives of our friends, John and Chris. First, they were in their cockpit at the time enjoying a cup of tea and, realising their fate, they were able to start Oriole’s engine and engage forward just before the ferry hit. The consequence of this was that the
ferry hit Oriole’s stern quarter, rather than amidships.The second factor was the breaking of her back stay (with the subsequent toppling of the top section of her mast) which allowed Oriole to right herself. Before Oriole righted herself she heeled to such an extent that her tender, hanging above the water at deck level, launched itself and provided a safe means for John and Chris to “abandon ship”. John and Chris escaped the accident suffering only from shock but Oriole was less fortunate. Repairs sufficient to make Oriole seaworthy took two weeks, with the aim of getting her to Trinidad under her own steam for the major repairs that would be necessary. Paul was able to assist with these. Many other cruisers, as well as local residents of the island, gave moral and actual The damaged yacht Oriole, under jury rig on passage to Grenada.
Winner of the R.G.Mowat Memorial Trophy
Learning to cook breadfruit at the OCC celebrations, Portsmouth, Dominica.
support and an insurance surveyor came out from Grenada to undertake a damage assessment. By 11 April Oriole was ready to take advantage of a weather window and make the short passage of 34 miles to St. Georges, Grenada. Her now stumpy mast had been stayed and she carried a jury rig of a small staysail, borrowed from us, and a trysail, loaned by English single-handed sailor Dan Hogarth of Eschaton. This allowed Oriole to motor-sail at about 6 knots with some stability, while the bright orange trysail made her easy to spot. We acted as Oriole’s safety boat by sailing in close company with her. The passage went smoothly and all boded well for the much longer and more difficult passage to Trinidad. Together we had an enjoyable few days in Port Louis Marina whilst finalising passage preparations and awaiting the insurance surveyor’s approval for the passage to Trinidad. This was granted on 14 April and, after a night at anchor in Prickly Bay, where Dan Hogarth joined the crew of Oriole to provide additional manpower, we set off for the 90 miles passage to Chaguaramus, Trinidad. It was a difficult and worrying passage for both yachts but all went well; other than the discovery, when 15 miles out to sea, that Oriole was taking water through her damaged
deck fittings. Oriole’s crew pumped every hour during the remaining time of the fourteen hours passage and we kept in close company with them in case urgent help was needed. During this passage we gained a new respect for the role of rescue boats as we found that maintaining a safe but close proximity to the casualty, whilst primarily under sail, a challenging task. We left Grenada in the dark at 04:30 and arrived in Trinidad in darkness, just after sunset, and it was very tired crew who made their yachts fast to the docks at Crews Inn Marina, Chaguaramus at 19:00. However, the crew of Shian did have some lighter moments during the passage, courtesy of wildlife. A tiny land bird, with no fear of humans, came aboard Shian mid passage; it walked over us, pecked us and ate some banana from Paul’s hand. Then, just as we were entering the Boca, the narrow channel leading from the open sea into Chaguaramas, Shian was surrounded by dozens and dozens of the most playful dolphins we have ever encountered. What a memorable welcome to Trinidad they gave us. Shian had arrived in Trinidad earlier than planned so that, instead of spending a relaxing Easter in Hogg Island, Grenada, we had three weeks in which to lay up Shian for the summer. In this time we were able to undertake a number of unscheduled maintenance jobs, prepare her for
a ten yearly insurance survey and valuation and also take part in a hectic social life. The latter is one of the features of Trinidad that make it such a popular place to lay-up. Shian was hauled in Power Boats yard on May 5 and we flew home a few days later, with our return scheduled for 9 November. A photographic record of this cruise can be viewed at www.picturetrail.com/shian
Paul and Janie Read, Shian Dates of Cruise: 21 January 2014 to 15 April 2014 Sail: 477 miles Total Days: 3 months Motor sail: 90 miles No. of overnight anchorages: 25 (some visited more than once) Power: 41 miles No. of short stay anchorages: 1 Crew: Paul and Jane Read Total: 598 miles
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 41
Winner of Christie Watson Point Of Sleat.
Skye Back
To
and
Dream Catcher, Bavaria 40 Crew: Alastair, Dorothy & Ewen Cameron
Friday 4 July We had hoped to be off to Ardrishaig sharp to beat the charge of Tobermory Racers the next day. However, wind and rain were pinning us into Rhu Marina. Rod, our crew from Rhu to Crinan, made a truly valiant attempt at drinking all our coffee and eating all our biscuits. We left at 15:00, the rain now just drizzle, and the wind SW on the nose. By some miracle, the sun came out at the Cloch, after which it was dry and bright all the way. We motored to the Kyles, sailed down to Ardlamont, but were forced to motor-sail after that.
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42 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Dorothy brought out a humungous home-made steak pie for dinner. After our long sail we ate it with gusto, after which we all felt fatso.
Saturday 5 July We entered the canal basin, and ended up going through the canal with Tom and Roz Cunliffe on their lovely Mason 44, Constance. I must admit I did feel under pressure to perform in such august company, but the Dream Team and I – Dorothy, Ewen, and Rod – managed to give a good account of ourselves. In fact,
Tom complimented me on my boat handling. I shall be citing that in defence when next being berated by Dorothy for cocking up some manoeuvre or other. We even got a photo in Tom’s “Skippers Tips” in the October Yachting Monthly! We stopped just past Cairnbaan, where I tackled one of the Jabsco Twins, returning it to full working order.You can never have too many gaskets, springs, o-rings and joker valves as far as I am concerned. Why is it called a Joker Valve by the way? – I wasn’t laughing! We spruced up before having a very nice whisky and
Winner of Christie Watson Ardalanish Bay.
interesting chat on board Constance. She is a quality boat, beautifully finished. We then all walked along to the pub for a meal with the Lyrebird crew. It was an eventful meal, fuelled by good food, good spirits and a small libation or two.
Sunday 6 July We completed the rest of the canal transit, again in company with Tom & Roz. It was another beautiful day, and we were glad that the West Coast was showing them her good side. We tied up in the top basin and had lunch with Rod and Ellen, before they returned to the real world. We exited the canal and went round to the moorings to check the boat over and wait for the tide. I nearly broke my teeth on the pulpit
while putting the anchor on. 25kg isn’t easy to manoeuvre at arm’s length while contorting over the bow. We caught the start of the tide through the Dorus Mor, sailing north towards the Sound Of Mull. The wind gradually died so we motored the last few miles to Lochaline, arriving at about 21:30.
14:00, after which we had drinks and nibbles aboard Dream Catcher. Then the boat needed cleaning again. Mucky lot! We had dinner at the Western Isles, the views over Tobermory Bay stunning on such a lovely evening. After a good meal we returned to the boats via the Mishnish.
Monday 7 July
Tuesday 8 July
I was up at 08:00, paid our dues, and then filled up with water. The crew had a long lie, bless them. We left at 10:00, motoring and sailing up to Tobermory in up to 25kts of wind. The rush for berths at the pontoons was like the start of a Le Mans race, but we breenged in (good word that) and got a spot.I cleaned the canal muck off the boat, and did some polishing. Lyrebird arrived at about
We woke to a grey day, with mist and clouds. However, the forecast was promising for the rest of the week. We showered, and then left at lunchtime. We put in a couple of tacks out to Ardnamurchan Point, before close reaching to Port Mor on Muck. By this time the day had turned out much better. We anchored, then went ashore for a walk in the sun. Like Canna, there is an honesty shop
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Winner of Christie Watson selling local crafts and basic provisions. The island has a traditional feel, despite a lot of new building. Back on board, we had a mountainous combo of chicken curry, naan, rice, poppadoms, prawn crackers, rhubarb crumble, custard, and beer. Sitting in the cockpit later I could see heartburn on the horizon, which soon materialised in spectacular fashion.
Wednesday 9 July It was a lovely sunny and warm morning. We walked over the island to Gallanach Bay in the company of Clive and Flora. Believe it or not, the tar on the road was melting with the heat! Coffee and a chunk of carrot cake at the Lodge were very good indeed, as we sat in their garden admiring the vista. Back on board, Dorothy chose Loch Ailort as today’s destination. It turned out to be an inspired choice. We had a good sail on a broad reach, with Clive on Lyrebird tweaking everything in sight to catch up. We anchored in the sandy bay behind Eilan Na Caolas. What a beautiful place. We had a barbecue on the beach that night, followed by a bonfire. It was a superb evening. There was lots of discussion about tomorrow’s destination – Lochs Slapin, Hourn, Nevis, and Scavaig were just a few which were proposed. The beauty of cruising on the Scottish West Coast is that there are so many wonderful places to visit.
Thursday 10 July. Yet another sunny, blue-sky day. Dorothy was on a roll, this time choosing Point Of Sleat. We’d never considered it before, but what a beautiful place it was. The wind was light and on the nose, so we motored there, arriving in early afternoon. Lyrebird arrived a while later, having persevered with something called “tacking”, whatever that is. We all went ashore to explore; then relaxed on the sandy beach for a while. Back on board we had predinner drinks in the sunny cockpit. It was our last evening in company. Mind you, they do say that fish and friends go off after a few days!
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44 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Friday 11 July After going north into a northerly, we were now going south into a southerly. We were cheered up, however, when a certain CCC office bearer dropped his ensign overboard and turned the crystal clear air blue. We headed south, past Rhum, Eigg, Muck, and Ardnamurchan Point. Weary of motoring for so long, we hoisted sail and bore off for Loch a' Chumhainn on Mull. We anchored south of the obelisk as per the Directions, then Dorothy and I went ashore, threading between the islets to the little jetty. The atmosphere was just like the Outer Hebrides: the tiny harbour with a couple of small fishing boats, laid back locals, a single track road, stone cottages, old cars, and a general air of peace. Back on board, I read the first 100 pages of Good Vibrations, given to me by Tom Cunliffe. It is about Tom and Roz riding across America on Harley Davidson motorcycles, and has many parallels with a sailing voyage. I recommend it highly, particularly for middle aged ex-bikers like myself.
Saturday 12 July We left Loch a' Chumhainn at 9 o’clock, tacked to Caliach Point, then down past Staffa to Iona. It was pretty miserable, with cloud and drizzle, heavy showers, and newly leaking wellies. The wind was very strong from the south, so we anchored in the bay at the northwest of Iona to wait for the forecast northwesterly. Eventually at 19:00 we upanchored and motored round to Bull Hole. We didn’t like the look of the place, what with the swell, the tide, the ferry and the moorings, so we moved on to Tinkers Hole. A boisterous ride through the rocks in the short-cut entrance was followed by total tranquillity inside. There were a couple of boats already there, but still plenty of room to anchor.
Sunday 13 July The wind was in the northwest at last. We motored round to Iona and picked up a mooring. Dorothy and Ewen rowed ashore to visit the Cathedral and buy some provisions. I stayed on board to do some running maintenance, or footering as it is
better known. When launching the dinghy to return, the dynamic duo got absolutely drenched. I think they’ll check for ferry wash next time! We dropped the mooring and sailed to Ardalanish Bay. We’d read about it in the sailing directions, and it seemed like a good stop-off on our way to Crinan. We tried hard to sail, but the wind was light and the swell was big, with the preventer being put to constant use. When the tide turned, we motored the last mile or two. The entrance to the anchorage in Ardalanish is not obvious at first, and is very narrow. And of course there was a small fishing boat on a mooring in the ideal anchoring spot. We dropped the hook nearby and went ashore to explore. I climbed up to the top of the cliffs, with bracken up to my shoulders in places, and holes in the ground swallowing me up from time to time. Surprisingly, no fatal injuries were sustained, and the photos were worth the effort. It had been a lovely sunny afternoon and evening, and we sat out in the cockpit drinking in the atmosphere (and possibly a beer or two as well). My new book/magazine rack caused a bit of a ruckus, with Ewen banging his shoulder off it several times. But more importantly I had to initiate a signing-out policy for the contents. People were just helping themselves without permission, and not returning items, for goodness sake!
Monday 14 July A bad night. Ardalanish may be sheltered from the wind, but a westerly swell finds its way in. We rolled like a pig, with the phantom ping-pong ball in the anchor locker going its dinger. To catch the tide through the Dorus Mor, we had to leave at 06:00. A mutinous crew was supplied with tea while I prepared to leave. Anchor up, and away on time, picking our way back out through rocks, mist and drizzle. After that we were close hauled toward the Garvellachs in 20-25Kts of wind, just about holding full sail, then over to the Sound Of Luing.
Winner of Christie Watson
Constance & Dream Catcher.
By this time the crew mutiny was in full swing and they had gone back to dry beds, leaving me to suffer in cold and wet solitary confinement in the cockpit. We shot through the Sound at 14Kts over the ground. By this time I had furled the genoa, which was just as well in the gusty conditions. Other boats were gybing and rounding up all over the place. I saw 36kts on the wind instrument at one point. The Dorus Mor itself was flat calm, and we motor-sailed through and into Crinan Harbour to pick up a mooring. It was still raining! I looked at my watch and couldn’t believe it was only 11:00! After a lunch of scrambled eggs and parma ham we went ashore for much needed showers and a good coffee in the café. On the way back to the boat I nipped into the chandlers to buy some new wellies, as my feet were becoming distinctly webbed. We
had Wi-Fi at the mooring and got a promising forecast for rounding the Mull in a few days. It became windy again, so we ate on board. Dorothy raided the food locker and concocted a delicious meal of gammon, tinned potatoes (out of date), and cheese, all cooked in the oven, with fried eggs. After dinner, we read our books before watching a spectacular sunset through a cleft in the cloud bank over Jura and Scarba.
the north end. Ewen and Brodie rowed ashore to the beach while we prepared the dinner. We used our new barbecue (thanks Jane) to cook the steaks, which was a great success. Dorothy found a tin of apples (only a year out of date) in the tin locker and made apple crumble with a packet of crumble mix. Nice. Brodie and I did some unsuccessful fishing. Will I ever catch ANYTHING?
Tuesday 15 July
I finished off last night’s crumble for breakfast, and read in the cockpit while the world slept beneath me. When they did appear, we had a lazy morning, culminating in bacon, eggs, and potato scones. Having fought the tide to Gigha, we didn’t fancy a return match going north to Crinan again today. We negotiated with Ewen and Brodie that we would drop them off at Kennacraig, where they could get
A sunny and warm start. After doing my daily tea-run to the cabins I went ashore to get some diesel. The plastic “pontoon” at Crinan Boatyard made me feel like I was in an “It’s a Knock Out “ game, trying to keep my feet while carrying cans of diesel to the dinghy. Ewen’s friend Brodie arrived at 12:00, after which we left for Gigha. We anchored in Dorlain Bay at
Wednesday 16 July
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 45
Winner of Christie Watson Loch Ailort BBQ.
a taxi to Crinan to pick up the car. We anchored off the ferry pier, and I rowed them ashore. Dorothy and I motored back down West Loch Tarbert and on to Ardminish Bay on Gigha, in preparation for rounding the Mull. Where are the 24 visitors mooring promised in Welcome Anchorages? We had to anchor, but judged it nicely between the other anchored boats. Betty Blue (Fisher 25), our neighbour on the hard at James Watt Dock, was there, enjoying a relaxing cruise. A walk ashore gave us an appetite for pea & ham soup and steak pies (only just out of date this time) for dinner. We got a good forecast – no easterly wind until Thursday evening, by which time we’d be back in the Clyde. I tied the dinghy up on the stern in preparation for tomorrow.
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46 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Every half knot counts on a long trip. I then checked my tidal calculations for the umpteenth time! We had expected the Gruesome Twosome on Lyrebird to appear, but they hadn’t quite made it this far south. If I had a pound for every time Dorothy said “Is that them?” I’d be a rich man. It was the same navigation buoy she saw every time!
Thursday 17 July Weighed anchor at 07:30 in flat calm and sunshine with a thick layer of mist floating on the water. Beautiful. Of course the downside of such a day is a total lack of wind. We motored right round the Mull, catching the start of the tide north of the lighthouse and carrying it all the way round. At the Arranman’s Barrels buoy a breeze got up and we managed to
sail for a while. It died again near Pladda, so we motored the rest of the way to Lamlash. We picked up a visitors mooring, or so we thought. A few hours later, when the mooring fees were being collected, we were told it wasn’t actually a visitors mooring. This happened just as we were about to go ashore in our glad rags, so I had to change back into the scruffy gear and move to another identical looking mooring. Unfortunately I got jellyfish stings on my hands during this manoeuvre, making my hands fiery red and tingly. Dorothy decided that we wouldn’t need the outboard to get ashore. Clearly she wasn’t rowing with hands which felt like they were about to spontaneously combust. And it was further than it looked! A couple of
Winner of Christie Watson Port Mor.
pints of real ale in the Lamlash Hotel soothed the pain though. The Pier Head Tavern, where I had previously set a newspaper on fire with a table candle, appeared to be closed. I hoped the two events were not connected. We managed to contact Lyrebird, who were ferry-dodging at Gigha when we called. They were a day behind us, as we had thought, but we had wanted to make use of the favourable weather today. As it turned out, that was a good decision, as the forecast was for a strong easterly tomorrow, By the time we rowed back out to the boat, my face colour was matching my hands. Only this time it was the sun which was the culprit, despite having used sunblock. I smeared my hands with Savlon and plastered my face with Nivea as we sat
and enjoyed the rest of the evening in the cockpit. I had one more attempt at fishing, unsuccessfully of course. This time it was made worse by the Lamlash fish mocking me by jumping all round the boat.
Friday 18 July It was a disturbed night. I was kept awake half the night with the USS Nimitz bashing off our hull, or so it felt. Rushing on deck to investigate the first battering, it turned out only to be the mooring buoy at slack tide. The next disturbance was a huge swell from the north entrance to the bay. We got up at about nine, with a strong north wind funnelling through the bay. We reefed the main on the mooring, before setting off
on our last leg. We crossed to the Cumbraes, powering along at 7-8 knots. Thereafter the wind was up and down like a yoyo, reaching 40kts at one point. At least we got good practice putting reefs in and out. As we returned to our mooring at the Royal Northern we were doing 9kts through the Rhu narrows. We picked up the mooring and relaxed for a while before returning the boat back to some semblance of tidiness. The remains of our fresh food were made into a “risotto”. We had a quiet, if windy, evening on board and disembarked the next day. Total Distance 410 Miles
Alastair Cameron, Dream Catcher
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 47
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Winner of the The Ogg Cup
A Lighthouse Cruise Round the Inner Hebrides Skipper: Geoff Crowley Crew: Matt Crowley, Mike Eccles (2 days) Boat: Contender, Rival 32
T
he third weekend in August each year is International Lighthouse Weekend. Part of that event is that radio amateurs (ham radio) set up a transmitter at lighthouses and speak to each other. This year there were 544 lighthouses
or lightships in 50 countries. Radio hams “collect” these lighthouses a bit like stamp collectors collect new countries, editions etc. In recent years, son Matt and I have visited some lighthouses that are less accessible, and transmitted from Contender anchored as close as practical. We’ve
done this from Skerryvore, Hyskeir, and many lesser known lights. In 2013 we were at Little Cumbrae, but a strong South-easterly made our anchorage near the castle very uncomfortable so we abandoned, but had vowed to come back. So this year our cruise started with 2 nights at
Contender.
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50 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Winner of the The Ogg Cup
Little Cumbrae with the intention of then sailing to Skye. Contender is a Rival 32, and some years ago I bought a half share from, until then, full owner Douglas Ashmead who has sailed her everywhere on the West Coast for nearly 40 years of her 41 years life. In 2007 changing the standing rigging gave opportunity to install an SSB radio and, as a keen radio amateur, to transmit “maritime mobile” as its known.
Friday 15 August We left Rhu at 19:45 in SW, F3 and motor-sailed to Little Cumbrae, arriving at 23:40 and anchoring in the same spot as last year and went to bed. We were three at this stage, having been joined for this weekend by Mike, a radio friend with no boating experience. He soon discovered that he gets seasick!
Saturday 16 August It must have seemed strange to on-lookers to see a yacht anchored for two days in one spot, seemingly doing nothing, but we were busy on the radio, and made contact with about two hundred others; either lighthouses or those wanting to speak
to someone at one. The furthest were Canada and India.
Sunday 17 August Mike had intended to go home Sunday. The wind was F6-7, but from the West, so we were sheltered on the East of Little Cumbrae, but we needed to get to Ardrossan where he’d catch a train. Mike had not felt well all Saturday being seasick (at anchor). That little bay near the castle suffers from a swell in almost any direction of wind. It was a fun sail to Ardrossan. Not far but very fast for a Rival, with only a reefed genoa, F7 and great waves for surfing down. I’d never been into Ardrossan before, and racing in with a tail wind and a surf was perhaps not the best way to learn which of three entrances to take. Mike got his train, and Matt and I thought better of sailing for the Mull that night as we’d planned. The marina full of rigging howled that night, but it eased slightly by morning.
Monday 18 August We left Ardrossan at 09:20 in NW F5-6 under full genoa only, and headed for the South end of Arran. Being quite vigorous sailing, we
decided to anchor for lunch at Whiting Bay where, in the shelter of Arran, holiday makers were building sandcastles, a few brave souls were swimming, and observers were probably wondering who this was with a huge New Zealand flag on their mast. Being Kiwis, we sometimes raise the “Southern Cross” as it gets a few comments and opens many an interesting conversation. After lunch we decided that the wind would not make Sanda a good stopping place for the night, so we headed for Campbeltown. This was the first time for four years in a row that the RNLI hadn’t launched while I was there.
Tuesday 19 August To catch the tide we left at 05:30 with the wind NNW 2-3 in the harbour, but less out beyond Davaar. We motored to about Arranman’s Barrels, the wind then being enough to sail. Seeing several other boats reefed, we wondered about carrying so much sail, but the wind wasn’t so strong - yet. What might it be like round the Mull, coming down the Kintyre peninsula? We soon found out! About F5, with wind against tide, the usual lumpy bits were rather
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Winner of the The Ogg Cup
uncomfortable, and a long slog North tacking towards Gigha didn’t sound inviting. So we backed off, and tried for Islay. Rivals are not the best boats for pointing, and Islay was out of easy reach too. Remembering how nice Ballycastle was last year when we explored Northern Ireland, we decided for there, and arrived at 11:00. Not used to being in port so early, we explored the town which was preparing for some festival. We noted the ferry carpark sign that advised of a height restriction, and wondered if they should add “Giants advised to take the Causeway along the coast”.
Wednesday 20 August Leaving Ballycastle at a leisurely 09:30, we decided that we had to go and land on Islay, so Port Ellen was the next stop. The tides round Rathlin Island can be very entertaining and there’s a very useful little leaflet at the marina office with specific tidal charts for that area. They’re very complex, and worth studying, as advantage can often be made of the many counter-currents. We sailed West of Rathlin, and ended up going along its North coast before hitting the North Channel stream that took us to Port Ellen; arriving at 14:15. The marina there is interesting in being sort of “self help”. Two nice local lassies did come and collect some fees in the evening but that afternoon there were few boats on the pontoons. There’s little depth there, and virtually no
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52 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
We left Port Ellen at 09:30 for the tide through the Sound of Islay, intending to head for Loch Tarbert, Jura, Matt having not been there before. With a WNW wind of about F4, we sailed under genoa only up the Sound, passing Ruvaal lighthouse where we’d spent a day at last year, and into Loch Tarbert to find only three boats in the middle loch. I’d never ventured in to the upper loch, so we planned to do that the next morning. Meanwhile another yacht sailed in and motored straight into the upper loch.
laid. We also had the CCC guide, Antares Charts, and a Blue Book (from 1960s perhaps). Between these and a good lookout we didn’t hit anything, but did get to 0.6m under the keel many times, and shallowest we encountered was 0.3m. The upper pool, showing 22m on our sounder, had a moored boat, the yacht that had entered the previous night. We didn’t stay, as we’d thought to head to Ardfern Once out of Loch Tarbert, we turned North, knowing the tide would be against us for the Corryvreckan, but I’d been keen to try it against the tide thinking “this might come in handy one day”. We arrived at Eilean Mor on the SW side of the Gulf about three hours before the tide would turn. Hoisting the main too, we thought we’d need all the power we could handle to get through here with the wind behind us. Sailing south of Eilean Mor, using a back eddy, we snuck up on the next island, Eilean Beag. Running as close as possible to it, on the North side, we hit the current and slowed right down to about 1-2Knts SOG. Hugging the shore of Jura as close as we dared, we slowly but surely made way and eventually started to speed up round the corner. Out in the middle of the Gulf were the usual thrill-seeker RIBs taking tourists for daredevil rides in the “world’s most dangerous whirlpool”. The standing waves on the Scarba side were a sight to see. Tide against wind whips up a good torment, and would have been a most uncomfortable and impossible passage for us. It wasn’t long before we had to face the last of the flood through the Dorus Mor. This time hugging the North side, we rounded Craignish point to get ourselves away up that Loch to arrive at Ardfern at about 16:00. Here were able to catch up with showers, some washing, wander round the marina and even visit some friends planning for the Round Shuna Race that weekend.
Friday 22 August
Saturday 23 August
The upper part of Loch Tarbert, Jura is very interesting. We entered about 2 hours before LW, when motoring against the flow meant good steerage, but slow SOG, so that we could figure our way using the excellent markers
We left Arfern in time to watch the feeder race to Craobh for Sunday’s bigger race. We left thirty minutes before the race, stopped off at Craobh and practiced heaving too - not very successfully. We could not figure out
tidal rise, but the continuing west wind did give some entertainment that evening. Dutch flagged cruise boat Flying Dutchman is a 29m 28 passenger sailing ship, with mixed gaff and topsails. She came in under engine, we wondered about the speed they were approaching and watched them berth rather clumsily. We were not at all surprised to later hear they hit rocks in Oban Bay! Port Ellen was full by nightfall, with boats from a variety of countries. I wasn’t feeling well this day and must have picked up a bug somewhere.
Thursday 21 August
Winner of the The Ogg Cup why we waited an hour before the first boats arrived, thinking that if we’d have been in the race we might done well! Having seen the finish, we ambled off to Ardinamir Bay for the night. I vividly remembered the night we’d dragged anchor in here years back, due to not being clear how much chain was out, and how two of us woke instantly, knowing “something’s not right”. We anchored at 16:30 (with enough chain out), to see one other boat arrive later for what was a peaceful night.
Sunday 24 August We left Ardinamir at 09:30 with almost no wind, perhaps W F1. We motored through Cuan Sound and across to Easdale getting there before LW. Taking a mooring here, we went ashore. There was no wind at all, so we visited the museum place at Ellenabeich. Here we learned local opinion that anchoring here is poor; “six inches of sand over flat slate”, we were told. We were glad we’d borrowed the mooring. The Corryvreckan RIBs were busy coming and going, but we rowed ashore on Easdale and explored there too. It was interesting to see at LW what the lie of the bottom is. Our Antares chart for the bay was useful and we were able to satisfy ourselves more firmly about which side of the North Entrance perches can safely be taken. I’d always thought there was enough water South of the red perch. And there is, but just further out there’s another rock, so the safer route is to hug the Seil side pretty much right from the stone pier. Motoring on in flat calm seas, we were reminded of having run out of wind in this area in this year’s Round Mull Race, where on the third leg we DNF by thirty minutes or so, and so were prevented from making good use of our high handicap of 22.45. Arriving at Oban Marina at 15:00 we were pleased to receive a text from friends from Cornwall driving to Tiree and waiting in Oban on a ferry. “Come across to Kerrera”, I texted back, and we enjoyed a nice seafood meal in the Waypoint.
plan for these two weeks had been Skye, but the mostly Northerly winds meant that would have been hard work and this is supposed to be a holiday! We needed to be back at Rhu on Sunday at the latest, so we decided that we’d start South again and visit some lighthouses on the way. We passed Fladda, fondly remembering the missed tidal gate in the Scottish Islands Peaks Race in May, and the many tacks we’d made getting nowhere into wind and tide. There’s a little place to tuck into and wait just North of Eilean Mhic Chiarain. In May we’d waited about 2 hours there, charged batteries, eaten a meal, had a sleep, then ventured on towards Craighouse in the night. Today it was quite different. Only two aboard instead of five, wind and tide in our favour, and sunny! Passing Ruadh Sgeir, we contemplated landing on it, but though better and sailed on a little
to tuck in behind Carsaig Island, just across the peninsula from Tayvallich. This is a handy little anchorage but not big. Room for two is now reduced by a yacht on a mooring. The aptly named Seal Rock sported eight seals. We eventually anchored about 16:15 and made a few more contacts by radio.
Tuesday 26 August Carsaig to Craighouse. Weighing anchor at 08:30, we enjoyed a nice brisk sail under main and genoa down the East side of Jura, in behind the Small Isles in Loch na Mile, and anchored just off the lighthouse on the South end of Eilean Nan Gabhar. Lighthouses all have admiralty numbers, this one is A 4230.6. Radio Hams “collect” these numbers and are sometimes over keen to speak to someone there. We soon had just over 100 more contacts in the log. We rowed ashore to buy a paper, an ice-
Monday 25 August 09:30 and the genoa’s up and we’re on our way south. Our original
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Winner of the The Ogg Cup cream and have a look at the distillery. We’d noted a large luxury yacht from Grand Cayman. Their tender had dropped some ashore and we watched them all scurrying for Wifi signals and on their phones. American accents can’t go long without a phone-call home it seems. “Yeah, Ahm on an ireland in Skaatland…”
Wednesday 27 August We weighed anchor at 08:30 for Gigha, intending to round the Mull of Kintyre on Thursday.We sailed across the sound and South into Ardminish Bay to find brand new moorings and more improvements in progress. In the clear water there we could see what looked like huge concrete pads for the moorings, with new buoys and chains, all for 15 tonnes. On shore, more were awaiting laying for 25 tonners, and the pier is part demolished to make way for pontoons. In a way this will change the character of Gigha, but it might attract more yachts too.That night we were glad of the new mooring.The wind increased, and I imagined a re-run of my singlehanded experience in here in about 2011. I’d been on the mooring, dinghy tied astern, when a huge wind seemed to come from no-where. It screamed suddenly and the boat heeled over so that I was looking out the window into the water.The dinghy flew aloft like a kite, its painter tangled the outboard on the pushpit, breaking it off and throwing it into the cockpit. And as suddenly as it rose, it all disappeared. I still can’t figure that out. But now, this night was different.The wind was now ESE, F6 and increasing.The forecast was for F8 next day; not great for the Mull I thought. All night it squealed, waves rose to about 1.5m, the rattle of the mooring chain kept me awake and I was sure we’d bottom out on the sand. I was glad to have put an extra rope on the buoy. Only one other boat was in there that night. I wonder if they got any sleep – we didn’t get much! Next morning the forecast was still for strong winds, though the ferry was running, so it couldn’t be all that bad? Prudence got the better of us and we decided to head for the Canal.
following wind. It was so nice after Gamnha Gigha Light, that we hoisted the spinnaker and held that until the MacCormaigs. Entering the Crinan Basin, we stayed overnight allowing us to try the new showers. In my opinion they aimed too high, but fell short. The finish isn’t great in detail, and some people might not like unisex showers. But it’s better than it was, so...
Fridy 29 August The canal passage was uneventful except for meeting a couple on a small motorboat (about 15ft?) with a sick old outboard engine, little fuel, and heading for Colonsay. They’d no experience, had just bought the boat, and were almost certain to become the next RNLI statistic. Like others, we suggested they think again, and so they decided to return to the Clyde. We ended up locking with them all the way, and almost shepherding them through.
Saturday 30 August We left Adrishaig 09:45 and sailed to Sgat Mor, a little island in Loch Fyne Date
Sailed
15/8
08:00 and no wind. We motored past Rothesay where a few zephyrs were hiding, so raised sail and took the long way home round Great Cumbrae, with a long spinnaker run from there to Roseneath Point. We were home after two weeks, various lighthouses, some 500 radio contacts, 377 miles on the log and a few new places explored. In all an interesting voyage, even if we didn’t get to Skye!
Geoff Crowley, Contender Motorsailed
Running total 16
16/8
at anchor
16
17/8
6
22
18/8
34
56
19/8
17
20/8
28
111
21/8
30
141
22/8
35
176
10
23/8
17
24/8
15
83
193 208
25/8
35
243
26/8
13
256
27/8
21
277
28/8
31
308
29/8
9
30/8
30
Under genoa and main we sailed North, and enjoyed the largely
31/8
28
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Sunday 31 August
16
Thursday 28 August
54 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Motored
with a lighthouse. Anchoring behind the island in Ascog Bay for a while we made some more radio contacts for this lighthouse, and then sailed on. It was interesting to have a long chat with a German on a yacht sailing on the Baltic, ship to ship. Passing the OYTS Alba Explorer, we were puzzled why they were reefed down, but assumed it was for practice. They still beat us up the Kyles where we eventually anchored in Kames Bay for the night at 19:30.
317 347 2
377
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Special Junior Prize
Our Last Summer Cruise on
Pure Magic By Anna Balmforth, aged 8 We knew that we wanted to go to the Hebrides again because we went there last year and it was beautiful. We were so lucky this year because the weather was amazing and we saw lots of wildlife, including Minke whales. In fact it was difficult to imagine at times that we were in Scotland, it was so hot! We had a long motor from Canna to Loch Skipport. We arrived late and two other boats were in the Little Kettle Pool/ Caolus Mor with us. The next day we went to explore Wizard Pool and then set off to Loch Boisdale. The sea was a turquoise colour and there was not a cloud in the sky.
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56 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Special Junior Prize Shortly after arriving at Loch Boisdale we went ashore to the village. The next day we walked through the village and got the post bus over to the beach.
The beach looked amazing but took slightly longer to get there than we thought. The sand was white, it was a beautiful and small white horses were running up the beach. We swam, we played and it was roasting hot. From Loch Boisdale we went to Acarseid Mor, Eriskay, one of our favourite spots. We had another great day on the beach there – swimming, playing and sliding down the sand dunes. We made the decision to head back across to Muck the next morning as the weather was changing and had a fast sail in a fresh Westerly. These are the highlights of our last cruise on Pure Magic. We can’t wait for next summer and our first cruise on our new boat, Tangaroa.
Pure Magic by L Skipport.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 57
Sunday morning Loch Spelve.
Canna Two crews to
Kaparda: Gavin & Pippa Shanks, Eric & Sue Kelly and Tessa Hecate: Patrick & Jenny Trust , Archie & Annie Coulson and Maisie
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58 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
and the breeze was now picking up allowing the genoa to pull me along, passing the Oban Lifeboat speeding to a shout for a yacht aground at Cuan. By the time we arrived at Oban the sun was out and there were several vacant buoys at the visitors’ pontoon. Maisie was pleased to get a run ashore and Kaparda arrived to pick up another vacant mooring. Archie and Annie then arrived fresh from France and, despite Archie’s severe Rheumatoid Arthritis, he got into the dinghy and was transported to Hecate where the opening transom makes boarding relatively easy.The eight of us dined on Hecate with a superb salmon, fit for Kings, kindly provided by Pippa and rowed across from Kaparda. It was a beautiful evening and warm enough for drinks in the cockpit. The next morning the sun shone and, after a shore shopping party with Maisie and Tessa ashore for walkies, we departed for Tobermory. Hecate motor sailed until past Lismore Light but Kaparda had a good close reach to Craignure where the wind died completely, so the iron topsails got the two boats up to Tobermory. Dinner was to be at the Fish Café on the pier so it was into the dinghy for Archie and he only had to climb a few steps into the restaurant where we all had a very fishy dinner.
The return trip to Hecate was no problem and the next day the forecast was for a F4-5 South West, increasing to F8 later! A decision was made to proceed without a break to Canna and have a day waiting there while the F8 passed by. We started with a light Westerly and misty rain as Gavin and Eric helped walk Hecate back off the pontoon. We motored to Ardnamurchan and then the freshening wind allowed Hecate to sail close hauled all the way to Canna. The skipper thought this was wonderful but the rest of the crew including Maisie went below looking pale and requesting buckets! The wind was 18-20Knts and Hecate rushed along, occasionally hitting some large waves. Now reading the log written by the first mate it seems all was not such fun below. ‘Departed Hecate in the Sound of Luing.
Photo: P. Shanks.
J
enny and I had a fantastic week sailing at the North end of Sardinia on the Costa Smeralda in early June with our friends Eric and Sue Kelly on their 65 foot Varicelli Lola K. Now it was time for the return match as the Med is too hot for sailing in July and August! We also wanted to take our skiing mates Archie and Annie on a trip to Canna so we had help from Kaparda with Gavin and Pippa Shanks to take the eight of us for a week at the end of July. The West Coast weather had been superb so far and surely a bit of Med temperature would pop up from the South? I collected the Kellys from Glasgow airport on Saturday 26 July amid much piping, with folk bound for the Commonwealth Games. Then it was up to Ardfern for a superb lobster dinner with the Shanks before setting off the next morning for Oban to collect Hecate’s crew who had been babysitting and returning from France! Hecate set off with myself and Maisie motoring into a gentle breeze with rain and, by the time we reached Fladda, the visibility was less than 100 metres and the autohelm had packed up. Hecate’s radar picked up a few yachts lurking in the mist and I decided to motor via Easdale Harbour and luckily the visibility improved before we reached the green can. A right turn for Kerrera
Remembering the fallen.
Donald Linsday our piper.
Tobermory in misty rain. At last picked up a mooring buoy in Canna after a ghastly trip with lots of ‘Mal de Mer’; apart from the skipper who mercifully sailed us for 6 hours through lumpy seas, rain and wind!’ The dogs were most delighted to chase rabbits ashore and we all ate aboard Hecate with a choice chicken ‘au fine herbes’ prepared with great attention to detail by Eric and Sue. The following day was windy and four went for a long but dry walk with the dogs out to Sanday with a stop for a coffee at the café on the way back. Lunch aboard was followed by a trip to Canna House which is soon to close for refurbishment. We had booked supper at the café and the new chef and his wife were fantastic and came to collect Archie from the pier to drive him to dinner in the Land Rover! There, it was delicious fresh Canna lobsters before Archie was again Land Rovered back to the dinghy at the pier. We had remembered to close the hatches on Hecate, thanks to the Facebook warning about the crows and invading seagulls since the mooring buoys were laid. Kaparda had not taken this precaution and a seagull had invaded and left a large message on the saloon table and eaten some fruit! All ten buoys were occupied and half of the boats were from France, Holland, Germany and Norway. It was quite different the last time we had visited Canna, dragging anchors with six attempts before the CQR held. We left Canna at 08:00 and decided to go North of Rum and try and view the Minke whale which is often around Godag in the Sound of Eigg; but no luck and we did not even spot
heavy rain arrived after we moored and was torrential by the time the BBQ was lit! Despite the wet weather, all seventeen crews managed a great fill of ‘moules’, cooked by Douglas and Helen Wilson, with help from their family and the Cruising Secretary and Vice Commodore. On Sunday at 10:00 we held a brief memorial ceremony for the fallen members in the Great War and the sun shone as Scott Lindsay, in full regalia, played his pipes. After reading a few short poems the 78 names of the fallen were read. In the 1914 members book there were 194 men listed. Then it was an easy trip down past Luing with good tide but almost no wind to reach Ardfern and tidy the boat ready for the next trip, then return to Glasgow Airport to bid farewell to the Kellys. The weather had been very variable but the two crews had a good time and magnificent eating despite a wee bit of ‘Mal de Mer’.
a basking shark. It was a wet day with murky clouds and the view of Kinloch Castle was poor. The wind was light and variable so we motor-sailed most of the way to Tobermory and Kaparda’s crew helped us onto the pontoon where I had to jump ship to go South. So I missed supper aboard Hecate and took the bus and ferry to Oban and on to Glasgow airport. Eric kindly came aboard on Friday morning to help Hecate’s crew sail down to Loch Aline where they reported a fantastic dinner at the Whitehouse. I re-joined Hecate on Saturday morning at Loch Aline with the aid of trains, an aeroplane and two ferries all of which linked up perfectly. We set sail for the muster that evening at Loch Spelve with a following Northerly blow for the short sail. The forecast
Patrick Trust, Hecate
Date
Journey
Distance
27/7/14
Ardfern to Oban
28
28/7/14
Oban to Tobermory
27
29/7/14
Tobermory to Canna
35
30/7/14
Stay in Canna
0
01/8/14
Canna to Tobermory via Rum
41
02/8/14
Tobermory to Loch Aline
12
03/8/14
Loch Aline to Loch Spelve
14
04/8/14
Loch Spelve to Ardfern
27 All photos: Clive Reeves.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 59
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Camus Daraich-Skye 2014.
“The
Tobermory Race”
Crew Clive & Flora Reeves – Yacht Lyrebird Maxi 1000 Tobermory Race, 4 days cruising with Dream Catcher, then Plockton and back to the Clyde 4 to 19 July 2014
Friday 4 July
Rhu to Rothesay – 15 miles After weeks of light wind and warm sunshine our Holiday began with lashing rain and strong winds. Our crew Tom Gourley and his daughter Linda had travelled all the way by ferry and car from Northern Ireland for the Tobermory Race weekend (Tom being one of my crew on our old boat Hanky Panky 25 years ago). After waiting until the wind and rain abated we motored all the way to Rothesay, reminiscing on Tom’s last Tobermory Race all these years ago (accompanied with a few refreshments). This was followed by a terrific steak egg and chips in the Black Bull along with a few other CCC crews doing the race.
Saturday 5 July
Rothesay to Crinan Canal – 28 miles It was a bright and sunny start to the Tobermory Race, starting at the
Ardmaleish Buoy and finishing at the Carry Buoy then motoring to Ardrishaig. The race was shortened which allowed all yachts to finish in time to enter the canal before it closed. Being very light conditions, this suited Lyrebird and we managed first in class and first overall. With the weather continuing warm and sunny we enjoyed a swift passage and thanks go to the canal staff who made sure we made it to the Cairnbaan Hotel together with the other boats from the race. As usual it was great fun going through the canal in the company of the other CCC yachts with a wee dram along the way, our crew were having a ball. The hotel was packed with CCC members enjoying the good weather. My brother in law Alastair Cameron on Dream Catcher had come through ahead of us in the company of the journalist Tom Cunliffe, my nephew Ewan ending up climbing their mast to sort out a
rigging issue. We all decided to have dinner together at the Hotel and a great night ensued.
Sunday 6 July
Crinan Canal to Ardfern – 11 miles The next morning (with some sore heads!) we enjoyed a fantastic passage through the canal with wall to wall sunshine. The canal passage with other boats can be just a wonderful experience to new and experienced yachtsmen; our crew had a wonderful day helping out at the gates. We also had a family new to the canal go through with us and they had a unforgettable day which I am sure their kids will always remember. We cleared the sea-lock at Crinan and headed for Ardfern. When you leave the canal and look across to the Dorus Mor you have that feeling of an adventure about to begin, having wonderful weather and company (and a few refreshments) helps. Many of the crews had a good night at the
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 61
hotel at Ardfern, but we elected to have an early night after the rigours of the day!!
Monday 7 July
Ardfern to Tobermory – 40 miles+ The weather forecast was again good for the a race with light winds and sunshine so at the start of the second leg of the Tobermory race it was blowing 28Knts and lashing with rain! However this soon cleared to give clear skies and warm sunshine and the race was great fun with the wind coming and going with a final fantastic reach to Tobermory. The finishing times being very close in warm sunshine, again we managed (just!) first in class and first overall. After a boat tidy up and changing to our self-tacking jib, we had a final celebration meal at the Western Isles hotel along with the crew from Dream Catcher. What a fantastic weekend, the numbers for the race have been well down in recent years; folk don’t know what they are missing. Families with kids could have a great weekend through the canal with the scenery up the Sound of Mull just breath-taking. So hopefully next year with the race back to its usual date we will see increased numbers.
Crinan-Cairnbaan.
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62 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Tuesday 8 July
Tobermory to Muck – 16 miles Depart 14:30, arrive 18:15 We were up early, with Tom and Linda packed we said our farewells and saw them off on the bus for the Craignure ferry to Oban/train to Helensburgh/car to Irish ferry/car to home in Northern Ireland – all in the one day!! They had a wonderful time with memories to be cherished forever. After our crew departed we stocked up at the Coop ready for our short summer cruise. We had decided to team up with the Camerons on Dream Catcher for a few days. They had to return early to Oban and drop off their son Ewan and in addition we had to return home early as I had to go to London on business! In the middle of July! After a parley on Dream Catcher we decided to sail for Muck. It was late in the day and although the weather was terrific there was little wind, also the Camerons had not been there before. I always love sailing from Tobermory, North to Ardnamurchan and on to new adventures and anchorages. We left Tobermory in wall to wall sunshine in a light NW wind, beating to Ardnamurchan and
on to Muck. As the wind died we used the engine for the last hour and anchored in Port Mor in 5-6 metres, well clear of the new ferry terminal with 11 boats. Not like our usual Outer Hebrides anchorage where we are usually the only boat! We went over to Dream Catcher for a curry and refreshment on the first night of our short cruise.
Wednesday 9 July
Muck to Loch Ailort – 16 miles It was a beautiful morning with breakfast taken in the cockpit, anchored next to Texa who were going South. After breakfast we all went ashore to explore this lovely island. To our amazement they were building new houses in the village and on the West side – a new Hotel! The houses are for the staff of the new fish farm around the island and the hotel is being run by the owner’s daughter. We stopped for a coffee at the hotel where we were made very welcome; sitting outside in wonderful warm sunshine with a fantastic view towards Rum and Canna. The hotel was most impressive and is open most of the year, in the winter for shooting. On returning to East side
Gigha beach.
the place was mobbed with folk from the ferry and the coffee shop totally packed; it was good to see the Island so vibrant and prospering. As the weather was continuing to be super and the wind still very light, we decided to follow my sister in law’s advice and sail together to a sandy bay for a BBQ. Using our CCC Directions she spotted one in Loch Ailort (Ru Chaolais) a short distance away. We enjoyed a good sail again in wall to wall sunshine arriving at 17:00 in a fantastic sandy bay and anchored in 4 metres, loaded up the dinghy with food and refreshment, and headed for the shore to have our BBQ. My brother in law, Alastair, did the cooking as usual. This was a great place for a BBQ and a super end to the day.
Thursday 10 July
Loch Ailort to Point of Sleat on Skye (Camus Daraich) Depart 11:15 Arrive 14:30 – 17 miles The weather was still brill and after breakfast in the cockpit again, we set sail in light North winds. The plan was to go up to Sandaig however, as the wind was light, we decided to
sail to a wee anchorage in the South of Skye (Camus Daraich), OK in a North wind. We had a lovely sail in 5-8Knts of wind and sailed all the way to join Dream Catcher who had motored. We arrived at another fantastic sandy bay but unfortunately it was busy with noisy tourists so, after a trip ashore to take some pictures, we ate aboard Dream Catcher. After our dinner we watched the sun going down on another perfect day. We managed to get a phone signal off Mallaig and downloaded the weather for the next 5 days – still light but going to the South.
Friday 11 July
Camus Daraich on Skye to Plockton – 32 miles Overnight the wind had veered from NW to SW. The anchorage is totally exposed in SW however this was not a problem with little wind overnight. We had enjoyed four days cruising in company with the Camerons on Dream Catcher; however they had to head South as Ewan, my nephew, needed to reach Oban as he was off on holiday to Cambodia and Vietnam for five weeks.
At 10:15 we departed for Plockton in a 8-10Knt breeze and for the first time the wind was with us. We intended to go to Glenelg bay but, as this was exposed, we decided to carry on to Plockton – not having been there for 30 years. We had the best sail of the holiday sailing close to the Skye shore passing the many moorings at Armadale (there were only a few last time we were there) then poled out with the sun shining we passed Isle Ornsay (last there on my parents’ boat in 1962!). Going with the tide, we passed through Kyle Rhea doing 11Knts across the ground, then from there sailing under the Skye Bridge. Unfortunately the wind dropped to less than 5Knts so we then motored to Plockton. Well, I could not believe how many boats were in the bay; last time we were there we had the place to ourselves save a few boats at anchor. The place is full of moorings; however we did find space to anchor close to the jetty on the West side of the bay in 4 metres. After anchoring we watched the Plockton wooden dinghies racing round the bay, not like the Outer Hebrides! We had a meal aboard
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 63
Sunset over Bute.
Gallanach Lodge, Muck.
followed by a walk ashore managing to pass by all the pubs!
Saturday 12 July
Plockton – 0 miles It was my Birthday and the overnight rain continued all day so we had a long lie. We phoned and booked dinner and showers at the Plockton Hotel as we did 30 years ago on our first boat Hanky Panky. On our trip ashore for dinner we met Peter McAlister from Seol Na Mara on the excellent jetty where you can take a boat alongside for water and stores. They were stocking for a boys’ cruise. We then enjoyed a super shower and meal (the fish soup is delicious) at the hotel. There are quite a few places to eat in this, now very busy, tourist town. We returned to boat with the rain still falling.
Sunday 13 July
Plockton to Arisaig – 34 miles As I had to be home by the next Saturday we headed South departing 09:15 with the anchor loaded with weed! We motored and sailed back through the Skye bridge to Kyle Rhea, sailing from Sandaig with the wind on the nose to the South of Mallaig in 5-6Knts. A cloudy but dry day, we finally motored the last 6 miles into Arisaig, the first time ever for us, the entrance being well buoyed and, with our CCC Directions, easy to enter. The bay is far more open than I had expected, and exposed in SW winds, with hundreds of moorings and only one other boat at anchor. We anchored as far in to the North as we could, however it was a bit shallow, so we re-anchored to the West
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64 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
and centre outside of all the moored boats. We had a lovely walk ashore in the warm sunshine; the place was deserted. We discovered the reason when we visited the pub - it was the final of the World Cup and every one was crowded round the large telly! After one pint we returned to the boat with the wind now up to 15Knts, more than we had had all day. We were glad we had our outboard as it was a long way out to Lyrebird (the first and last time it was used this holiday).
Monday 14 July Arisaig – 0 miles
At 10:00 we were still at anchor and heavy rain arrived with wind over 25Knts so we decided to stay as the forecast was not good. At 11:30 it was now lashing with rain and up to 30Knts so we let out more chain, now 30 metres in a depth of 3.7 metres! Not the best place in a SW, with quite a fetch causing the boat to bob up and down (Flo was feeling sea sick at anchor!) At 13:00 a yachty on a boat near to us tried to row ashore but was not making much headway when his oar broke! I prepared to rescue him; however he washed up on the north shore and was OK. Shortly after that we heard on the VHF that the lifeboat was out from Mallaig with two casualties aboard – who said there was no wind this year?
Tuesday 15 July
Arisaig to Loch Aline – 41 miles We had difficulty lifting the anchor in sticky mud; there had been no chance of dragging! The sun had returned and we put the sails up at the entrance in 8 to 10Knts wind from SW. We beat down to Ardnamurchan
and past Tobermory where the wind gave up then we motored, with some sailing, down the Sound of Mull in lovely sunshine. We anchored in Loch Aline, off to the right, just past the entrance and opposite the new pontoons which were completely full. After dinner we took the dinghy over to the new pontoons and Visitor Centre which is very nice. We then had a walk ashore past the ferry terminal and round to the pub facing onto the Sound of Mull. It was packed with locals and the drink was at very reasonable prices! On return to the boat we had a very quiet night at anchor.
Wednesday 16 July
Loch Aline to Puilladobhrain – 19 miles We departed at 08:45 in rain and 20 plus Knts of wind on the nose, of course. We had intended to meet with Dream Catcher at the North of Gigha however, as we tacked towards Insh Island the wind increased to over 30Knts and, with driving rain and a large sea against us, we were not making much progress. I had made the mistake of going on the inside of the island where the tide was also against us and, at the rate we were making, we would miss the tide in the Sound of Luing and Pladda. So we tacked away and sailed round to Puilladobhrain a favourite CCC anchorage we hadn’t been to for years and, with the wind behind us, Lyrebird was doing about 10Knts (Flora managed to gybe the reefed main which nearly had me over the side!) As it was only 12:30 there were only 3 boats at anchor with the wind gusting up to 30Knts in driving rain. As the day progressed the sun came out although it was still very
windy. More and more boats arrived until the place was full and yachts started to anchor at the East of the entrance. At 16:00 a blue boat started to drag, but re-anchored. The shipping forecast at 18:00 had SW 5-7 and just after that the blue boat dragged again, followed by other boat, both of whom gave up and left! We decided not go ashore (Flora decided!) and the wind abated when the sun went down.
Thursday 17 July
Puilladobhrain to Gigha – 43 miles We departed at 08:30 (a very muddy anchor again) to catch the tide at the Sound of Luing. The wind was in the West, dull but dry, so we managed to sail to Crinan, then motor all the way to Gigha in not a breath of wind! With warm sunshine. As the anchorage at Gigha was mobbed, absolutely packed with yachts, we anchored to the North but were too close to the incoming ferry so anchored again to the South with folk diving off their boats to cool down!! After we were anchored OK we went ashore for a walk and some stores. The beach was like Blackpool, full of day trippers from the ferry and a few RIBs from a nearby caravan park; it just became warmer and warmer with not a breath of wind. After our walk we went for a pint at the Hotel and decided to stay for dinner in their garden with lovely sunshine; had a drink with a couple who used to live here but now live in New Zealand. Back at the boat it was still 23 deg at 20:00. However the forecast was not
good, going NNE, straight into Gigha and strong winds.
a wee dram or two and collapsed into our bunks after dinner.
Friday 18 July
Saturday 19 July
Disturbed night as wind veered NNE and a large swell started: decided to leave for The Mull and departed at 08:20 with difficulty lifting the anchor as it now blowing 27Knts steady!! As the wind was on our quarter we just rolled out our wee self-tacking jib and averaging 6-9Knts towards The Mull. The wind was SE at The Mull but now 30 plus Knts so we rolled away the sail and motored, keeping 100 metres from the shore in 10 metres depth, missing most of the over-falls; at the last red buoy heading up to Devaar Island the wind was now NE and the seas were mountainous!!! As we were making no headway we hoisted a reefed main and self tacker and made for the South end of Arran; wind still 25-30Knts making 4-5Knts. However as we neared Arran the wind rose again to over 30Knts so we dropped the main; the motion was unbelievable. Eventually the wind veered slightly and decreased so we hoisted the main and were able to close reach and make a course up the Kilbrannan sound, in a slowly decreasing sea; we arrived at Lochranza 10 hours after leaving Gigha. Poor Flora was exhausted after beating all the way from The Mull in 30 plus Knts with nothing to eat and no cups of tea!! We pick up the second last spare mooring with the wind still 20 plus in the bay but no sea, enjoyed
Depart 09:45 in rain but with the wind well down, motoring plus sailing to Rhu, slowly as we were running very low on fuel!! Unpacked the boat at Rhu Marina and I flew to London the next morning on business!!!!
Gigha to Lochranza – 52 miles
Lochranza to Rhu – 31miles
Summary The Tobermory Race and the passage through the Crinan canal was for me the highlight of the holiday, with great weather and company and of course winning both legs of the race! Also our BBQ on the sandy beaches on our way to Plockton with the Camerons in lovely calm and warm weather. We had considered leaving the boat in Oban or Arisaig and me going to London for the week and returning after, but Flora wanted to get home; in retrospect we should have stayed up North! After 20 plus years of sailing straight out to the Outer Hebrides we couldn’t believe how busy all the anchorages in the Inner Hebrides were. It was nice to visit places that we had sailed to when we started cruising all these years ago, although we will go straight out next year!! and maybe to Orkney, as I will have more time for sailing, I have retired – kind of!
Clive Reeves, Lyrebird
Loch Ailort.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 65
Are you sure the rocks don’t move? By Paul McNeill Yacht Westbound Adventurer
Westbound Adventurer.
O
n 27 June 2005 Westbound Adventurer was returning from St.Kilda in light winds. As we approached Taransay the wind died so we came round the South of the island under engine. One of my RYA trainee skippers was preparing the pilotage into Loch na h-Uidhe for an overnight anchorage and I approved her decision to run up the East side of the island close inshore. It was a passage I had taken on several previous occasions but a nasty surprise was waiting for us on this day. There was a bang. The bow rose slightly. West Bound Adventurer fell off to starboard and continued on as if nothing had happened. We had passed the obstruction before the
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66 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
helmsman had time to put the throttle control into neutral. Having established that there were no injuries to any of my four trainees, I checked the bilge for any ingress of water. Nothing. Regular checks over the next 24 hours confirmed this. We took another look at UKHO chart 2841 and CCC Sailing Directions for
the rock we had not seen. Nothing found. We used the electronic bread crumbs on the chart plotter to return very slowly to the incident location. Just below the surface of the water we spotted the offending kelp covered rock. We noted the GPS position to three decimal places and the time of the incident. At anchor that evening I did a tidal height calculation and concluded that it should be Tandem Wing Keel. on the chart as a rock awash at chart datum. When the course finished on Barra later that week I sent the information to UKHO and it appeared on their website notice to mariners within 48 hours. The symbol for a rock awash at chart datum appeared on the next edition of the chart with the legend “Reported 2005”
Over the next 5 years I asked Tandem Wing Keel from astern. the UKHO a lot of difficult questions. I asked them why it was that 95% of UK Standard Navigational Charts have been converted to WGS84 Datum but the remaining 5% of paper charts were still on OSGB36. (For the avoidance of doubt the 5% are on the West of Scotland!) I asked them why certain areas of the West of Scotland have not been surveyed in the last 150 years. I asked them why the area received from the UK Government around the Monach Isles was surveyed was interesting. MV Anglian Sovereign in detail in 1860 but a modern SNC at was working out of Stornoway at the a useful scale to small boat navigators time and we were both invited to has never been published. The first come on board and see for ourselves UKHO manager that I dealt with the high technology, the dedication of was patient and understanding but he the staff and the assurance of the UK was moved on following an internal government to complete its rolling management reshuffle. Subsequent programme of re-surveying UK waters. managers had less time and patience I declined the invitation as there was no as they obviously had financial targets doubt in my mind about the high level to meet. technology or the dedication of the I acknowledge that every mariner staff who operate it. New surveys of the is amazed at the dedication of the Minches were taking place but in deep 19th century surveyors and amazed at waters only.The staff were permitted the accuracy achieved with their hand local shallow water surveys on the odd held lead line tools and disciplined occasion when poor weather prevented observations recorded in small them completing their deep water open boats. The fact that the British survey. Good news for submarine Admiralty has charted the world is commanders, masters of large vessels of immense historical significance and some fishing boat skippers. but there has been a little bit of In 2012 I got a pleasant surprise. unfinished business in UK home The UK government was funding a waters in recent years. full seabed survey of the waters around During my years of lobbying the Barra. In 2013 new editions of UKHO UKHO I discovered that there is charts 2769 and 2770 were published another branch of the Department complete with WGS84 datum. of Transport/MCA called the Civil The waters around Barra represent Hydrography Programme for which one of several areas on the West there is an annual budget and a of Scotland that have been on the process by which individuals or MCA/UKHO back burner for a bodies can request new surveys. I very long time. There are parts of the was assured that decisions were made Sound of Barra that defeated Captain based on the greatest need for the Henry Otter and his colleagues in greatest number. It was also pointed 1860 and remained “incomplete out that spending huge sums of public surveys” until 2012. money for the benefit of a few in The recent survey contains many obscure parts of the West of Scotland surprises and in most cases less water was unlikely to compete with the has been found around dangers in needs of a busy harbour approach 2012 compared with what was found elsewhere in UK waters. by the pioneers in 1860. In a few I decided that there was no point cases there is more water reported. in spitting into the wind any longer A few rocks have been deleted, a so I gave up the fight and passed my few added and the location of others information to my local MSP for the shifted. For those who are interested Western Isles. He did not let the grass several examples are given at the end grow under his feet.The response he of this article.
Other areas of unfinished business on the West of Scotland include the Monach Isles and adjacent coast of North Uist, the East Bays of Harris, SE coast of Lewis, coasts of Moidart and Arisaig, parts of the Small Isles and SW Skye and parts of Oronsay and S Colonsay. Can we reasonably demand that huge sums of public money be spent on new surveys of the obscure places we choose to visit for leisure? Perhaps the question which needs to be asked is “Is it necessary to spend huge sums of public money for shallow water surveys?” I am not referring to the MCA definition of shallow water as less than 40 metres. I am talking about the places the small boat navigator will go for shelter on the West of Scotland. I am a cruising yachtsman and RYA Instructor. I have no specialist knowledge of marine surveying or cartography so I am not qualified to answer the above question. There are those within the profession who are qualified and believe that the UKHO technical standards are too high and too expensive for very shallow waters. Understandably, they do not wish to be identified or quoted. Consider what Bob Bradfield has achieved with Antares Charts. 250 shallow water surveys completed by an enthusiastic amateur (as he describes himself) with a low level technology in comparison with UKHO industry standards. An increasing number of cruising yachtsmen are using his charts. Although I am not qualified to comment on the technology I can say that I have found the ones I have used to be very accurate and helpful. The challenge for cruising yachtsmen and small boat navigators is to lobby the MCA/UKHO to establish a survey programme (either in house or subcontracted) for those places that have been neglected for 150 years. I am told it only takes 2 persons in a small boat with a modest piece of kit. Try navigationsafety@ mcga.gov.uk
Paul McNeill, Westbound Adventurer
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 67
Rudderless steering exercise on WBA. Stop laughing and take your RYA training seriously!
Stop laughing and take your RYA training seriously! Some examples of the 2012 full seabed survey around Barra:
• The biggest surprise is at the East end of the Sound of Sandray where the Kerr Patch has grown from a least depth of 2.2 metres to a rock awash at chart datum. Watch out for that one on your way to and from Mingulay or St. Kilda.
• A happy example of rocks which have “disappeared”
is close inshore in the main anchorage (Bagh Ban) on Pabbay. This excellent anchorage (given suitable wind direction) is now charted as clean.
• In winds from E/SE there is only one suitable
anchorage South of Vatersay and that is in the NW corner of Sandray. Captain Otter and colleagues gave it a body swerve in 1860 but the recent 2012 survey gave it a ping at 7.9 metres. This splendid little anchorage is clean with good holding close inshore.
• On the East side of Barra one of the most prominent
visual features is the Curachan Rock. It has been just off the edges of charts 2769 and 2770 until last year when UKHO made a small adjustment to include it on 2770. Unfortunately it is still just off the margin of 2769.
• The commercial harbour of Adrveenish/North Bay
is equipped with a sector light to assist a nocturnal approach and you would expect the soundings to be reasonably accurate. Just off Rubha Mhichneil the spit was charted as a least depth of 9.8 which has now been
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68 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
corrected to 4.4! Not a worry for most yachts but of significance for larger vessels as the edge of the spit is within the charted white sector of the leading light.
• The Sound of Hellisay is a good example of several shallow patches with less water than previously charted.
• The main route through the Sound of Barra passes just North of Bo Tanna East Cardinal mark and we now have fewer charted obstacles to dodge at this location due to the 2012 survey.
• Since the 2013 edition of chart 2770 a new wind
turbine has been established at Scurrival on the most Northerly point of Barra. It is now an excellent land mark for a West to East passage of the Sound of Barra providing the navigator does not attempt a passage of the Sound of Fiaray.
• There is however still unfinished business around
Barra. Areas not included in the 2012 survey and 2013 charts are Vatersay (East) Bay, Cornaig Bay, Brevig Bay, parts of the Sound of Barra and close inshore from Grian Head South to Biruaslum on the West of Vatersay.
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Free Spirit
West coast wanderings Free Spirit: Varne Folkboat Skipper: James Gibb Mate: Katherine Gibb Crew: Nicola Gibb
Free Spirit at Kilmelford.
T
his season the cruising was split into three stages. The first and third were relatively short with the middle section being the main part. Generally the weather was fine throughout and, where this differed, you will find reference in the following narrative. Also, at no time were there more than two of us on board so those of you who know the limitations of space aboard a Folkboat will realise that we did have a reasonable degree of comfort. However, there were periods when the skipper was on his own. In April, and tying in with a meeting in Glasgow, I took Free Spirit by road from winter pastures at the Humber Yawl Club to Kilmelford Yacht Haven. There she was left to be launched, as was convenient, ready for my return in May. Towards the end of May Katherine and I returned to Kilmelford with the prime objective of getting Free Spirit to her summer mooring at Tayvallich. On Wednesday 28 May we arrived at Kilmelford around midday and spent the afternoon completing the rigging and getting stores and gear on board. Fortunately it was dry and sunny with just a light Easterly. Once this operation was completed,
and with a dying breeze, we set off down the Loch to get through the Dorus Mor before the tide turned. This resulted in us motoring all the way to Ardfern and, with all the main visitor berths taken, we tied up at the breakwater. In the morning we moved to the main pontoon and made use of the facilities ashore. We knew that the tide would be against us for most of the afternoon, but at least we had plenty of time. So, once clear of Ardfern, the sails were set and we had a pleasant sail down to Carsaig in an E 2-3. Here the engine was started to assist and we motor-sailed down the Sound of Jura and into Loch Sween. Eventually the wind died and we motored into Tayvallich bay and picked up our mooring. Mission accomplished! The following day, and after some socialising ashore, we caught the bus to Kilmelford to collect the car. On return we spent a sunny evening on the mooring Next day, Saturday, we motored to the pontoon to fill the water carriers only to find the supply disconnected due to a failure to meet environmental standards. So it was a walk to the cottage to fill up. After this little setback we had a good sail down Loch Sween and then back to the Fairy Islands for the afternoon. Unfortunately no ospreys were seen on this occasion. In the early evening we returned to the mooring ready for a prompt away the next morning. Alas, there was nearly a serious accident as we entered Tayvallich Bay. Keeping well
to the starboard side of the entrance channel we were “buzzed” by three, what I can only call “idiots”, in high speed RIBs/Dorys exiting the bay, one to starboard and two to port. Unfortunately I did not recognise any of them – they might have been from Castle Sween. The next morning we were ashore in good time and then the long drive home. But we had had a pleasant few days and the main objective achieved. The next part of the wanderings started in mid July (other commitments prevented anything earlier) when I intended to be on my own to start with and had the objective of visiting Loch Spelve (Mull) and possibly Lochs Etive and Creran as I had not been to these locations for 25-30 years. Leaving Tayvallich under sail on Tuesday 22 July it was not long before the wind died and I had to resort to the engine down Loch Sween until off Kiells where I was able to have a gentle sail North with the last of the flood. The highlight here was a school of porpoises playing around the bow. Did I see an otter South of Carsaig? Can’t be sure. However the wind did not last and it was motor all the way to Loch Craignish. Here I managed a short sail up the Eastern channel. But soon it was sails off, engine on and a motor to the anchorage behind Goat Island. Two other yachts were already there. Shortly after anchoring we got the best breeze of the day for the next hour (E 3-4). Lack of breeze was the general picture throughout the cruise. The silence was broken throughout
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 71
Beating up to Lismore.
Sunset over Loch Spelve.
the evening by oystercatchers calling all around. Next morning was a comfortable start and, after clearing the anchorage under engine, I was soon able to hoist sail down the Loch, through the Dorus Mor and then almost to the Luing Point buoy. Here the wind died once more and it was necessary to motor until past the Bono Rock buoy. At last the engine was off and we had a slow, but pleasant, sail up the Firth of Lorne and into Loch Spelve. We were followed through the narrows by two Dutch yachts who were proceeding very gingerly under engine. Once in the loch I was amazed by the number and extent of the mussel cages. Halfway up the loch the wind finally died so the sails were handed and we motored up to the anchorage in the NE corner. This was another new anchorage for both Free Spirit and myself (previously I had gone nearer to the mussel farm in the NW corner). Wildlife was abundant – mostly heron, oystercatchers, seals and various gulls. In Glasgow the Commonwealth Games were opened whilst the sun shone down on Loch Spelve. Thursday was another hot, sunny day and after motoring out of the narrows the sails were set for a gentle beat up the Firth and to the West of Lismore. There was also an impressive mirage effect over Lismore with the lighthouse and CalMac ferry both apparently in mid air. Again there was plenty of wildlife around with many young guillemots accompanied by their mothers. Porpoises and seals were also seen. North of Lismore Light House the wind finally died
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72 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
(near the Grey Rocks) so the engine went on again, leaving the main set in the hope that the breeze would return. There was no such luck and finally the hook went down in the Port Ramsay anchorage towards the North end of Lismore. I later found the only disadvantage of this anchorage is the swell created by the fast ferries going to and from Sanda Quarry and Port Appin. Seeing a telephone box on the shore I went to investigate only to find it only takes cards. What have I got in my pocket? Cash. Speaking to one of the locals he suggested that I might have been able to get into the inner anchorage. When I checked the depth this might have been possible at high tide, but not at low. That evening I arranged with Nicola to meet her at Dunstaffnage in the hope that she could leave her car at Kilmelford. The next day, calm and warm again, I motored via Port Appin to Dunstaffnage to find that Nicola had arrived by bus at almost the same moment. After lunch I decided that some more petrol was needed and so walked to the local garage. Ten minutes said the lad in the marina office but it was a good fifteen minutes each way and the full cans felt quite heavy by the time I returned. As slack high water at Connel Bridge was approximately 19:45 we had a relaxing afternoon in the sun at Dunstaffnage and made use of the facilities (free showers!). In the evening we motored from the anchorage and with a smooth run into Loch Etive we timed it just right under Connel Bridge. It was
then calm up to Stonefield Bay, where we anchored off the Eastern shore. We had planned to go to the South-Western corner but there was someone already there. Anyway it was very peaceful with masses of geese around. Tomorrow we were to explore up Loch Etive and hopefully well up the upper loch. Alas, the day dawned overcast and shortly after weighing anchor a fine drizzle set in. Decidedly dreich. However, we managed a pleasant, damp sail up to the Bonawe narrows where the engine was started to assist us through. The CCC Sailing Directions warn of the power cables across the narrows and advise least clearance height of 12m with more close to the Western shore. This means we should have had about 3ft clearance. However, as we got ever closer it looked as though our aerial might hit the cable so an emergency about turn was the order of the day. We decided that ‘discretion is the better part of valour’ and that we must check the exact height of the mast during the winter. After this little episode we beat slowly back down the loch, with heavy showers at times, and anchored behind Rabbit Island at the entrance to Stonefield Bay. There was a mooring and some nets in the gut of the bay but we felt the anchor was more appropriate. The next morning there were rain showers about and the wind had now gone round to the SW – typical as that was now where we wanted to go. Having motored down Loch Etive and under Connel Bridge we decided that it would be more pleasant to keep motoring, go through Oban Bay and down Kerrera Sound. Whilst passing Kerrera Marina we executed an emergency 360-degree turn to starboard in order to avoid being rammed by Lady Essex III, which appeared to be one of the passenger ferries going from Oban to Kerrera.
We were not sure if it was a marina launch but the crewman seemed completely unperturbed that I, the stand on vessel, had had to undertake this manoeuvre. Once over this shock we had more rain showers going down the sound and then a lumpy sea at the South end. Off the Cutter Rock some sail was set and we motor-sailed to Puilladobhrain. It remained dreich (with some heavy showers) until mid-afternoon when we at last got some warm sunshine and were able to dry things out. The evening forecast gave some hope for tomorrow with NW 4-5 and reasonably dry; with the possibility of the odd shower. On Monday 28 July we woke to warm sunshine and a light Northerly breeze – just the job for going through Cuan Sound to Ardinamir. Having motored from the anchorage, the sails were set and we had a slow reach down to Easdale. Here we decided to sail through Easdale Harbour where we received appreciative comments from the crew of an old Hillyard. The wind died on the approach to Cuan so we motored through the sound and ended with a good sail down to Ardinamir. It was almost low tide but we managed to ease into the anchorage without mishap. Later the crew were unimpressed by the aggressive arrival of the “laird of Torsa” in his RIB – a far cry from Irene’s welcome “Halloo” in days gone by! The next morning, once clear of the anchorage and with mud and weed cleaned from the anchor we had a good sail to Kilmelford. We had decided to leave Free Spirit on a mooring here to save bashing down the Sound of Jura only to come back again in a couple of weeks. At Kilmelford we transferred gear to Nicola’s car and headed to Tayvallich for my car and then home. It had been an enjoyable cruise, memorable for the (mostly) sunshine, wildlife and visiting anchorages that we had not been in for many years. For the final part of the season the Skipper was on his own for a few days before leaving Free Spirit at Kilmelford ready for lift out onto her trailer and then later collection for the drive back to HYC at Brough.
Evening at Port Ramsay.
After a frustrating journey from home I arrived at Kilmelford on the evening of Tuesday 19 Aug and, after getting aboard, was ready for an early night prior to going off the following morning. After leaving the pontoon under engine, until clear of the moorings, sail was set for a beat down the loch and then a reach across to Achanarnish Bay on the Craignish shore. This looked to be an interesting anchorage and one in which I had never been. However, at the South end of Shuna the wind was going more to the SW and more of this was forecast so I decided to circumnavigate Shuna and go to Ardinamir where I was able to anchor more or less in the middle of the bay ahead of two others. That evening I was contacted by the McKeans with an invitation to join them tomorrow evening on Siolta at Ardfern. It sounded a good idea and an objective for a sail. During the night it was very windy and the rain came down in buckets. At 02:30 I thought we were dragging but, on checking, found all well. However, this prompted me to be prepared so I got dressed in full oilskins ready for anything. Needless to say the remainder of the night was reasonably peaceful and in the morning the sun was out and wind down to W 3-4. By midday the time was right to catch the first of the ebb through the Dorus Mor. So I had a good sail (best of the season?) in sunshine and a Westerly 3-4, gusting to 5 out of Corryvreckan. Approaching Ardfern the sails were stowed and I was able to moor almost next to Siolta. Then to
report to the office and make use of the facilities – the showers are free! After an excellent evening and a good sleep I was then ready for the return to Kilmelford. I received another appreciative comment from the skipper of a departing yacht as I sailed away from the pontoons under jib.The main was hoisted once out in the loch. Mostly it was a close reach down the loch in variable 3, but once through the Dorus Mor it was more NW/N 4 with 5 at times.Then I was becalmed off Craobh and rain showers came and went. I furled the jib before it got wet then motored up Loch Melfort. A late breeze gave a last bit of a sail, which enabled me to dry the sails. Alongside the pontoon at Kilmelford Yacht Harbour I got the sails off and bagged in double quick time before the next shower. Then it was on with doing as much de-rigging and packing up so as to leave less in the morning. In the morning Free Spirit was left ready for Kilmelford Yacht Harbour to lift her onto her trailer. This was the end of a generally interesting season, with plenty of fine weather but some unpleasant wet spells – not bad for the West of Scotland. At least we had managed to visit several new(ish) anchorages.
James Gibb, Varne Folkboat Total Mileage covered – 192 Sail – 90 Motor-sail – 20 Motor – 82
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 73
Greenheart at Eilean Mor (MacCormaig Isles).
Catch-up Summer
Greenheart 3900C, Dawn 39 staysail sloop Owner: Peter Dunlop Crews: Colin Boyd, Sally Floyer, Nick Floyer, Tina Dunlop, Daniel and Ann Henley - 11 year old twins, Bridget and Chris Vaudin, Robin Lorimer, Aline Dunlop, Jenny Boyd
I
n the morning of the 8 December 2011 Greenheart was blown over at her winter lay-up at Rothesay dock in Clydebank. It was observed that the wind, reported to have been gusting to over 80 mph, or Hurricane Force 12, across the Clyde at Abbotsinch was lifting her up and her timber props were falling in to meet this.The result was that the weight came off her keel and she moved sternwards and rotated about the forward end of her keel and crashed, genoa furler to backstay, against the adjacent yacht. She was further cushioned by a part inflated RIB. An initial inspection did not reveal much damage though things had been thrown about down below. As is so often the case I suspect that some additional damage was done during the removal of her mast and righting her. Damage noted included abrasion to topsides and forward end
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74 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
of keel, bulwark capping timber and some stanchions, genoa foil, engine mountings and some cracking to floor bearers. These items were repaired and the standing rigging and guardrail wires were replaced. When the yard came to launch her for the 2012 season an observant workman noticed the keel “wobbling” sideways. I was handed a letter advising not to launch and requesting a written instruction if they were to launch. I was given a demonstration of the wobbling. We did not launch. There followed protracted discussions during which I mobilised, perhaps tardily, my engineering training and got further advice. There was no damage to the skin either internal or external where she was flexing and it was not obvious that the internal stiffening departed from the drawings by David Alan-Williams though clearly there is little by way of floors in way of the
water tank in the after part of the keel. The choices were to reinstate or to stiffen. I chose the latter which meant the removal of part of the galley, the saloon settee fronts and table, the whole of the cabin sole and the dropped in fibreglass water tank which was replaced by a series of very heavy full depth floors with the whole of the bilge being coated with a thick resin especially formulated for drinking water tanks. The work was carried out in a competent way by Boatcraft of Ardrossan during the summer of 2013 and has resulted in an immensely strong boat with the additional benefit, have you ever noticed how many yachts sail down by the stern, of having moved the centre of gravity forward. I spent several days afloat at Ardrossan doing deep cleaning and trying to remember how everything fitted together and where it was
stowed and on the 31 of March Greenheart was on her mooring at Colintraive. The season splits into a number of separate parts. A “shakedown” cruise to the Royal Cork Yacht Club to deliver a book and have dinner helped sort out things forgotten after two missed seasons. There followed a positioning voyage, mostly singlehanded to Armadale in Skye, which was planned as a starting point for family cruising. I had my sister and brother-in-law as crew from Rothesay to Port Ellen.
Shakedown cruise
Peter Dunlop & Colin Boyd Having been a member on and off since my teenage years and continuously since 1986 I was eventually persuaded to write the history of Asia’s oldest yacht club, the Royal, now Republic of Singapore Yacht Club. During the summer of 2013 I made a most enjoyable road trip visiting ten affiliated clubs across the South of England. It was now time to deliver a copy to the Royal Cork, the world’s oldest, at Crosshaven. After some two handed tasks such as fitting the battens to the mainsail and the sail cars to the mast my crew, university days friend and fellow CCC member Colin Boyd and I set sail off for Ireland on Sunday 19 May. Our first, unplanned, anchorage was in the shallow bay at the North end of Great Cumbrae to re-thread and re-attach the main halyard. It was my mistake so I went aloft. It took three attempts; at first I could not get the line and weight over the masthead sheave, which is hidden at a depth beyond the reach of normal fingers. The solution was to thread the mousing line through a flexible drinking straw – along with an old fashioned wire coat hanger an essential component of the bosun’s stores – and use that to get the weight over the sheave. Unfortunately in the euphoria of success the thin mousing line was allowed to jump the sheave and jam itself between sheave flange and mast. At last a dizzy and slightly bruised skipper was back on deck and the mainsail back aloft and we were again under sail for Lamlash where we anchored for the night.
By 09:30 the next morning we were goose-winged for Ailsa Craig. It was a good passage, we caught the tide in the North Channel and managed to sail for most of the night while enjoying brilliant phosphorescence mixed with some thundery squalls and keeping a close eye on a large cruise ship which came up from astern out of Belfast Loch and which crossed close ahead of our track. Since Greenheart is signed up to the CG66 scheme we called up Belfast Coastguard to tell them that we were bound for Crosshaven. They advised us to call the Irish Coastguard once we had passed Carlingford Loch but we never got round to it. The wind went very light so after 24 hours mostly under sail we started the engine and motored South past the Kish Bank Light Tower, built by my former colleagues in 1963-65. We tied up alongside, avoiding the very shaky and noisy metal pontoon in the Arklow River thirty-two and a half hours after leaving Lamlash. Reviving hot showers preceded our first pint of stout at the Bridge Inn before we ate dinner aboard. The tide at Carnsore Point dictated a 12:15 start. We sailed east of the Blackwater Bank admiring the offshore wind turbines and musing about landing on the drying banks at low water. At 20:00 we were making 9Knts past the Tuskar rock and despite it being low water but helped by the summer buoyage saved some miles by creeping across St.Patrick’s Bridge and were alongside at Kilmore Quay at 22:20. Thursday brought a really cracking sail in a fresh offshore breeze averaging 6½Knts for the 60 miles to Ballycotton Bay where we had thought to spend the night at anchor. However, we did not like the swell so, after a cup of tea, we weighed anchor for the Royal Cork where we tied up at 20:00. On the way we had seen a flotilla of three Irish Navy ships and an impressive number of yachts racing in Cork harbour. In the morning we made sure that we were wearing the blue ensign – Royal Western and erstwhile Royal Singapore – as well as their respective burgees and that of the CCC before taking the bus into Cork for a walk round and a visit to the famous English Market where
we bought rashers and sausages for Sunday’s morning-after breakfast. By the end of the evening in the club we had sampled, not only Guinness, but also the two local stouts, Beamish and Murphy’s reaching the conclusion that more research was needed before we could declare a favourite. On Saturday we patched the inflatable and were both amazed and delighted that the Suzuki outboard started first time after more than two years.The timing of the visit to the Royal Cork was to allow us to attend their monthly dinner, organised by Rear Admiral (Cruising) James O’Sullivan.We all sat at the top table along with RCYC Admiral Pat Lyons and guest of honour Rear Admiral Mark Mellett, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces who had his rank created for him when he became the first naval officer to reach that level and their wives. About a hundred people enjoyed excellent food and wines before the speeches began with Admiral Pat pulling the leg of the guest of honour for being junior to him! Admiral Mellett made a most interesting speech about the Defence forces being the servants of the Irish people and the role of the navy being not only the obvious fishery and oilfield protection and the prevention of drug running and smuggling but also making the statement about national sovereignty. As requested I kept my book presentation speech very short simply assuring members of a warm welcome to the club in Singapore.We exchanged history books, the RCYC book being about twice the thickness of the RSYC’s and I was presented with a RCYC tie and told to wear it with pride, which I do, and I presented Admiral Pat with a burgee. It had been a good passage to Crosshaven made more interesting by comparing our times with those still evident on my charts of my voyage in my Folkboat Lara in 1979. Most of these were in fact metric charts though not to the GPS compatible WGS 84 but I was particularly told off for my fathoms charts despite the fact that they showed that “Tides Meet” off St. John’s Point near Ardglass. This is important information for passage planning, it appears in the texts but was not shown on Colin’s
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Tuskar Rock.
up to date chart. I also enjoyed talking about the 1979 Fastnet storm with Neil Kennefick who had crewed on Golden Apple of the Sun while I was sailing along the South coast of Ireland. On the day the storm broke we had stayed overnight in Kinsale on our voyage from the Clyde to the Shannon, missed both the Shipping Forecast and also the useful 08:00 Irish forecast by oversleeping and the noon forecast because the engine’s magneto interfered with radio reception. We motor sailed Westward all afternoon on the 13 August only stopping the engine in time for the 18:00 forecast. The forecast indicated that it would become windy and indeed by 19:00 we were fully reefed. It seemed that the centre of the low might pass near and I debated with myself in which part of Baltimore harbour we should anchor. In the event we went in past the rough stone built pier where several French yachts were rafted up intending no doubt to go out to the Fastnet rock to watch the race. We were aware of a rising wind and watched several French boats leave the pier and come to anchor nearby and then, after dark heard the “maroons” go up signalling that the lifeboat was being called upon. In the morning we went ashore and saw several yachts towed in including
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Marionette and Regardless. Our crew change arrived and asked whether we had phoned home and we asked why! The phone box (insert 4d and crank the handle for the operator before pushing Button A) was out of action because the local operator had been up all night. One sometimes forgets that we had few instruments, that few boats had VHF and that there were no mobile phones. The passage back to the Clyde was made single handed and entailed several 04:00 starts to catch the tide and a great deal of motoring up the Irish Sea. Since it was calm I put into Portpatrick for the night. In the morning the engine would not start. Since the glass bowl on the filter showed no water or any other signs I assumed that the diesel was alright but it turned out that the filter was blocked with black gunge which was declared by the mechanic to be sludge from the tank so I assumed that it was caused by the stirring up of the contents of the tank by the long drop from the quay in Dún Laoghaire. I judge the £70 paid a fair price for not only doing the nasty job but also for a very good diesel engine seminar. A day was lost but at least the wind eventually filled in giving a very good evening sail from off Brodick back up to Colintraive.
Positioning Voyage
Peter Dunlop, Sally & Nick Floyer On 4 July my sister and brother-in-law, both experienced small boat sailors, arrived in Rothesay from London. It was July’s last wet day so we sat tight, victualled the ship and laughed at the seagulls which had been tricked into sitting on golf balls by the staff at the castle who did not want any more hatching. We had good sailing via Carradale and Sanda to Port Ellen where we hired bikes and Greenheart suffered her next indignity. There being an offshore wind I accepted the offer of a sailor on the pontoon to take a line telling him to make it fast and then leave it. He seemed to do so I put the engine into ahead and stepped off to deal with the other lines whereupon the sailor decided that he would move the line forward. Luckily I caught her in time to avoid the yacht ahead but not to save a scratch from a sharp point on the pontoon. Our berth was on the end pontoon, which was short so the stern stuck out by a couple of metres. On my return from cycling I found a much bigger, German, yacht alongside and a missing stern fairlead, which was no match for the loads of the much bigger boat and the line angles involved. The skipper confessed and gave me his card asking how much it would cost; to which I replied that
I would have to get quotes and that I only ever used the transom fairlead which is screwed to the bulwark capping for towing the dinghy and that all mooring lines went through the panama fairleads through the bulwarks. I accompanied my crew on the bus to the airport and went on to Port Askaig where I visited the RNLI and then, on the return journey, discussed the follies of parents who give their 17 year old sons £30,000 cars to write off and how Islay got little return from George Osborne for its £15 per minute contribution to the Exchequer. The bus pass is a wonderful thing and, when I can, I try to obtain local knowledge from the drivers. On Barra the driver said that he approved of bus passes but that many mainland drivers did not so I asked the driver from Mallaig to Fort William what she thought. She modified her “against” by saying that she was against people using their passes for travel to paid work and answered my supplementary on the NHS to say that she thought that we should have prescription charges. I was on my own again from Port Ellen to Armadale via the McCormack Islands, Crinan, Ardfern
and a very slow sail through the Dorus More and Corryvreckan to Bagh Glean Na Muic. I had planned to sail direct to Barra but the day turned out grey with winds gusting to F7 at times so I turned to starboard at Dubh Artach and reached off to the wide approaches to Gott Bay after 64 miles. The next day brought sunshine and calms and motoring all the way to Castle Bay enlivened only by a pod of eight or ten dolphins. The following two weeks brought the best of the summer sunshine, albeit at times with rather less wind than one might have wished for. Fourteen anchorages were visited between Vatersay and Armadale. Wizard Pool was crowded with two yachts. At Eriskay there was a Mass for the blessing of the fishing boats, which included my dinghy at the pontoon but the priest said that he did not think that his holy water would reach as far as the anchorage! My heart was, unnecessarily, in my mouth going under the Scalpay bridge, new since my 1982 visit. It was nice to have a mooring at Rodel where we had dried out alongside to confirm in 1982 that, as suspected, half
of the folding propeller had indeed been knocked off in our encounter with a half awash wooden fish box. The proprietor of the hotel is good company; we chatted about many things including the super quarry that never happened. The weather permitted passage close to the skerries to the West of the Shiant Islands and an overnight stay when Greenheart and I were all alone. A magical place made all the better by my recent reading of Adam Nicolson’s book “Sea Room”. I rowed in some trepidation lest the tide carry me away, through the natural arch in the North-east peninsula of Garbh Eilean and enjoyed the thousands of seabirds especially watching the Guillemots and Razorbills swim/fly underwater. It was then on via Eilean Flodday and Loch Toscaig to Armadale and a rather fraught journey by two ferries and five buses to pick up my car at Colintraive. It is not possible to do the journey in a day because the ferry to Mallaig starts too late and the ferry to Portavadie finishes too early which necessitated a B&B in Tarbert after failing to come across a berth on a friendly yacht.
Greenheart at the Shiant Islands.
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Loch Hourn and the sheltered sounds around Skye Peter & Tina Dunlop, Daniel & Ann twins aged 11, Bridget & Chris Vaudin, Robin Lorimer, Aline Dunlop for various times.
My wife Tina was then over from the Netherlands so we had three excellent days in most benign and un-dark Loch Hourn making it up to the fourth narrows which we navigated by dinghy, before picking up her 11 year old twins Daniel and Ann from Aberfeldy for what turned out to be a prolonged period of poor weather. We met up with my sailing niece and her new husband in Broadford before we all embarked at Armadale. They had a night at Isle Ornsay and Totaig before we landed them at Kyle. We had planned to circumnavigate Skye but the forecast for the next week was for strong Northerlies so I opted to stay within the Inner Sound and the Sound of Sleat anchoring at Coalas Scalpay, Middleton Bay on Raasay where we were given as many freshly caught mackerel as we wanted before spending three stormbound nights in Portree with a road trip to Dunvegan in my sister’s campervan and briefly enlivened by seeing the lifeboat go “out on a shout”. It was then back to Armadale via the Kyles, Loch Duich and Isle Ornsay and then back home via the Glen Elg ferry and Brochs.
Back to the Clyde, single handed Having seen my family onto the plane for the Netherlands I positioned the car back to Colintraive and got myself back to Armadale by bus train and ferry. The Tuesday was a beautiful day sailing down past Eigg and Muck and through the Treshnish Islands to Bull Hole, where I was surprised to learn that the Iona ferry moors overnight because we met at the entrance and I gave way to the larger vessel. Wednesday brought strong winds so with one reef in I sailed out past the Torran Rocks and inside Colonsay to West Loch Tarbert on Jura where there are the most amazing raised beaches of bare cobbles with nothing growing on then since the ice age. I dragged my anchor four times, the last despite paying out all 50 metres of cable and 30 metres of rope. This held for 2
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hours so I had had dinner and was asleep when she dragged again. There were some lights in a cottage but they had gone out and the other yacht had not lit an anchor light. The only light was Ruvaal light flashing thrice every fifteen seconds some miles away on Islay. I was a bit confused in the dark and wind and did not believe my laptop plotter, which said that despite my motoring about in an endeavour to get into deeper water, I was in the same place so I plotted the other GPS given Lat and Long on the chart to be given the same position. I concluded that I had snagged something and began the long task of heaving up all the cable. The rope was fine using the electric genoa winch but then came the chain so using a number of pulls of rolling hitched mooring lines and my stopper I heaved up the chain in 5 or 6 bights to find the anchor home and a creel in the water nearby with its line over the anchor. I was moored! I paid out cable till the anchor was well on the bottom and went back to bed. In the grey of the early morning I surveyed the mess and began to re-stow the chain cable in the anchor locker. With all squared away and sparing the lobster in the creel because I had already caused the fisherman enough trouble slipped the creel line which was by this time on a bight of mooring line and motored away. There had been absolutely no VHF reception and I did not get any till I was passed McArthur’s head on Islay so I assumed that the forecast remained the same. The wind was blowing up the Sound of Islay but I made good time with the spring flood tide and was anchored in Aros Bay by 10:00. The next fair tide for the Mull was from 18:00 till midnight but the wind was firmly in the South so I decided on a rest day to await the forecast Westerly. The evening forecast was just the same but “later” meant that I should get my Westerly before The Mull. I was now in Belfast Coastguard’s area so the morning forecast was at 05:10, a repeat of the midnight and it still indicated that my Westerly would come. I set off with the second reef pulled down and the staysail set into a F6 still firmly from the South and so made the Kintyre shore just South of Machrihanish Bay. The wind was now
F7 but the seas mostly fairly long and there was little water coming over the top but the lee rail was under quite a lot of the time. A third reef would have been good at this stage but, with scuppers streaming, we were making good time. However, if I were to tack out for the necessary hour I would be likely to be rounding The Mull in a SSW F7 against the spring ebb, which was not a pleasant thought. Reluctantly I started the engine and with a little difficulty furled the staysail. Greenheart motor-sailed due South along the coast at 6Knts or so. By Deas Point I had eased the sheets a little and was now doing about 8Knts. There was a small area of very confused seas where I shipped three big seas clean over the canopy that put a couple of inches in the cockpit before the drains cleared it away. The last of the flood took me through Sanda Sound and the seas and wind gradually abated up the East shore of Kintyre. I stopped the engine off the Arranman’s Barrels. I was thinking of Campbeltown but it was blowing stink out of the Loch so I carried on. The wind was down to F4 to 5 for a while near Carradale so I set part of the genoa, the leech tape and line having come adrift on the staysail. There was no damage to the sail itself but better to get it stitched before setting it again, but the wind came back and the sun began to come out. It was a good F6 across Inchmarnock Water where I saw the only two sails of the day though there had been a large cruise ship heading North up the Sound of Jura and a fishing boat near Skipness. Up the Kerry Kyle the wind eased and died, I shook out both reefs and set the full genoa but we eventually stopped. The engine would not run, on full throttle it hunted but I crept up to a visitors’ mooring at Kames. 72 miles covered with the instruments saying that the maximum wind speed had been 44.7Knts. I had certainly been a full Force 7 with gusts for several hours. I left the changing of fuel filters to the morning. Having changed the fuel filter and a few other jobs, it was again quite windy and I had already decided that I was not going to row ashore for fear of ending up in Rothesay. Anyway, on the third attempt to pick up the mooring I got between the buoy and
Eriskay – Mass for the Blessing of the Fishing Boats.
the pickup float and got hooked on the rudder. There is a wee bit forward of the post which acts as a servo, a “balanced rudder”, to make the helm lighter; it was light even when beating into the F7. A gap has opened up which I will have to investigate but which I hope only needs the tightening of a nut at the top of the rudder-post to close it. So there I was moored by the stern. I noticed that the bow was quite close to Colin’s empty and un-stretched mooring so I veered the dinghy on a lengthened painter and rowed across the wind and got a heavy mooring warp through Colin’s mussel encrusted eye and back aboard. I was now moored “aft & fore”. The mooring was calm so at 06:30 I got into the dinghy and rowed across to my own buoy and got a line round it, eased off the warp on Colin’s mooring and heaved the buoy to my stern. Then using my baby Bruce anchor as a grapnel I got a long line through my own eye, secured one end on a forward mooring cleat and took the other end back to the electric genoa winch and hauled in. The offending pick up line came out of the rudder’s gap with the skeg.
I had seen the pick up float on the starboard side just awash but did not want it getting involved with the sail drive so having eased out the rope on the winch was able to haul the it up to the gunwale, cut the whipping, undo the bowline to release the float and then haul in the Bruce and get hold of my own eye. In a trice I was properly moored, had retied the pickup float and released Colin’s mooring. Colin helped me by buying some Marine 16 Diesel Bug Treatment from their agent Swordfish Marine at Sandbank and putting a good dose in the tank so I reciprocated by crewing for him in his Rustler 36 St. Just from Ardfern to Colintraive. We stopped at Gigha and, for a change carried a good Easterly all the way to Carradale Bay.
Closing Muster
Peter Dunlop, Colin & Jenny Boyd Colin and Jenny Boyd joined Greenheart for the Rothesay to Tarbert race, which resulted in a very pleasing first place in Class 4, not least because we tacked badly with a rusty technique for getting the genoa around the staysail and the fact that the replacement genoa furler has
resulted in too short a hoist length to get enough luff tension and a flapping sail in winds above 14Knts apparent. The race, as is common for the Kyles restarted at Ardmaleish, Rubha Bodach and Rubha Ban. We did, however, work very hard at our sail trimming on the leg from Ardlamont to Tarbert. We enjoyed meeting new people at the pontoon party and dinner. On the Sunday we debated whether to fill the diesel tank and rely on the Diesel Bug Treatment or to drain and clean the tank over the winter before taking the, I hope, easy way by filling up. We have a plan to go up the watter to Greenheart’s winter layup at Rothesay Dock via a night at Kelvin Harbour should the good weather continue into October. I have a long list of jobs to do. My catch up summer of 70 nights aboard, 50 anchorages, and 1500 miles mostly under sail in a variety of weather has had its moments! 28 September 2014
Peter Dunlop, Greenheart
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Gitte Gone Native.
South America 2013–14 Ecuador, Panama, Visit to Peru 4 May 2013 to 23 April 2014 Aros Mear a Norseman 447 David Bushby Crew: David & Gitte Bushby. Guest: Jane Dixon Warren
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T
his was intended as a season of touring and consolidation and so it proved to be.We re-joined the boat in October finding her in good condition but dusty from the volcanic dust that sweeps down from the mountains around Quito. Ashore we experienced a great welcome from the marina staff but Tripp the owner said we were early as I had made an error, stating November instead of October. A meal and beer from the restaurant prepared us for the first night aboard and in the morning we caught up with cruising pals of the last season before the long haul of finding gear, cleaning, some sail repair and general maintenance like engine service plus all the other small tasks familiar to cruisers. The sail repair was more tedious than expected as the multiple layers close to the main clue were beyond the Sailrite machine. Drilling holes and hand stitching was the only way. Gitte did a great job on the general cleaning and, where possible, items were taken ashore to the water point.When it came to the easier sail repairs the Sailrite came up trumps. These jobs all took time but, when not busy about the boat, Gitte researched our trip inland to Peru. Here she worked well, gleaning advice from cruisers and expats ashore. She had thought three months would be a good time for the exercise but I had to put a stop to that notion; three weeks was quite enough; we had a boat that required a little work. There was no fall out and she tied up the early travel and hotel bookings that would take us to Lima, Nazca, Arequipa, Cuzco, Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Climbing up to 14,000 ft is often a problem but she worked out that a gradual rise to the highest point was the way forward and, though we did find the altitude difficult at times, it never stopped us doing what we wanted. We were helped by copious cups of coca tea and the chewing of leaves – effective, albeit unpleasant! The source of cocaine in these forms it is not addictive and we eventually returned to sea level unharmed. We rose early on November 4 for the long bus ride to Guayaquil but there had been a holiday in Bahia
and the bus was full. We had gone nowhere and here was disaster in the making but a Spanish speaking angel came to our aid and got us on to a bus some hours later that allowed us to reach Guayaquil in time for the flight to Lima. It was all plain sailing from there to our first hotel except that the taxi driver wanted more than he was due. That he did not get so he went off in a huff. We were in the old district of Miraflores that had to be visited together with a good lunch on ceviche and a walk back to the hotel along the coast. With Lima done we took to the road next day in an executive bus to Nazca. I had no idea that the journey was through an extensive desert of rocks, sand and hills with the rare sight of greenery close to a river. In some areas there were huts on a barren hillside and we only later discovered that they were there to mark ownership of land. Nazca is a dreary place yet full of history associated with the 9000 year old Lines stretching for miles across the desert seemingly going nowhere. From the early 1930s Marie Reiche Neumann studied the Lines until she died aged 95. Her theories evolved around astrology and the worship of water sources in the distant hills. The best way of seeing them is from the air in a small plane which banked to give us views of the Lines and figures on the ground as nausea cut in -but no way was I going to be sick! The next bus took us to Arequipa, a fine old Spanish town that boasted a beautiful cathedral and nunnery. This latter was like a township in its own right and would have made for a pleasant way of life for many young ladies of the day. Parts are still in use. From this town a bus took us to the Colca Canyon and into rural Inca country where we saw examples of their terraced agriculture amongst mountains of the Andes. Because water is so scarce, there is a lovely festival at the start of the rainy season when water is sprayed into the air as an offering of thanks. The Colca Canyon, with its towering mountains, is deeper than the Grand Canyon at 13,600 ft. It is also home to the condors and, though not seeing them close to, we could appreciate their
Spinnaker success.
massive size in flight. Here we did feel some of the effects of altitude as we walked along the canyon edge with little spring in our steps and the guide who would become concerned if we got too close to the steep drop below. The next journey was overnight to Cusco on the 14 November on the Cruz del Sol bus. In Cusco Gitte had booked us in at the Royal Inka Hotel; very smart. It is an old hotel with a huge mosaic of Inca history in the main hall reaching to the glass roof above and with fires in stoves fashioned as Inca heads. In the cool of the evenings these were much appreciated. The next stages of our travel were organised locally by an agent, Tanya who was wonderful and thorough at minimal cost. Cusco, though very Spanish, has many examples of Inca history with their intricate stone walls that have survived repeated earthquakes. The Cathedral has to be the finest that I have ever seen with its murals and gold leaf to complete the sheer beauty of its design. From here we were to travel to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The most remarkable site in the Sacred Valley was the Inca experimental crop station. It occupied a natural bowl in the hills, was heavily terraced and with the temperature and humidity variations the Incas were able to develop crops for varying environments. I had to keep reminding myself that their civilisation lasted only 300 years. If we have to define the jewel in the crown for this trip then I suppose it has to be Machu Picchu but there was so much else. To travel there we had to use a bus and the exciting narrow gauge Peru Rail along one of the Amazon tributaries, then stay overnight in Aguas Calientes before the final run up the mountain by bus.
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This we did at 05:00 to be there at sunrise but guess what; dense early morning mist meant we saw nothing until 08:00 but then what a scene as the clouds gently rolled away! The well-known views of sheer magic opened in front of us. It is remarkable that the place was unknown until the American explorer, Hiram Bingham, paid $2 to a guide in 1911 to find the lost city. Then he was faced with walls and stones covered by jungle. Our guide was excellent and after having our passports stamped we returned to our hotel then next day back to Cusco and the Royal Inka. The final trip was again by bus to Puna on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Puna is dirty city with little appeal but that cannot be said of the lake. A day and night trip took us to a floating island, made of reeds and home for three families. Here they fished, made craft work and entertained tourists. We were allowed to peep into the houses and there we saw television sets and kids playing with smart phones, all powered by solar panels; a bit of a let-down but there you go. The islands were kept afloat by constantly adding reeds to the upper surfaces. For the night we were taken to a “real island” and housed in mud huts. Our hostess was a lovely lady dressed in national costume who attended to our needs from an open fire and hanging black pot. Our room was up stairs with four beds and four very heavy blankets each. After a good meal of thick soup we joined the party for a walk to the top of a hill.
Skipper Machu Picchu.
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The path was good but the weather became the opposite. The heavens opened and in no time we were soaked. We were able to seek refuge in a derelict building by climbing up a rickety ladder and jumping on to the floor inside. This proved a useless exercise as the rain was not going to stop. Moving a table we were able to reach a window again and jump out into the rain once more. By this time the track had become a river and was treacherous but somehow we reached the village again and our little house. By this time, of course, it was pitch black and we were soaked and frozen. Bless our hostess, she gave us more hot soup and eventually a candle which we were able to take to our room. We piled up the four thick hairy blankets and soon warmed up. After a while I reluctantly snuffed the candle and that was it until the morning. The morning was bright and sunny so after a walk to the boat we were taken to another island for a walk before boarding for the return to Puna. We had one more day there to look around and had planned to find a museum on the shore. The route took us through some wide streets and a market that I was loath to pass through but Gitte loves markets and their colours so into it we went. It was not long before I was bumped by a man who apologised and went on his way. I was suspicious and checked my pockets and all was well. But then it happened again with two fellows this time. Same apology as they slinked off. I immediately checked my pockets again and this time my
wallet had gone! A nightmare. The police were called, long statements were taken in the station and documents exchanged. To replace the cards took weeks as none could be sent anywhere except to our home address. Anyway it all happened in the end thanks to the home backup team. Lesson; I had not carried out my normal practice of keeping the wallet in a sealed front pocket. From Puna it was a flight back to Lima and then on to Ecuador and the boat. Back on board there were mundane tasks to be done with the build up to Christmas and return to Panama. We set sail on the 28 December with the help of Pedro to pilot us out of the estuary. Theoretically we could have used the incoming track to leave but, after being moored for 8 months, silting could have played havoc with the channel. Anyway the apparent course had taken us over land with an error of some two miles so caution won the day. As it so happened we took the same track over the land! Eight hours later we were back in the Northern hemisphere and water started to flow anticlockwise down the sink. Sailing was good with a SW wind giving us up to 8Knts through the water. During the night we reefed as the wind increased which seemed to take more effort than usual, the cause of which was only too apparent after day break. The trysail halyard had been caught in the reefing slot of the mast and was firmly jammed. By using a winch and repeated easing and tightening of the furling lines were we able to retrieve the halyard without damage. It was a potential nightmare. To avoid a mutiny I agreed to slow the boat at night by routinely reefing. The sailing remained excellent, covering between 160 and 185 miles daily. A small tear developed near the foot of the main so we reefed a little to protect this from the third day at sea. The sole use of the engine was to boost the batteries occasionally as the solar panels supplied most of our needs. By the 31st we were nearing the entrance to the Gulf of Panama within a hundred miles of the Columbian coast. Changes were in the air with darkening clouds and increase in wind as we approached the New Year. All hell was to let loose
Nasca Lines.
as lightning appeared over the hills of Columbia and the heavens opened with torrential rain. I took to steering to help guide us between the storm clouds as they appeared on the radar. Though the winds were no more than F4 the seas became confused as the winds veered North-westerly. The radar signals were spectacular, acquiring all kinds of shapes and though it was approaching midnight I was seeing an image of a dancing girl clothed in a gown complete with hat and a pair of dainty feet! She was with us for close on an hour and all I would take from Gitte was the smallest of drams for the occasion; true. Well, we survived that but the navigational instruments failed again in the proximity of an electrical storm, remaining functionless for over a day as presumably their condensers slowly lost their increased charge.We were now in the Gulf and our Northerly rapid passage virtually came to an end. Strange phenomena occur here. The winds become Northerly and so too the current.The latter I could not understand as surely there should be water ebbing and flowing and it was not until we arrived in Panama that I had it explained to me.The ocean bed is such that the incoming water goes deep and once reaching the Northern shores rises to the surface to flow out again. Closer to the Columbian coast the flow is less and having closed this we were able to make progress albeit slowly using the engine to help us on our way.We had been reporting daily to the Pacific Cruisers’ Net where our earlier rapid progress had been noted, but no more. It took us three days to reach Las Islas Perlas and the anchorage at Espiritu Santos on the 3 January. Here we stayed one night, making our way the next day the few miles to Contadora where we could go ashore and report to the world that we were safe and well. The restaurant had not changed and
supper was just as good.The final run to Panama was on the 5th and sailing to La Playita, the anchorage to the South of the entrance to the Canal, we found three yachts only at anchor so giving us the chance to anchor close to the harbour entrance and away from the worst of the swell created by passing canal work boats. Home at last and where we would be for the Panama and the next three months. After making contact with our numerous fellow cruisers we set about making the numerous contacts for the refit. In Panama, as anywhere else outside the States on the Pacific coast, nothing is easy as most of the gear required has to be shipped, often at great cost, some arriving within a few days and others after several weeks. Adding to delays is the customs office often adding more time than that taken for shipping. Perhaps the best example of this was the replacement water maker from Florida. It arrived within two days in a very large coffin like box and was then kept for ten by customs. Again some trades are excellent but others adopt the mañana philosophy which sometimes translates to never. Besides the water maker we replaced the defunct generator, electrical storm prone navigation instruments, the heavy dinghy and the Bimini. Finally there was the lift out for underwater fittings and antifouling. The bottom was cleaner than a year ago but this time I opted for the “best”, Trinidad SR. We will wait and see. While all this was going on my sister Jane from Canada visited us, we attended pizza evenings, socialised generally, meeting many more cruisers as one does and even found a piper, a former pupil of Glenalmond and who had lived and been a patient in Comrie. The projects were completed and on the 5 April we set sail for Ecuador
again. Using Google Earth for currents, we took a course well to the SW to pass Punta Mala, the renowned Northern headland of the Gulf of Panama to pick up this course.This is a most graphic programme but the winds eventually dictated that we had to leave the current heading more Southerly before being able to head SW again. In the variable and largely F3 winds progress was slow.We maintained contact with the Cruisers’ Net, finding it most helpful as we neared Ecuador again. Generally the cruise was without any traumatic incident except for having to keep a wary lookout for fishing pangas without lights.The highlight of this passage was the flying of the spinnaker, which we achieved with ease.We had almost sold this but wisdom had prevailed. Control was a doddle and it looked beautiful! The tide table dictated that we made landfall off the estuary to Bahia de Carraquez early in the morning.This meant that we had to anchor for the night in a bay a few miles North by Cabo Passado with another cruiser, SV Anna. This yacht had been there for a week enjoying the peace, but not for long after we arrived.The wind veered to the West bringing a fearsome swell rolling us all night without a break, so leaving in the morning was a huge relief.We had not long to heave-to at the “waiting room” at Bahia before Carlos and Arisoso arrived in their panga to guide us to the buoys. It was a great welcome we had from them making our return even more special on this day of 15 April. Ashore we caught up with the rest of our pals there. All we had to do was close down the boat for the season and book flights home, eventually departing on the 23 April.
David Bushby, Aros Mear
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 83
Tiftie 2014
Fuel for Thought Skipper : Sandy Tosh Crew various: Nance Tosh, Gareth Tosh, Fergus Hunter & Bill Scott
O
ur summer cruise started from Largs on Monday 26 May. Our general plan was to head for the Hebrides, Inner and Outer, via the Mull of Kintyre. The weather pattern seemed quite settled with high pressure established over the UK. However, as every yachtsman knows, high pressure comes with little wind! So the pattern of our summer cruise was set! Our trusty, reliable Beta 50 engine was going to have to work hard! Tiftie has a diesel fuel tank which holds 205 litres when full and, in addition, we carry 30 litres in ten litre containers in our cockpit locker. Measuring fuel consumption on a yacht is not an exact science! There are no flow meters and the tank contents gauge looks like your average car petrol gauge which does not tell you how many litres of fuel remain in the tank. So there is a substantial bit of dead reckoning involved! From experience, Tiftie uses approximately 2 litres an hour at 1500rpm and 3 litres an hour at 1900rpm, giving 5 or 6Knts respectively. Having departed from Largs with 200 litres in the fuel tank plus our 30 litres in containers, we were geared for the windless situation.We found ourselves motoring or motor-sailing to Campbeltown, Gigha and then arriving Craobh on Thursday 29 May, where we topped up with fuel, 55 litres taken. Engine hours 19 distance 115nm. Now in very good shape, we continued our cruise to Oban, Tobermory and Arisaig, arriving there on Saturday 31 May and decided to stay for a few days as we had a crew change etc. From Craobh, engine hours 13, distance 68nm, fuel remaining in tank 177 litres. With this healthy fuel figure, no fuel was taken in Arisaig. Over the
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84 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
period in Arisaig, battery charging resulted in an estimated 7 litres fuel consumption. We do have a wind generator but again lack of wind! The largest battery drain on the boat is the refrigerator, but we believe it essential to run this for our fresh food supplies. Our lighting is all LED which makes quite a difference! Leaving Arisaig on Friday 6 June, we headed for Canna. Lovely sunny day, little wind! Picked up a mooring and headed ashore to pay for same, to find, instead of box and book at pier, there is now a half mile walk to the shop! The following day we headed for Eriskay. Wind forecast looked promising but alas, did not materialise so we motorsailed again, arriving 13:55, going alongside the old pier to obtain fuel. Throughout the Hebrides, as explained in the CCC Sailing Directions, most of the fuel stations are unmanned and a key and account are required from the Islands Council before fuel can be obtained.We have had a key and account for some years and found the system to work well. Until now! Here, at Eriskay, was a new fuel station installation, replacing the older one. Great! But our key did not work! Being Saturday and no mobile phone signal, we asked a local fisherman if he knew anything. No it wasn’t working and the “man” had been to look at it. Ah well, we still had 150 litres in the tank so it was not a crisis. We walked to the community shop, got a few supplies, saw the Eriskay ponies and heard the corncrake! Next day, Sunday 8 June, we headed north to the Wizard Pool and actually managed the engine off for 55 minutes! We still had the high pressure but not the sunshine. Once in the anchorage we had a strong wind from the South coming off the hills. Next morning still breezy from the South so we thought
Tiftie moored Isle Ornsay.
we are in for a good sail today! Leaving the anchorage and getting out to the Minch, the wind died! Headed for Lochmaddy, we did eventually manage the engine off for 1 hour 50 minutes! Having read great things of the new pontoon system at Lochmaddy, we were keen to see it.There was already about half a dozen yachts alongside without an obvious easy berth available, so we elected to pick up a mooring and check out the pontoon with our dinghy. On inspection, the South side of the pontoon has good manoeuvring space and we would be happy to berth there. However, there was no water or electricity installed so we decided to stay on the mooring. Incidentally, the usual place for water, the fire hose outside the Calmac building, was inoperative so water seems completely unavailable! The only fuel available is at the garage, a fair walk from the pier! Slipped mooring 10:35 Tuesday 10 June, heading for Scalpay and fuel! Still high pressure and little wind but did manage the engine off for 2 hours and 50 minutes! We did have some dolphins with us for a while, always great to see. We duly arrived in North Harbour, Scalpay and headed for the pier and fuel station, tied up alongside a small fishing boat as close as we could get. Checked the fuel station to find that the original shutter lock (opened by the fuel key) had been replaced with a padlock! Nobody about, so a visit to the community shop to find that they would phone the “man with the key”! No reply. No rush we will wait a while and the shop will phone again. An hour or so passes and with no action, we decide to go and anchor. Just about to drop the anchor when a car appears on the pier and man opens shutter! Back in alongside the fishing boat, man informs us the fuel hose shut off is
The repositioned fishermans raft Loch Roe.
Sunset at Skye Bridge.
Wizard Pool.
Largs.
not working well and oh! it will not reach you. Back to drop anchor for the night. Fuel used since last fuelling at Craobh, 70 litres, engine hours 35, distance 184nm. Fuel r.o.b. in tank 135 litres. No crisis yet. Anchor up and away by 08:45 Wed. 11 June, headed for Stornoway passing under the Scalpay bridge where our masthead looks so very close to the bridge deck.We then set course for a passage through the Shiants. Soon we see our first puffin of the voyage.We motor slowly through the islands and are so pleased to see very large numbers of puffins, razorbills and guillemots both on the water and at nest sites. A truly wonderful place.We clear the islands and with a brisk Southerly wind (hurrah!) we set sails and stop the engine! A great sail to Stornoway and we look forward to getting alongside the new pontoons, a facility long overdue here! We round up into the harbour with the new pontoons ahead , with lots of masts and the
lifeboat seriously restricting the view as it is moored at the closest corner of the pontoon.There is some clear berthing area visible alongside a long run of the pontoon closest to us.Various people are waving.We berth safely and a Stornoway Harbour employee welcomes us. Suffice to say there are number of idiosyncrasies which will surely be sorted in time but this new facility certainly makes a visit to Stornoway a far more pleasant experience, than in the past, for yachtsmen. We enjoyed 3 days alongside with shore power, water, showers with the town centre only a very short walk away. We decide to leave on Saturday morning, 14 June, for Lochinver. First of all though we head for the fuel station alongside the pier. As it is high tide, this is a simple manoeuvre. Key presented to the appropriate spot, “fuel not available” comes up. Is it our key? We go to the Watch Office to obtain a second opinion with their key. Ah! there is a dangerous pallet floating in the channel and that will have to removed. An hour later the Harbour staff arrive with their key and again no fuel. Nothing can be done, it’s the Council’s responsibility! The helpful staff offer to take us to a garage in their truck.We elect not to accept and leave. On the run out of port we add 20 litres of fuel to the tank from our containers! After an uneventful, windless passage, we arrive alongside the pontoon at Lochinver. Being a Saturday, the Harbour Office is closed and there are no staff about. Still we have a pleasant weekend alongside with shore power from the one unlocked supply socket we could find on the pontoon.We have covered 254nm, 43 engine hours and have 135 litres of fuel remaining in the tank, including the 20 litres added from containers, since refuelling at Craobh! Monday morning, Harbour Office opens and dues paid. Fuel is available from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00.We book a 10:00 slot alongside the pier! Again high tide which makes it quite easy. Hose in, fuel in! Containers refilled.Total fuel taken 90 litres! We feel really comfortable now! We head for Loch Roe and arrive to find that the Fishermens’ raft which has always been an unpleasant feature of this anchorage, has been moved further into the anchorage area and a rope
run ashore to the centre head of the pool.This makes it difficult for visitors to anchor safely. Fortunately, we were alone and there was little wind. From Tuesday 17 June, we began the voyage South calling at Ullapool, Ewe Island, Shieldaig, Pol Domhain, Plockton to Kyle of Lochalsh.We decided to top up with fuel at Kyle so phoned ahead from Plockton.We would arrive at the fuel berth between 09:00 and 09:30 the following morning. No problem says the Harbour Master, I’ll be there! We arrive at the pier at 08:55 and berth alongside a fishfarm diving vessel. Perfect! 09:30 and no sign of anyone from the Harbour Office. No response to the phone or VHF! The fishfarm vessel has to leave.We pull off and re-rig with plank and fenders to go alongside pier. 10:15 and still unable to raise anyone, we leave! Fortunately, we have ample fuel! We head South calling at Isleornsay and Arisaig before reaching Tobermory once more. After a quiet night on a mooring we decide to go alongside the pontoon for fuel. No wind – easy.Take 44 litres and chatting to the garage man about our Hebridean fuel problems, he is amazed that a yacht can have a key and get fuel as he has a form to fill and sign for every yacht fuel sale. I explain how it works as a blanket 60/40 undertaking is given to Island Council! Highland Council utilise the same fuelling stations as the Islands Council but will not offer a key service for non-commercial vessels! Shame! We manoeuvre carefully out of the fuel berth as a large tour boat has berthed close ahead of us.We now have enough fuel to reach Timbuktu! We continue our voyage, stopping at Oban, Gigha and Lochranza before arriving safely home to Largs on Monday 7 July, precisely 6 weeks since leaving our berth. Fortunately, despite some unfavourable wind directions on the last legs, we managed some good sailing! Final tally – Fuel used 269 litres, engine hours 126, distance 706 nautical miles. 2014 – The most fuel used and the least distance under sail in 21 seasons aboard Tiftie!
Sandy Tosh, Tiftie
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 85
Around Fyn Boat: Paloma – Contest 46 Crew: Clive & Elisabeth Scott, Doug & Dale Bruce (part)
I
n 2006 we took Paloma to Scandinavia by the Viking route from the Clyde up the West Coast to Orkney, Fair Isle and Shetland, waiting four days in Lerwick for a weather window before crossing the North Sea to make landfall at Tananger, Norway. In subsequent seasons we have sailed as far North as Flam at the head of the Sognefjord at 60.8N 7.1E, explored the Southern “white” coast of Norway, the Bohuslan coast of West Sweden, North Jutland and the islands of the Kattegat, and most recently the Belts and Southern islands of Denmark just North of Germany. Rather than spend precious holiday time on delivery trips back and forth across the capricious North Sea we overwintered Paloma at various boatyards in Sweden and Denmark and, during the season when not on board, left her afloat at marinas in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. For all but one winter Paloma has been stored inside heated sheds. Over the piece we have experienced excellent marine services, and despite the reputation that Scandinavia has for being expensive, we have often found berthage and storage costs to be lower than in Scotland for superior facilities. We have had lots of maintenance and upgrade work done in Scandinavia including installation of a new generator, electric furler and genoa winches, replacement mainsheet winches and mainsheet track, new windlass, new heating, redesigned saloon table and navigation station with new instrumentation, custom bow platform and much else besides. Paloma is 25 years old. However so much has been added or replaced since we took her on in 1995 that this now applies only to the hull, keel, deck and mast! Whilst hourly yard labour rates are higher than in Scotland, and VAT is charged at 25%,
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86 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Paloma at anchor with 0.9m under the keel.
we have found enhanced quality and productivity more than compensates. By a series of chance meetings and coincidences we were invited to join a combined American/Scandinavian yacht club that must surely have the longest name of any club anywhere – The North American Station of the Royal Scandinavian Yacht Club and Nylandska Jaktklubben, mercifully shortened to The NAS in normal parlance. The club runs a triennial cruise in Scandinavian waters and in 2008 we participated in their cruise to the West coast of Norway. Other commitments precluded participation in the 2011 cruise to the Eastern Baltic and St. Petersburg but we were available to join the 2014 cruise anticlockwise around Fyn during the second and third weeks of July. There were 17 boats in the fleet, 7 being chartered locally, including a 124 ft “mother ship”, The Loyal, an historic Norwegian galleass gaff ketch built as a fish carrier in 1877. The ship has been extensively rebuilt over a staggering 21 year period from 1976 to 1997 by the current skipper and his father for fully crewed charter and film use. The prime mover in the organising committee was David Tunick who lives in Manhattan but spends two
Many churches have ship models.
to three months on board his classic 55 ft S&S yawl Nightwatch. David did a fantastic job putting the cruise programme together and produced a very impressive glossy colour cruise guide that ran to no fewer than 130 pages. The fleet assembled on 6 July at Kerteminde on the east coast of Fyn. The skipper brought disgrace on Paloma attempting to come alongside another cruise participant – a very smart Hinckley 42, Golden Eye. The manoeuvre started out well with a sweeping turn to starboard to make for an upwind port side to approach. However, as the engine was slowed down the skipper became increasingly aware that the boat was not slowing as expected. Also, the
Folding bike handy transport.
stern was slewing to starboard and the bow counter swinging to port. Never mind, a jag astern and a blast from the port bowthruster should sort it. The bowthruster made some noise but produced next to no thrust (for reasons a diver was to discover later). Prop walk astern is to starboard. This exacerbated the stern swing to starboard already underway and counter swing of the bow to port. Paloma’s substantial bow platform and 55lb anchor struck the Hinckley amidships with a raking blow, mangling her stanchions. Thankfully, her wide eyed crew had the presence of mind to retreat well out of harm’s way. Astute readers will by now have realised what the skipper did not – a strong current running from astern had taken control of the boat. After disentangling we berthed further down the quay, up current and down wind, without further incident and, armed with the best single malt from the drinks locker, the skipper went off to make amends. The owner of the Hinckley was generous to a fault in his understanding. By happy coincidence we were both insured with Pantaenius who promptly arranged for a local surveyor to assess the damage and all was dealt with in good spirit. The cruise programme got underway with a pre-dinner tour of a Viking burial mound containing a 70 ft long ship, complete with the skeleton of the unnamed king, together with skeletons of his slaves, horses and dogs all slaughtered as part of the burial ceremony to lie with their master. A grisly and somewhat unconventional aperitif to the splendid dinner that followed at the high end seafood restaurant Rudolph Mathis, dress code being “Gentlemen blazer and tie, ladies equivalent”. At the end of the evening the town crier put in an appearance in full regalia complete with a very nasty looking spiked
club for dealing with “drunks and vagabonds” and guided the (quickly sober) party back to the boats. The following day the fleet departed for Ballen on the beautiful island of Samso some 24nm to the North. Samso has a year round population of 3,800 that is much expanded over the summer months. The islanders have developed a very high quality fruit and vegetable business and, surprisingly, a world leading renewable energy consultancy. The island is completely energy self-sufficient and exports the surplus to “mainland” Denmark. Electricity is produced from a combination of offshore and onshore wind turbines, solar panels in field arrays and on many roofs, bio-mass incinerators mostly using straw which otherwise would be unused, and heat pumps. Many homes and buildings are connected to district heating systems. Crucially, the generating infrastructure is owned and operated by the community rather than big energy companies and so the islanders have a stake rather than being ripped off consumers as we are familiar with in Scotland. We had a most informative lecture at the Energie Institute that comprehensively
debunked the wilder assertions of the anti-renewable energy lobby. The fleet was detained for a day in Ballen on account of boisterous weather from the North and a planned visit to Ebeltoft on Jutland was wisely abandoned. This was a pity because we have visited Ebeltoft before and it is a delightful village with the long cobbled main street and buildings largely intact as built some 300 years ago, the well preserved Frigatte Jyland to visit, and the superb Glass Museum (Glas Muset) and its amazing display of glass artwork. The following day the wind had abated and the fleet made its way northwest to the island of Tuno. However, Paloma was obliged to run and reach southwest in a helpful 15Knts Easterly for Bogense on the North of Fyn. We had Doug and Dale Bruce from Camden, Maine, on board. Dale is a particularly keen photographer and this was to be the cause of an unfortunate accident. She spotted a good photo opportunity with Elisabeth, Doug and me on the foredeck whilst The Loyal was manoeuvring in the background. She took a couple of steps backward in order to bring The Loyal into full frame and tripped on the starboard
Wooden boat building alive.
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genoa car, falling very heavily. A nurse and retired doctor in the fleet had a look and recommended rest, ice packs (frozen peas), and keeping weight off the leg. Unfortunately the swelling and pain got progressively worse and we thought our best chance of obtaining crutches was Bogense. Doug managed to obtain crutches from an unlikely source, a young assistant at the tourist office, the only payment acceptable being ice cream! We re-joined the fleet at Julesminde on Jutland on 10 July after a super sail hard on the wind into 18Knts covering 15 miles to make the 10 mile passage. Julesminde is a very popular holiday resort, a sort of mini Danish Blackpool that has little to commend it unless your interest is in night clubs, junk food and fair ground attractions. However the local museum did lay on an excellent barbeque for the fleet after a “roaming cocktail party” on board The Loyal. The cruising chute was given a rare airing the following day on passage down to Aro, 39nm to the South. The swelling on Dale’s leg had by now extended above her knee and it was clear that a visit to hospital was necessary. We therefore left the fleet for a second time and headed 38nm East for Svendborg in a flat calm and hot sunshine under engine. Some 5 miles short we came across a becalmed 16 ft dinghy with four on board who hailed for a tow. We explained we were making for Svendborg as quickly as possible and would be happy to tow them if they could cope with 8Knts which they said they could. With the dinghy surfing behind all was going well and we deployed a fender to float a six pack of beer down to them, which was cheerily received. We cast them off at a camp site a mile or so short of our destination and they said they would meet us in Svendborg with a car and take Dale directly to hospital. The car was waiting for us on arrival and off Doug & Dale went. Some five hours later they returned with Dale’s leg in a rigid plastic boot up to her knee with the bad news that she had a displaced fracture of her fibula, a cracked bone in her foot, another one chipped, and that surgery may be required. Dale decided that she would prefer to return home to Maine for treatment and for the next several
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88 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Denmark's Royal Yacht still in service.
Dale still smiling despite broken leg.
hours late into the night Doug was on the mobile phone patiently negotiating a flight home, booking an overnight stay in Copenhagen, arranging a taxi from Svendborg, and when done, finally packing their bags. It was a disappointing end to their cruise with us and we were very sorry to wave them off by taxi first thing in the morning. The postscript is that Dale has made an excellent recovery. The weather was exceptionally good and we enjoyed some beautiful sailing in very benign conditions, probably the best continuous period of fine weather we have ever experienced in over 30 years of sailing. Over the month the lowest pressure we saw was 1009 and the highest 1025 with most of the time being in the high teens or low twenties. The water temperature was perfect for swimming (typically 18°C) although in some places there were large shoals of moon jelly fish – non stinging but not inviting to swim with. July is high season and harbours were generally busy, particularly after 16.00. Harbour charges for Paloma’s 14.1 m ranged from a low of 120DK (£14.00) to a high of 280DK (£32.00) with payment usually made via a ticket machine that also provided a pre-paid smart card for use of showers, laundry, electricity etc,
although for some harbours electricity was included without separate charge. In two harbours water was charged at 10 kroner (£1.15) for 10 minutes use of the hose. Despite the high numbers using the facilities ashore toilets and showers were invariably in good order due to inherent design, regular maintenance, and above all, users with respectful manners for others. With just the two of us on board we re-joined the fleet at the incredibly picturesque and historic town of Aeroskobing on the island of Aero. There was a mid-cruise fleet dinner organised at Det Gamle Vaerft (The Old Workshop) on the harbourside, the food being cooked on an old forge converted for use as an indoor barbeque.The next day was a lay day to give the opportunity to explore the town which we did with the assistance of an enthusiastic guide.The old houses are for the most part in a wonderful state of conservation and highly prized by their owners.The fleet departed in the morning, 15 July and the skipper’s 64th birthday, for the small island of Skaro just 9nm distant, where we anchored off behind a long spit.This tiny backwater of an island that you might dismiss as being in the middle of nowhere with nothing going on has developed a thriving “healthy” ice cream industry with a substantial export business including supplying Singapore Airlines.They also supply the Danish health service with high energy ice cream for seriously ill patients who find it difficult to cope with “proper” food. Amazing what formidable obstacles to success people with independent spirit thrown on their own apparently unpromising resources can achieve. There was a fleet dinner organised at the ice cream factory during which the fine weather briefly broke with an
Presenting CCC plaque.
intense squally thunder storm. Being without jackets we quickly got soaked through and chilled and on returning to our dinghy found it swamped and the lifejackets auto-inflated. Next day we departed for an overnight anchorage at Thuro Bund and enjoyed a tour of Valdemar’s Castle despite the many terrible paintings on display and unfashionable stuffed animal menagerie before being hosted by Walsteds Boatyard to a drinks reception and meal in the evening.Walsteds is a highly regarded boatyard in Denmark specialising in wooden classics, particularly S&S designs, although they can turn their formidable expertise to any type of boatwork.They had just re-launched a 30 year old Maxi 1150 after a complete refit to a standard significantly better than originally built. It has taken us a while to feel comfortable anchoring out in very shallow water, often just a metre under the keel. We are sure that the locals thought our anchoring technique absurd with the amount of chain run out and careful digging in under engine. We on the other hand thought their technique of dropping the anchor over, feeling it almost immediately hit the bottom, then adding a couple of metres of chain at most just to be sure, somewhat optimistic. They would invariably raise an anchor ball and perhaps thought that this radiated magical holding powers. The following night we anchored in the almost completely encircled lagoon at the tiny uninhabited island of Musholm, the entire 45nm passage being under engine for want of wind. Holding was questionable on account of squidgy mud and weed. The fleet returned full circle to Kerteminde on Friday 18 July for a farewell dinner
that featured community singing, fun awards, short amusing speeches and any excuse for a toast. In the spirit of sailing friendship we presented David C Brown, Post Captain of NAS, with a CCC plaque, reminding him of the most important line in the CCC constitution “to foster the social side of sailing”. It was well received. Following the NAS cruise we spent two weeks meandering in the southern islands enjoying anchoring out, swimming and long walks ashore. It was idyllic and completely stress free cruising.We had an unexpectedly interesting visit to Odense to the Perkins agent hoping for assistance with a burned out resistor on the engine panel. On arrival we found a fleet of some 40 Baltic traders in the old harbour on a round Fyn rally which was a splendid sight and the cause of much local celebration.We had already spent a month on board in May and our return to Augustenborg for 3 August would mark the end of our 2014 season with the boat decommissioned and lifted ashore. An over voltage fault with the battery charging circuits developed on our final passage from Falsborg and we could not run the engine for fear of damaging the batteries.The weather was light and what little wind there was was on the nose and so we resigned ourselves to a long 35 mile upwind slog.We had never bothered to set the autopilot to “wind” mode before but after reading the instructions (twice) we worked out the correct sequence of buttons to push and left the boat to it. Auto-tack combined with powered furling and winches proved a revelation and we will be less inclined to resort to the engine for upwind passages in future.The wind steadily picked up during the passage obliging us to reef down and on bearing off at the entrance to Augustenborg fjord we were rarely making less than 8Knts. The final entry to Augustenborg was down wind under reefed genoa. We passed a small airfield just as a single engine plane took off. A few minutes later we heard a labouring engine then a loud bang followed by an ominous silence. We frantically scanned the sea all around and also the shoreline hoping not to see a plume of smoke. Nothing. Elisabeth darted
below to note our time and position and was just coming up when I spotted the plane silently gliding very low in the direction of the airfield just above a stand of trees. It was a very close run thing but it just made it. It certainly put any concerns we were having about berthing Paloma without use of the engine into perspective. For anyone looking for a change of scene from the familiar West coast of Scotland, our close Scandinavian neighbours to the east provide it.The people are delightful, the facilities excellent, and the distances short. It is rare to see a red ensign and the locals are mystified as to why we fly what they call “the English flag” when they learn we are from Scotland. Others think the red ensign signifies either New Zealand or Australia and are slightly disappointed to learn we are not quite so exotic as they at first thought. More locals come to talk with us since having Paloma’s port of registry, Glasgow, painted on the transom. The Danes are both astonished and delighted when Elisabeth converses with them in Danish and this has opened many doors for us. If you have not yet been you should plan to go.
Clive Scott, Paloma Distance table Augustenborg – Thuro Bund
51
Thuro Bund – Nyborg
22
Nyborg – Kertiminde
27
Kertiminde – Ballen
25
Ballen – Bogense
28
Bogense – Julesminde
10
Julseminde – Aro
39
Aro – Svendborg
38
Svendborg – Areoskobing
15
Aeroskobing – Skaro
11
Skaro – Thuro Bund
9
Thuro Bund – Musholm
45
Musholm – Kertiminde
15
Total
336
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Recollections of the first ARC Baltic Cruise Longbow of Argyll, a Bowman 57 Skipper: Ted Warren First Mate: Jane Warren Crew joining: For Inverness to Arhus leg: Peter Galloway, Michael Hamilton, Carol Rowe. For various legs of the rally from Kiel to Kalmar: Holly Jones, Peter and Francoise Proctor, Clare Warren and Felix Hanke, Dick and Budgie Savage, Michele Warren and Dave Allan, Hilary and Rusty Laidler. Return crossing of North Sea: Peter Galloway and Dick Savage. Total Mileage: 3934nm
Sonderborg Town Quay.
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W
e had been wondering about taking Longbow to the Baltic this summer, so that when we saw the announcement of the ARC Baltic cruise to be run by the World Cruising Club, the die was cast! Leaving from our home port of Helensburgh we had an uneventful trip round the Mull of Kintyre and North through the Caledonian Canal. With snow on a clear Ben Nevis and spring foliage all along the banks, this proved to be a relaxing and enjoyable few days with friends. After a couple of days back at home and the final checks, we left Inverness on 5 June. The first twelve hours were spent in a bouncy sea with the wind on the nose but thereafter the wind died completely and apart from a session on the third day we motored until we were in sight of the coast of Jutland when, in a frustrating fashion, the wind picked up to a Force 5 while ships converged approaching the cardinal
buoy. A tired crew were happy to tie up alongside in Skagen after a trip of 503nm in 80 hours. Having thought we were nicely settled we were rudely awakened by the harbour master at 0545 BST to be told we had to move. That achieved, we enjoyed purchasing some Danish produce including the best strawberries anyone could remember and the first of many selections of smoked fish. From Skagen we worked our way South via Laeso, Mariager Fjord and Ebeltoft to Arhus from which our crew flew home. We had all revelled in the sunny weather that was to continue for almost our entire Baltic cruise. The two of us then enjoyed a fortnight of cruising gently South through the Little Belt as far as Marstal on the island of Aero where we received wonderful hospitality from our daughter in law’s uncle, Steen. After having sorted ourselves out in a number of harbours that were only just able to accommodate our length and draught (2.3 m), it was such a treat to be waved in as we entered Marstal and have our lines taken for us. Although Aeroskobing receives a lot of the limelight, we found Marstal to be an excellent harbour with lots of nautical interest and a fascinating Maritime Museum that shouldn’t be missed. We were sorry that Steen was not free to join us for the 35nm passage from Marstal to Kiel where we were to rendezvous for the start of the ARC Baltic Rally. In Schilksee, with a good alongside berth (rare in the Baltic) we started to introduce ourselves to crews already there and spent three days victualling up again (i.e. three long walks to and from the supermarket), swimming, at skippers’ briefings and enjoying the first crew dinner together with Ted’s niece, Clare, and friends Peter, Francoise and Holly. The evening was accompanied by anxiety about the forecast and decisions to be made as to when to leave Kiel. Some left immediately after dinner. We decided to catch a few hours sleep and left at 0400.
Kiel to Bornholm The 180nm East to Ronne in Bornholm saw the Westerlies veering
Superb seamanship in Marstal Harbour.
to Easterlies and a mixture of sun, cloud, rain and fog. We passed a number of massive wind farms and were passed by some huge tankers. Favourite moments included the beautiful sunset and sunrise and Peter’s joke about the motto of the French Navy. We all enjoyed Bornholm enormously. A coach trip covered a good mileage around the island with some very charming villages and some very snug harbours, one of which, Swaneke, we had been scheduled to occupy. On seeing it we were very pleased that strong easterlies had necessitated the alternative of Ronne! Clare found a lovely beach ten minutes walk from the harbour where most of us swam and watched the huge flock of sand martins nested in the cliffs. And Francoise, having quickly recovered from the discomforts of the trip, enjoyed the retail therapy as well as the swimming.
Bornholm to Gotland After an extra day waiting for the wind to settle, we left Bornholm early after a helpful tow off an awkward, windward-facing quay from the lead boat,” Working on a Dream”. We headed straight into a 20 kt wind with reefed main and staysail, and made fast but bouncy progress northwards to the Swedish mainland coast. We anchored overnight in calm waters just off Karlskrone for 5 hours to give the weary and slightly battered crew some rest.
At 0400 we weighed anchor and headed East towards Oland under power. We spent another rough day bashing our way East and then North in confused seas. The wind swung round and dropped throughout the day, but time constraints for ferry departures out of Visby meant that we motor sailed. We made good time, even hitting 10.2 knots surfing down some of the waves. We arrived in Visby harbour at midnight, just avoiding the arrival of the high speed ferry. We were one of the first in, and as a consequence tied up alongside the jetty. As the night wore on more boats arrived and rafted outside us. Highlights of the journey included a visit from a tiny bird, tentatively identified as a meadow pipit, which spent a few minutes catching flies around the boat and even rested on Holly’s finger for a few moments. The moonrise was spectacular too – an orange orb slowly rising above the mist over Gotland. We must record our admiration for the lead Skipper, Hans Hansell and for the Rally “yellow shirts” – Joel and Cecilie. Despite facing the same challenging sailing as the rest of us, they had no rest when they arrived just after us. Rather, they spent the rest of the night helping everyone else get in and tied up, then spent the morning planning the social events in town. All with a smile, and looking remarkably fresh! After a few hours sleep, we met up with a new crew member, Felix
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Visby.
(Clare’s husband), and waved off a refreshed-looking Peter and Francoise. Visby was a medieval trading town, an important member of the Hanseatic League, and its 3 km surrounding wall and ramparts are still mostly intact. There are old ruined churches, narrow cobbled streets and gardens to explore. Outside the walls the modern Visby has all the amenities one would expect from the capital of a 120 km long island. Longbow’s crew spent a lovely couple of days exploring the island: Clare and Felix hired a car and went off to find the nature reserves and rock formations (rauks) whilst the rest of the crew went on a guided tour of the ramparts and the Old Town. In the late afternoon Clare, Felix and Jane headed off to a headland in the North of the island that hosted Gotland’s tallest rauk. We had a lovely wander through the pine forest, and enjoyed a picnic supper in Likkehamn harbour while watching the world go by.
Gotland to Tallinn We had an “interesting” departure out of Visby: strong winds, lots of departing yachts, a huge tall ship
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coming into dock and a high speed ferry trying to depart all at roughly the same time! There was a lot of steering in circles in the inner harbour until we spotted our chance to duck under the stern of the “Sea Cloud II”. We had just pulled the main up in the outer harbour when we noticed the ferry starting to move, however, after a few tense moments the ferry rapidly pulled away well ahead of us and off we sailed. The fleet had a wonderful 50 mile spinnaker run to Gotska Sandon, an island national park with a large seal population. We anchored off the northeast shore for a few hours to explore a bit of the island, then ate a quick dinner and headed east with cruising chute flying. We had a lovely gentle sail overnight in the company of a few other yachts, a Tallink ferry and a few container ships. The wind sadly dropped off during the next day and eventually we had to resort to the engine. The fog rolled in during night two and we had to watch the radar like hawks as the visibility was 100 m and we were near the shipping channel.
Near sunrise the fog lifted for a few magic moments to reveal Tallinn’s dreaming spire-clad skyline before rolling in again. Luckily the fog cleared permanently for the last few miles and we had an easy run into the harbour. There we managed our first stern-to mooring, having to walk the plank to get ashore! Like Visby, Tallinn has a medieval walled Old Town with narrow cobbled streets and wonderfully quirky buildings. Tallinn provides a somewhat eccentric mixture of old and new: huge supermarkets with every possible choice of food and grocery item, clean and efficient buses on which you can pay by mobile phone, ancient medieval buildings with hefty wooden doors, lots of people dressed in national dress and blaring house music to top it all off. Everything and anything goes in this town! Our guide was willing to discuss not only the physical aspects of the city but also the relationship Estonians now perceive they have with Russia. This sounded encouragingly positive. On a more sombre note, the steps leading to the Dutch embassy were
covered in flowers as a note of respect to the passengers and crew of the recently downed Malaysian plane. Not much news of the outside world filtered through during this Rally, but that bit certainly did. Tallinn marked another crew change for Longbow: Clare and Felix were leaving and Budgie and Dick arriving for the passage to Helsinki via St. Petersburg. Within the fleet there was a definite level of excitement, coupled with nervousness, about sailing into Russian waters.
Tallinn to St. Petersburg Leaving Tallinn, we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of sailing along the Estonian coastline. Dick and Budgie seemed delighted that their adventure had begun. By the following morning we had to enter the strict shipping channel that takes one 85nm to the Russian border control. Tied up at Kronstadt, we were very pleased to meet Vladimir Ivankiv acting as agent for the rally. His friendly welcome helped overcome a degree of apprehension in this quite forbidding setting. Apart from a little sailing, this leg had been a long slog with the iron topsail through featureless surroundings. Even when within a few miles of St. Petersburg the skyline only revealed industrial outlines and a couple of vast cruise liners. We settled in to the Central River Yacht Club and despite our weariness, looked forward to the exciting days ahead. The first of these revolved around a guided bus trip around some of the main features of the city, founded with vision by Peter the Great. With more glorious weather, we visited the St. Peter and Paul fortress church, heaving with people, but followed that with a private tour of the battleship Aurora. Having wondered whether we wanted this, we were all most impressed by the ship and its site and learnt that it was a blank shell from the Aurora that gave the signal for the storming of the Winter Palace at the start of the Russian Revolution. Other sites we just got a glimpse of, tempting us to return if possible. The following day we were treated to a tour of the incredible Winter Palace / Hermitage Museum. Overwhelming, sumptuous,
with massive gilding, pillars, tables and vases of precious stone, the palace houses the vast collection started by Catherine the Great. Understandably the galleries were incredibly crowded making the peaceful viewing of the art quite difficult. Come in winter we decided, but life is short.... so we lapped it up. Continuing the “life is short theme”, we all decided to go to Swan Lake in the Hermitage Theatre followed the next evening by Eugene Onegin at the fabulous modern Marinsky theatre. These will be abiding memories of St. Petersburg. We were conscious of being totally immersed in these wonderful experiences, musically and visually gorgeous in these iconic settings. We were all struck by the glamour with which the audience graced these occasions. We were sadly lacking in 7 inch heels! Both of these evenings and a lot of the planning in St. Petersburg were again thanks to our agent, Vladimir.Vladimir is and honorary member of the CCC. Back at the marina the fleet enjoyed a lovely outdoor setting for a meal together, with some spontaneous entertainment. We will just forget the incredible throbbing “music” which surrounded us all night or waking to find a stranger sitting on our deck. All in all, an unforgettable experience at a difficult time in international relations.
St. Petersburg to Helsinki Motoring out of St. Petersburg on 27 July proved much quieter than our busy entrance and we enjoyed catching a glimpse of the Summer Palace at Peterhof. Clearing customs went smoothly as did the long trail out to the “rotary” from which one was permitted to branch off in a north westerly direction towards Finnish waters. It wasn’t too long before we swapped the Russian courtesy flag for the Finnish flag, not without a little relief. It was 2315 when we tied up at the Customs quay on the quiet island of Haapasari. There the Border guards welcomed us “ back to Europe”. All skippers were breathalysed! After clearance we had to creep into the anchorage aided by a powerful torch – we were glad of a dram and our beds after 92nm. The sailing between Haapasari and Helsinki was fantastic especially the first of those two days. Both nights were spent in gorgeous anchorages with the bolder crew swimming off the boat in warm water of low salinity – superb. Arriving at Helsinki’s Nylandska Jaktklubben with its wonderful view across the harbour to the city was a delight. The clubhouse and its marina occupy the small island of Blekholmen with a dedicated ferry service to the city. We had one of our more difficult instances of getting
Vladimir on the battleeship, Aurora.
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Longbow stern to on a corner of the pontoon, but with ready assistance all was well. The skyline is dominated by the beautiful Helsinki Cathedral. We were pleased to welcome Ted’s cousin, Hilary and her husband Rusty in time for the crew dinner in the historic NJK clubhouse, a beautifully wood clad building in muted white and green. Looking out from the dining room over the dressed fleet on the pontoons was a sight not to be forgotten. The next morning we were busy with crew changes, saying farewell to Dick and Budgie and hello to our daughter, Michele, and her husband Dave.Various sorties into town were made. A most welcome find was the gorgeous covered market from which a wonderful array of goodies was bought by Holly and by Budgie and Dick who provided our dinner in great style. We were moved by the simple beauty of the interior of the Cathedral. We only regretted not having another day to enjoy Helsinki, but on the Friday morning had to bid Holly farewell after three and a half weeks with us to join the early parade of sail in Helsinki harbour. With Holly we lost our source of nail varnish with which our toenails were painted as additional courtesy flags!
Helsinki to Mariehamn Our next scheduled destination was Mariehamn in Alund, with a suggested stop at Kokar. We decided to have two long days and one shorter and found two beautiful overnight
anchorages. On reaching Mariehamn others told us we hadn’t missed too much by bypassing Kokar. At this point in the ship’s log is the comment “one normally goes below to get warm but here we go on deck to cool off!” Alund has an interesting status, especially for those Scots contemplating independence. Lying between Sweden and Finland at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia these 6000 plus islands constitute “an autonomous, demilitarised Swedishspeaking region of Finland.” The population is currently 28,000 and on the increase. The parliament, or lagtingnet, is responsible under The Act on the Autonomy of Alund for legislation, except in these areas – Foreign Affairs, Civil and Criminal Law, the Court System, Customs and State Taxation. In these Finnish Law applies with Alund having one member in the Finnish Parliament. It appears that the current status was only reached with the involvement of the League of Nations in 1921. Something had to be offered to each party to the conflict, the Swedes, the Finns and the Alund islanders. Mariehamn is a very attractive small town with a lovely waterfront. Here the four masted barque, the Pommern, dominates the marina. One of the rally activities was a leisurely visit aboard the museum ship, still in its original form as built in Glasgow in 1905. We were reminded of the hardships endured on such ships a century ago, in stark contrast
to the comforts and sophistication of our smaller cruising vessels moored in her shadow.
Mariehamn to Stockholm Having taken on more fuel, we left Mariehamn and headed Southwest out of the islands and across open water towards Sweden. After the confines imposed by the islands, we enjoyed sailing off the wind at 8.4 knots so that after two hours we were picking up the entry marks for the Swedish archipelago. An increased number of yachts was very evident so much so that we had to leave our first anchorage because of crowding with both rally and Swedish yachts. A friendly local came across and suggested an alternative. After lovely morning swims, we weighed anchor for the relatively short (33nm) trip into Stockholm, Longbow taking the southern approach to the Royal Swedish Sailing Club, KSSS, where we were met by the club launch as well as Joel and Cecilie. The highlight of the two days at KSSS was our bus trip into central Stockholm to enjoy a guided tour and free time at the Vasamuseet. The incredible sinking of this 17th century naval vessel only 1300m into her maiden voyage is matched by the fantastic restoration of the richly decorated but top heavy ship. Standing on a gallery looking directly at her 19m high stern covered in sculptured figures was an unforgettable moment.
Stockholm to Kalmar The rally itinerary from Stockholm detailed “free sailing” for four days South wards en route to Kalmar in Southeast Sweden. However, with 200nm to cover through very taxing navigational channels, we didn’t feel this proved as free as we would have liked at this stage of the rally. But our evening anchorages off Stora Ringsoarna and Karo were very successful, although we were upset to witness a fellow sailor hitting a rock and heard of others when we reached Kalmar. The archipelagos are veritable minefields in this regard and do require more time than we had to be enjoyed in a relaxed fashion. Concentration in the Finnish archipelago.
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Rally fleet dressed overall in Helsinki.
Choosing to do the trip in three days to avoid stronger winds on the last day also made it more demanding but probably proved to be a good decision as other boats reported heavy on the nose conditions. The last few hours of our approach to Kalmar afforded us some wonderful sailing and a bit of a tussle with the lead boat – concentration of another sort now we were out of the narrow confines of the archipelago. We all enjoyed Kalmar. The practical aspects of the stopover were easy, even including Jane getting a much needed haircut. A tour of the imposing Kalmar Castle was made particularly enjoyable by a feisty young guide. Several of the rally participants decided that enough was enough with another adverse forecast, and that Kalmar was a good place to overwinter a boat. Our crew all needed to leave the rally here and use the good connections for flights back to the UK. The two of us had envisioned a gentle last leg back to Mon in Denmark but it was not to be! We had been warned of the wind only blowing North or South in the Kalmar Sund and so we found ourselves beating into a F5 with a confused sea rolling up the sound.
As we often do when on our own, we were sailing with genoa only and managed as good progress as anyone else. It was a long uncomfortable 48nm to pass inside Utklippen and then to motor sail the 65nm towards Simrishamn. At 03:00 Jane saw the first flashes of an extensive electrical storm and hoped it would stay over the German coast. But no, we soon were surrounded by flashes of lightening which proved to be the most frightening experience of our whole summer. Dawn and the leading marks were most welcome and Simrishamn harbour opened up with plenty of quayside to chose from, the marina being too shallow. After a much-needed sleep, we were rewarded with finding Simrishamn to be one of the prettiest small towns we had visited, definitely one for any itinerary. Finally, and with a sense of achievement, we pressed on in to the wind to Klintholm on the south coast of the island of Mon, rightly famous for its dramatic chalk cliffs. As we were welcomed alongside, little did we know that we would be trapped there for the rest of the week with huge seas crashing over the nearby breakwater. Restless as it made us, we did benefit by having more
leisure time than at any time during the rally and enjoyed the opportunity to socialise with other participants. Of the twenty-seven boats that started the rally, only sixteen made it to Klintholm, some of the others having chosen to go straight home (the Swedes) and others pressing on to Kiel instead of stopping in either Simrishamn or Mon. This time at the end of the rally made us realise what strong bonds had been established between crews as did the email correspondence that continued as boats reached their home waters. On 22 August we managed with difficulty to extricate Longbow from Klintholm to start the last leg of our odyssey. A good sail North through The Sound with returning crew, two nights under the shadow of Elsinore, a tough North Sea passage and peaceful cruising back to Helensburgh were accompanied by wonderful memories, gratitude for family, friends and not least the World Cruising Club who had helped it all happen, and appreciation of Longbow’s qualities as she kept us safe and happy all summer.
Ted and Jane Warren, Longbow of Argyll
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Summer Holiday Cruise July 2014 Largs round Mull of Kintyre, Islay, Colonsay and back via Crinan and Tarbert Yacht: Bragar, Beneteau First 33.3 GBR6541T Skipper: Duncan Morrison Crew: Susan Morrison, Eve Morrison (age 10), Finn Morrison (age 9), Nigel Deane
Day 1 – Largs to Lochranza 19.4nm
Day 3 – Campbeltown to Port Ellen 43.9nm
We left Largs at 15:00 with the intention to get to Lamlash but with a F6 on the nose we changed course to Lochranza instead and picked up a mooring. In a fit of forward planning Susan had cooked and frozen lots of food to keep the cool box cold as well as feeding us so curry on board for the crew tonight.We had a very sheltered, peaceful night.
The adults arose at 05:30 to catch the tide and left the kids sleeping in the front cabin. We left the pontoon just before 06:00 and motor sailed for a bit, then managed to sail for over an hour but put the engine on again passing Arranmans Barrels as the wind was on our nose. The views were wonderful but the wind against the tide made for the usual choppy conditions and Finn was soon in the heads with Eve. Unfortunately they didn’t make it quickly enough but had the good grace to avoid our sleeping bags so not too much mess. With everyone now up top, the standing waves just at the end of the Mull were great fun, a bit of a roller coaster ride. Heading to Port Ellen, the conditions were just fantastic and we sailed all the way on a broad reach. There was another very busy pontoon but we managed to get a space on a trot after almost grounding doing a sharp turn in the marina. Islay is such a lovely, chilled out place.We all wandered off to play on the beach with Duncan buying, of all things, a space hopper. Not the best toy to store on board but we finally got it
Day 2 – Lochranza to Campbeltown 24.5nm We woke up to a glorious morning with a favourable wind to tack our way down to Campbeltown. We took in the sails just past Davaar Island and picked up a trot on the busy pontoon.The nice looking new swimming pool closes at 15:00 on a Sunday so we had an ice cream in the sunshine and a play in the park for the kids. It was great to see Campbeltown looking so busy with lots of golfers making use of the summer ferry from Ardrossan to play on the course at Machrihanish. After a mountain of chilli we ambled along to the Ardshiel Hotel to sample a whisky from their collection of over 700.
Kiloran Bay, Colonsay.
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squeezed into the sail locker, perhaps useful as a fender. Finn named him Bob as he does with all new toys with a face. The Islay Hotel has been refurbished and looks fab.We tried to get in for dinner but it was fully booked. Last time we were in Islay it was boarded up and dilapidated so good to see it doing well. I stayed in it aged about three and remember a stuffed bear in the lobby along with a water feature. We ended up dining in the White Hart Hotel, along with many other sailors from the pontoon, including the lovely couple next to us who gave the kids RNLI notebooks to scribble on.The portions were huge with the fish hanging off the plate – we would recommend it. We walked along to the Maltings and back to digest dinner. Back at the boat it was time to lower the lobster pot before bedtime. A ritual and the kids love to see what emerges from it in the morning.
Finn at Kiloran Bay.
Day 4 – Port Ellen to Scalasaig 41.4nm The weather was sublime, although no wind for sailing.We had another early start but pootled along enjoying the views up the Sound of Islay.The kids were very excited as their pals were staying in a rented cottage on Colonsay and they were very much the welcoming committee. We tied up next to the main pier. It was the first time we’ve ever had to do this and been the boat on the inside so there was much discussion and shoogling about to give enough room for another boat behind us. A Norwegian boat tied up alongside us and the lone sailor on board made it all look so easy as he played music whilst he berthed. Our friends Rob, Laura, Tom, Emily and Finlay climbed aboard for a cuppa as we waited for Archie the bike man to deliver our pre-booked bikes to the pier. Rob thankfully, had the kind, good sense to bring a wee trailer behind his bike onto which we loaded five wetsuits and two body boards. After a quick spin to test brakes and sizing, we headed off to Kiloran Bay whilst Nigel headed to the hotel to meet his girlfriend Faye who was filming a documentary on the
island. This has to be one of the most beautiful islands and beautiful bays I’ve ever been to. We immediately changed and dived into the sea for some surfing action. The kids were as happy as Larry and I can see the addictiveness of waiting to catch the right wave. The Jarvis’s had cooked us a lovely dinner and then we settled back to watch the Germany Brazil world cup semi final with other friends, supporting Germany in Mica’s honour. It was around 22:30 hours when we cycled back to the boat, still light with corncrakes sounding in the fields. There were now six boats in at the pier plus one on anchor – very busy. Nigel decided to stay at the hotel in a nice comfy bed for the night.
of rounders. Having caught the surfing bug, we couldn’t stay away from Kiloran for long and ended up back there again to keep kids happy.We then had to quickly sprint back to Scalasaig for 19:00 as we had a table booked at the Pantry for dinner. So pleasant was the evening, we sat outside and enjoyed seafood platters, fine wine, even finer views and good craic listening to the lovely tales from the Gaelic film crew (watch Caledonia TV sometime next year). Duncan and I got the kids into bed and he headed back to the hotel for a pint whilst I enjoyed a dram on deck watching otters play in the bay. So peaceful was it that I fell asleep and only woke when Duncan came back on board.
Day 5 – Scalasaig
Day 6 – still in Scalasaig
It was another glorious day. After sampling some ale from the local brewery, the Bayer family came over to check out the boat.We then cycled round the island, stopping off by the airport and another beach for a game
Bluebird skies again.The film crew and the Bayers were leaving on the same lunchtime ferry. After our goodbyes we had a few things to sort out at the boat so the kids with their itchy feet made their own way over to
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Crabbing.
Kiloran on the bikes. It’s that sort of Enid Blyton type island.This was to be ours and the Jarvis’ last full day and, since they were at the ‘interesting meals out of leftovers’ stage of their holiday, we agreed that we combine resources for a final feast.The three adults cycled over the three mile road to Kiloran, stopping en route at a sign outside a cottage advertising cakes.The lady had just finished a tasty looking bakewell tart which we bought promising to return the tin on the way back. Duncan cycled the final half mile carrying this offering like a French waiter much to everyone’s amusement. We spent a whole day at the beach, swimming, surfing and hanging out. Laura and I eventually came back to the cottage to indulge in a spot of oil painting whilst drinking wine, leaving the men and kids to fly Nigel’s massive kite. Our combined forces meal would have fed the multitude and it was with full tums and heavy hearts that we said our goodbyes as we cycled back to the boat. Note: the Bakewell tart was utterly delicious so look out for the cake lady’s sign if you ever visit.
We departed just after noon and even managed to get the sail up for an hour before resorting to motor sailing with lack of wind.We eventually nosed our way into Easdale and dropped anchor (eventually) and rowed ashore to Ellanabeich. A very kind gent came over to us as we landed to tell us that we could use his mooring for free as the anchoring wasn’t that great. After a wee wander, meeting our next door neighbours by chance as they have a holiday cottage there, the kids and I took the ferry to Easdale, leaving the chaps to row back to the boat and put it on the mooring. It was fascinating on Easdale wandering around the old slate quarries. It must have been quite daunting working well below sea level that close to the sea.We collected some old slates for souvenirs and had fun rowing back to Bragar, thankful of the mooring.
Day 9 – Round Shuna Race 14nm
Day 8 – Easdale to Craobh 7.5nm
Day 10 – Craobh to Ardfern 11.5nm
It was a calm, grey day. We slipped our mooring just before 09:00, heading to Cuan. We noticed that there was a visitors mooring near the old pier for £10 of which there was no mention in any literature. We motored all the way and didn’t see that much due to grey weather but Cuan Sound was lovely. We berthed at Craobh where Nigel got a lift to the bus stop to head to Oban to meet Faye en route back to Glasgow.We blethered with the crew on Halcyon and enjoyed the music and the hog roast that was part of West Highland Week.
It was a grim day, hosing it down by the time we got under way.We motor sailed until the Dorus Mor and then sailed all the way up Loch Craignish, getting over 8Knts with only a bit of genoa. A quick call to the marina informed us that we could only get a swinging mooring.The weather was utterly abysmal.We tied up at the fuel berth and had a quick lunch whilst debating whether or not to take the mooring or just head round to Crinan. During this debate, the marina chap appeared and informed us that a berth had become available after all. I could have kissed him.We tied up tight on
Day 7 – Scalasaig to Easdale 22.7nm Rob appeared shortly after breakfast with our wetsuits and body boards and a fancy piece of driftwood to transport home for Laura.They always just bring their bikes to the island, leaving the car in Oban so it made sense for us to take it. Rob already had to make two or three trips back and forth to bring luggage over including the cat! Tarbert from the castle.
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It had been a while since we raced so we thought that an easy introduction in a restricted sail class would suit our young crew. Unfortunately we missed the start by 2 minutes as they had changed the times but the wind was great and the sun was out and we eventually finished fourth in our class. The kids seemed to enjoy it though didn’t really do much. I on the other hand, was totally shattered, doing all of the grinding and leaping around solo whilst Duncan helmed. Jammy pieces were eaten under way for lunch and, once back in Craobh, much amusement was had on the bucking sheep, the bungee run and the tennis ball chuck before a very tasty dinner at The Lord of the Isles. In a still shattered state, I had an early night with the kids listening to music from the bands on board and watching fireworks.
berth 74 and were once again relieved to have brought the fan heater.The cabin soon resembled a sauna as we dried out. Small luxuries. After a dinner of fried chorizo, spuds and pasta, the weather eventually passed and we walked up to Craignish moorings. En route we met with two separate lots of friends – it’s been quite a holiday for bumping into people where we least expect it. Noted that there is a new motor home park under construction beside the road past the church which looks really good and am sure will bring more welcome tourists to the area.We enjoyed a long, hot shower followed by a G&T whilst the kids enjoyed the new hobby of bosun chair swinging. At least with one up the mast, they cannot argue and fight!
Day 11 – Ardfern to Crinan 6.2nm We awoke to another glorious day.This was good for drying a washing, despite someone leaving a paper hanky in a pocket. I insisted on lunch at the Crafty Kitchen, where their puddings and cakes are to die for.We were not disappointed. After some more bosun chair swinging, we motor sailed down the south end of Loch Craignish, spotting a seal on the way and languishing in the Mediterranean conditions. I always feel a wee bit sad when the sea lock closes behind me at Crinan and we say good-bye to the West Coast but moored up in the basin we did some more sunbathing.There is a lovely walk that starts just next to the canal up through Crinan Woods.Well worth doing and also the tick check afterwards is a great way of getting the kids in the shower. Note that the new toilet and shower block at Crinan is excellent.With the kids in bed, I visited the painting exhibition in the hotel and then watched a fishing boat unload it’s haul of hand dived razor clams to be exported to Hong Kong, Japan and Spain.
Day 12 – Crinan to Ardrishaig 7nm After another mega sleep we joined Valhalla of Ashton and Aiseag to go through the canal.We got rained on a bit and stopped off at the pontoon just past Oakfield Bridge near Lochgilphead. We wandered into town for lunch at Cafe 35 which is great value.
Sailing past Sanda.
Duncan took Finn for a quick tour of the shows on the links whilst Eve and I whiled away the time in a great wee book shop before we all headed to the pool for a swim and a shower. We carried on to Ardrishaig and tied up there for the night. After dinner on board we ventured out for a walk but this was a short affair as the midges were out so we were soon huddled below with the washboard in place.
Day 13 – Ardrishaig to Tarbert 9.6nm We negotiated the remaining locks single-handed with help from Eve and Finn and eventually the lock keeper. We left the sea lock around 11.00 and motored to Tarbert, spotting some porpoises on the way.We got a good berth and gave the boat a thorough clean after haggis burgers for lunch. It was yet another glorious day and perfect for a walk up to the castle to take in the views.We noted that the Victoria was under new management (this was where Duncan and I met) but the menu wasn’t seafoody enough so we dined at Scott’s instead. Back on board we enjoyed a glass of wine as the sun set on our last night of a fantastic holiday.
Day 14 – Tarbert to Largs 23.5nm We knew wind was forecast and it was already blowing when we set off.We got a great sail all the way down with only a few tacks. However by the time
we rounded the South of Bute it was getting pretty strong.We continued but with the wind almost on the nose going past Cumbrae we had to put the engine on, just to give us some more oomph. By this time it was gusting to F8.The kids were safely below and I was tying on myself as well as the fenders and getting the lines ready. There were white horses in the marina and we were the only boat out.This is going to be interesting, we thought. We were coming in port side on and so had assumed that the wind would blow us on. How wrong we were. With a few kind folk on shore ready to catch our lines we got the bow line on but the wind whipped round and instead of blowing us on, it turned the boat 90 degrees. As luck would have it, there were no other boats to bump into, just the other pontoon.There then followed a shuffle with a fender at the bow and a very long stern line to pull us back round.We got there eventually. Tied up extra tight, we gave thanks to all the helping hands before sticking the kettle on to have that welcome cuppa to calm our nerves. It had been an exhilarating final half hour to round off a wonderful holiday. I hope the kids weren’t too put off for next year.
Susan Morrison, Bragar
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T
he omens looked promising – a strong crew, with no changeover constraints unlike 2013, and a two week slot, at a time when good weather generally prevails. The plan was no more precise than to “head NW” – what would Tarskavaig make of it?
Saturday 31 May – Craobh to Loch Drumbuie – 37nm It took time to stow all bags, plus the proceeds of a record spend at the Oban Tesco, into the boat, but Tarskavaig was underway by 13:30, with Neil, Fi, and 2 x Kilgours on board. With light airs – S F2 – the engine was necessary to maintain some kind of progress. The first significant entry (a sea eagle) was spotted by Christopher as we passed Duart Castle – the raptor was being harried by a large flock of terns.
The anchorage for the evening was Loch Drumbuie – a new one for me, and thus continuing the approach I have taken since I started sailing to keep exploring rather than visit the same old places. A handful of other yachts were already in by the time we arrived at 20:30 and, after a couple of attempts, the anchor duly held. Dinner that night was a delicious butternut squash curry courtesy of Fi – the culinary standard had been set!
Sunday 1 June – Loch Drumbuie to Canna – 38nm We were underway by 09:40. I had arranged to meet up with family in Lochmaddy on Monday evening, and Canna was the obvious halfway point. The Southerly winds had continued overnight, and whilst this made for some good sailing, it also made the sea sufficiently lumpy to bring on a prolonged bout of “mal de mer” for
St. Kilda and back Crew: Andrew Thomson (Skipper), Neil MacDougall, Fiona Bushby, Graham Kilgour, Christopher Kilgour, Richard Inglis Boat: Tarskavaig (Hanse 400)
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the skipper. The fact that Admiral Nelson had been a fellow sufferer was of little comfort, but the crew were more than capable of sailing the boat without me. On the plus side, it seemed to give me my sea legs and I was fine for the rest of the trip. By the time we arrived in Canna it was pretty wet, and rather than mess about with the kelp we picked up a mooring. I elected to stay onboard, whilst the crew pumped up the dinghy and went ashore to pay for the mooring, and have a walk. On their way back, one of the rowlock pins broke. I had noticed a few months ago that the pin was starting to bend, and had forgotten to order spares. A spare piece of rope provided a temporary fix. By the time the crew returned, the roast chicken was nearly ready, thus maintaining the culinary standard.
Monday 2 June – Canna to Lochmaddy – 42nm I decided to have a quick trip ashore before we departed, and check the outboard was OK given the rowlock Tarskavaig – St. Kilda – approaching Hirta.
Shiants – Eilean Tigh & anchorage.
situation. Annoyingly it failed to start. It had been serviced in the autumn, but as the spark plug was bone dry, it looked like fuel starvation, which had also occurred the previous year. Previous experience had taught me that taking outboards apart whilst afloat was not a good idea, and it was thus clamped back onto its bracket for the time being. We were underway by 08:40, and motorsailed out of the harbour until we had a good heading for North Uist. The wind was S/SW F4/5, and we had a good sail to Lochmaddy. We saw very little of Skye, which was shrouded in cloud – not for the first time! A couple of tacks within Lochmaddy took us close enough to the ferry pier to see that yachts were using the new pontoons, and we were alongside by 15:30. We all went ashore – various items were on the list including showers/ provisions/exploring/the pub/get the outboard fixed! The first 4 items were all ticked, and I was given a couple of contacts to try re. the outboard. Back on board, dinner was chilli (made by the skipper) – no complaints! Soon after we had finished MV Hebrides arrived at the ro-ro berth, and the skipper went up to meet his father and sister, who were arriving for a short holiday in the Outer Hebrides. They came aboard for the obligatory G&T before departing for their accommodation on Berneray. It had been a good day.
Tuesday 3 June – Lochmaddy to St. Kilda – 72nm The priority tasks were to get the outboard fixed, and to take on water. I was ashore soon after 08:00, and knocked on the door of the Loch Duart engineers’ workshop. My spirits rose on entering, when I saw a 50hp Yamaha being worked on – this looked like the place to get our 2.5hp Yamaha fixed! The engineers (Michael, and his colleague Iain) could not have been more helpful, and soon removed the offending lump of petrol jelly that was causing the problem. I made a point of writing a formal letter of thanks to the company as soon as I returned home. Taking on water proved trickier. The Calmac staff advised that I couldn’t use the main hose for the ferry as it was metered, and the only other outside tap had not been working for the last 2 weeks! There was a tap at the cattle pens, but no hose, so the only option was to fill up our 2 x 10 litre water containers, and walk back down the pontoons. We took on 120 litres this way, which was enough to top the tanks up. Departing at 11:40, the plan was to head through the Sound of Harris and make for Taransay, with a view to trying for St. Kilda the following day.The sun was out, there was a steady SW F3, and it was a super day to be at sea. Shortly after passing Leverburgh, Neil picked up the latest weather forecast on his tablet.The winds were
forecast to be lighter tomorrow, which would not be as good for a crossing to Hirta, and after a brief discussion, it was agreed to change our destination for Village Bay. By the time we had cleared Shillay and set a course the wind was giving us an excellent heading. We could not have asked for more – visibility was superb (Hirta came into view from 36nm), Tarskavaig was making 8Knts through the water, and the sun was still out. For boat and crew, St. Kilda was new territory and we had hit the weather window jackpot! We were able to maintain this rate of progress for the entire passage, under full sail until halfway across before putting a reef in the main. Approaching the St. Kilda archipelago in the late evening was something none of us will ever forget – the combination of perfect sailing conditions, out on the ocean swell, under blue skies, whilst getting ever closer to a destination with such cultural and environmental significance, made one feel very humble. Arrival in Village Bay at 21:50 was followed by a quick supper of leftover chilli, padded out with plenty of rice, and a few drinks to celebrate our safe arrival. It had been a memorable day.
Wednesday 4 June – St. Kilda to Taransay – 55nm It was another sunny day. We were all keen to get ashore, and explore the village before it got busy with passengers from other boats, including the Hebridean Princess, which had
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St. Kilda – Boreray.
just arrived. Much has been written about St. Kilda, and rather than tell the story again, I would encourage you to go if you have yet to make a visit, and experience it for yourself. After 4 hours ashore, we returned to Tarskavaig for lunch, with the intention of going back in the afternoon to walk up Conachair, and spending a second night at anchor. However, the latest forecast on Navtex was for NE winds the following day. I felt this might not be ideal for our return passage to Harris, and decided that we would leave straight away.The winds were light, variable SW F2 and we had to motorsail the entire passage, but the sun was out and it was another lovely day to be at sea.The sun was just disappearing as we arrived at Loch na h’Uidhe on the S side of Taransay – a fine end to another day, which was rounded off with a garlic chicken stir fry.
Thursday 5 June – Taransay to Scalpay – 33nm After a couple of longer days, a leisurely start was in order. Following bacon and eggs, we eventually weighed anchor at 12:30; a trip ashore would have to wait for another day. The wind was from the NE as forecast; all went well until we reached Coppay at the NW entrance to the Sound of Harris, and the preventer line jammed as we attempted to gybe. The conversation became lively for a few minutes until harmony was restored! Further south, contact was made with my father and sister, who were lunching in Rodel and saw Tarskavaig as she sailed past. By now the rain had started in earnest. Combined with a NE wind, this gave
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a slow and miserable passage up to Scalpay. We pressed on and arrived in the South Harbour just as the rain eased. The North Harbour Bistro was superb, and will definitely be visited again!
and were welcomed by a flock of arctic terns. Dinner was mince and tatties, preceded by melon, itself preceded by the obligatory G&T.
Friday 6 June – Scalpay to the Shiants/Loch Claidh – 28nm
Today marked the start of the journey south. We had an uneventful passage until Tarskavaig passed close to a local creel boat off Loch Carnan. I called them up on the VHF, and in due course we came away with a large crate of langoustine tails – delicious! Once into Loch Skipport, we made for the Little Kettle Pool. Our anchorage seemed deeper than the chart suggested, but we were well bedded in with plenty swinging room. A dinghy trip to the Wizard Pool, and then back to explore Siolaigh Mor then followed. After dinner (langoustines, followed by roast chicken), charades followed, which left everyone in stitches at the skipper’s performance…or were the crew just being kind?!!!
The first priority was to motor round to the North Harbour to take on diesel and water.This was duly done, with father and sister keeping a close eye on proceedings.We then headed out to sea, debating the day’s plan. As the winds were very light, there was no point in a long motoring passage, so the Shiants it was. It was one of the rare days when the western anchorage was tenable, and we anchored at 13:30 under brilliant blue skies – another weather window jackpot. Going ashore, we said hello to the occupants of the house before scrambling up the Garbh Eilean path and onto the plateau.There, we were treated to the magnificent sight of a golden eagle cruising above the eastern cliffs for over 20 minutes.The views were tremendous in every direction; it was great day to soak up the sun and the Hebrides. Exploration complete, we returned to Tarskavaig. Graham decided the dinghy was unnecessary, and swam back! The rest of the crew made do with a swim from the boat. By now, the wind was picking up, and we departed for Loch Claidh.The anchorage behind Eilean Thinngartsaigh was already occupied by another yacht, and I thought it would be courteous to let them enjoy the solitude.We headed further up the loch to Tob Smuaisibhig,
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Saturday 7 June – Loch Claidh to Loch Skipport – 51nm
Sunday 8 June – Loch Skipport to Lochboisdale – 30nm The day started with boat maintenance – replacing the gas sensor in the bilge (this should have taken five mins but took over an hour!), and checking the engine. By now, the wind had veered round 180 deg to the SW, and the anchor was firmly bedded in. It was extracted after a brief struggle. With wind from the south, it was a day for tacking, although the sun was out and it was a lovely day to be at sea. We picked a visitor’s mooring on arrival before going ashore to take advantage
of the showers (and the bar!) at the hotel. Back on board, sustenance came in the form of soup (a good way of using up some of the veg), pasta with bacon and cream cheese, all preceded by yet more langoustines.
Monday 9 June – Lochboisdale to Castlebay – 20nm We had an early start to drop Graham and Christopher off on the pier to catch the Clansman back to Oban. They had been great crew, and we were all sorry to say our goodbyes. We followed the ferry Clansman shortly afterwards and had a reasonable passage down to Castlebay in an E / SE F3. On arrival, the only visitors’ mooring that was free was the one which had caused problems last year (See 2014 CCC Journal), so we anchored instead before going ashore. We had two hours to spare before dinner, and yet again the Barra bus came up trumps – this time with a trip down to Vatersay and back. Returning to Castlebay, we stocked up at the Co-op and dropped the shopping off on board before returning to the excellent Café Kisimul for dinner. The menu included curries made from “organic Barra lamb” although one would have assumed that all the lambs running around on Barra would have been organic by default! Following dinner, we met Richard Inglis off the evening ferry from Oban, who was joining for the rest of the trip.
Monday 10 June – Castlebay to Clach Chuirr (Port Ruadh, Tiree) – 58nm The wind was forecast to pick up from the SW around lunchtime. Given
the light airs that morning, it was a good opportunity to cruise around the Bishop’s Isles first before crossing the Sea of the Hebrides.We took on water at the Calmac pier before leaving for the Sound of Mingulay, passing down the west side of Mingulay and rounding Berneray. Low cloud persisted over the tops – not the best day to appreciate the large cliffs facing the Atlantic, but it was still a worthwhile detour. On heading east, we were followed very closely by a lone skua for a short time. By now cloud had been replaced by blue skies and we had a good sail in a SW F3/4 across to Tiree, anchoring in Port Ruadh, which turned out to be a much better anchorage than I expected.We feasted that evening with scallops and black pudding, kedgeree, strawberries and yoghurt, and a little post dinner chocolate. Fi commented that she was being “spoilt rotten” by the standard of cuisine on board!
Tuesday 11 June – Tiree to Lunga / Staffa / Bunessan – 28nm The day started with a walk ashore on Tiree, before departing for Lunga to see the puffins. On arrival, a Malo yacht owned by a well-known sailing writer was anchored close by. Getting ashore over the rocks was a little tricky, and we decided to leave one person in rotation to keep an eye on the dinghy whilst the rest went to see the puffins. It was the first time I had been to a puffin colony – I have missed out! It was great to see them at such close quarters on a sunny day. Puffins complete, we departed for Staffa, anchoring on arrival
with a tripping line. As the sea was pretty smooth we decided to take the dinghy into Fingal’s Cave. This was accomplished, but a slight swell meant it was still not a day to be hanging about. Ashore, Staffa provided wonderful panoramic views of all the surrounding islands. Staffa complete, it was time to head for an evening anchorage in Bunessan. As we were not intending to go ashore I anchored just N of Eilean Ban in Loch na Lathaich – not marked as an anchorage but perfectly reasonable in settled conditions.
Wednesday 12 June – Bunessan to Puilladobhrain – 41nm Underway by 09:00. As the winds were very light, it was pointless having a detour down to Colonsay and, after passing down the Sound of Iona (getting a friendly wave from the master of MV Loch Buie), we tracked E along the south coast of Mull before crossing to Puilladobhrain. Given the conditions, it was a good day to tidy up the cockpit lockers, have knot lessons and make soup (lentil and chick pea). Arrival in Puilladobhrain was marked with freshly made drop scones, followed by a traditional “last night of the cruise” dinner in Tigh na Truish.
Thursday 13 June – Puilladobhrain to Craobh – 11nm A typical Radio 4 forecast at 07:57 – “26 deg in SE England, Scotland might have a few light showers, maybe!” The forecasters did not know it was bucketing down in Puilladobhrain at the time. The rain did clear, but the wind remained absent on the passage back to Craobh. Despite the lack of wind on the last few days, it had been a wonderful trip with an excellent crew, visiting eleven new anchorages / harbours for the first time. The pleasure, enjoyment and adventure of sailing in the Hebrides remains firmly undiminished. Total distance – 544nm, of which 236nm motoring / motorsailing.
Andrew Thomson, Tarskavaig Altercation on Lunga.
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Lakes below Moysalen.
LOFOTEN ISLANDS CRUISE Crew lunch above Hennigsvaer.
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Yacht: Milvina is a 47 foot aluminium centreboarder. Designer Philippe Harle, Hull builder Garcia, in France. Finished by owner in Canada. Cutter rigged, 14 tons displacement, Photos at http://mccubbin.ca Crew: Neil and Helen McCubbin (CCC members), Heather Poirier and her daughter Heidi (15)
Motoring out of Trollfjord.
T
he log we wrote for last year’s Journal ended in Landegode, just off Bodo in Arctic Norway. After that we sailed up the Lofoten chain to Tromso, left Milvina there for the winter, then installed a new engine and cruised Spitzbergen for a month, returning to Tromso. The current cruise started with a new crew in Tromso, and took us back down the Lofoten chain to Landegode and Bodo. The first hundred miles or so south of Tromso would be considered beautiful scenery in most parts of the world, but as rather ordinary by Norwegian standards.We moved quickly for two days, mostly in calm, with a stop in Finsenes to meet a Norwegian who had been very helpful to us in Tromso. Like much of the coastal sailing in Norway, we were in sheltered channels with no trace of the Atlantic swell.
While open to the Atlantic we had a beam reach, but had to motor most the 120 miles to the head of Lonkanfjord. It is uninhabited except for a few cottages, although the bottoms of the two valleys leading up from the head of the fjord have clearly been farmed in the past. Despite being 700 miles or so further North than Scotland, the sides of the fjord are much more wooded than we are used to in our sea-lochs. As with most fjords, Lonkan is far too deep for anchoring, but there is a short shallow area at the head, where the river has dropped sand and gravel. We found an apparently good spot in 5 metres near the shore, then had to move about 50 metres when a check by dinghy showed that we were far too close to a 1 metre deep bank. Once moved, we were secure in a beautiful spot. The next day we climbed almost to the top of Moysalen (about 1250
Chart Lofotens cruise names and course.
metres) The hike started with a couple of miles on a long abandoned narrowgauge railroad track up Nordalen (= North Valley) between flanking peaks, then a brutally steep path to a saddle from which we could see Milvina in the anchorage 400 metres below. From the saddle, the path led over rocks, a small glacier and a variety of very easy scrambling to just below the summit, whence we saw the clouds and several mountain loch far below.
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Pyramid peak in Reine.
Nusfjord docks.
Light hiking boots were the most appropriate footwear for the trip. Definitely not sea boots. We passed on the last 50 vertical metres to the peak, since it would have required crossing a steep snow-ridge, with a flight of several hundred metres awaiting anyone who slipped to either side. It would have been OK with simple mountaineering gear, but we had none. The views from the top were spectacular, with mountain lakes close in, and many peaks in the distance. After descending, when enjoying dinner we were favoured with a great rainbow. Even although we had two ends to choose from, we failed to find the proverbial pot of gold, but a quick run in the dinghy afforded some great photos of Milvina. Heading South, we caught the current down Raftsundet, which the Norwegians consider strong, but is pretty tame relative to the Dorus Mhor or Kylereha. The cruising guides give surprisingly little information on the timing of the streams through the many channels, but the Norwegian coastal pilot, Den Norske Los, had graphs for virtually all of them. The pilot is available free as a PDF, but only in Norwegian.
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Fortunately, the tidal current graphs are easy to interpret. We took a quick run into the 1 ½ mile long Trollfjord, which is deep but only 80 metres wide.The Hurtigurten daily coastal express ships, which carry large numbers of tourists, run in and out daily in the summer.We were glad to not meet one, since they must kick up a lot of current while turning with their thrusters in the “wide” head of the fjord, which is not much longer than the ship’s length.The maintenance manager for the Hurtigruten system told us that they do not enter Trollfjord in winter, due to the risk of being struck by an avalanche. We motored in and out of the fjord without any trouble, but noted a cross wind of about 15 knots for a few minutes, despite a 300 metre cliff 20 metres to “windward” of us. A good example of the notorious katabatic winds of the Norwegian fjords. We would like to have anchored in the beautiful Grunefjord, only 2 miles North of Trollfjord, but the tide was too low for entry, and weather was turning nasty so we picked Ulvagen Fjord, on the island of Stora Molla for the night. It is totally sheltered, with no sign of habitation, even in the past.The RCC cruising guide says that there is good
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walking but all we found was very steep grassy slopes amongst the trees. Good exercise, but wet in the drizzle. After some days away from habitation we docked in Svolver, the “capital” of the Lofoten islands for 2 days.We climbed up the Svolver Goat, a steep peak overlooking the harbour. The mountain has a spire with a split top, and we have seen intrepid athletes “jump the goat” from the town. It was wet and the rock was slippy that day, so we skipped that but did climb on to the neighbouring chockstone, which is much easier than it looks. Svolver is a very pleasant town, with lots of services for the yachtsman and the tourist. The island community of Hennigsvaer, 7 miles to the SW is a traditional Lofoten fishing village, which is now mostly given over to tourists, yachts and rock climbers in the summer, while being busy fishing in the January to April cod season.We anchored just outside and had a good hike up to a loch about 300 metres up.
Reine from the Reinbringen.
Sailing between Reine and Bodo.
The crew had lunch beside the loch with the islands making up the village in the background.The loch used to be the water supply for the group of rocky islands that make up Hennigsvaer, but was simply a good warm swimming hole when we were there. Old stone structures remain where boats from the village came to pick up fresh water. We could not see why waterless Hennigsvaer was chosen for the site of the village, since the excellent shelter it offers today is only because of a concrete construction between the islands. Perhaps the somewhat exposed Hennigsvaer was preferred because it would have more wind in the day before the fishermen had engines. Eight miles of sunny sailing WSW took us to Stamsund, which is an active fishing and fish-processing town, almost ignored by the cruising guides. We found it very pleasant, and the fishermen very welcoming. Most of them were on holiday since we were there between seasons. One showed me his 50 foot boat that he handles alone, whereas it had a five-man crew in his father’s day. Like most of the Norwegian fishing boats we saw it was in excellent condition, with most of the deck structure in aluminum, and lots of hydraulic gadgets. The docks consist of several hundred metres of very solid dry stone construction.They are rather like the old stone pier in Tobermory, but much more extensive.The locals say it is the longest dry stone dock in Europe. Twelve more miles SW took us to Nusfjord, an old but tiny traditional fishing village. It is now a museum,
with a variety of old fishing gear on show, and dock space for a couple of yachts.The location is extremely well sheltered, so must have required lots of rowing by the old fishermen. Nusfjord and the valley above it are very steep sided, so the fishermen built a path around the coast to be able to reach the next village, and probably also their boats when rowing home was too far. It is now a great hike, about six energetic kilometres each way. We motored the nine miles SSW to Reine, probably the most photographed of the Lofoten villages. It has very active fishing in the winter, and is popular with yachts and tourists in summer. Originally several tiny islands just off the coast, they are now all joined by the Lofoten highway or causeways.The Reingbringen, a mountain ridge, dominates the village. A local we met while climbing it said, that when he was a kid in the
1970s the harbour was often totally full of fishing boats, but there are only a hundred or so in the fishing season today. Of course, these are more modern, and larger. He was concerned that the Norwegians fish too much, but from what we have seen, they have preserved their fishing industry much better than we have in the UK. Whether from above or at water level, Reine is beautiful. When the Lofoten Highway was built about 40 years ago, it seems that the designers decided that bridges across the entry to dead-end fjords need only be 15 metres high, so such fjords were inaccessible to us. A yacht with a lower mast would have many additional anchorages available. We took a local ferry from Reine up Kirkefjord to climb one of the many hills there, and hike over to the beach on the Atlantic side.The Atlantic swell was low when we were there, but just as in Scotland, it must be high at times. After a few days in Reine, we were glad to have a good wind for the 40 miles or so of open water, back to Landegode, which put us in a good spot for the shore trip to Bodo and the airport for another crew change.
Milvina in the rainbow.
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Practical aspects of cruising the Lofotens
West beach near Reine.
Winds are generally light in summer, with gales less likely than in the UK. Darkness does not happen from May until late August. In our tide tables the space used for times of sunrise and sunset is replaced with the statement “The sun does not set today”. Even when the sun sets, twilight is considerably longer than in Scotland. By end August, the nights are short but dark, and grow longer at about 1 ½ hors per week. At 600 miles from Lerwick, the Lofotens are a long way for a summer cruise. Sailing up the Norwegian coast is even further, and suffers from the problem of prevailing Northerly winds, whereas an open water passage has mostly Westerly wind. One solution is to cruise to Bodo in one summer and leave your boat there although yard choices are not great. Until 2 years ago, the legal/customs duty issues involved in leaving a vessel in Norway were daunting, but the current regulations make it very easy.
The Norwegian charts are extremely detailed and excellent quality. All the major electronic chart suppliers have them. If you prefer paper, open your wallet, because you need many. None of the paper charts show any more detail than the Navionics iPad versions.We used Nobeltec C-map with Navionics on iPad as a backup. The three good cruising guides are: • RCC/Imray, by Judy Lomax. An update is planned for next year. • Norwegian Cruising Guide, about 50 Euro on-line. If printed, it will run to about 800 pages, but we have never seen a need to print it. (www.norwegiancruisinguide.com) • Den Norske Los. (The Norwegian Pilot) In Norwegian only, but many tidal graphs etc are understandable. Free as a PDF at http://www. statkart.no/en/Kart/NauticalPublications/The-Norwegian-PilotGuide/
Neil and Helen McCubbin, Milvina
Neil on Svolver chockstone.
List of night stops in Lofoten cruise described in log Location
Date
Tromso
Dock
Spitzbergen etc
(this section of summer not discussed in log submitted)
Tromso
Dock
Finsenes
Dock
Lonkanfjord
North Lat
East Long
log on arrival
Distance run
18-Jun
69 39.08
18 57.4
22024
31-Jul
69 39.08
18 57.4
23415
1391
2-Aug
69 14.5
16 58.7
23489
74
Anchor
3-Aug
68 30.13
15 21.9
23582
93
Ulvagen fjord
Anchor
5-Aug
68 16.6
14 53.4
23596
14
Svolvaer
Dock
6-Aug
68 13.7
14 33.6
23608
12
Austvagoya
Anchor
8-Aug
68 10.11
14 39.9
23610
2
Stamsund
Dock
9-Aug
68 07.7
13 51.4
23619
9
Nusfjord
Dock
11-Aug
66 02.06
13 20.99
23632
13
Reine
Dock
12-Aug
67 56.07
13 05.2
23641
9
Ostholmen, Landgode
Anchor
15-Aug
67 23.7
14 15.53
23693
52
Bodo
Dock
17-Aug
67 16.9
14 22.36
23703
10
Total since 31 July Ulsteinvik
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Dock
108 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
62 20.5
5 50.6
288
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Commonwealth Flotilla
Commonwealth Flotilla July 2014
Bonhomie: Beneteau First 25 Skipper: Kirsten Wells Crew: Matt Wells, Derek McLean, Sheila McLean
Friday 25 July There was an urgency in leaving work that Friday afternoon. Pick up last minute supplies, drive to Gourock, transfer everything onboard Bonhomie at her mooring, get underway. Quick, quick, go, go go! At Gourock the boatman ferrying everyone to their boats seemed busier than normal for that time of day. As we eyed up the unusual items being taken on the water (an inflatable Nessie, bundles of bunting, party food) along with the usual weekend bags we started to realise just how many others might be going where we were going and had the first inkling of just how big the event might be. Onboard and underway, the difference with this journey was that we were heading East instead of West, upriver instead of down. We could feel the excitement building as we looked ahead to spot another three boats going the same way, and counted four, five, six boats following us. It was too much of a coincidence for them to not be coming on the journey too. Priorities became confused, mixing “Have we eaten lunch yet?” with important questions such as “Have the crew behind us already
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110 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Commonwealth Flotilla
decorated their boat?” and then quickly “Which halyard should raise our new coloured bunting?” James Watt Docks Marina was cheerfully busy, with RIB drivers greeting and directing to people on shore based on boat length. There were rafts forming all along the pontoon (additional pontoons had been brought in especially for this occasion) – we berthed four boats out, and still more boats were arriving to go alongside us. The rest of our crew met us on shore. At registration we were given stickers for Bonhomie’s bow, displaying a number and a colour. A briefing session explained that in the morning, with the rest of the boats showing our colour of sticker, we were to follow our group’s lead boat. Hazards were highlighted, radio frequencies confirmed, queries answered, clocks synchronized. The Ceilidh in the Sugar Sheds that evening was fun, bumping into people from all aspects of sailing in Scotland, some that I had not seen for years. There were definitely a lot of participants!
Saturday 26 July In the morning there was a huge organisational challenge – 250
individual boats to manoeuvre out of James Watt Docks Marina en masse, in time for the official start. Onshore we tackled the Portacabin showers, bacon butty vans and Tunnocks tea cakes. On Bonhomie we raised the rest of our bunting, bodged together a temporary halyard (all others used for bunting) to fly a large Scotland flag above the boom, tied a “Clyde” Commonwealth games mascot to the back stay, and then waited for our turn to release from our raft. The RIBs were in action again, on radios to one another confirming if there was space to safely let more boats out. We negotiated the
the centre of Glasgow. The tide was with us and the sun was shining. What struck us at that point was the sheer number of boats; the variety of sizes and types was amazing, all circling to get in line for their position in the sail past Custom House. Next was the realisation of the size of the crowd that had gathered to wave and see us off. I had not heard much in the main media about our Flotilla and had not really thought about spectators. It was an incredible surprise to see people crowded all the way down the banks of the Clyde, on the grass banks in Port Glasgow and then Dumbarton, at Bowling and on the beaches at Erskine.
crowded exit from the marina and headed West to our meeting area in search of our lead boat, Drum. At 10am there was a raucous signal of noise, with foghorns joining in from all directions. The first group of boats were starting to sail past Custom House Quay, Greenock and we were off. 250 boats forming a flotilla to motor up the River Clyde right into
We were constantly waving, to both sides of the river banks, and this is one of my fondest memories of the day. We settled into our journey, motoring at approximately four knots. The RIBs had signs that read “SLOW DOWN” or “CATCH UP”, to try and keep us in check.The rules had been to not overtake, to travel no more than three abreast and, in case of MOB, to
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 111
Commonwealth Flotilla
not follow directly behind one another. On board we took it in turns to helm, wave at the crowds on the banks, organise snacks and take photographs. I had never travelled up the River Clyde before. It was interesting to match what we were travelling past with our perception of how to reach the same place on land. Dumbarton Rock and Dumbarton Castle, looking like a well-chosen strategic location. Bowling Basin, where the Forth and Clyde canal meets the River Clyde and even more boats joined our Flotilla. The Erskine bridge, a significant landmark to travel under for once instead of over. Golden Jubilee hospital, with lots more people cheering along the riverbank. Titan the crane. People waving from the college campus at Clydebank. The River Cart joining the River Clyde. Crowds packing the riverside at Braehead. As we got closer to the city the number of people on the banks and hanging out from windows and balconies was incredible. It has been estimated that tens of thousands of spectators lined the banks. At the Riverside Museum, tall ship The Glenlee had onboard a commentator who was announcing each boat and we all received a cheer. Our group circled to give the group in front time to berth, and then we were ready to enter Princes Dock, around 2pm. The pontoons usually used at the Southampton Boat Show had been drafted in to form a temporary marina. We each knew where we were aiming for – a detailed
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112 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
plan based on each boat’s departure requirements had been worked out by the organisers, and this information formed part of the briefing It did not take long for all 250+ boats to raft up, forming an amazing sight of fluttering coloured flags. That week was the start of The Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2014 and the BBC at Pacific Quay had set up open air food and drink stalls with large television screens to watch the Games and a music stage with bands scheduled for each of the evenings. Nestled between this and the Science Centre, our temporary marina became part of the attraction, with couples and families posing for photographs in front of all of the colourful boats. It was also a great
location for us, just a five minute walk from the marathon route the following morning. It was an incredible event to have been part of. Thanks to everyone involved for all of the months of planning and organisation that allowed it to happen. I hope it went some way to meeting the RYA’s aims of helping to “showcase the rich variety of opportunity for boating around Scotland and the UK” and “challenging the perception that boating is only for the rich and famous”. It was a great adventure and I will keep an eye out for an opportunity to arrive in Glasgow City Centre by boat again. Visit www.flotilla2014.org.uk for details of the participating boats.
Letters from Saracen Pupils
IN THE SUMMER the Dinghy Section and the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation ran a week long event called Buoyed Up on Bardowie Loch. Primary 6 and 7 pupils from Saracen Primary School in Possilpark enjoyed a week’s sail training and other sailing related activities
put on by the instructors and support team of the Dinghy Section. The children and their teacher were glowing in their thanks to everyone at Bardowie. Here are some Thank You letters that were sent to the instructors.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 113
CCC Report
Cruising Secretary’s report for AGM 2014
T
his summer has been one of the better ones for a while. Most of the cruising events were held in good conditions, the Opening Muster was sailed in light airs at the start and later a breeze filled in and a finish was made off Gourock, with the Commodore noting times in Hecate. The Ladies and Junior’s event went well, a winner emerged in each category and a great barbecue was enhanced by the leftovers from a wedding party which augmented the usual CCC fare. The Sunday sherry party, rowing races and collage making were enjoyed by all. Another successful weekend. The next cruising event was the Loch Spelve Muster, a particularly poignant one as we remembered the members lost during the Great War. The statistics are frightening as has been noted in Tidelines. Just under 40 % of the membership did not survive, one family lost three sons and there were other surnames names that appear twice. The event was a great weekend, well attended with good food and refreshment on the Saturday in the
rain, Sunday was sparkling and made the short act of remembrance all the more emotional. I make no apologies for saying it brought it home to me what my grandfather suffered and who survived the last battle of Ypres. The Closing muster was another success. A great night in Rothesay, a very well run race and a super Pontoon Party in the borrowed marquee, followed by dinner in the Tarbert Hotel. What the cruising Committee decide to do for next year will certainly involve a mini Cruise after the Opening Muster, confined to a long weekend on the Clyde (muster at Rothesay and decide where to go ) All the other old favourites are in the program and we look forward to another great year ashore and afloat. My thanks to Commodore,Vice Commodore and all those who helped to make the events special.
Graham Crawford
Silvers Marine Scottish Series AGM report 23 – 26 May 2014
T
he 2014 Silvers Marine Scottish Series was a great success. We had very positive reports back. Our mantra was that we were not too concerned about the numbers (within reason) as long as the people who did turn up had a good time and it seems that in general that was achieved.
Sponsors
General event.
Finance
In the end competitor numbers of 97 boats was up about 20% on 2013. This was partially due to the entries in the stand alone passage races but also quite possibly due to the 40th anniversary celebrations.
Surplus from the event spend was near £10k and a significant amount of that will need to be spent on 2015 preparation if we are to continue to grow the event.
Social
The dates for 2015 are 22-25 May again of course in Tarbert. An increased effort is being made to get more cruising boats involved and so we will have a few more “cruise in company” style races starting off on the Friday from Largs. (“Racing” classes will be in Tarbert on the Friday) Feedback from further afield is that numbers are looking good for the larger boat classes in 2015 with an unconfirmed 4 large race boats from the Solent looking to attend. We hope to see you there.
We had good feedback on the social aspect of the regatta and in particular the layout of the tented / race village area. The helpers party was a great success and was very well supported.
Racing The race side of the event went very well indeed. Most classes got a large number of races in and the course variety was extensively praised but we will aim to simplify this and add in more “orienteering courses” for 2015 that seem to be popular at other events.
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114 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
We had 18 different sponsors providing varying levels of support in kind or in cash. Headline Sponsors Silvers Marine has given very positive feedback and have confirmed their support again for 2015.
Going Forward
Dane Ralston
Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 115
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Marc Turner / PFM
Marc Turner / PFM
Clive Reeves / Shona Shields
CCC Report Racing on Loch Fyne.
AGM Racing Report 2014
T
he 2014 season has been characterised by largely great weather but by low turn-outs, in keeping with the trend of the last few years. This was particularly the case with the Offshore Series but there were some particular exceptions – most notably the Closing Muster/Rothesay to Tarbert Race where numbers were high. Most of the races were completed successfully, many in fairly light airs with only the return leg of the Troon Weekend cancelled due to bad weather. For those who have turned out; there has been some very enjoyable and competitive racing. There have been a few new entrants this year, who are very welcome, but few boats are consistently completing a series. Class 2 has had very low turnout, fitting in with a trend for this type of yacht to turn away from IRC. For 2015 it is my intention to offer dual scoring classes to allow people to see how IRC and CYCA compare and, perhaps, tempt a few over to IRC. Generally, numbers at Clyde regattas have actually held up this year (just), with slight increases at Kip, Scottish Series and Cumbraes, although the Mudhook regatta was poorly attended. The Tobermory Race, an iconic club race, was not very well attended this year so for 2015 we are making it an open event in order that members can encourage others to come along and join in. With the combination of
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116 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Closing Muster, Kyles of Bute.
Marc Turner / PFM Clive Reeves.
2 races, a trip through the canal in good company and the fact that you find yourself ready to explore the rest of the West Coast; this is an event I’d like to encourage all to participate in for 2015. The GSS Regatta was a great success, with a good turnout and some close racing. Freda Forbes has organised the event for some time and, as she hands her responsibilities on, I’d like to thank her for all her hard work. Thanks also to the rest of the GSS team, including Race Officer and former commodore, John Watson. My thanks goes to those who have willingly carried out Committee Vessel duties for the Inshore and Offshore Championship races, remaining flexible enough to cope with those last minute changes. One facility which has proven very useful for single-handed Committee Vessel duty has been a VHF based starting sequence. This will be included in the Yearbook as a recognised alternative to flag signals for this situation. Inshore Championship Winners: IRC1 Sloop John T, IRC2 Liaison, CYCA3 Stargazer, CYCA4 Lyrebird Offshore Championship Winners: IRC1 Polaris, CYCA2 Enigma Following some calendar movements to accommodate the Commonwealth Games, races return to their usual slots for 2015, details of which will be published in the spring. The Bute Weekend will have a Sunday inshore race next season.
Des Balmforth
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 117
CCC Report
Dinghy Section Captain’s Report
I
ts been another eventful year for the Dinghy Section. Quite apart from our mainstream sailing and training activity we have taken delivery of new boats, installed CCTV security cameras and a weather station and hosted the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay. The year started with a swim in the loch by the Open Water Swimming Club on the 1 January, I couldn’t help but be impressed by those taking part but was not tempted myself. The Clubs activities commenced on the 2nd with our traditional walk around the loch followed by reviving soup and mince pies in the clubhouse. This was followed in February by what is thought to be our first Burns Supper. Over the winter we took delivery of six RS Quba single hander dinghies which have replaced the Lasers for training, we also took delivery of two new RS Feva dinghies bringing our club fleet up to six. After the excitement of our 80th anniversary celebrations last year, we all thought that this year would be quieter with no out of the ordinary events to manage, then we got a call from the organisers of the Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay asking if the Baton Relay could come to Bardowie. This isn’t the sort of request one turns down so having agreed to host the Baton Relay we set about organising a fitting event for it. The day of the visit, the 19th of July was overcast, but the club was looking its best with banners and bunting and boats rigged ready to form a background for the photo shoots. Before the Baton even arrived the galley did a roaring trade providing refreshments to members, visitors, the press, security and all the other people who seemed to be required to ensure its safe passage.
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118 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
At 11 o clock the Baton carried by comedian Craig Hill arrived, and was paraded around Bardowie giving several opportunities for photographs of it with our boats both on and off the water forming a colourful background. The Baton Relays timetable was tight and only allowed for a short visit, and all too soon it was time for the Baton to depart, but at least the rain had stayed of during its visit and we could look forward to seeing Bardowie on television and in next days papers. The Queens Baton Relay was not the only Commonwealth Games related event which the club was involved in. All three of our Access dinghies took part in the Race 2 the Games in which they were part of a fleet of thirteen which raced in windy conditions from Greenock via Braehead to the Science Centre, where Gerry Hughes gave an inspiring address. Just for the record the race was won by our own Glasgow Bonnet. A new initiative for the club was its participation in the Sir Thomas Lipton Foundation Buoyed Up Programme. The foundation which works with organisations such as Clyde Cruising Club “to make life better for disadvantaged children and young people through sailing and sailing related activities” approached the club with a view to its providing a weeks sail training to 24 primary 6 and 7 pupils from Saracen Primary School in Possilpark. The sailing was the culmination of months of work by the pupils learning about Sir Thomas Lipton, his life, the grocery business, tea cultivation in Sri Lanka and sea transport. The sailing at Bardowie was not a sort of reward for working hard over the winter, the sailing is an integrated part of the programme helping demonstrate the practical application of literacy, numeracy, communication and
technology as well as developing responsibility and self confidence. The week was acknowledged to be a great success, thanks in no small measure to the hard work and dedication of our instructors and support team and we are developing proposals with the foundation to deliver two weeks of sail training next year. Over and above these out of the ordinary events the clubs mainstream activities continued with:• Thursday night racing continuing to attract good entries. • Week night training and summer school were as usual well attended with over two hundred certificates being awarded to successful candidates. • Challenger sailors traveling to a variety of events around the country. Changes to DS committee John McGruer and Jenni Kirk have resigned and Alex Patterson and Struan McBride have agreed to join, Alex as Bosun and I would ask for your approval to these changes In conclusion, there are a number of people I have to thank The committee who have worked so hard ensure that the club runs smoothly. Commodore Patrick Trust for all his help and support The instructors, the race committee, the galley crew, the stewards, Jennifer at the club office, there are so many that it just isn’t possible to mention everyone individually. It is both intimidating how much the club relies on the voluntary effort of its members and humbling how much our members are prepared to do for our club. I can’t thank each and every one of them enough for the work they do and the time they give to the club.
Jim Graham
Buoyed Up at Bardowie
Photos by Uel Torbet
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 119
2014 Prizegiving and Dinner Dance Photos by Barbara MacLeod and Clive Reeves.
CCC 2014 Prizewinner All
Lyrebird cleaning up including the John Dobie Trophy.
Bill Munro, Gordon Paterson, Barrie Waugh, Ian Galbra
ith.
Tidied.
Edward Mason & Bill McKean.
Susan & Roland Craig, Tomoko Iwata, Charlie Craig.
Emily Whyte.
Jennifer Rolland and Susan Morrison.
Murray Caldwell “Red Hot Poker”.
Gerry Hughes Party plus dog Penny.
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120 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Shona and Frank Shields.
John Watson, Peter Fairley, Roy Summers.
Brian Robertson, Penny French and Karen Kerr.
Christine Fyfe, Stuart Todrick Trophy.
MacDonald with
Jenni Kirk.
Fiona Watson, Alastair Mill.
with the Boyd Tunnock presented AGM. Sunflower Salver at the
Brian Young & Party.
Dinkie Fairley & Katie Christie.
Jo & Marc Turner, Carrie Welsh, Patrick Trust, Des Balmforth.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 121
Members’ Cruises 2014 Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Alligin
Moody 336 1744C Tom Watson Owned Largs
Anchorages Visited Early Summer Cruise: Largs, Portavadie, Campbeltown, Rathlin, Port Ellen, Craighouse, Ardentraive, Tobermory, Mallaig, Sandaig Bay, Plockton, Flowerdale, Lochinver, Stornoway, Lochmaddy, Canna, Tobermory, Loch Aline, Puilladobhrain, Craobh, Ardminish, Largs. Rest of Season: Cruising on Firth of Clyde.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Arctic Tern
Malo 40 128 Freddie & Hilary Moran Owned Largs
Anchorages Visited June Cruise: Largs, Loch Ranza, Gigha, Ardinamir, Loch Melfort, Tobermory, Salen, Ornsay, Badachro, Inverewe, Mellon Charles, Stornoway, Scalpay South Harbour, Loch Maddy, Caolas Mhor, Eriskay, Arinagour, Cragaig, Scalasaig, West Loch Tarbert on Jura, Craighouse, Gigha, Lamlash, Largs. September Cruise: Largs, Kildalloig Bay, Ardminish Bay, Portrush, Foyle Marina (Derry), Ballycastle, Campbeltown (Islachattan), Colintraive, Largs.
Highlight What super weather was June 2014. We moved every day in 26 except two, which was our choice not to move. Wind was from the South up to Stornoway and from the North all the way back down. What more could you ask for, also little rain over the four weeks. We have had our holidays before July – we now need to plan for another one late August – Howth and Gigha once again. Weather will dictate. Super weather again for the first ten days in September 2014 and another great cruise out around the Mull. We did get our second extended cruise this year which was most enjoyable, particularly the visit up to Derry. Well worth the effort after having passed by on previous cruises.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Arran Comrades
Freedom 35 ketch 3534C Mike & Helen Johnston Owned Crinan Canal
Anchorages Visited Early May: Croabh and Ardentraive. Early June: Lochaline, Tobermory, Salen – Sunart, Lochaline, Ardentraive, Craobh.
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122 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Mid July: Cara, Campbeltown, Lochranza, Port Bannatyne, Largs, Greenock, Glasgow, Innellan, Largs, Portavadie, Ardrishaig. Early September: Castle Sween, Ardmore Islands, Port Ellen, Rathlin, Glenarm, Carrickfergus, Rathlin, Campbeltown, Tarbert, Ardrishaig. Overnight trips from Crinan to Achanarnich Bay, Ardfern, Carsaig, Castle Sween, Clachan Sound, Craighouse, Easdale, and Tayvallich.
Highlight After a rather damp winter tied alongside the pontoon at Cairnbaan, we went west early. From June onwards, the weather was rather good and notably free from strong winds most of the time. The first trip round The Mull was on a perfect day and we were able to hold close inshore to Kintyre and into Machrihanish Bay before taking a strong eddy to the lighthouse. The Commonwealth Flotilla to Glasgow was ‘made’ by the huge crowds that turned out to greet the fleet from every bit of accessible riverside. Our September jaunt to Antrim coincided with fierce spring tides; two-knot eddies off Black Head (favourable both ways) and a very strong clockwise circulation in Rathlin Sound at what should have been slack water. Laying up ashore at Largs Yacht Haven.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Atalaya of Argyll Nauticat 40 47 Gordon Paterson Owned Troon
Anchorages Visited Brest, Aber Wrach (Brittany), Isles of Scilly, Tresco, (Scilly Isles), Padstow, Milford Haven, Wicklow, Dunloghair, Carlingford Loch, Peel (Isle of Man), Stranraer, Lamlash Bay, Troon.
Atalaya, Hugh McLean Anchorages This trip was the opposite of my 2011 sail to Benodet with Gordon. Here we had an abundance of sunshine from Brest to Troon, (except Dublin’s, rain) smooth water, long days and short nights. Our visits ashore were hot and sticky, ice cream and cold drinks. Three highlights were the passage across the channel with the business of the shipping lanes. My days in Dublin, seeing the many sights, sounds and history of that City, taking many photographs. Finally, watching many Dolphins as we sailed across the Irish Sea, I lay on the bow of Atalaya, just a few feet from the Dolphins as they danced and darted from one side of the bow to the other each trying to outswim the other. That experience was fantastic! Thank you Gordon for the opportunity of being part of your Crew.
Members’ Cruises 2014 Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Curlew
Cromarty 36 — Norman Smith Owned South Shian, Loch Creran
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Greenheart
Dawn 39 (39ft staysail sloop) 3900C Peter Dunlop Owned Colintraive (registered in Glasgow)
Anchorages Visited
Anchorages Visited
April. South Shian, Loch Aline, Loch Drumbuie, Tor an Eidean, Kinlochteacuis, Eilean nan Eilden, Sailean Mor, Tobermory, Aros Castle, Loch Aline, Ardtornish Bay, Puilladobhrain. South Shian. May. Gylen Castle, Loch Buie, Port na Faoillinn Baine, Acarsaid Mor Gometra, Loch Mingary, Loch Kentra, Eignaig N Loch Moidart, Roshven, Kinloch Ailort. Ardnish, Loch Moidart, Port a Chamais Ben Hiant, Loch Drumbuie, Bunnavoulin, Loch Aline, South Shian. June. Loch Aline, Portuairk, Vatersay Bay, Sandray, Gighay, Bagh Hartavagh, Loch Boisdale, Corodale Bay, Luirsay Dubh, Bagh Charmaig, Wiay, Hermetray, Camus Borve, West Loch Tarbert, Kearstay, Scarp, Cravadale, Diriscal Loch Resort, Loch Leosavay, Taransay, West Loch Tarbert, Opsay Basin, Lochmaddy, Loch Portain. August. Lochmaddy, Cheese Bay, Aird a’Mhorain, Griminish, Berneray, Loch Beacravick, North Harbour Scalpay, Loch Brollum, Loch Valamus, Witches Pool, Stornoway, Camus Orasaidh, Loch Odhairn, Shiants, Staffin Bay, Ru na Braithern, Crowlins, Loch nam Beiste, Isle Ornsay, Sailean Mor Oronsay, Loch Aline, South Shian. September. Port Ramsay, Tobermory, Loch Mingary, Inverdalavil, Loch Scavaig, Loch Eishort, Loch Scresort Rum, Eigg, Kilchoan, Loch Drumbuie, Dun Ghallain, Caol Charna, Loch Teacuis, Fishnish Bay, Loch Aline, Inninmore, Duart Castle, Soth Shian. October. Loch Aline, Tobermory, Tor an Eidean, Loch Aline, Kinlochspelve, Airds Bay, Creran Marine.
Lamlash, Arklow, Kilmore Quay, Ballycotton Bay, Crosshaven, Kilmore Quay, Dun Laoghaire, Port Patrick, Colintraive, Rothesay, Carradale, Sanda, Port Ellen, Loch Na Mile, Eilean Mor MacCormack, Crinan, Elean Gabhar (Craignish), Ardfern, Loch Craignish, Bagh Glean Na Muic, Gott Bay, Castle Bay, Vatersay Bay, Eriskay, Wizard Pool, Loch Madddy, Basin of Vaccasay, Loch Rodel, Rodel, Scalpay, Loch Claidh – Eilean Thingarstaigh, Shiant Islands, Eilean Flodday – south anchorage, Loch Toscaig, Isle Ornsay, Armadale, Loch Hourne, Loch Hourne above third narrows, Isle Ornsay, Armadale, Duisdale, Totaig Loch Duich, Kyle of Lochalsh for stores, Coalas Scalpay. Churchton Bay Raasay, Portree – Stormbound, Totaig, Isle Ornsay, Armadale, Bull Hole, Loch Tarbert Jura, Aros Bay, Kames, Colintraive, Tarbert, Portavadie, Colintraive, Kelvin Harbour, Rothesay Dock – Clydebank.
Highlight Another very successful season on Curlew. Still visiting the same old places, but always managing to find some new ones as well. Our summer was notable for its mainly quiet weather, and absence of serious gales. Long may that continue.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Free Spirit
Varne Folkboat FB598 James Gibb Owned Tayvallich
Anchorages Visited Kilmelford, Ardfern, Tayvallich, Fairy Isles In Loch Sween, Goat Island (Craignish), Loch Spelve, Port Ramsay, Dunstaffnage, Stonefield Bay (Loch Etive), Puilladobhrain, Ardinamir, Ardfern, Kilmelford.
Highlight The season splits into a number of separate parts. A “shakedown” cruise to the Royal Cork Yacht Club to deliver a book and have dinner helped sort out things forgotten after two missed seasons. There followed a positioning voyage, mostly single handed, to Armadale in Skye which was planned as a starting point for family cruising. I had my sister and brother-in-law as crew from Rothesay to Port Ellen, my wife for a few days up Loch Hourn after which we were joined by her 11 year old twins and a niece and her new husband for a few stormy days to Kyle and then, after being stormbound in Portree and using my other sister’s transport to visit Dunvegan castle she and her husband each had a long day sail before we ended up with a bar supper at the Eilean Iarmain hotel. After taking my wife and children back to Edinburgh and their flight to Amsterdam and having positioned my car at Colintraive I made another difficult public transport journey to Armadale for what turned out to be a stormy trip back round the Mull to the Clyde. Further sailing included crewing for a friend to return his boat from Ardfern to Colintraive and the closing muster and the Rothesay – Tarbert Race in which we came first in Class 4, before laying up at Rothesay Dock in Clydebank with perhaps a night at Kelvin Harbour. My catch up summer of 77 nights aboard, 50 anchorages moorings and berths including 14 new places, nearly 1600 miles mostly under sail despite far too much motoring to get to Cork and back, clear blue sky calms in the outer isles and gales round the Mull, diesel bug, anchoring escapades, lost halyards and slightly torn sails; has had its moments!
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 123
Members’ Cruises 2014 Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Hecate
Trident Voyager 40 2454C Patrick Trust Owned Ardfern
Anchorages Visited Rhu for opening muster, Clyde Challenger Race to Tarbert for Scottish Series. Crinan Canal to Ardfern. Easdale, Loch Spelve twice, Oronsay, Loch Aline twice, Tobermory twice, Canna, Ghiga, Loch Ranza via Mull of Kintyre, Rothesay via Kyles to view new Woodfarm Rock Perch, Dumbarton.
Highlight Not much sailing out West due to Commodorial and Race Officer duties but we did sail in Cornwall on a Cornish Shrimper for Camel week, and had a week sailing with our mates the Kellys on Lola K their 65 foot Varicelli from Olbia to La Madelena and back. It is far too hot and sunny in Sardinia on the Costa Smeralda!
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Jaywalker
Contessa 32 CO 9910C John & Janet Trythall Owned Plockton
Anchorages visited Inverkip, Lamlash, L. na Mile, Jura, Crinan, Tobermory, Ardnamurchan Lt. Ho. Landing, L. Ceann Traigh, Mallaig, Plockton mooring, Churchton Bay, Raasay (3), Portree, Flowerdale, Taransay – Village Bay, Vatersay Bay, Castle Bay, Pabbay, Mingulay, Canna, Armadale, Isle Ornsay (3), Duisdale, Eiln Rarsaidh, L. Hourn, Torr a Choit, L. Hourn, Head of L. Nevis, Loch na Dal, Glaschoille, L. Nevis, Inverie, Sandaig Is, Poll Domhain, Arisaig S. Channel, Bernera Bay South, Lismore, Kingairloch, L. a ‘Choire, Caledonian Canal, Inverness.
Highlight In retrospect, the theme of this year’s sailing was “Roundings”. Jaywalker hadn’t sold over the winter, so she was retrieved from Inverkip to return to Plockton, rounding the Mull of Kintyre in a fresh breeze where the barquentine Thalassa ran past us under full sail. Round Ardnamurchan, we were able to drop the hook off the landing and row ashore to visit the lighthouse, and compare it with Covesea Skerries, another Alan Stevenson light, and in sight of our home on the Moray Firth. We stopped briefly at Crinan, as last year benefiting from Derek’s mechanical advice. Not having taken part in a race for years, we were persuaded to join in Skye Sailing Club’s Midsummer race round the Shiants, and surprised ourselves by winning a bottle of Talisker. This was joined by a Talisker glass after their Round Raasay Race, and another opportunity for some very pleasant socialising. Between the two events, we rounded Rockall where we were pleased to have a VHF blether with Nick Hancock; his presence lent scale to the rock, his pod perched little higher than our mast top. Luckily the wind eventually backed and decreased on the return and we were able to visit Pabbay (alone) and Mingulay (in company with an Italian cruise liner dispensing ice cream). It was a summer of generally lighter winds apart from the week in August spent skulking in upper Sound of Sleat, and four Corbetts were climbed from the boat in scorching sunshine.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Lodestar
FF Moody 35 GBR3110L Graham Crawford Owned Rhu
Lodestar. opening muster at Rhu, mini weekend at Holy Loch, Scottish series as accommodation ship, Ladies and Juniors Race at Port Bannatyne, boat then sold and Morgana (nee Taramachan) purchased in June, mini refit at Rhu, started Troon Race, then Rhu to Loch Spelve and back, RNCYC Muster at Lochgoilhead, assisted at GSS Regatta on Mickey Finn then cruised from Rhu, Rothesay and then to Tarbert for Closing Muster. Laid up at Rhu in October. Graham Crawford
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Members’ Cruises 2014 Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Lintie
Hallberg Rassy 34 5550C James and Gillian Dinsmore Owned Craobh
Anchorages Visited June Cruise: Puilladhobhrain; Loch Drumbuie; Laig Bay, Eigg; Totaig; Invershiel Bay, Loch Duich; Kyle of Lochalsh; Shieldaig, Loch Shieldaig, Torridon; Badachro; Flowerdale Bay; Inverewe Gardens (Camas Glas), Loch Ewe; Camas alt Eoin Thomas, Loch Ewe; Stornaway; Loch Odhain; N. Harbour, Scalpay; Rodel; Bagh a Bhiorain, Loch Eport; Canna; Tobermory; Ardencaple Bay; Craobh.
Highlight An exceptional year for the steadiness of the winds. The NW didn’t enjoy the sunshine that the rest of the UK had but, whilst overcast, there was little rain. We had S’lies to blow us North, and then N’lies to let us reach out to Lewis and run down the Outer Isles before the dreaded words on the forecast ‘Backing SE later’ so back in to Canna. No gales. Highlight was seeing and being in amongst a huge school of dolphins off Lochmaddy – 500 wouldn’t be an exaggeration although 1,000 might just. A lot of young among them. Whale and Dolphin Shop in Tobermory was very interested to hear of our sighting which apparently is not particularly unusual when there is a lot of plankton around.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Malindi Mhor Oceanis 393 105C Ian Reid Chartered Split, Croatia
Anchorages Visited A maiden expedition to explore the beautiful islands of Croatia. A fabulous cruising area - we’ll definitely be back.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Margaret Wroughton
Rival 41 MW Gavin & Georgie McLaren Owned Falmouth
Anchorages Visited River Fal, Beaulieu, Gosport, Ile Glenan, Hennebont, Lorient, Ile Roelan, Port Maria, Hoedik, Auray River, Port Crouesty, Loctudy, Crosshaven, Drakes Pool, Courtmacsherry, Baltimore, Crookhaven, Ilen River, East Ferry (Cork), Sada (Galicia), Ares, Corme, Camarinas, Baiona, Islas Cies, Aldan, Pobra do Caramiñal, Muros, Porto Sin, Ensenada de San Simon, Rio de Minho, Viana do Castelo, Pavoa de Varzim, Porto, Aveiro, Seixal, Lisbon.
Highlight After a major refit/mid-life update to make Margaret Wroughton fit for another 40 years we made a brief trip from Falmouth to Gosport to see friends. Then a short cruise in South Brittany before a brisk passage to Cork for the ICC 85th anniversary cruise. We had to leave that early to return to Crosshaven for some sail repairs. Then a direct Biscay crossing to Galicia, Alberto Lagos’s splendid rally in the Rias Bajas and onwards down the Spanish and Portuguese coasts to Lisbon. After a visit home we will be setting off in mid October for Madeira and then to La Palma. From there to Antigua in time for Christmas. As usual, there have been just the two of us on board.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Micky Finn IV
Dufour 40 4050C Mike & Freda Forbes Owners Rhu
Anchorages Visited Colintraive, Tarbert, Crinan, Craighouse Jura, Port Ellen, Puilladobhrain, Lochaline, Kerrera, Tobermory, White Sand Bay, Isleornsay, Plockton, Loch Toscaig, Crowlin Islands, Poll Domhain, Loch Diabeg Loch Torridon, Badachro, Poolewe, Ullapool, Stornoway, Lochmaddy, Tobermory, Drumbuy, Lochaline, Oban, Craighouse, Crinan, Portavadie, Wreck Bay, Port Bannatyne, Rhu.
Highlight This year we spent 8 weeks cruising on the West Coast of Scotland. July was sunny but there was not much wind. The August weather was unpredictable and mainly very windy. When unable to sail we explored the islands spending a lot of time on Lewis and Harris. Returning to Rhu Mike and I were reluctant to go home having thoroughly enjoyed being live aboards for the summer.
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Owned or chartered Home Port:
Monkey Business
Beneteau First 38 S 5 K3880T Charlie Craig Owned Tighnabruaich
Anchorages Visited Spring. Loch Gair, Crinan, Tobermory, Canna, Stein, Loch Scadabay-Harris, Acarseid Mhor-Rona, Kyle of Lochalsh, Mallaig, Inverie-Loch Nevis, Tarbert Bay, Loch Nevis, Plockton,Totaig-Loch Duich, Duisdale-Isle Ornsay, Loch Scavaig, Soay, Loch Scresort- Rhum, Eigg, Port MorMuck, Tinkers Hole, Lagavulin, Campbeltown, Loch Ranza, Tighnabruaich. Approx 600 miles. Summer. Bangor-NI, Arklow-Ireland, St. Agnes-Isles of Scilly, Cameret, Benodet, St. Evette, Audierne, Brest, Chateaulin, Port Launay, Le Fret, Morgat, Douarnenez; France, Gugh-Isles of Scilly,Milford Haven-Wales, Ardglass-NI, Portpatrick,Whiting Bay, Colintraive. Summer Cruise, July & August 2014, 1276 Miles.
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Members’ Cruises 2014 Highlight
Anchorages visited
Three weeks in May, three pre planned crew changes, possibly my second best spring cruise in 30 years.
Caladh, Kames, Tarbert, Crinan, Tobermory, Canna, Little Kettle Pool in Loch Skipport, Loch Boisdale, Acarseid More on Eriskay, Port Mor on Muck, Loch Drumbuie, Loch Aline, Sailean Mor on Oronsay , Loch Spelve, Ardfern, Crinan.
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Pinocchio
Dufour 44 4408C Mr & Mrs Peter L Fairley Owned Rhu
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Owner or skipper:
Rebel
Jeanneau Rush 31 Jim McCrossan
Anchorages visited
Anchorages visited
Lamlash; Campbeltown; Rathlin Island; Ballycastle; Ardminish Bay, Gigha; Tayvallich; Lussa Bay, Jura; Eilean nan Gabhar Loch Craignish; Ardfern; Black Islands; Ardencaple Bay; Tobermory; Dunstaffnage; Sailean Mor, Oronsay, Loch Sunart; Loch Spelve; Dunstaffage; Loch Aline; Loch Drumbuie; Port Ramsay; Ardfern; Eilean nan Gabhar, Loch Craignish; Craighouse, Jura; Ardminish Bay, Gigha; Tayvallich; Loch Aline; Sailean Mor, Oronsay, Loch Sunart; Loch Spelve; Ardfern; Eilean nan Gabhar, Loch Craignish; Port Ramsay; Loch Corrie; Oban; Puilladobhrain; Crinan; Dunardry; Tarbert; Rhu.
Holy Loch, Lamlash, Bangor, Ardglass, Carlingford Lough, Howth, Arklow, Kilmore Quay, Kinsale, Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay, Arklow, Howth, Peel, Portpatrick, Troon, Holy Loch. MWF 6, Distance Logged, 952 miles, Days on Board, 34, Night Hours, 24.
Highlights This year’s cruise did not go to our original plan which had been to pop round the Mull of Kintyre to Rathlin and then outside Islay to Mingalay. However, on our first day, the engine stopped with fuel starvation at Garroch Head which meant a long sail to Lamlash and a subsequent long but very pleasant sail to Campbeltown where we had to wait a day to get the problem sorted – dried topside polish covering the air intake! After Ballycastle our next stop was Gigha where we lost the Chum anchor weight owing to a faulty shackle and then to Ardfern to get the fridge mended. We then became reconciled to short cruises out from either Ardfern or Dunstaffnage with friends and family, a long weekend with son Andrew; a very special week with daughter Joanna, David and their three boys including a few days in company with daughter Elizabeth and family on their Pure Magic. There were eight trips up and down the Sound of Mull, five beats, one run, one motor and one mixed and the skipper claims that he enjoyed each one. A local fisherman at Gigha had meanwhile recovered our Chum but when visiting to get it back our skipper tripped on the pier and fell into the dinghy requiring plastic stitches to his knee and subsequent visits to the Medical Centre at Loch Aline and to the A&E at Loch Gilphead – both highly recommended as being excellent examples of the NHS! We hope to expand our cruising next year but we did cover 800 miles in just over five weeks of short cruises – and really good weather as a bonus.
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
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Pure Magic
MG335 3355C Elizabeth & Des Balmforth Owned Colintraive
126 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Yacht Name:
Type of Boat: Sail Number: Owner or skipper: Crew: Home Port:
Sea Breeze
Moody S38 4800C Fraser Barraclough Dorothy Barraclough Was Dunstaffnage, but last two winters spent at Dover
Anchorages Visited Part 1. France: Dunkirque; Belgium: Oostende; Netherlands: Breskens, Stellendam, Sheveningen, Den Helder, Vlieland; Germany: Borkum, Helgoland, Cuxhaven, Kiel Canal (Gieselau and Rendsburg), Holtenau, British Kiel Yacht Club; Denmark: Sonderborg, Dyvig, Middlefart, Juelsminde, Aarhus, Ebletoft, Grenaa, Anholt; Sweden: Torekov, Helsingborg; Denmark: Helsingor, Svanemolle (Copenhagen). Part 2. Denmark: Svanmolle,Rodvig, Klintholm, Gedser, Roddyhaven; Germany: Rensburg, Cuxhaven, Borkum; Netherlands: Delfsijl, Groningen, Dokkumer, Leewarden, Lemmer, Leylystad, Ijmuiden, Sheveningen, Breskens; Belgium: Oostende; France: Dunkirque; UK: Dover,Eastbourne (Sovereign Harbour), Brighton, Hayling Island (Sparks Marina), Hamble.
Yacht name
Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Shian
GBR 7773T Paul & Jane Read Owned South Shian, Loch Creran
Anchorages visited Antigua: Jolly Harbour, Deep Bay, St. Barths: Gustavia, Anse de Columbier, Sint Maarten: Simpson Bay, Simpson Bay Lagoon, St. Kitts: White House Bay, Nevis: Pinney Beach, Guadaloupe: Deshaise, Isles de Saintes: Bourg, Dominica: Prince Rupert Bay, Martinique: Fort de Franc, Grande Anse D’Arlett, Le Marin, St.Anne, St. Lucia: Rodney Bay marina, Marigot Bay, St. Vincent and the Grenadines: Admiralty Bay (Bequia), Baradel (Tobago Cays), Saline Bay (Mayreau) Clifton (Union Island),
Members’ Cruises 2014 Grenada: Tyrrel Bay (Carriacou), Port Louis marina (St. Georges), Prickly Bay, Trinidad: Chaguaramas
Highlight We re-commissioned Shian in Antigua in early January 2014, after spending our first Xmas in the UK for 9 years. In late January we sailed North West for St. Barths and St. Maarten but, by the time we reached Simpson Bay Lagoon in St. Maarten, Janie was very ill with shingles. Full recovery from this took 6 weeks so we abandoned our plans to continue West to the Virgin Islands and, instead, headed south in late February, with Trinidad our final destination for layup in April. It was a lovely leisurely cruise South visiting old haunts, including Prince Rupert’s Bay, Dominica where we attended the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Ocean Cruising Club. By late March we were cruising the Grenadines when we received news, via the OCC radio Net, of a serious yachting accident involving our friends John and Chris Lytle and their yacht Oriole. Oriole, whilst at anchor in Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou, had been hit by an old ferry with consequent serious damage. Thankfully, her crew were unhurt. We, along with others, assisted in making temporary repairs and then we sailed in company with Oriole for Trinidad where full repairs could be carried out during the summer months. Our early arrival in Trinidad gave us 3 weeks in which to undertake maintenance and enjoy a hectic social life. Shian was hauled in early May and we flew home soon after. Photographs of this cruise can be seen at www. picturetrail.com/shian
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Texa
Elan 40 4049C John Watson Owned Kip/Craobh
Anchorages visited Kings Cross, Arran; Sanda; Ardminish Bay, Gigha; Port Ellen, Islay; Lowlandman’s Bay, Lussa Bay, and Pigs Bay, Jura; Eileach an Naoimh; Asknish Bay; Poll nan Corran, Lunga (Sound of Luing); Puilladobhrain; Tobermory; Loch Eatharna, Coll; South Bay, Eigg Harbour; Port Mor, Muck; Canna; Loch Scavaig; Mallaig; Inverie, Loch Nevis; Croggan and Ardlussa, Loch Spelve; Loch Melfort Pier; Sanna Bay; Calgary Bay, Mull; Cragaig Bay, Ulva; Staffa; Sandhills Bay and Martyrs Bay, Iona; Tinkers Hole; Balfour’s Bay; Sound of Erraid; Oban; Bagh Gleann a’ Mhaoil Bay Scarba; Achanarnich; Duart Bay; Loch Aline; Gallanach Bay, Muck; Feall Bay, Coll; Clach Chuirr Bay, Tiree; Lunga; Rubh’ Ardalanish, Mull; Crinan Canal.
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Tiftie
Moody 376 1971C Sandy Tosh Owned Largs
Anchorages visited Campbeltown, Ardminish Gigha, Craobh, Oban, Tobermory Arisaig, Canna, Eriskay, Wizards Pool, Lochmaddy, Scalpay N. Harbour, Stornoway, Lochinver, L. Roe, Lochinver, Ullapool, Ewe Island, Shieldaig, Poll Domhain, Plockton, Kyle of Lochalsh, Arisaig, Tobermory, Oban, Ardminish, Lochranza, Largs.
Yacht name
Type of Boat Sail number Owner or skipper Owned or chartered Home port
Timshel
Westerly Oceanlord OD81 Steven and Anita Hamilton Owned Inverkip
Anchorages visited Conwy, Anglesey, Port Erin, Peel, Campbeltown, Brodick, Lamlash, Tarbert, Barmore Island, St. Ninians Bay, Fearnoch Bagh, Inverkip.
Highlight Timshel had been undergoing an extended refit in Conwy (new teak decks and much more). We finally got her operational at the end of the 2nd week of September (much later than initially promised!). We should probably have stayed in Conwy a little longer and got more of the “snags” fixed, but we feared that the good weather was bound to break soon. Having escaped the drying Conwy river with it’s fierce tides we spent 1 night at an anchorage on the North coast of Anglesey before making for the Isle of Man, then direct to Campbelltown. We then had a week or so around the Clyde. In fact only on the last day as we returned to Inverkip was it grey and raining. The gales arrived a few days later. The new Hydrovane steering and new transmitting AIS worked well, and I think the windcharger was giving us amps. Unfortunately a few pieces of kit seemed to have died during the period laid up (Autohelm 7000, smart alternator regulator) so there is more work to do. But Timshel does look beautiful!
Highlight Just shown anchorages visited from Craobh but without return visits. Highlights were – the weather, though we could have done with less use of engine! Pod of about 30 dolphins entering Canna; beautiful Feall Bay, Coll and North end of Tiree; dinner at Gallanach Lodge, Muck and watching the fabulous sunset over Canna, Rum and Skye. Ross Balmforth in Pinnochio's Puddleduck.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 127
Journal Instructions
Cruising Logs • Length – from 1,000 to 3,000 words (maximum); 2,000 words makes a 4 page story, depending on photos. • Format – MS Word documents or text files, please do not embed any images or photos into these files (see Photos and Images below for image submission details). Logs should include: • A title page giving the name and full details for the yacht; • Skipper name and crew list, with the ages of any younger members; • A summary of distances each day under sail, engine and motor-sailing for cruising competitions.
Member’s Cruises Make sure you download the ‘Anchorages Visited’ template from the CCC website, www.clyde.org
Photos and Images Format – Images/photos should be in digital format (jpg, tiff, psd) and sent as high resolution files (upwards 1MB in file size is a good indication). Any photos not available in digital format, i.e. for historical articles, should be scanned to the highest resolution. Do not put images into a secondary format (such as placing them in a Word Document) as it reduces the quality. Do not reduce the file sizes. Once an image has been reduced we cannot increase it again without compromising the quality. If they are too big to send
all together, split them over a few emails or submit on USB or CD. If emailing images, please ensure your email program does not reduce the file size. Around 5 – 10 images per log would be sufficient. Please name the photos in accordance to your log, for example “[Name of Boat] 1” “[Name of Boat] 2” or “[Name of Boat] picnic on beach” etc.
Submitting Logs and Photos All logs and photographs submitted in time will be considered for competition, including the photographic competition (Coruisk Trophy) unless the author requests otherwise. Particularly for junior logs, the content is much more important than the format. When assessing the cruising competitions the judges are empowered to use their discretion on the terms of each award. Please email your logs and photos to Jennifer Rolland at office@clyde.org, or submit them to the Clyde Cruising Club office on USB or CD: Clyde Cruising Club, Suite 101, The Pentagon Centre, 36 Washington Street, Glasgow G3 8AZ.
DEADLINE FOR COMPETITION AND CLUB JOURNAL SUBMISSIONS IS 20TH OCTOBER 2015 Unfortunately, late submission has reduced the number of awards, so please be prompt. By submitting your logs and images you are agreeing that you own copyright, or have obtained permission from the copyright owner for them to be published in print and be accessible on the web by Clyde Cruising Club and the general public.
Editor’s Acknowledgements Welcome to your 2015 Journal Thank you to all of you who submitted logs for this year’s Journal – it is lovely to read all about your adventures so please keep submitting your logs. As always Des has helped so much with the publishing of the Journal – definitely a joint effort this year. I would also like to thank Jennifer Rolland, Patrick Trust, the log judges (Dougie Bilsland and Ian Buchanan) and proof readers (John and Alison Douglas, Freda Forbes, Helen Kirk, John Watson, Barbara MacLeod and Peter Fairley) for all their hard work – very much appreciated.
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128 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
It would be great to get others involved so please let me know if you have a little time to help us. We are excited about getting on the water this summer, combining racing and cruising and look forward to meeting up with CCC members. If you see us please come and say “hi” as it is fun to meet with others. Enjoy the read,
Lizzie and Des Balmforth, Tangaroa
hio
A normal day on Pinocc
morning, Waking up on a drowsy k behind the clouds, ss d an de hi s ay pl n su e th t the hull, the waves lapping agains st the shrouds. the cold wind whistles pa t, Having a hearty breakfas a swift morning row, pulling up the mainsail, below. with all the family down y face, Feeling the cold rain in m stinging at my eyes, wdy waves, steering through the ro ize. sailing is the ultimate pr Seeing the first seal, catching my first fish, exploring the islands, ing dish. Grannie making an amaz y, But at the end of the da , the best thing by a mile e safely, is really just getting ther ile! and making Grandpa sm
Jonathan Peach
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015   129
Coruisk Trophy Winners
Tarbert from the castle by Susan Morrison.
Atmospheric Category
Chateaulin by Charlie Craig.
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130 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
Dramatic Category
Humour Category
Blue iceberg with Milvina at anchor by Neil NcCubbin.
Sailing Category
Tim flies from boom by Emily Whyte.
Nature Category
Closing Muster, Kyles of Bute by Shona Shields.
Small bird by Paul Read.
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 131
Obituaries DUNCAN MCKICHAN
ROBERT REID
JOHN RANKIN
ARCHIE SCOTT
JAMES MOIR
JIMMY BUCHANNAN
JOHN MACINTYRE
MARGARET DOWNIE
HAMISH THOMSON
sought to ensure that fish farms did not clash with the interests of the sailing community. The RYA, the UK’s government body for boating and watersports, honoured him with a Distinguished Services to Boating award last December, presented by the RYA’s patron, Anne, the Princess Royal, in London. Having done his national service in the Royal Navy, he stayed on throughout his working life in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR), rising to the rank of Captain in its Clyde Division. That made him Captain of HMS Graham – not a ship but a shore-based training facility on Glasgow’s Whitefield Road near Ibrox stadium. The building, renamed Graham House, is now used by an army medical unit while the RNR’s Glasgow training facility is now called HMS Dalriada, on Birkmyre Road, Govan. Arthur was born in Glasgow on December 22, 1929, to John (Jack) Houston, a Glasgow solicitor, and his doctor wife Grizel, and was brought up in Westbourne Gardens off Great Western Road. He attended the Glasgow Academy in Kelvinbridge and later Sedbergh Boarding School near Kendal in Cumbria before attending the University of Glasgow and graduating with MA (Hons) in 1949. He started sailing early, on his family’s yachts, mostly around the West Coast of Scotland but also on trips to Ireland, Brittany and Norway. Along with law and his family, sailing was his great love. He was 21 when he took two friends sailing on his 32-foot yacht affectionately known as Wee Jane. They were (the future Sir) Alastair Dunnett, editor of the Daily Record and later of the
Scotsman, and his wife the historical novelist Dorothy (later Lady) Dunnett. Arthur also had a yacht Gaitess for many years before Papadil. Sadly, Papadil was wrecked at Ardfern and he bought his last yacht, Kelele, with his sons. Arthur died at his home in Kilmacolm. His wife Betsy died in 1995. He is survived by their sons David, Neil and Graeme, three daughters- in-law, eight grandchildren – Kirsty, Douglas, Hamish, Catriona, Isobel, Rory, Ellen and Finn – and his sisters Lib and Maysie. “He was not a bystander, always involved and contributing,” said his son, Neil. “He was ahead of his time. He discovered the work-life balance before it was invented.” By Phil Davison
A Life Member, died November 2013 A Life Member, died February 2014
Member of the CCC, died November 2013
ARTHUR HOUSTON Died August 18, 2014 1928 – 2014
A
rthur Houston, died aged 85, was a Glasgow lawyer by career but was best-known around Scotland as a captain in the Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) and an activist on behalf of the West of Scotland sailing community. He was a former flag officer and Rear Commodore of the historic Clyde Cruising Club (CCC), founded in Rothesay in 1909 and now with its headquarters in the Pentagon Centre on Washington Street, Glasgow. While active in the CCC, he edited its famous Sailing Directions, once known as the Blue Book, essential pilotage guides for sailors in Scottish waters. He helped take the guides, originally written by hand and sent out annually by mail, into the electronic age, with amendments published swiftly on the club’s website. He was proof-reading the latest guides for the website until shortly before his death. Arthur was also a longtime member of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), notably its Scottish branch RYAS, where he
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A Life Member, died February 2014
A Life Member, died November 2013 Member of the CCC, died March 2014
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A Life Member, died April 3, 2014 in his 99th year. Member of the CCC, died August 2014 Member of the CCC, died November 2014
GORDON TOURLAMAIN Died 29 July, 2014 1944 – 2014
G
ordon Tourlamain, died aged 69 years, was one of Scotland’s leading businessmen and entrepreneurs, best known for co-founding the British branch of Aggreko, the Glasgow-based company which is now the world’s largest temporary power provider, renting out electricity generators. Starting out in a Nissen hut in Dalreoch, Dumbarton, he helped turn Aggreko into a
Obituaries much-sought-after company in times of natural emergencies worldwide, including power cuts in New York and California, and at countless sporting events from the Superbowl, several summer and winter Olympics, the recent Commonwealth Games and the upcoming Ryder Cup. It also provided the generator power behind the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic in 1997. Gordon was also a passionate yachtsman, latterly owning the £2.5 million luxury catamaran Cattitude, which he had recently sailed through the Panama Canal and on to Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand. The yacht, with four double cabins, a jacuzzi, two dining areas, a chef and an open-air cinema, was based in the South Pacific as a charter vessel for the wealthy when he was not using it. Mr Tourlamain’s first wife Pauline died several years ago. He married his second wife, Elizabeth Kelly, originally from Balornock, Glasgow, in June 2011. He and his wife Liz were prominent members of the Clyde Cruising Club and Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club near their home in the village of Rhu, near Helensburgh, where they held their wedding reception on the lawns of the historic yachting clubhouse on the banks of the Clyde estuary three years ago. He was also an accomplished pilot, owning several small aircraft including a six-seater Piper Seneca. Although born in London, Gordon moved to Scotland at the age of 11 and always considered himself very much Scottish. He was a Formula One motor racing buff and helped sponsor his friend David Coulthard from the early days of his driving career and on through his F1 successes. His wife Liz had booked a surprise holiday and race tickets to Abu Dhabi this November to mark his 70th birthday, which would have been on the day after the Grand Prix. “Gordon was a very charming and humble man with a heart as big as the ocean,” his wife Liz said. “Whether in his business or his personal life, anyone he came in contact with was the better for it. He was caring and generous and will be missed by all.” By Phil Davidson
KEN GUMLEY Died 18 March, 2014 1932 – 2014
K
enneth Louis Gumley was known widely apart from sailing. An Edinburgh High Constable, an estate agent bearing his name, a commercial property investor, and a publican (Cramond Inn) were varied interests to keep him busy. He was capable and interested to serve on committees often as chairman. President of the R Caledonian C.C, first chairman of Scottish RYA, secretary of the Royal Firth (in its blue period) for over 20 years, and finally Commodore of the club, as well as running Gogar Park Curling Rink, Rotary duties, and manning the Seagull Trust barges on the Union Canal kept him busy. He was never available in the office between 2 and 3pm everyday – busy! He was Scottish to the hilt and a man of the sea, never happier than on a boat or chatting on a pontoon or at a party. Gregarious, organised, he loved sailing and the people associated with it. He got into Dragons as a crew then a part owner and shortly got his own Dragon, the first of five Dragons. Shortly too he was successful, seldom out of the top five of the Dragons in every regatta he did, in whichever boat he had at whichever country. He loved the competition and was at his swash buckling (and he could swash buckle) best in the stronger stuff usually with a smile on his face and shouting encouragement to others! He took the Dragons all over Europe to race driving his own lorry or converted bus, to wherever a major Dragon regatta was held. He won
the Edinburgh Cup twice, and was second four times. After 30 years in Dragons he bought Mistress, an Etchells, which he had for 4 years. Getting older and having a coronary meant a slow down and so led to a series of cruising sailboats, a Sovereign 32, a Corsair 36, a Comarty 36 (the latter 2 called Bandit) and finally in 1998 Bandit of Lorne an East Bay 43. This boat was completed in the States and made it possible for Anne and him to have a wonderful extended cruise of almost the entire East Coast of the US and Bahamas. In doing so he made many US friends among like-minded sailors. The West Coast of Scotland was always his first love. He was a long time member of the CCC and was Race Officer for Scottish Series for many years. He was a genial and very generous host. He just loved entertaining – “it was a great party – never touched a drop”. When the boat was out of the water he and Anne tried to examine the rest of the world and managed China, South America, Alaska, Russia and many others. A traveller, an inquirer, an organised genial mixer. We will miss Kenneth. By Jeremy Thomson
ALAN ROBERTSON Died 10 September, 2014 1927 – 2014
A
LAN Robertson who died, aged 86, after a short illness was a past Commodore of the Clyde Cruising Club, an active West Coast yachtsman and a consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in the central belt of Scotland. He worked from 1966 in Falkirk and Stirling until
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Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015 133
Obituaries his retirement in 1993. Until weeks before his death he remained a passionate and active sailor, latterly sailing out of Troon and Ardfern with Joyce, his wife on their Starlight 35 Jomora. For more than 35 years Alan Robertson’s service to Falkirk and Stirling Royal Infirmaries was characterised by a high level of passion and skill. His specialisations included sports injuries where he returned many local rugby and football players to their playing careers. Away from the long hours and stress of the ward and operating theatre, it was the mountains, lochs and sea which he enjoyed most of all. A dinghy sailing course taken on a whim in Aberdour, Fife joined by a Falkirk medical pal, was to be the start of nearly 50 years of sailing. Dinghy racing from Monklands Sailing Club on Caldercruix’s unprepossessing Hillend Reservoir, competing on the Scottish Travellers and Team Racing events, Alan and Joyce raced their GP14s Nola and Tingalong at Scottish national level, sharing their racing between Monklands and Royal Findhorn YC where they holidayed through the summer months. Each of their young children passed through cadet training at these clubs which stood them in good stead when they went on to race of their own accord and for family racing and cruising when they moved into cruiser racers on the west coast. His various Jomora sloops of 28 to 35ft cruised to most of the main islands on the West, raced the Clyde Offshore Championship around the North Channel for many years, and also nine Blue Water Races including expeditions to France and Norway. Alan joined the Clyde Cruising Club in 1974 and was elected Commodore for the tenure 1998 to 1999. When he was at the helm of the Scottish Series regatta committee, sponsors Bell Lawrie were brought on board for the first time, the start of a commercial relationship which spanned more than 10 years. Joyce and Alan Robertson served the premier Scottish sailing event for many years as volunteers.
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Clive Scott, who succeeded Alan as commodore, notes: “It was in the nature of the man to put back more than he took out and he served on several committees of the CCC before being elected to serve as Commodore. He served two years as Rear Commodore and two as Vice Commodore. “He led the club with quiet efficiency throughout his time in office particularly during a difficult transition period of sponsorship change at the Scottish Series regatta. Despite advancing years and with the continued assistance of his dear Joyce, Alan carried out much of the maintenance on Jomora keeping her in commission and sailing to the end.” He is survived by wife Joyce, sons Andrew (Andi) and Graeme, daughters Dr Susan Brown, and Gillian Johnston. By Andi Robertson
JOE BAIRD Died 18 February 2014 1932 – 2014
T
he Club has suffered a loss at the recent death of Joe Baird. I first met Joe when we were in the same class at The High School of Glasgow during the war years. Although Joe was one of the many High School pupils who moved to Glasgow Academy when Glasgow City Council threatened to close down the High School, the friendship that we formed during that short period at the High School was always present when we met in the future. Post school, Joe’s leisure time was taken up with National Service at Fort George in Inverness, then rally driving, dinghy sailing at Prestwick
134 Clyde Cruising Club Journal 2015
and Bardowie and yacht racing including racing with Ronnie Scott and with Bill Mackay on Bill’s father’s yacht Islay before meeting Jane in 1959. He and Jane then continued to sail with Bill but also sailed on Jane’s father’s large ketch Seewolf, previously owned by Herman Goering. Joe and Jane married in 1963. It was not long before they introduced Carolyn and Kenneth to the West Coast, first of all on Seewolf then in 1972 they bought Tangle a Hustler 30 designed by Holman and Pye. Tangle and crew then supported many of the Club’s cruising events as far afield as Barra, the Orkney Islands in 1987 and Ireland. Over the period, Joe was an active race officer and Joe and Jane were consistent helpers at the Scottish Series at Tarbert. In 1999 they moved from Tangle to Boomerang, which they bought when Joe was about to retire from his financial services job in Glasgow. Boomerang was a Hustler 35, also designed by Joe’s favourite design office, Holman and Pye. After a few years, a bit more comfort was duly called for and in 2004 Boomerang was replaced by Coireusige, a Warrior 40 which was initially shared with Alastair and Joan Sidey. Their cruise that year was to the joint CCC/ICC Cruising Club event at Glengariff in SW Ireland. Joe served as Rear Commodore of the Club from 1989 to 1990 and as Vice Commodore in 1991. He served as Secretary of the Club for seven years from 1998 to 2004 and was a great support to me while I was Commodore. However, it was not all sailing. Joe joined Cardross Golf Club in 1982 and also became heavily involved in The Trades House of Glasgow being elected as Visitor of the Maltmen during 1985/1986. Over the years, he and Jane were very supportive of their son Kenneth, being active members of the Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped, fighting strongly for the right for Kenneth and other people with learning disabilities to have a proper education with fully qualified teachers. The Club will miss Joe’s sense of duty, hard work, honest support and friendship. By Peter Fairley
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