Why the west coast?

Peter Waddington, of Kilcreggan, near Glasgow wrote the following ...

Although I am no longer trying to "sell" cruising, I do not hesitate in declaring that the West coast of Scotland is arguably the finest cruising ground in the United Kingdom; some say in Europe, and although I have decided to spend the next couple of seasons sailing further afield, I fully intend to return. It affords mile upon mile of magnificent scenery, as many different harbours and anchorages as you could visit in a sailing lifetime, a choice between calm, sheltered sailing for a quiet holiday, and the Atlantic Ocean for the more adventurous, with an infinite range of intermediate conditions. This coast gets its fair share of excellent weather, - but even under the worst conditions the range of sailing possibilities is such that you will seldom be harbour-bound. The cruising area has hitherto been anywhere within 500 nautical miles radius from Rhu Marina. In practice, the limits covered up to the end of the year 2004 season with the exception of a specially requested Irish cruise were St Kilda in the North West, Loch Gairloch on the North mainland, and the Mull of Kintyre and Firth of Clyde in the South, though these were only dictated by the length of customers' bookings. In the first three seasons after my retirement, my northern limit was extended to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, and Loch Inver on the mainland, and by dint of carrying out several more extended cruises, I managed to visit a fair number of intermediate places which I have had to pass by hitherto.A full list of the harbours and anchorages visited in 22 years chartering on the West Coast and in my first three seasons in retirement is included below. Many are favourites, and have been visited a number of times. The places newly visited in 2006 and 2007 are marked with an asterisk (*). However it takes only a brief scrutiny of the overall chart of the West of Scotland to show that there were, and still are, hundreds of inlets, lochs, harbours and anchorages left to explore. The map shows the whole of my first 6 week cruise of 2005, and the northern part of the second.

Harbours and Anchorages

Ardentinny (Loch Long) Tayvallich (Loch Sween) Badachro (Loch Gairloch) Castle Bay (Barra) Ardnadam bay (Holy Loch) Ardfern (Loch Craignish) Flowerdale Bay (Loch Gairloch) North Bay (Barra) Strone (Holy Loch) Eilean Righ (Loch Craignish)

Loch Sheildaig (Loch Gairloch) Mingulay Bay (1)Holy Loch Marina Carsaig Bay (Sound of Jura) Loch Inver Vatersay Bay Carrick Castle (loch Goil) Craobh Haven (Loch Shuna) Tanera Mor (Summer Isles) Eriskay Lochgoilhead Fearnach Bay (Loch Melfort) Loch Thuirnaig (Loch Ewe) Lochboisdale (South Uist)Garelochhead Balvicar Bay (Seil) Sheildaig (Loch Sheildaig) Loch Eynort (South Uist) East Bay, Dunoon Easdale Sound Head of Loch Torridon Loch Skiport (South Uist) (2) West Bay, Dunoon Puilldhobrain Kenmore (Loch Torridon) Loch Carnan (South Uist) Kip Marina, Inverkip Oban (3) Lochcarron Village (L. Carron) Kallin (Grimsay) Largs Yacht Haven Dunstaffnage Marina Plockton (Loch Carron) Loch Eport (North Uist) Millport, Great Cumbrae Loch Aline Kyle of Loch Alsh Loch Maddy (North Uist)
Troon Yacht Haven Loch Drumbuie Kyle Akin (Skye) Basin of Vaccasay Glencallum Bay (Bute) Carsaig Bay (Mull) Ardintoul Bay (Loch Alsh) Loch Leosavay (Harris)
Kilchattan Bay (Bute) Loch Spelve (Mull) Staffin Bay (Skye) Rodel (Harris Rothesay (Bute) Craignure Bay (Mull) Portree (Skye) Village Bay, Hirta (St Kilda)
Port Bannatyne (Bute) Tobermory (Mull) South Rona Church Cave (off) Loch Finsbay (Harris) Wreck Bay (Kyles of Bute) Bunessan (Mull) Acairseid Mhor (Rona) East Loch Tarbert (Harris) Colintraive (Kyles of Bute) Ardalanish Bay (Mull) Churchton Bay (Raasay) North Harbour (Scalpay) White Farm Anch. (Kyles of Bute) Kilchoan (Ardnamurchan) Crowlin Islands Loch Shell (Lewis) Loch Riddon (Kyles of Bute) Salen (Loch Sunart) Dunvegan (Skye) Stornoway (Lewis) Caladh Harbour (Kyles of Bute) Salen (Sound of Mull) Carbost, L. Harport (Skye) Loch Mariveg (Lewis) Kames (Kyles of Bute) Martyrs' Bay (Iona) Loch Scavaig (Skye) Shiant Isles Auchenlochan (Kyles of Bute) Tinker's Hole (Sound of Iona) Armadale (Skye) Carrickfergus Hr & Marina Black Farland Bay (Kyles of Bute) Bull Hole (Sound of Iona) Isleornsay (Skye) Bangor Marina (Belfast L.)Tighnabruaich (Kyles of Bute) Gometra Harbour Loch Na Dal (Skye) Ardglass Marina Brodick Bay (Arran) Ulva Sound Sandaig Bay (Sandaig Is.) Portaferry (Strangford L.) Lamlash Harbour (Arran) (5) Arinagour, L. Eatharna (Coll) Inverie (Loch Nevis) Howth S.C. Marina Loch Ranza (Arran) Eigg Harbour Tarbert Bay (Loch Nevis) Carlingford Marina Catacol Bay (Arran) Canna Harbour Eilean NaGlasehoille (L.Nevis) Carnlough Harbour Carradale Bay (Kintyre) Loch Scresort (Rum) Arisaig (Loch Nan Ceall) Peel (Isle of Man)
Campbeltown South Bay, Eigg Glenuig Bay (Sound of Arisaig) Port Mor, Mu Torrisdale Bay (Kintyre) Loch Nan Uamh Loch Ceann Traigh Soay Harbour
Carskey Bay (Kintyre) Port Ellen (Islay) Crinan Scalasaig (Colonsay) Sanda Island Anchorage Aros Bay (Islay) Cairnbaan (Crinan Canal) Eilean Ghaodeamal (Oronsay)
East Loch Tarbert (Loch Fyne) Craighouse (Jura) Bellanoch Bay (Crinan Canal) West Loch Tarbert (Jura) (4) Portavadie Dock (Loch Fyne) Lowlandman's Bay (Jura) Ardrishaig Ardminish Bay (Gigha) Otter Ferry (Loch Fyne) Inveraray Asgog Bay (Loch Fyne) North Bay, Barmore Is. (L. Fyne) Loch Gair Minard Bay (Loch Fyne) Poll Scrot (Loch Stockinish)* Inner L.Stockinish (NW Arm)* Eilean Thinngarstaigh, L.Claidh* Loch Beacravik* Sandaig Bay (Loch Nevis)* North Harbour, Gometra* Loch Staosnaig, Colonsay* Sailean Mor, Oronsay, Loch Sunart*

Note: (1) Plus passage round Mingulay, through Sounds of Berneray and Mingulay.
(2) Two different anchorages.
(3) Both RNLI Pontoon (now gone) alongside at Oban, and Oban Yachts facilities at Ardantraive Bay, Kerrera.
(4) Seven different anchorages.
(5) Three different anchorages, and village moorings




Summer 2005 Cruises

In 2008 I and a number of friends took ZAMORA to Malta, via Eire, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, the Balearics, Sardinia and Sicily, and did some late season sailing around Malta and Gozo. After laying up in Malta for the winter, the 2009 season was spent sailing via the East and North coasts of Sicily, a circuit of Sardinia, the Balearics, Spain and Gibraltar, to a lay up at Lagos, in the Portuguese Algarve. The 2010 season was spent sailing the Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts, to a winter layup at Getxo marina, Bilbao, and the early part of the 2011 season was spent in cruising the French Biscay coast and ports in Cornwall, South Wales, Eire and Northern Ireland, on a return passage to the Firth of Clyde. The individual places visited during these sailing seasons are too numerous to mention here. ZAMORA has now resumed her cruising of the Northwest of the UK, and since returning to home waters the following previously unvisited places have been added to the the above list:

Glenarm Marina Portavadie Marina Port Bannatyne Marina Mallaig Marina

May to July 2014

May/ June 2014

Trip One – with David Horrocks – Puilladobhrain, Dunstaffnage

Trip Two – with Dave Hanna - Round Mull - Tobermory, Lunga, Staffa, Inch Kenneth, Gometra, Ulva, Iona, Tinker’s Hole, David Balfour’s Bay (or Traigh Gheal), Ross Of Mull, Puilladobhrain, Dunstaffnage

June / July 2014
Trip Three – with Dave Hanna

• Garvellach Islands (A'Chuli, Garbh Eileach, and Dun Chonnuill. Formed in the Precambrian Age, the islands are approximately one billion years old) – (Can be called Garbh Eileaicha, or the “Rough Islands” or “Isles of the Sea”) Eileach an Naoimh - Scottish Gaelic for Isle of the Saints. Here the ruined remains of an ancient Celtic monastery - believed to have been founded by St Brendan in 542 AD - can be seen.

• Colonsay (in Gaelic Colbhasa) linked by a tidal causeway called The Strand (in Gaelic - “An Traigh”) to the Island of Oronsay (in Gaelic - Orasaigh).
• Jura
• Corryvreckan
• ‘The Bay Of The Glen Of The Pigs’ - for the night
• Islay
• Sound of Islay
• Sound Of Jura
• Puilladobhrain,
• Dunstaffnage

2015 - first voyage in April with Dave Hanna

26th to 30th April ...

Went up Sunday and shopped at Booth's at Kirkby Lonsdale.

On Monday Dave and I set sail for Tobermory. Spent the night there and had a meal at The Mishnish Bar.

Next day we motored up with the mainsail up to have a look up and around Ardnamurchan Point and it got rough (as well as the Small Isles we thought of Coll &/or Tiree) ... so we turned around and sailed up Loch Sunart to Salen.

Stayed the night and sailed down the loch to go down the Sound of Mull to spend the night in Loch Aline (Gaelic: Loch Àlainn) ...

Then over next morning to Dunsataffnage and tidied up the boat and left.

Engine

Engine



Beta Marine
Number 5E4427
Type BD 722
Woc K15553
Output 20 HP @ 3600 RPM
Engine Number and Woc needed for spares
01453 835282 Email sales@betamarine.co.uk

Checks
Each time engine turned on
Water exhaust fumes exude from exhaust over starboard stern side
Water rises into filter

Each voyage
Oil level check
Radiator water

Buy right oil for engine .... DH guess 15/40

Have now got right tools and spare filters plus fan belt

Fuel
To bleed fuel filter of air
Use offset nut ... Derv should seep out if nut released slightly
There is a remote nut for bleeding after secondary filter
There is a small pumping handle ... If filter changed best to put diesel in filter too or will be pumping for absolutely ages.

Water
If sea cock open and flow proven by Inlet/outlet lines lowered water filter and water seen inside clear "filter" then could be impeller .... Cover not symmetrical & bolts stainless steel so non magnetic ... Do NOT lose in engine bilge.... Impeller needs to be orientated properly ... Needs to fit on central screw properly and it rotates clockwise so impeller blades in narrow part need to be "bent" anti-clockwise at extreme edges so they do not resist 'squeeze' too much!

Fan Belt
Screws for alternator (spanner at back)
DH believes 12 MM. slack in belt is quite tight but matter of opinion.

Voyage June 2015 to Outer Hebrides

22nd June to 2nd July 2015 (though Stan and I went up on 21st June).

1. Dunstaffnage to Rùm (Loch Scresort)



2. Rùm to Loch Eport (Loch Euphoirt)





3. Loch Eport to Lochmaddy



4. Lochmaddy to Scalpay



5. Scalpay to Badachro in Gairloch via Shiants



6. Gairloch to Kyle Of Lochalsh


7. Kyle Of Lochalsh to Mallaig

Stayed 2 nights in Mallaig



8. Mallaig to Lochaline


9. Lochaline to Dunstaffnage



The Shiant Isles (Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Seunta or Na h-Eileanan Mòra) are a privately owned island group in the Minch, east of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. They are five miles south east of Lewis, across the Sound of Shiant. The name "Shiant" (pronounced "Shant") is from the Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Seunta pronounced [nə ˈhelanən ˈʃiant̪ə] ( listen), which means the "charmed", "holy" or "enchanted isles". The group is also known as Na h-Eileanan Mòra, "the big isles" [nə ˈhelanən ˈmoːɾə]. The main islands are Garbh Eilean (rough island) and Eilean an Taighe (house island), which are joined by a narrow isthmus, and Eilean Mhuire (island of the Virgin Mary) to the east. In geological terms, these islands essentially represent an extension of the Trotternish peninsula of Skye. The rocks are volcanic, and are very young by Hebridean standards. There is a sea cave - Toll a' Roimh on Garbh Eilean

The author and politician Compton MacKenzie owned the islands from 1925 until 1937. He was an island lover who, at different points in his life rented Herm in the Channel Islands. He never lived on the Shiants, but paid several brief visits during his time as owner. In 1937 the islands were acquired by Nigel Nicolson, then an undergraduate at Oxford, from monies left to him by his grandmother. Like MacKenzie, Nicolson was later a writer, publisher and politician. Nicolson's son, the writer Adam Nicolson, published the definitive book on the islands, Sea Room. The Shiants now belong to Adam's son Tom. Sheep belonging to a Lewis crofter graze all three islands. The simple bothy restored by Nigel Nicolson on Eilean an Taighe is the only habitable structure on the islands.

The Shiant Isles have a large population of seabirds, including tens of thousands Atlantic puffins breeding in burrows on the slopes of Garbh Eilean, as well as significant numbers of common guillemots, razorbills, northern fulmars, black-legged kittiwakes, common shags, gulls and great skuas. Although St Kilda has more puffins, the sheer density on the Shiants is greater.

The islands are also home to a colony of black rats, which may originally have come ashore from a shipwreck.Apart from one or two small islands in the Firth of Forth, the Shiants are the only place in the UK where the black rat lives. Over the winter of 2015/16, a rat control project, sponsored by the RSPB and paid for with contributions from the EU, SNH, the RSPB itself and many individual donors, will attempt to eradicate the rats from all the Shiant islands permanently.

Sailing Trip – August 2016 with Stan

Sailing Trip – August 2016 with Stan

August 11th
Went up and stayed at Dunstaffnage … ate in Oban at Fish N’ Chip Shop – I had the hake - baked. Stan had sea bass - battered.



August 12th
Sailed up to Lochaline in rain. Moored too; we ate boeuf bourguignon and looked at weather prediction for tomorrow. Stan’s iPhone got wet. The whole thing was horrendous.



August 13th
Stayed at Lochaline. Stan went into Lochaline village for some rice to try to dry out his iPhone. Later – in the afternoon – he went for a walk up the loch and returned about 6-30pm. Had salmon.



August 14th
Sailed and motored to Mallaig. After mooring up on the pontoon and going to look at the local pub (turned out to be a Pizzeria!) so we returned and had steak later.



August 15th
Up to Plockton and met up with Richard. After mooring went for a meal (Monk Fish wrapped in prosciutto – Stan had pork and Richard haddock) at the local pub after Stan had a good look around Richard’s house ‘Marycroft’. Set off (badly) in tender. Afterwards, when Stan and I were ready to board Stan got out and I was sat at the back holding the dinghy to the ladder and the tender with me was back heavy and went over. Luckily my life jacket inflated automatically. I got out from underneath, then got aboard. Stan and I righted the tender and got the outboard on the back. Finally got to bed –having dried myself.



August 16th
Motored down to Tobermory in poor seas and the wind on the nose all the way.



August 17th
Sailed down the Sound of Mull - almost opposite and just down from the Lismore Light the engine packed in. Sailed to entrance of the marina but then the wind just died. We were starting to be pushed by the tide to some rocks but luckily got a lift in from a bilge keel yacht owned by Neil and crewed with him and a guy from Edinburgh, called Dave. We moored on the outside of the new breakwater. At about 9:10 we then went to the ‘Wide Mouth Frog’ but they had stopped serving; so we went into Oban for a sit down fish and chip meal but the restaurant was finished so we had a take out and ate it inside!



August 18th

Left a list for Stuart to have sorted.
Engine/outboard/mast wind direction guides/mast leak/fridge hinges/electric connection flap/Navtex aerial (Richard broke it)/front saloon windows leak/

Used Alba to produce some lines (4 - 2 bow lines and 2 stern lines + 2 springs). Gave Alba the life raft to service and 2 fire extinguishers to service. Dave of Alba e-mailed me to tell me that it would be cheaper to buy a new life raft. Agreed and he is going to keep it until I return. Also fixed We drove down – I missed the A65 turn off – and compounded the error by going wrongly to Preston via A6 and lost 20 minutes going to the junction with A59 on M6 which I should have taken. Got in at about 9 and dumped the sailing stuff and then went for a curry at the Aagrah.

August 19th

Stan and I walked at about 9:20 to the Buck Stones then down to top ridge walk via Black Beck to top of moors and down to the car.



August 20th Stan needs to catch the 10:10 to London from Leeds.

June 2016 Trip - Dave Hanna and I went to Coll, Gunna and Tiree.

Dave Hanna and I went to Coll, Gunna and Tiree.

I drove up on 26th at some unearthly time (4:30) and got to Dunstaffnage at about 11ish. Refuelled cans and put water on board as well as checked sails etc. and got ready for our trip.

27th June: At 9:30 (after Dave got some milk) we set off and went up the Sound of Mull. We sailed up past Ardnamurchan Point



and sailed in quite rough seas to Arinagour, Coll, where we moored up.



28th June: The next day we sailed down to Gunna and Tiree. We anchored near Gunna Sound - but just off Tiree - for lunch.



We sailed in a wet afternoon into a rather full Tobermory and moored - soaking. We had a meal on board and next morning Dave took the tender ashore for some bread.



29th June: Then we then set off in drier conditions to Dunstaffnage.

30th June: Home

July 2016 Trip ... Jura and The Grey Dogs

Richard and I went up to Dunstaffnage on July 26th . We prepared the boat and went into Oban for Fish N' Chips - at Oban Fish and Chips (Mrs MacDonald’s shop in George Street, run by the Di Ciacca family).



We sailed to Craobh Haven, (pronounced Croove) on 27th and moored up on a pontoon. Then we went to the 'Lord Of The Isles' pub for a meal.



On 28th we sailed to Loch na Cille (or Loch Keills) near Loch Sween.



We moored at Craighouse, Isle of Jura.



We enjoyed watching yachts mooring after we arrived!



We got storm bound next day and on 29th we set off for Dunstaffnage.



We sailed through the Little Corryvreckan (the Grey Dogs Channel) and had lunch in the Bay called Camas a'Mhòr-Fhir just west - beyond Grey Dogs at Lunga.



On 31st we tidied Cryptic and came home .... ate with our wives at Piccolino's