Circumnavigation of Jura

Dave Hanna and I did a circumnavigation of Jura. This is a wonderful island. Wildlife galore! You can see deer, otters, sea eagles, hen harriers, and much more. Not one scrap of rubbish on the island.

There's a beautifully remote sheltered, and out of the tide, anchorage, on the Jura side of the Gulf of Corryvreckan, called Bagh nam Muc or Pig Bay. We overnighted here to the annoyance of another yacht already anchored there!

Loch Tarbert is a sea loch on the west coast of Jura. It's on the west side of Jura and is one of the most beautiful, remote, yet sheltered anchorages of the Inner Hebrides.

The loch is about four miles long and almost cuts Jura in half. There are relatively exposed anchorages on its north and south shores but the place we anchored is about two miles in. If you’re approaching Loch Tarbert from the south you need to work the tides because at springs in the Sound of Islay they run at five knots.

                    Loch Tarbert from East

As the name Tarbert* suggests, it comes close to cutting the island in half. 

*Places named Tarbert are characterised by a narrow strip of land, or isthmus. This can be where two lochs nearly meet, or a causeway out to an island.

Voyage June 2015 to Outer Hebrides

 

 

Thursday, 24 November 2016

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 (as it is written on the chart, or Loch Euphoirt as it is in Gaelic).

3. Loch Eport to Lochmaddy (Loch nam Madadh), North Uist.


 
4. Lochmaddy to Scalpay

 
 5. Scalpay to Badachro (to the Inn!) in Gairloch via Shiants

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, which means the "charmed", "holy" or "enchanted isles". The group is also known as Na h-Eileanan Mòra, "the big isles"  and 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.
 

We had our evening meal in the Badachro Inn (getting ashore from our mooring courtesy of two trips by Dave in the tender! We had moored in a sheltered bay in the spectacular Loch Gairloch. 

 

 
The nest day we retraced out steps passing 
 
6. Gairloch to Kyle Of Lochalsh


 
7. Kyle Of Lochalsh to Mallaig

 

Stayed 2 nights in Mallaig

 

 Stan & I got the ferry to Eigg





 

8. Mallaig to Lochaline


 

9. Lochaline to Dunstaffnage

18th June 2013 - Stan's 60th birthday

Lying on the coast of Appin north of Loch Creran, Port Appin is a pretty little fishing village on a peaceful secluded peninsula between Oban and Ballachulish

 

 

 

In Argyll, actually in Loch Linnhe, passing Mull and Lismore. 

 

It was flat calm, really sunny and no wind!

 

So we motored

We continued motoring up Loch Linnhe to Port Appin for a leisurely, lovely lunch

The Pierhouse Hotel and Seafood Restaurant is nestled on the shores of Argyll’s Loch Linnhe in the picturesque village of Port Appin.

 

Clockwise around Mull - 28th to 30th June 2019

Sailed with Dave Hanna around Mull - (An t-Eilean Muileach).

This time we did it clockwise. The long stretch after Frank Lockwood's Island (near Lochbuie - which is named after Frank Lockwood, the brother-in-law of the 21st MacLean of Lochbuie - who was Solicitor General - from 1894 to 1895) was a drag = we sailed a bit and then put the motor on....

Lunga on the Treshnish Isles

The Treshnish Isles, an archipelago of several small islands, can be found off the south west coast of Mull and are best visible near Treshnish Point or Port Haunn, south of Calgary Bay. Also from Loch Tuath on Mull looking west the islands are visible on a clear day, specially due to the distinctive shape of some of the islands such as Bac Mor which is also known as the Dutchman’s Cap. 

The islands have been landmarks for travellers through the Hebrides for at least 1,000 years. The names of some of the islands still reflect their importance to the Vikings who once ruled in the Hebrides. The islands, and Cairnburgh Castle in particular, had a strong strategic position well into the 1800s.  The sun was shining bathing the island in a luminescent glow. There was a little path winding up the high cliffs and then there they were - puffins everywhere. It was not just Puffins. A close relative is the Guillemot was present in large numbers too.

I entered a moss-covered plateau and things got out of hand. Hugging the cliffs where thousands of Puffins, standing over their freshly dug burrows. The Puffins didn’t mind people.

We left Lunga and motored north West passing Staffa and Fingal's Cave.

Further up we were treated to a great display by the common bottlenose dolphin. They were frolicking around the boat showing off.  

Tursiops truncatus or the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, is the most well-known species from the family Delphinidae.

The waters around the Isle of Mull and the Hebrides as a whole are home to a range of sea life, from the diminutive Harbour Porpoise to the Minke Whale. Twenty four different cetacean species have been seen around the Hebrides since research started about 20 years ago, including the largest animal on the planet, the Blue Whale. No matter when you visit there will always be something to see as we have a number of resident species like the Harbour Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphins, others such as the Minke Whale

and Common Dolphin only visit for the summer season, and some including the Fin Whale and Striped Dolphin are seen very infrequently. 

Around the Hebrides warm Atlantic waters mix with cooler coastal currents travelling north from Ireland. Research has shown that the area of mixing between these two currents produces the highest sighting rate. The cooler waters provide more nutrients to the warmer less nutrient rich waters, therefore the combination of the two provides the perfect conditions for plankton to bloom and start the all important food chain that can then support larger animals, such as the Bottlenose Dolphins, Minke Whales and Basking Sharks.

Explore our website for top tips on where to go to watch wildlife, further information on the range of species and read our online blog to find out what is happening in the sea around Mull at the moment. 

 We stayed on a mooring at Tobermory on Saturday 28th June. We had
Boeuf Bourguignon for dinner and bread. As we set off on Sunday at about 0930 we motored out into the Sound and saw a pod of
Bottlenose Dolphins swimming around.



 

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.