So we met up with our friends in Ardrishaig Basin at the end of the Crinan Canal. They have been going clockwise in their large steel yacht, Friars Goose, while we have been going anticlockwise.
Onshore we live within a mile of each other.
It feels strange in some ways to have this reminder of home and normal life, afloat is our new normal.
From here we are back on the sea all the way home.
The basin is quite small, and was packed with boats, but at least you can still see some water. John told us of being in Oostende, when you could walk from side to side without getting your feet wet.
56 00.731' N 05 26.809' W
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
The Crinan at last!
Having had a good night's sleep, we left for another attempt at the Crinan Canal. The weather was fine and clear, and ,by timing our passage well, going through the tidal race at Dorus Mor was fairly straightforward.
The entrance to the canal was in sight.
Unlike the Caledonian Canal, appart from the sea locks and swing bridges, you have to operate the locks yourselves. With just two onboard this can be tricky, but we were lucky enough to meet other boat crews to share the work with. Again though, there are insufficient mooring places along the canal, for the number of boats passing through. The scenery is beautiful, and the whitepainted lockkeepers cottages are delightful.
Still, we reached the half way point before stopping and rafting up with two very pleasant families ready to continue in the morning.
56 03.627' N 05 28.979' W
The entrance to the canal was in sight.
Unlike the Caledonian Canal, appart from the sea locks and swing bridges, you have to operate the locks yourselves. With just two onboard this can be tricky, but we were lucky enough to meet other boat crews to share the work with. Again though, there are insufficient mooring places along the canal, for the number of boats passing through. The scenery is beautiful, and the whitepainted lockkeepers cottages are delightful.
Still, we reached the half way point before stopping and rafting up with two very pleasant families ready to continue in the morning.
56 03.627' N 05 28.979' W
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Dash it chaps and other similar phrases
There we were, in the Sound of Luing, zooming along in the tidal stream at 10 knots when there was an awful bang from the engine compartment and the engine revs dropped right off. Not a good place for this to happen. Robin looked inside and a bolt holding on the alternator had sheered off, meaning we also had no coolant on the engine.
Using his tool box and draining the hot water tank, Robin did an emergency repair that allowed us to motor slowly to safety, but instead of Crinan Canal, we had to look for a destination that avoided any more tidal races. Luckily we found one on Loch Shuna called Croabh Marina - ideal! Radioed the coastguard of our situation, and were asked for half hourly updates until we reached safety.
As we approached Croabh , another yacht approached, which had heard our radio conversation with the coast guard and had diverted to see if we needed any help, or a tow into the marina. Thankfully we were able to get in under our own power, but I didn't get the boat's name, so if you ever read this, thank you whoever you are.
The marina is well equipped and in a pleasant spot, so Robin was able to get a bolt which should last us until we get home and have time for a more permanent fix. It meant lifting the engine off its mount, but what else are booms for?
Job done, we both went for a hot shower and met up with some people we knew for a meal at the hotel onshore. OH2, the motor yacht we first encountered at Amble, then Peterhead, was also at Croabh.
56 12.723' N 05 33.477' W
Using his tool box and draining the hot water tank, Robin did an emergency repair that allowed us to motor slowly to safety, but instead of Crinan Canal, we had to look for a destination that avoided any more tidal races. Luckily we found one on Loch Shuna called Croabh Marina - ideal! Radioed the coastguard of our situation, and were asked for half hourly updates until we reached safety.
As we approached Croabh , another yacht approached, which had heard our radio conversation with the coast guard and had diverted to see if we needed any help, or a tow into the marina. Thankfully we were able to get in under our own power, but I didn't get the boat's name, so if you ever read this, thank you whoever you are.
The marina is well equipped and in a pleasant spot, so Robin was able to get a bolt which should last us until we get home and have time for a more permanent fix. It meant lifting the engine off its mount, but what else are booms for?
Job done, we both went for a hot shower and met up with some people we knew for a meal at the hotel onshore. OH2, the motor yacht we first encountered at Amble, then Peterhead, was also at Croabh.
56 12.723' N 05 33.477' W
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Serendipity
We left the Sound of Shuna early to catch the tide and went down the coast passed Oban. Once in the Firth of Lorn and Kerrara Sound (aren't the names very evocative?) we moored up in Horseshoe Bay to take a break and plan the next stages of our journey. The West Coast of the Mull of Kintyre has a tendency to be a rough trip, so we were considering using the Crinan Canal as a short cut through to Loch Fyne.
Unlike the Caledonian, in the Crinan Canal you have to work the locks yourself, so we were in two minds about being able to manage it. Really you need a crew of three or four. Suddenly Robin's phone rang. It was some friends of ours who were doing the clockwise version of our journey. They were at the Crinan Canal, wanting to get through the other way! Unfortunately Christine has hurt her leg, so Robin and John came to an agreement to help each other through the locks. The Crinan is on then.
Meanwhile we took the opportunity to rest up fully and do some tide checking. Kerrera Sound is fascinating to watch. The commercial traffic tends to go out the north end, so here we see small racing skiffs zooming across the water from side to side of the channel. Plus seaplanes land on the water near Oban, so we could watch them fly overhead.
After a break, we motored a few miles down Inish Sound to an anchorage at the south end of Seil Island for the night, in a small stretch of water between Easdale and Ellanbeich.
56 17.674' N 05 39.175' W
Unlike the Caledonian, in the Crinan Canal you have to work the locks yourself, so we were in two minds about being able to manage it. Really you need a crew of three or four. Suddenly Robin's phone rang. It was some friends of ours who were doing the clockwise version of our journey. They were at the Crinan Canal, wanting to get through the other way! Unfortunately Christine has hurt her leg, so Robin and John came to an agreement to help each other through the locks. The Crinan is on then.
Meanwhile we took the opportunity to rest up fully and do some tide checking. Kerrera Sound is fascinating to watch. The commercial traffic tends to go out the north end, so here we see small racing skiffs zooming across the water from side to side of the channel. Plus seaplanes land on the water near Oban, so we could watch them fly overhead.
After a break, we motored a few miles down Inish Sound to an anchorage at the south end of Seil Island for the night, in a small stretch of water between Easdale and Ellanbeich.
56 17.674' N 05 39.175' W
Saturday, 24 July 2010
On the West Coast
A busy day alround. The swing bridge was fixed, and so we were able to leave Gairlochy at 8am. Neptunes Staircase, a flight of 8 locks awaited. We arrived at 10am, to find the people coming up were still in the locks, and we finally started the long descent at about 1030.
Going down is less hard work than coming up, but not without its adrenaline rushes. You have a line running from the front and back of the boat, each wrapped around a hook on the lockside, which you release gradually as the water level drops. In the third lock the stern rope jammed, leaving the boat hanging from the lock wall. Robin grabbed a knife and cut the rope before any damage could be done. He then had to throw a new rope to one of the lockkeepers to stop Catabout drifting across the lock into the boat on the other side.
After a stop to refuel and top up the water tanks, we eventually left the canal and back to thinking about tides again at 4:00pm, heading down Loch Linnhe for the Corran Narrows. Here the land "pinches" the movement of water in the Loch, so that the water can run at 6 knots - you want it to be going in your direction! There is also a ferry that links the two sides at this point, so we had to time our run through the narrows with the ferry's sailings.
Once through, the Loch opened out again, but sadly we didn't get the full benefit of the views, as the weather closed right in. Got to the Sound of Shuna and moored for the night. What a day.
56 34.947' N 05 22.862' W
Going down is less hard work than coming up, but not without its adrenaline rushes. You have a line running from the front and back of the boat, each wrapped around a hook on the lockside, which you release gradually as the water level drops. In the third lock the stern rope jammed, leaving the boat hanging from the lock wall. Robin grabbed a knife and cut the rope before any damage could be done. He then had to throw a new rope to one of the lockkeepers to stop Catabout drifting across the lock into the boat on the other side.
After a stop to refuel and top up the water tanks, we eventually left the canal and back to thinking about tides again at 4:00pm, heading down Loch Linnhe for the Corran Narrows. Here the land "pinches" the movement of water in the Loch, so that the water can run at 6 knots - you want it to be going in your direction! There is also a ferry that links the two sides at this point, so we had to time our run through the narrows with the ferry's sailings.
Once through, the Loch opened out again, but sadly we didn't get the full benefit of the views, as the weather closed right in. Got to the Sound of Shuna and moored for the night. What a day.
56 34.947' N 05 22.862' W
Friday, 23 July 2010
Canal Frustrations
Got through the staircase at Fort Augustus by 11:45, so we pressed on in the fine weather, going up the remaining locks to Loch Oich. There were a few noteworthy landmarks on the loch shores; The Well of Seven Heads (the more gory-minded of you, click on the link for the story behind the name) and the ruins of Invergarry Castle.
After Loch Oich it is down hill all the way, as the locks gradually bring us back to sea level. At the western end of Loch Lochy we caught up with the fast boats who left us behind earlier in the day, as the swing bridge at Gairlochy is not working. I hope it can open tomorrow. Meanwhile the location is stunning, in the shadow of Ben Nevis, it is sunny and we are doing the laundry at last.
Ben Nevis is stunning, and you can see the snow remaining in the valleys near the summit. An added bonus is that you can actually see the summit, as it is usually wreathed in clouds.
View Larger Map
56 54.873' N 04 59.548' W
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is a real tourist town at the south western end of Loch Ness. There are souvenir shops and boat tours on the lake. The original Fort Augustus, part of the chain of forts used to keep the highlanders in check after the Battle of Culloden, was coverted to a Benedictine Abbey in 1876. The Abbey was finally dissolved in 1998, when the building passed into private hands.
Because of it's position, it is a gateway to the highlands for many holidaymakers. For us it was the end of a gentle day's sailing and motoring down Loch Ness, enjoying the scenery bathed in sunlight, so different from yesterday. We passed close to the iconic Urquhart Castle, that appears in many a photo album of the area. There were very few boats on the loch: a couple of yachts and a handful of motorcruisers. At times it felt like we had the place to ourselves.
On arrival, all boats using the Caledonian Canal are required to moor at one of the pontoons, and go to see the lockkeeper about potential locking in times for the staircase leading to Loch Oich. We arrived at 3pm, and were unable to get a time, other than it would be sometime before the locks closed for the night.
One of the good things about the spot is that it has one of the British Waterways Users laundry facilities. We've been afloat three weeks, so use your imagination!
Then the bad news: the washing machine just broke down as a german couple were using it and we can't get through the lock tonight. Oh well. At least it's a nice spot.
57 08.777' N 04 40.550' W
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