Strong Winds

I woke around 06:30 to an uncomfortable pitching sensation. As we sleep across the boat this meant we were rolling. On deck we could see a long, low swell, perhaps 10 m between crests and 50 cm high coming into the bay between Goat Island and the mainland of Jura. Most of the boats looked quite steady, but a few were rolling like us. We put the bed away and went around securing things. Worm's spars and oars came down off the cabin roof and inside. Back below and lying lengthways on the benches it was much more comfortable.

The wind was supposed to get up early this morning, but not too strongly and we had planned to stay at Craighouse until the afternoon flood tide and then head for Carsaig Bay to anchor, a nice short evening trip of 15 nm, leaving about 10 nm for Saturday to get to Ardfern. This morning we wanted showers and a visit to the distillery. We hadn't planned much after that but we knew we could hire bikes or go for a walk or stay on Robinetta and do some writing. Alison has more to do on Eastcoaster.

At 08:10 we got the forecast from Belfast Coastguard. NE 4 or 5 going E 5 to 7 going SE 4 or 5. Saturday's forecast was SE 4 or 5 becoming variable 3 or 4. We should stay here tonight. But the swell was really uncomfortable.

At 09:00 we got into Worm to row across. It wasn't easy and we scratched some paint on Robinetta but once in Worm the swell was so gentle that Alison found the trip simple. Once on the pontoon we pulled Worm up on top to stop the swell banging her against it.

First stop was the shop. We wanted milk and morning rolls. We got the milk but the only bread was defrosted sliced loaf. Next stop was the hotel for showers. At reception we were told they weren't offering showers to boaters while the shower block was being rebuilt. Things were not going well.

We walked along to the public toilets on the old pier. A really old stone building with barn doors and only cold water but the toilets themselves were new and clean. From the pier we could watch the boats rocking on the moorings. They were lying to the wind, which was north-easterly but the swell was refracting through the small islands and coming in abeam. The yachts with long keels were rolling much more than the fin keelers and catamarans.

A catamaran at anchor raised sail and left. As she left the bay she pitched quite a bit.

It was nearly 09:30 so we walked up the hill a bit to see if there would be a view but there wasn't. We went into the distillery shop and I found a pack of three sample sized Jura malts but they were not allowed to sell them to me until 10am. We sat on their benches and looked out at the view and chatted with a couple who were waiting for the distillery tour.

Although we had slept well we were tired from bracing against the rolling and not in the mood for Jura's mountains and we discussed leaving early. I said we would be beating up the loch against the tide and gaffers don't do that. At 10:00 we bought the whisky and rowed back to the boat. Getting on wasn't as difficult as I had feared but on board it was very uncomfortable.

Alison suggested we try and get to Tayvallich. We were there years ago on Ariel of Hamble and we knew it was really sheltered. It was about 20 miles away and it would be 25 from there to Ardfern but the last 6 miles up Loch Sween to Tayvallich should be sheltered.

At 11:00 we bent on the No 2 jib and left. It was quite bouncy on the way out but the wind was moderate. In deeper water the swell wasn't so bad but the tide was stronger than I had hoped.

When we first started sailing Robinetta we always declared a skipper. In general we took it in turns and now and then we sparked badly. The worst was usually when I was skipper and Alison wanted things her way. Over time we both became better sailors, better skippers and better crew and now we hardly ever bother to ask who is skipper. This morning we were both irritable and the conditions were challenging and we were not perfectly in tune with each other. I said "I think we need a skipper today. Will you be skipper because I don't really want you as crew." After 30 years we can be honest with each other. Alison thought about this and agreed. That was one less storm we would have to deal with.

On engine and staysail alone we were being swept south so at noon we put up the main with two rolls on the boom and let the jib out. We were sailing well so we turned the engine off. That was better but we still felt in danger of the wind pushing us towards the small islands on starboard tack and the tide pushing us down onto some rocks on port. In fact, on starboard tack we were just stemming the tide.

At 12:30 I said "on the next starboard tack we will put the engine on to stem the tide and motor sail". Alison agreed and finally we were on track. Things went much better now. We were only making 2 knots SOG but we were getting where we needed to be. We had also cleared the Jura shore and were in deep, hazard free water.

An hour later the wind started getting up and so did the seas. At 13:45 we reefed to the first hoop and put away the jib and the iron topsail. Fifteen minutes later I untied the first hoop and we put in all the reef we could. Ten minutes later we dropped the main entirely and put the engine back on. The next two hours were difficult. The wind was very strong and the largest waves were enough to knock us off course. Then the new stainless steel shackle for the port back stay went flying. I grabbed the two ropes and held on while ferreting in the locker for a piece of line and got it all tied back on and useful. Small boats are so convenient. Only tiny amounts of water came into the cockpit and it felt quite safe. It was just very hard work.

As we neared the mainland coast the sun came out and the sea calmed down. We knew this should happen as we now had an off-shore wind and the fetch was getting shorter, but it was nice to have it happen in practice. Quite a bit of our speed was from the staysail and the wind backed a little, pushing us towards the MacCormaig islands. I hated the idea of being pushed leeward back into the heavier seas and asked Alison to tack more towards the shore, I said it didn't matter if we got pushed south now because the tide would turn but west was bad. She agreed and we went about a mile eastwards before turning back towards the track. We looked at each other and said "this is fun". Then a fishing boat passed us at about 15 knots into Loch Sween and Alison said "I've got engine envy."

We didn't know what the entrance to Loch Sween would be like. There was a danger the wind would funnel down the loch and be on the nose at the entrance and this could put up the sea too. Or we might get in the lee of the hills and have a more gentle time.

It wasn't like either of those. The sea was now really gentle, but the wind was if anything still building. As we got inside the loch proper by the castle I said "We have a sailing breeze, we should be able to just sail, I want to put the main back up." Alison said "Have you felt the gusts in the staysail? You can try it as long as you are prepared to drop it again." Well. We got the main up about 50 cm when the gust came and nearly pushed us over. We put it back down.

As we motor-reached up the loch the wind seemed to get ever stronger. It was still coming over the hills and letting us use the staysail. Even more importantly, it was across the loch so the waves couldn't build.

The foot ferry from Jura passed us, this time it was my turn to get engine envy.

Half way up the loch I saw something in the water ahead. Big rocks right on the track. Alison had missed them when laying the course. I was glad we were near low water and they were very visible.

We dropped the staysail outside the entrance to Tayvallich. It sits on the western shore just where a large island divides the loch in two. There is a small anchorage in the outer bay and then a narrow entrance blocked in the middle by a reef. Inside is a small village, a large caravan site and many moorings, including three visitors moorings. A more sheltered spot is hard to imagine. The echo sounder had not been on and went back into its 'stuck' mode. Oh well, the Garmin and Navionics charts were fairly accurate and Alison's memory was good too. We got in quite safely.

We went exploring and found one free visitors mooring. We picked it up easily and tidied the boat. I noticed the echo sounder was working again. We could tell there was some wind and a little swell coming in but Robinetta was not rocking or pitching at all, just swinging gently. We had made a good choice; less than a cable away there was a strong force 7 blowing.

The inn at Tayvalich serves fine food but Alison had planned to cook tagliatelle carbonara and that was just what we wanted. I can't remember seeing Alison drink a bottle of cider so quickly and I had an excellent bitter from our cellar.

I looked at tomorrow's tides. We could leave at 4 am and pick up the 6 am flood to Ardfern, or we could leave at 4 pm and pick up the evening one. Or we could leave at 5 am on Sunday and still be in Ardfern for lunch.

We listened to the forecast. E veering SE 5-6, decreasing 3-4 and becoming variable later. Saturday night's was variable becoming SW 3-4.

We won't go in the morning! Tomorrow afternoon we can decide whether to go then or on Sunday morning.

We settled down for a quiet evening.

That's the second time we have broken our rule about going out with F7 in the forecast. This time it is possible we should have stayed in Jura and booked into a hotel or B&B. We really did get the F7 but we went to a better place and it all worked out. Once we sorted out who was skipper we worked well together and had fun. As usual Robinetta did us proud but if we are going to make a habit of this we need to be able to reef the main more deeply and possibly have a trysail.