Kilchattan to Arran

About 0430 Robinetta started to roll, just like she had in Craighouse last year. By 0500 it was too bad to sleep, so we got up and by 0520 we had the anchor up and were motoring out of the bay. Our destination was Arran. Julian wanted to do a circumnavigation of the island, so we hoped to make Cambeltown, then back up the west side to Loch Ranza tomorrow. I suggested that we might want to motor the 3 miles to Great Cumbrae and have breakfast at Millport, but it was a very vague idea and Julian made a cup of tea instead, He had just hauled up the anchor, and raised the main. We kept the reef in from yesterday.

By the time we were clear of the bay the source of the swell that had woken us was obvious; the sea state in the Clyde was higher than yesterday. The wind was strong too, certainly more than the 4-5 of the forecast. We had not put yesterday's jib away, so Julian had just hoisted the same one this morning. It was the no 1, too large for today's winds, so Julian went forward to change it for the no 2. He got soaked as Robinetta repeatedly ducked her bowsprit in the water, sending lumps of spray over the foredeck. The drenching was worth it though, as the jib made Robinetta much easier on the tiller, but the seas were pretty horrid. Without the engine we slowed to under 3 knots, and the waves stalled her, so we needed the engine on all the time to make progress, as more sail had her heeling too much for safety.

The promised 4-5 SW with slight seas turned out to be 5 gusting 6 with moderate seas. Our next reef down meant dropping the stay sail, which meant another soaking trip to the foredeck for Julian as the stay-sail never wants to come down even though the halyard can be dropped from the cockpit. Then the stay-sail sheet shackle came off the end of the club foot so he made a third trip forward to secure it.

Meanwhile I stayed on the helm and motor sailed our best course to windward. We reefed the main another few rolls as a rain cloud brought stronger winds and steeper seas, then we finally got some protection in the lee of Arran. Conditions were too nasty to want to carry on.

By 1000 we were in Lamlash Bay, and we picked up a mooring at 1020. The wind was still fierce but there were no long swells to make to make Robinetta roll, so after a cup of tea I made porridge, then Julian cooked bacon rolls. After that we went back to bed. 5 hours of challenging sailing before breakfast is exhausting!

Waking at 1430 we got a second line on the mooring buoy, and made Robinetta ship shape, with the jib away and the sail covers on. The wind was still too gusty to want to row ashore, but there was sunshine, so we hung up the oilys and life jackets to dry in the cockpit, and did some maintenance work, then relaxed in the cockpit with a drink and snacks. The wind was dropping, but there were still gusts that would make if unpleasant to row ashore (although fast to row back!)

Pequita moored at Lamlash

By 5 all the visitor moorings were full, and the moorings boat came by, and took our money. Then we had another visitor. We had met Luke, who owns the twister Pequita, at Tarbert, and he keeps her at Lamlash. We were moored close to his boat, and he saw us there and came over for a chat. After that he very kindly gave us a tow ashore in Worm so we could go to the pub for dinner.