Campbeltown to Gigha

Getting to Gigha means getting the tides right round the Mull of Kintyre, so we were off the pontoon, in company with Molly Cobbler, by 06:30. (We would have had a much later start from Sanday). Once Molly was clear of us on the pontoon we moved Worm astern from her overnight berth, and motored off into a flat sea.

We got the main and staysail up in the loch, but neither were drawing and the wind stayed light until we were round Davaar Island.

The Northern Light House Board ship, Pharos, was anchored off the causeway to Davaar, and we also saw a surfaced submarine in the distance, heading up the Clyde. Gannets, cormorants and guillemots were the most obvious birds, flying in formations of 3 to 20 birds, wheeling round as they searched for fish.

An hour after leaving Campbeltown we were able to turn the engine off and sail. Unfortunately our course soon changed and the wind came on the nose, but it also went light, and did not cause any problems, we just furled the jib, and turned the engine back on. The sail coincided with our breakfast porridge, and lasted a mere half hour, but at least we sailed a little!

Molly off the shore

We had been advised (that invaluable local knowledge) that with the forecast light winds it would be safe to hug the coast, and go inside the overfalls off the Mull of Kintyre, this saving the suggested 3nm offing for the headland. Unlike at Fair Head the shore is not “clean”. There are small shallow patches and reefs to avoid at the foot of the cliffs. With the aid of our chart plotter, and depth gauge to back it up we picked our course round, inside the waves topped with white horses that we could see on our port side.

The Mull

The most obvious reef was really quite small on the chart, and easily visible on the water. Just beyond it, in what was safe water according to the chart, was a very similar looking patch of disturbed water. It could have been more rocks, but was actually just some overfalls in miniature marking a back eddy, at most six inches high and no problem to go through. I kept a careful eye on the depth gauge, just in case, and there was 20m below the keel. A seal popped its head up for a look at us, making me afraid it was an uncharted rock, but only for a moment.

Fine by us, not so nice over there

The tide had been carrying us at nearly 7 knots, and the back eddy took us down to 3½ for about 10 minutes before we picked up the main tide again, but it was an interesting trip round the Mull. 

Close-up of the Mull

We could now see Fair Head, Rathlin, and Islay spread before us.

A large ketch had been following us round close in, but did not like the look of the water we had just been through. Rather than staying on the same track as us they swung wide, through the overfalls, which made them plunge in a very uncomfortable way.

Bright sunshine gave way to grey skies, and the sea was glassy smooth as we headed north towards Gigha. Islay began to disappear into the low cloud and then we had a few drops of rain when we were about 6nm short of our destination. Once it stopped we decided we may as well get the main sail down. It was doing nothing, and only our forward motion put any wind in it.

Approaching Gigha we began to realise how many little islands surround it. We went close to Cara, and Gigalum, then round the cardinal buoy and into Ardminish Bay to pick up a visitor mooring. We were safely tied up to it by 14:55 after a calm trip from Campbeltown. More sailing would have been better!