Across to Jura

 

Puilladobhrain

After a bowl of porridge for breakfast I hauled the anchor up, and we motored out of the pool at 09:00. We were not the first yacht to head out since one had left at 6am, but the others were still at anchor when Julian got the mainsail up just about where we had dropped it the evening before. The wind was quite light but seemed useable, so the engine went off at 09:27 as we headed for the Sound of Inch. This was where Robinetta had crossed her 1938 outbound track back in 2014, taking 77 years to complete her first circumnavigation. She had completed her second back in Plockton, where we crossed our own track from 2014, so this one only took 8 years… Julian and I have now been round 1½ times. Why do I feel that circumnavigations matter so much? I suspect in the end it is just fuelled by desire to claim an achievement.

Easedale

The wind came and went but by 10:05 it had definitely gone, so we motored through Easedale Sound. I had plotted a very precise course though this, but moored boats and empty moorings meant I ended up ignoring it, and trusting the depth gauge to keep Robinetta safe. It worked, but I was glad to be going through under engine.

The next sound we needed to traverse was the one we had planned the tides for. These can run at 7 knots at springs, and even at neaps, like now, we did not want them against us. We were one hour into the favourable tide, and Cuon Sound gave us no surprises. Maybe it was just that we have been through so many tidal channels since we were last here in 2014…

As we cleared the sound at the north end of Torsa the breeze became usable so we turned the engine off and went onto a very broad reach. Drizzle set in with the wind, but neither of us cared; being able to turn the engine off and sail made the trip worthwhile.

I had phoned Craobh Marina before we entered Cuon Sound to check that fuel would be available around lunchtime, and got a positive reply and instructions to call again when we were moored up on the fuel dock. All too soon we had to get the sails down and put the engine back on. But at least the rain stopped.

The stop itself was very efficient. We filled up with diesel and water, and took a short walk to the marina shop, and were motoring away inside 30 minutes. This was our first chance to fill Robinetta’s fuel tanks by hose since Arbroath and I was relieved to learn we only needed 6 litres in each tank although we also filled our cans. This should be enough fuel for the rest of the season, and certainly the rest of this week.

Julian got the sails up as soon as we were clear of the marina, and the engine was off within twenty minutes. Progress was slow, and Julian found an anchorage at the north end of Jura where we would spend the night. Then the wind died completely and the engine had to go back on.

Five minutes later the wind came back, from a much more useful direction and the engine went off again. The sky was overcast and visibility only “moderate”, but the wind was a lovely westerly force3 and we were making such good time that Julian decided to hunt out an anchorage further south. He found Lussa Bay and showed me pictures… The distance looked right so I agreed.

As we closed with the coast of Jura the wind increased and the tide under us helped Robinetta touch 6 knots occasionally. The sea was flat, but with the surface swirls and eddies that spoke of tide rips. We were only a couple of miles from Corryvreckan, and this area was marked as “tide rips” on the chart so we were not surprised so see them, but happy they were in our favour. Our speed dropped to a merely respectable 3½-4 knots once we were clear of the area.

Once we were within ½ nm of Jura’s coast the wind became flaky as the hills of the island slowed and sped up the wind, and by the time we got to Port Bàn Mhic-a-phi I decided I wanted a reef. Julian began to furl the jib away and the port jib sheet came off after having been fine all day! We got the reef in (3 rolls round the boom) and sailed on with the main and staysail, still making nearly 4 knots. The sea state remained smooth and we reached Lussa Bay at 18:25, only dropping the main and turning the engine on as we went head to wind entering the anchorage.

We anchored in 3m of water and I was able to see the anchor touching the sandy bottom.

Lussa Bay Anchorage

Tidal range her was less than a meter at neaps, so we just put out 15 meters of chain and were snug for the night. There were no other boats in the bay, and the scattered houses visible when we anchored had no lights showing when it got dark. And it got very dark. No moon or star light could make it through the cloud cover, and our anchor light was the only illumination outside the cabin.

We left Worm on a long line, and she stayed well astern. Gentle swells occasionally rocked Robinetta, but nothing to disturb us. We were tired after a full day on the water, and did not bother going ashore to explore.