Homeward Bound

I’m still not used to having few time commitments. This time last year I would have wanted to get home for work on Monday, although working ‘from boat’ would have been an option.

We had thought about making this a longer trip. But the forecast was for very little wind for the next few days, so it didn’t feel especially attractive. It did look like good hill walking weather, and I had a look at some walks we might do. I didn’t find anything I felt we were ready for and we decided to motor home.

We went for a little walk around town before leaving. We found the sign marking the position of the Highland Boundary Fault. The fault then heads north-east and goes through the Rosneath peninsula just south of our house and then through Helensburgh and across the Central Belt to Stonehaven. It’s our claim to be living in the Highlands, at least geologically.

We got coffee and some shopping and headed back to the boat. Alison wanted to get home at about high water, to minimise the distance we would have to carry Worm across the shore. That meant about 5 pm so we had loads of time.

Once under-way, it was so calm that we put George to work on the tiller and I worked on my Gaelic.

The views across to Cowal were particularly fine today.

We got a little light rain as we neared Cloch Point but nothing like Saturday’s deluge!.

Then Alison spotted a gaff sail near Cove so we diverted to try to meet them. They seemed to have some wind too! We dodged the Western and Calmac ferries and headed over. As we got closer, we recognised the profile of a Wylo II, sailing nicely with tan sails and a white topsail.

We got close enough to have a chat. A nice couple sailing Ariel out of Holy Loch. Hopefully we will get to see them again. I’d forgotten, but I had left an OGA invitation card with the boat a couple of years ago. It wasn’t convenient for them to join at the time. Perhaps they will now.

We now had wind, so we raised sail and had a lovely broad reach to the entrance to the Gare Loch, gibed, and headed through the narrows.

The Gare Loch One Designs were racing and their windward mark was right amongst the Silver’s moorings. I tacked to keep out of their way and then the wind died. It took the tail end Charlie of the racing fleet about 5 minutes just to round the buoy. A couple of minutes earlier there had been a fine breeze!

We motored gently onto our mooring, put the boat to bed and rowed ashore. I estimate the tide had fallen by 2 cm by the time we landed. Close enough.

Taking it easy

The anchorage at Wreck Bay gave us a lovely peaceful night, but by the time we woke up the clear skies of yesterday had been replaced by thick cloud. Porridge made the appropriate breakfast, but we did not linger. The forecast was for rain and strong winds, first force 5-6 South or South East, then cyclonic but going North West 4-5 later. That would mean beating down the West Kyle against the wind, then turning north into Loch Fyne and hoping to reach Tarbert before the wind changed. The sooner we left, the dryer we would stay!

We got the engine on at 08:00, and I went forward to start hauling up the anchor. Julian then took over, and between us we got up the 30m of chain in 10 minutes. Hauling up chain is good exercise! 

There was no obvious wind on the water as we motored out of the bay, but we could see it in the burgee, and as soon as we had space to turn head to wind Julian got the main sail up. Given the forecast we left yesterday's reef in place. The wind was flaky as it made its way over and through the hills of Bute, at times so strong the reef was essential, but mostly light we were only making 3 knots. Passing Port Driseach at the north end of Tighnabruaich in flat water there was enough wind to turn the engine off, but we could see white horses on the waves when looking ahead past the south end of Black Farland Bay. 

Once we passed Rubha Dubh those waves began to cause us problems. The fetch of the waves kept them small, but they were closely spaced, and each one slammed into Robinetta's bow. These were the type of waves we have labelled "Robinetta Stoppers" and we were barely making 2 knots. The gusts meant we could not shake out the reef, and the thought of 2 hours of this to cover the 4 miles to Ardlamont Point made Julian and I look at each other. We knew it was due to rain heavily, within the hour. 

looking towards Loch Riddon

We agreed instantly to give up on Tarbert, and turned round to sail back up the West Kyle. 

By 10:00 we were back where we had started that morning. Our new destination was Rothesay, and as we turned into the narrow channel between the Burnt Islands the wind came onto the node and we had to put the engine on. It also began to rain. However the flat sea state in the East Kyle gave us no problems.

We could see a mass of sails in the distance as the racing fleet of the Clyde Cruising Club made its way towards us. We had hoped to meet them in Tarbert, but instead we closed with the Colintraive shore to keep out of their way. It did give us a chance to admire them, but having to constantly wipe rain off the camera lens did not make for great photography although I took a lot of pictures.

CCC racing fleet in the East Kyle

Going to Rothesay rather than battling to reach Tarbert was a great decision. We were moored up in the Outer Harbour by noon and went ashore for lunch, then had a good look at the excellent little Rothesay museum before returning to Robinetta to sit out the heaviest rain of the day. By the time it stopped the floorboards in Worm were afloat.

Dinner, then live music in a pub rounded off a different day to the one we had planned, but we had a good time. 

Rosneath to Wreck Bay, Kyles of Bute

The weather forecast for Friday was for bright sun, and clear skies. Perfect for heading out for a weekend sailing, although Saturday would be rather wet and windy.

We launched Worm off the beach at low water this morning. We had a lot to take to Robinetta as we were going away for the weekend, so needed our sleeping bags (now clean) back on board, as well as clothes etc. Once on board I realised that I had forgotten to bring the fuel for our spirit stove, so had to row back to the house. Julian stayed on Robinetta, preparing her for the trip. He had booked an online seminar for today, with three sessions, with the first being at 10:00, and we had hoped to be away by then, but it was not to be.

I was back on board at 10:30, and filled the stove, before making a cup of tea and listening in to the seminar.

We got the engine on to warm up as soon as the talk finished, and were away from the mooring by 11:18. Julian raised the sail as soon as we were clear of the moorings in Stroul Bay, putting in a reef to the first cringle. The forecast wind was South or South East, 5 or 6, occasionally 4 in Firth of Clyde, and we currently only had a 4, but we had bent on the no.2 jib, and reefed the main to match it. We needed the engine to get through the Rhu narrows as the wind was on the nose, but once we were past the caravan park we could begin to sail, and once we were clear of the Gareloch we came onto a lovely broad reach down the Clyde.

Julian’s second seminar session ran from noon to 1pm, so so I was on the helm all the way past Gourock, gradually closing with Cloche Point. The only worries were the Western Ferries running to Hunter’s Quay, as there were three on duty and they had a fast turn around.

Once we rounded Cloche Point we hardened up, and fine reached towards Toward. Unfortunately the wind was more south than south east, and as we closed with the Cowal peninsula the sea state increased, and began to produce “Robinetta stopper” waves. Trying to tack back across the Clyde our non making tack saw us going backwards, so at 14:45 we gave up sailing and put the engine back on.

By 15:55 we were at the Toward cardinal, and could some off the wind enough to sail again, so the engine went off and we sailed all the way up the East Kyle, once again on a lovely broad reach. Past Loch Striven the sea was beautifully flat.

Once past the ferry at Colintrave we got the engine on to take down the main sail, and made our way to the anchorage at Wreck Bay. The Antares charts suggest anchoring in 6m, which would be 9m at high water, as today was the spring tide. I laid out 30m of chain on deck, and Julian took us into the bay. There was one boat at anchor already, but plenty of room for us, and we dropped anchor at 18:10, out of the tidal stream.

Now we are past the equinox the evenings are drawing in really quickly. I had wanted to be anchored by 18:30 when it would be getting dark, so we had made it in good time.

After dinner Worm knocked gently on the starboard cabin side, and I needed to take a lantern out to help me see to tie her securely alongside for the night. This was a dark of the Moon spring , and the brightest light was our own anchor light. I had a wonderful view of the stars, and called Julian up to admire it too.

The shortest trip

 Julian caught the bus to go home and get the car first thing this morning, while I tidied up Robinetta, and decided what to leave on board, and what to take home. We hope to use her again this season, for day and weekend trips, so did not want to strip her of all her comforts.

Crew in training with skipper by Christopher Bashforth

The yacht moored up closest to us was a training vessel, and Christopher Bashforth the skipper asked if I would mind showing his students the differences between Bermudan and Gaff rig, so I spent an enjoyable hour proving that the apparent excess of ropes were actually easy to use. There was virtually no wind, so I could hoist the main sail, and demonstrate the difference between a high cut jib and a genoa. They were really interested in the rig, and when getting the main sail down I could flake it properly, unlike yesterday when I had had to do it in a bit of a rush.

learning the ropes by Christopher Bashforth

Then I walked along the pontoon and came across the lovely Spirit of Callisto, a gaff ketch whose owners had discovered how much they liked the split rig in this, their first season owning her. She will be staying based at Rhu, and I hope to see more of them next year.

Once Julian returned we loaded up the car with 3 trolleys worth of gear, before getting some lunch at the Rhu Cafe. Then it was time for the twenty minute motor up to our own mooring. We had had this serviced back in the spring, but no one had used it since, and the pick up  "handbag" and its rope were covered in weed and small mussels. 

Julian came forward from the helm to help me secure the mooring line to the bits, and once he had tied it in place I tidied it up by scraping the mussels off with a knife so they would not damage the cap rail. Then I had to sluice them off the foredeck... 

After a last cup of tea on board I rowed us ashore in Worm. Our big trip was over, but our sailing season should continue for a while, as we have yet to make plans to have Robinetta hauled out for the winter.

 

 

 

Nearly Home

I was really happy that we had gotten as far as Tarbert yesterday.

I thought that if we got an early start we could get all the way home today. It's about 40 nm, which is close to 12 hours at our normal planning speed.

In the event, we didn't wake up early. And then I heard Brian chatting on the pontoon and put some trousers on to say hello. Brian was having to change his plans because of things happening at home. He's going to leave Sender 2 in Scotland for the winter.

So we ended up having breakfast with him and suggest places in the Clyde to leave the boat.

It was 10:20 before we got away. The forecast was for light winds with gusts, all southerly. We put the big jib on and once out of the harbour, shook the reefs out and raised full sail.

Just outside the bay there was a spectacular sight of gannets diving.

The track from Tarbert into the Kyles of Bute is mostly east and a bit south so I had hopes we could reach that bit.

Not only could we reach, but the wind was perfect for our big sails. We were doing 5 1/2 knots over the ground at times. I think we might have touched 6. Even with our late start we might be at the Rhu narrows at 16:30!

The sea state was lovely too, with just enough bounce to make it fun and nothing to slow us down. The waves were coming from the south west, so the fetch was only from Kintyre.

Photo by Steve Cochrane 

Other yachts were enjoying it too. One came out of Portavadie and another from the Kyles and passed us, and each other just of Ardlamont.

Having a boat just in front when rounding into the West Kyle made it really easy to see when the gybe would be.

There was a second shoal of fish just off Bute and the gannets were there in force again.

Coming up the West Kyle we were very close to a run and set the preventer. The sea was completely flat here and we were still making great time.

We got to the Burnt Isles and sailed straight through the north channel. The channel markers are named after the islands, west buidhe and east buidhe on the north by Eilean Buidhe (the yellow isle), Fraoich and Mor on the south, by Eilean Fraoich (heather isle) and Eilean Mòr (big island).

Then the wind went flaky.

All the way down the East Kyle it came and went. We used the engine in the deepest lulls, although we made it past the Rhubodach-Colintraive ferry under sail. Rhubodach-Colintraive is the headland of the old man. Colintraive comes from Caol an t-Snàimh, the Kyle you can swim across.

We had the engine on all the time from half way down the East Kyle to Toward Point.

Then the wind came in strongly again and it was time to sail. Getting round the point was a bit stressful and we got some ferry wash from the Wemyss Bay to Rothesay ferry.

But running or very broad reaching again. The wind was strong for a while and we reefed but had to shake it out again. We were using Cloch Lighthouse as an aiming point, but a big cargo vessel came out of the inner Clyde and we were right in the channel so we came over to the Renfrewshire side. In the event, the ship seemed to go outside the channel to the west and we need not have worried.

Looking at the chart, I think we must have mistook the Cowal Safe-water mark for the Gantocks beacon. From a distance, the SWM looked red, not red and white. It splits the ship channel in two, so the ship was in the perfect place and we would have been out of its way anyway.

The wind went too light to sail soon after and we motored for a bit, but were able to turn the engine off again before we got to the path of the Western Ferries. Unusually, all the ferries were docked as we passed.

We saw both the Gourock Dunoon and Gourock Kilcreggan ferries as we turned the corner.

There was a huge Cruise ship just leaving Greenock. Alison read off that it was the Nieuw Statendam. It can carry 2,692 passengers.

A small warship came out of the Gare Loch and did some manoeuvres south of Helensburgh before heading out of the river. We heard someone on a loudspeaker giving orders but couldn't hear what was said.

We had made the decision to go into Rhu Marina. Then we could get a bus home to fetch the car. There is a lot on the boat we won't need again this year and it's much easier to unload from a pontoon than bring things ashore in the dinghy from the mooring.

We got the mainsail down near the number 4 red. A bit too near! I thought we had just agreed to wait until we were passed the Caravan Park.

But it was really calm and it wasn't hard to avoid the buoy and turn away from the point before it got too shallow.

Alison had called the marina and we'd been told to go anywhere on J pontoon. We set ropes and fenders for port side to. Luckily, the first slot was available and we came in and moored easily.

It was about 8 pm. Earlier than I had feared, given our late start, and the most hours of sailing we have had in a day all year!

I cooked our standby dish of pasta and chorizo and got some prep in for my Gaelic class tomorrow and we turned in.

Through the Crinan Canal

Heavy rain yesterday evening saw the canal fill up again, but the basin lock keeper came in early to start purging it, and by 09:00 they were able to operate the locks again. With so many boats waiting to head south we were formed into batches, with the first lock through containing 3 boats. Robinetta was in the second batch, and entered the first lock in company with 2 others at quarter past ten.

One of the three was only going as far as Bellanoch, but we continued on with Sea Holly, joining another yacht at the start of the Dunardry flight. Worm was the usual worry, needing to be dropped back between locks, then brought in close as the lock gates shut. After a while Julian rigged a lovely system that made her much easier to handle, although I got pretty tied and fraught in the meantime!

It was 13:45 before we reached the top of the Cairnbaan flight, and then we had to wait for a couple of yachts heading out of the lock. There was not much room to moor up, but Robinetta behaved beautifully despite the wind, just sitting in place at idle most of the time. Julian was able to get himself some lunch, but I was having to concentrate too hard to be distracted by food.

By the time we were at the bottom of the Cairnbaan flight at 14:45 I was pretty tired, and handed over the helm to Julian while I went below to get something to eat.

Sea Holly was going all the way down the canal and out into Loch Fyne, and we decided to do the same, but thought we might stop on the pontoons in Ardrishaig harbour. It would all depend on the sea state, but we had to let the canal workers know where we were aiming for. On the way we passed another Gaff rigged boat. I am sure I remembered seeing her in the exact same spot last year.

Sender II was waiting to enter Ardrishaig Sea Lock when we got there. They had been waiting to lock out for an hour, which had given them time to get their bowsprit out and prepare for sea. Meanwhile Robinetta was very much in canal mode, with her boom in its crutches, and the sail covers on.

We were last into the lock which contained 3 other boats, and unfortunately scraped Robinetta's hull on the concrete as we tried to make sure we made it into the gap beside Sea Holly. Luckily the damage was just cosmetic.

We moored up on the harbour pontoon at 17:15 to think about what we wanted to do. There was a fair amount of swell coming in, and Robinetta was moving against her lines. Deciding to go on towards East Loch Tarbert and its protected marina was the obvious choice, so we prepared Robinetta for sea, and were ready to head out in twenty minutes.

We headed out, but I was not prepared to sail before having a cup of tea, and Julian reluctantly agreed to wait for me. We had the stay sail up, and I half hoped that Julian would decide that was enough sail for the trip, but once refreshed by tea I agreed we should get the main sail up. With a reef.

Julian was proved right to want to sail. We had an hour of sailing with a good breeze, and reasonable waves. As soon as the engine went off he announced "Freedom!" He really does not like canals!

It began to rain as we reached down Loch Fyne. Nothing like as hard as the previous two evenings, but the visibility went down a lot. We turned the running lights on, then the steaming light, as we reluctantly turned the engine back on to head towards Tarbert.

It was getting dark as we entered the harbour, and the chart plotter turned itself into night mode before we moored up, but we still had enough light to see the pontoons, and were able to moor up on a finger berth, right next to Sender II. The skipper of Sea Holly came along to take our lines and help us in, which I much appreciated.

It had been a long and tiring day, but we were now within easy reach of Rosneath and our home berth, after over a year away.