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.