Riding out Hurricane Bertha

The last few days we have been lucky enough to see a minke whale and a pair of golden eagles.   We spent a night anchored off Muck and enjoyed a walk across the island.  Muck has a thriving community of 34 with a fair number of children who were all on the beach making rafts for the race the following day.   Before going into Tobemory we anchored for a spot of sunbathing and lunch in Loch Drombuie where the wastepipe from the galley sink came unattached and sea water was pouring in.    SO lucky that we were on board as it was quickly fixed but if we had been ashore we could have come back to a sunken Nomad.   Frightening.   The last two nights we were sheltered from Hurricane Bertha in Loch Spelve, Mull.   Friends took us ashore for a quick tour of the Lochbuie estate (beautiful) and a comforting cup of tea in front of a roaring log fire.   We returned to the boat, despite very generous offers of a bed, knowing that we were in for a wild night.   It was a bit like riding a bucking bronco crossed with a merry mixer, but the anchor held firm, despite my weird dreams of it dragging and us ending up beached up the Thames!  The major casualty of the night was the outboard which had been drowned when the dinghy flipped during the night.  Rich hoping to get it working again before we leave.   Now in Craobh Marina, hoping for a rainless day tomorrow to dry everything out before we head home on Thursday. 

Sunset - Isle of Muck

Celebrating sighting a minke whale

Tobermory

Johnny & Anna Grew & Sara Nangle,  Loch Spelve

Norwegian Long Boat in Sound of Mull

Barra, S. Uist, Canna, Skye, Mallaig

Had a great sail up from Barra to Loch Boisdale on South Uist.   A gale was forecast so we left early and were safely on a mooring by the time the weather closed in.   The Annual Loch Boisdale Hill run took place while we were there.   About 25 men & 3 women set off from the hotel, ran to the loch, swam across, ran up the hill and then back down and back across the loch.   What amused me was that when they crossed the finishing line, they all stood around drinking beer, smoking & cheering their mates on for half an hour or so with not a space blanket in sight.   They must have been frozen, but so macho!!  From Loch Boisdale we left the Outer Hebrides and headed for Canna, which we loved.   A terrific natural harbour, a great cafe with the best fish and chips ever, particularly friendly locals, sunshine and a good walk up to the top of the island to get a birds eye view of the anchorage.   Last night we spent in Loch Scavaig, Skye.  Definitely our most dramatic anchorage so far with the Cuillens towering up out of the sea right next to us.  The photos don't really do it justice.   There is also a large inland loch about 200m from the anchorage where you feel like you are right up in the mountains - not 200 yards from the boat.    Now in Mallaig - our first real civilisation for 12 days or so - plugged into the electrics, charging everything, filling up with water, doing the washing etc.

Vatersay Bay

Vatersay Bay 

Canna Harbour from Compass Hill

 Loch Scavaig Anchorage with Cuillens of Skye

Rum from Canna at 10.00pm

Seals in Loch Scavaig

CLJ on walk to Loch Coruisk

Loch Scavaig

Rich beach combing

Loch Coruisk flowing out into Loch Scavaig 

Back in the sun...

Friday 1st August

Iona was fabulous and we were delighted we waited til Monday as the day dawned sunny and calm.   We arrived early and climbed to the top of the hill before going down to the Abbey.   It has a very special feel and is certainly somewhere we will return to.   Leaving there late morning we sailed to Ariganour, Coll, past Staffa and the Treshnish Islands which are extraordinary shapes.   Biked across to the west coast and were rewarded by seeing a couple of basking sharks.   Tried to stock up on food but the shop gets restocked on a Wednesday so Tuesday is a bad day - no milk, no bread, no fruit, no veg, but a delightful organic/eco/vegetarian shop which sold an amazing array of dried/tinned foods along with wool.   

From Coll we had a lively sail to Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides.   It was pretty wild with a nasty swell and I felt horrid most of the way.   Having had two weeks of flat calm I had somehow convinced myself I wouldn’t get seasick.  How wrong I was!   Eriskay is where Bonnie Prince Charlie first made landfall on his way back to Britain.  It’s also where the inspiration for Whisky Galore came from as a ship sank here during the second world war and the islanders had a field day recovering the whisky.   The pub still has a couple of the original bottles.   A pretty island with lovely beaches, azure seas and fabulous wildflowers.   From there we spent a night in an anchorage with a very narrow, rocky entrance between Hellisay and Gighay.  We crept in very slowly but were rewarded for persevering as there was no one else there when we arrived, apart from a couple of seals.   A brisk walk up the hill to check out Barra to the south.    We sailed to Barra in a gentle breeze this morning going slowly enough to catch 4 mackerel - and a jelly fish - ugh!   Now Nomad is anchored in Vatersay Bay - stunning long sandy beach.  We have biked round to Castle Bay on Barra - much further than we thought with far more hills than anticipated!   Don’t dare mention the weather cos I would hate to jinx it....   

Abbey on Iona

V. long legged sheep on Iona & our anchorage

Wild flowers on Eriskay

First mackerel of the trip

R off Hellisay

Wet weather gear for the first time for days and days

  

Safely tucked up in Loch na Lathaich on the N side of the Ross of Mull as the rain lashes down and the wind howls around us.   Having had 10 days of glorious weather we are hoping this is just a minor blip.   We spent Friday night on the north of Jura enjoying the antics of three bottling seals.  Went for an evening stroll to check out another anchorage and came across a herd of 14 deer & a stag.   We stared at each other for about 2 minutes before they quietly melted away.    Yesterday we motored through a very tame Gulf of Corryvreckan - hardly a whirlpool to be seen.   Even in calm weather it can have a standing wave of around 4m where the tide meets a step as the bottom rises suddenly from 230m to 30m.  (It might be only 160m - but its lots and we are in a pub!)  Anchored in a gorgeous cove on the south of the Ross of Mull - David Balfour’s Bay.    A glorious sunny evening saw us ashore enjoying a bottle of rose on the beach with only the cormorants for company.   We had planned to go to Iona today, but the anchorage did not look v. appealing in these conditions so we will probably return to explore tomorrow. 

Deer on Jura

Rich checking on Nomad in David Balfour's Bay

Selfie on beach in David Balfour's Bay

Weather change!  Passing Iona

And we are off to Iona.....

All current problems have been fixed (hopefully) in Craobh marina by Rich and a great electrical engineer who spent most of their fixing time happily swapping salty naval stories.    Spent last night anchored in Ardinamir,  Luing in balmy conditions.   There used to be an indomitable lady called Irene Machlachlin who lived in the croft there who logged every boat that visited from the 1940s into the 1990s.   Apparently signing her visitors book was not to be missed.    The nine volumes are now held by the Clyde Cruising Club.  The heat had persuaded most of the local cattle to cool off in the shallows - a sight more reminiscent of Africa than Scotland.    In the evening we walked up to Ardinamir Fort from where we had spectacular views but the flying ants launched a ferocious attack on us and we fled from the summit very quickly with only a few blurry photos to prove we were ever there.   We have now had our sprayhood down and our bimini up for longer than we have ever done in France or Spain!

Loch Melfort Hotel

Paddleboarding in Ardinamir

Cattle at Ardinamir

Nomad at Ardinamir

Internet at last!

Nearly missed the flight to Glasgow to rejoin Nomad as taxi driver turned up 15 mins late - thank goodness my phobia about being late meant we’d booked it just a smidgeon early anyway.     Problem with the autopilot, but the part is being delivered to Oban and we will collect from there.  Spent a night in the Kyles of Bute where something crashed into the side of the boat at about 4.30am - we both shot out of bed, but nothing to be seen.  Rich reckons it was seal not looking where it was going!    A rumbling wisdom tooth meant  a visit to the dentist in East Tarbert.    Spent a couple of days going through the Crinan Canal.   Paired up with another boat with 5 guys on board who took charge of us, taking our lines and working all the locks.  Think Rich and I would have taken forever to get through on our own.   Stopped for a night and took the opportunity to head off on the bikes to visit some of the 4,000 year old rock art.  Passed lots of boats heading to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games including an old Puffer whose crew were shovelling on tons of coal.   Came out of the canal on Monday in gorgeous, hot sunshine and made our way up Craignish Loch to Ardfern marina where we’ve had the engineer on board trying to fix a problem with the starter motor.    Nomad seems to be getting a bit of a Scottish ‘upgrade‘ before we head out to the Islands.  Weather has been fabulous - who needs the Caribbean?

Yesterday afternoon we anchored behind Goat Island in Loch Craignish - the total silence was only broken by the odd seal blowing & harumphing, the occasional Gannet plummeting into the sea or a curlew calling.   Rich wondered whether it is possible to suffer sensory deprivation?    Today we had a beautiful sail up to Kilmelford,  Loch Melfort and then back to Loch Shuna where we picked up a buoy belonging to The Loch Melfort Hotel.   I worked here for the summer in 1976 - cooking, bar maiding, chamber-maiding & waitressing, paid £18.00 per week!  The afternoon was spent swimming - really not that cold, but quite a few jelly fish so didn't hang around too much,  paddle boarding and generally lazing around in mediterranean heat.   

Sometimes we get it right!

Anchorage behind Goat Island, Loch Craignish

CLJ braving the jelly fish

Rich reading with his eyes shut!

Home again

Tuesday 26th May

And so ends the delivery trip to sail Nomad to Scotland.   We are leaving her on a mooring in the Firth of Clyde until our return in July.   Having had all of three days cruising in the Firth of Clyde we cannot wait to come back and to explore further afield.

Nomad in the Kyles of Bute (10.30pm)

Buddhists, Bikes, Seals and Sunshine

Saturday 24th May

We decided that on this voyage Stranraer was the transit lounge, Ailsa Craig the gateway and Holy Island the real beginning of ‘cruising’ as opposed to ‘delivering’.   We anchored off Holy Island and woke to the sounds of oystercatchers, a cuckoo and some Buddhist chanting otherwise it was completely quiet.    Had a fabulous early morning walk up to the top of the highest point.  The Island is owned and run by Buddhists for World Peace and it certainly has a v peaceful feel.    The following day we sailed up to Gt Cumbrae and picked up a mooring close to some rocks on which were lounging about 10 seals - looking so awkward as they heaved themselves out of the water but so wonderfully graceful back in the sea.   The bikes had their first outing this year as we circumnavigated the island, before sailing up to the Kyles of Bute and lazing around reading the papers in the afternoon sunshine. 

Ailsa Craig from the North

On top of Holy Island looking towards Arran (Goat Fell)

Seals off Millport, Gt Cumbrae

5 countries in 5 days

Celebating arrival in Scotland

Visitors Pontoon in Stranraer

Anchored in Scotland late last night after a windless day motoring up to Stranraer, Loch Ryan.  Have visited England, Wales, Rep of Ireland, N. Ireland and Scotland  in 5 days!   Celebrated with a wee tot of whisky before falling into bed.   Woke to a beautiful morning and moved into marina - the only visitor here.   Marina is owned by the council and run by the roads department!  Jan and Ian Anderson  (Ross’s parents) joined us on board for coffee before taking us off to Portpatrick,  a lovely little fishing village about 7 miles away.    Had lunch sitting out in the sun, accompanied by their dog Skye.  

Portpatrick 

Ian, Jan & Skye & Rich in Portpatrick

Engine won't stop....

Tuesday 20th May

An eventful hour or so on our way up from Hoath straight into the wind, to Ardglass.   About 1.00pm things happened in quick succession.  We went about, spotted the starboard nav light was hanging loose, hove to, Rich fixed it, we turned the engine on to get the boat back onto the port tack and couldn’t switch the engine off.   Rich into the locker to try to sort from back of panel, at which point the wind shift alarm went off repeatedly and then the plotter lost its fix and kept beeping, and the autopilot decided to flash up STOP DRIVE.  All this with the wind blowing around 25 knots.    Luckily Rich had bought maintenance manual for the engine and after a reassuring phone call to a man in Gosport, identified the lever and switched it off manually.   So lovely to be on a boat with an engineer.   Otherwise we would have spent the night in Ardglass with the engine running waiting for a mechanic!  Fabulous little marina tucked in behind thriving fishing port and processing plant.   Typing this from the Alcoholics Anonymous room as it has good wifi.   Heading to Loch Ryan today - probably. 

Ardglass Marina

Now in the land of Guinness

Saturday 17th May

Rich rejoined Nomad on Tuesday and the following day sailed, or rather motored,  her down to Dartmouth in beautiful warm sunshine but absolutely no wind.  What a change from last week.   I travelled to Dartmouth by train, including the steam train from Paignton to Kingswear which was just lovely.   Met up for sups in Dartmouth with Rich’s sister, Buffy and a friend of hers, who are restoring an altar front in Dartmouth.   Thursday morning we left Dartmouth after a delicious fat boys breakfast with old friends, John & Melanie Holman.     Another day of perfect sunshine but no wind.  (Bliss really!)   Off Dodman Point were joined by a large pod of dolphins who played in our bow wave for about 30 mins.   It was just magical and as the sea was as flat as glass we had a wonderful view of them under the water.  Spent the night anchored in the Helford River.

Left early the next morning for the passage round Lands End to Milford Haven.   Again, flat calm and sunny - motored for about 20 of the 26 hours it took us to get here.  Now anchored in sandy cove soaking up the rays, waiting for the tide to carry us further north. 

Sunday 18th May

Yesterday evening motored out between Skomer and Skokholm and saw masses of puffins,  guillemots, razorbills and shearwaters.  Thought we saw bottling seals but sadly they always turned out to be bits of flotsam or fishing buoys.   Wind got up and we sailed most of the way to Hoath, close to Dublin,  arriving in time for a late lunch.  Not a comfortable sail though - wind behind us and a bit of a sea so it was a horrible corkscrew motion.   Now tied up in Hoath Marina with rubbish wifi and communal showers but delightfully friendly Club House and Rich enjoying a pint of guinness.

Wind - Much too much...

Saturday 10th May

Three days of no alcohol, chocolate, dairy, spiceness or caffeine have held me in good stead for the first three days of our effort to get Nomad to Scotland without succombing to seasickness.    It’s been blowing F5-7 right on the nose for 3 days with the accompanying rather rough and confused seas.   At every step of the way we have always been prepared to run home, or seek the nearest port.   First night anchored at Hurst Castle, second at Studland Bay and third finds us on RNSA mooring in Portland with a F9 gale forecast.   We plan to leave Nomad for a few days until the gales have passed.  Definitely more challenging than pleasurable so far! 

Wind/Kite Surfers in Portland Harbour

 Lots to watch as the windsurfers/kitesurfers LOVE this wind. 

Heading to West Coast of Scotland

We set off today with plans to get Nomad to the West Coast of Scotland towards the end of May.   The weather forecast for the first two legs, to Dartmouth and then onto Falmouth, is for some boisterous wind right on the nose.   We have all the charts and all the cruising guides for Scotland we could possibly hope for - just need some fairwinds and following seas to get us there.