Loch Drumbuie to Oban

Hi everyone,
On Friday 25th we sailed from Loch Drumbuie to Oban to complete our brief cruise of W Scotland.  We had a great sail down the Sound of Mull in a nice N-NW breeze.

Initially the wind was quite strong, gusting to 25 knots, but it gradually faded to be very light for our arrival.  We gybed to and fro down the sound in bright sunshine.

Through the race off Lady's Rock

Entering Oban Bay

We berthed Zen Again in Oban Marina for the night.  The marina is actually opposite Oban on Kerrera Island.  Sunderland flying boats were based here during WW2, including an RAAF squadron early in the war.  More recently, the marina has been under new ownership for several years.  We had a very nice dinner at their Bar & Grill.

Zen Again in Oban Marina (off Kerrara Island)

Here is our 28nm track...

Our two week cruise was fantastic fun.  The first week was very, very cold but we got to see at least parts of the Outer Hebrides.  The second week was less cold, sunny and provided little wind.  Here are the overall statistics...

• Log = 350 nm
• At Sea = 55 hours
• Average Speed = 6 knots! (perhaps the new log needs calibrating)
• Engine = 30 hours
• Gas = 2 litres (approx, for both cooking and heating)

And here's our overall track...

On Saturday friends Anne and Graham arrived from New Zealand.  They are going to be sailing Zen Again in W Scotland for the next month.  We spent the day briefing them on the boat's systems and then motoring over to Oban town marina for them to load supplies.

Loch Moidart to Loch Drumbuie

Hi everyone,
On Thursday 24th we sailed from Loch Moidart to Loch Drumbuie.  Happily we had wind for much of the passage and had a great sail tacking along the N coast of Ardnamurchan.

We spent the morning exploring Castle Tioram.  The weather was perfect.

The castle in calm conditions

Zen Again from the castle

Ditto

We departed at 1130 and once again slowly motored around Riska Island and down the loch into the open sea.  Always less stressful retracing one's own track.

Once clear of the loch we hoisted sail and were hard on the wind, tacking along the peninsula towards Ardnamurchan Point.  Twas a great sail in a 6-10 knot WNW breeze.  The wind died as we approached the point and we motored for a while before it returned as we approached Loch Drumbuie.

Approaching the point

Motoring E towards Loch Drumbuie

The entrance to Loch Drumbuie is narrow and rocky.  We once again put the Antares Charts to good use.

Approaching the entrance to Loch Drumbuie

We anchored at 1830 in 5m over fine silty mud, very close to where we anchored in 1994.  Tis a very nice location but sadly we only had time for a quick overnight stay.

Here is our 29nm track...

Canna to Loch Moidart

Hi everyone,

On Wednesday 23rd we sailed from Canna to Loch Moidart.  Once again winds were very light but it was a nice sunny day and the scenery was fine.

We departed at 0800 after weighing anchor.  This showed the harbour bottom to be kelp over fine silt.

Kelp bottom! 

Heading out of Canna Harbour

We passed the islands of Rum, Eigg and Muck, all of which are interesting in different ways.  Sadly there was no wind whatsoever.  We logged 31nm.

The entrance to Loch Moidart is "interesting", requiring a course snaking between rocky islets and shoals.  Many of the islets were covered in seals basking in the sun.  We then motored very slowly over a large shallow (1m at chart datum) area around Riska Island to reach the anchorage on the south side of the island and directly opposite Castle Tioram. 

Approaching Loch Moidart

Rounding Riska Island and approaching the anchorage

We visited Loch Moidart in 1994 with my uncle Ian.  Back then there was no road access to the castle and very few buildings.  Now there is a road, accommodation and camp site.  That's progress I guess!

Here are three tracks in increasing detail...

Overall Track

Track within the Loch

Antares Chart detail

We have CM93, Navionics and Garmin charts aboard.  None of these show the actual situation around Riska Island.  We also have Antares Charts aboard which display in OpenCPN.  These high resolution charts are produced by enthusiastic amateurs and we have found them to be very accurate. Highly recommended for Scottish cruising.

Loch Harport to Canna

Hi everyone,
On Tuesday 22nd we sailed from Loch Harport to Canna.  We spent the morning ashore exploring the village of Carbost.  The village includes the Talisker Distillery which of course we toured!

View of the distillery from the mooring

Talisker whisky barrels

We escaped the distillery having only bought a couple of bottles and with a better understanding of whisky manufacture.

We dropped the mooring at 1430 and motor-sailed up the loch in very light winds.  We had a short sail in the mouth of the loch but soon the wind died entirely and we motored the 20nm to Canna.  The disappointment of motoring was offset by the magnificent views of Skye and the wildlife seen.  Lots of birds, several dolphins and a small whale.

Macleod's Maidens

Small Whale

The impressive mountains on the Isle of Skye

On arrival in Canna Harbour all the moorings were occupied so we anchored in the middle of the harbour.  Very peaceful.

At anchor in Canna Harbour

Here is our track...

Wizard Pool to Loch Harport

Hi everyone,
Today we sailed from Wizard Pool to Loch Harport on the Isle of Skye.  We departed at 0800 after spending 30 minutes coaxing the anchor out of the lovely gloopy mud in which it had totally buried itself during the gale.  Twas a messy experience but no complaints!

Once out of the pool we set full main and double-furled yankee in a 15 knot N breeze.  The wind made our course a beam reach which Zen Again loved.  The weather was total overcast, steady rain and very chilly!

Waterfalls into the ocean from Skye

Skye

As we approached Skye the wind became quite gusty so we put in a reef and further furled the yankee.  The coast of Skye is dotted with dramatic waterfalls which dump rain directly off clifftops into the sea.  Spectacular - especially after heavy rain.

As we entered the loch the wind became very light so we motored to the mooring area, zigzagging between the fishing floats.

Zen Again on mooring in Loch Harport

We arrived at 1300 with the rain continuing.  After tidying up we crashed for a while.  At 1700 the rain had stopped so we dinghied in to The Old Inn for a couple of pints and fish & chips.  Fantastic.  Spent a little while chatting with the crew of a charter boat.  They said they've visited Wizard Pool several times and always dragged.  Get a Manson!  ;)

Here is our track...

Lochboisdale to Wizard Pool

Hi everyone,
At 0830 on 17th May we departed Lochboisdale after a single overnight stay.  We waited for the ferry to depart before proceeding.  The ferry docks in town but passed close by the marina entrance - you wouldn't want to get in its way (shades of Sydney Harbour ferries)!

We had a NE 6-8 knot breeze so set full sail.  High clouds were clearing.  An hour later the clouds were gone and we had a nice ENE breeze and we having an excellent sail.  A further hour later and the wind had died so we motored in to the loch, around the fish farm and into Wizard Pool.

Heading north from Lochboisdale

Approaching Wizard Pool

Who wouldn't want to visit a place called Wizard Pool?  We anchored at 57 19.3N 007 14.4W on the NW side of the pool in 7m over mud.  Very good holding as it turned out.

Here is our 15nm track...

Friday at Wizard Pool was spent fitting the new boom brake, consolidating lazarette stowage, and stripping back and oiling the companionway hatch guides.  Weather was partly cloudy with occasional sunny spells, but cold!  The surroundings were - umm - spell-binding!  Very tranquil apart from the jets overhead at cruising altitude which were clearly audible in the otherwise silent surroundings.

Saturday at Wizard Pool was spent stripping back and oiling the teak strakes on each side of the companionway slide.  These and the companionway guides have been varnished previously and we've been gradually eliminating external varnish over the years.  A great improvement.  Weather was again partly cloudy with sunny spells, but still cold!

Wizard Pool

Ditto

Sunday at the pool wasn't the plan but the weather forecast was for a gale from the south so we decided to stay.  It was drizzly and increasingly windy during the day and evening.  The night was dramatic, with our Manson Supreme anchor once again earning our heartfelt respect.  From 2300-0200 we had 30+ knots of wind with bullets well over 40 coming down off the hills.  The anchor didn't budge but Zen Again was tacking to and fro and heeling up to 20 degrees at times.  The main cover unzipped itself at one stage, necessitating a cold wet adventure on deck.  In short it was very similar to the storm at Cocos Keeling, except the air and rain was 25 degrees cooler!  Not nice.

The track below covers our stay overall.  Prior to the gale the wind was from the SSE.  During the gale it was from the SSW.  We seem to "tack" through about 30 degrees when on a 3:1 to 4:1 scope (varies due to 4m tide range).

Wizard Pool GPS Track

Monday at the pool was spent chilling out after an all-too exciting night and waiting for the wind and rain to ease.

Wizard Island in foreground, bullet-factory in background

After the above I feel our Manson Supreme anchor richly deserves re-galvanising!

We loved our time in the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides).  Our next destination was the Isle of Skye.

Castlebay to Lochboisdale

Hi everyone,
At 0815 on 16th May we departed our anchorage off Vatersay.  The wind was NNW 8-10 knots and the sky held only scattered clouds, clearing as the front moved off.

We had a great sail north to Lochboisdale.  Loads of birds.  Several seals.  Occasional sunshine!

Heading north from Barra

Entering outer Loch Boisdale

Sadly the wind died altogether as we approached our destination so we motored in.  Lochboisdale has a small marina and - amazingly - is a UK port of entry.  Apparently yachts over-winter here since the rates are very low.

Zen Again in Lochboisdale Marina

Here is our 22nm track...

We secured Zen Again in a pen and arranged a taxi to take us shopping.  The taxi driver was a local and very friendly.  We paid him to take us on a short tour of South Uist island after we completed our shopping.  This included a stop at the Politician pub, named after the cargo ship which went aground nearby with a cargo of whisky.  Whisky Galore!

It was very interesting seeing the hinterland and learning about the island from a man born and bread there.  Good to meet you Alistair!

Tobermory to Castlebay

Hi everyone,

At 0830 on Monday 14th we departed Tobermory towards Castlebay.  The wind was 10-15 knots from the SE  We set 1 reef in the main and 1 furl in the yankee since we expected the wind to increase as we cleared the land.

We had a great sail past Arnamurchan into the Sea of the Hebrides and set course for Castlebay.  When we passed Coll the wind was 20-25 from the SSW, putting the wind just aft of the beam. Zen Again loved it and was cruising along at 7 knots.  By then we had 3 furls in the yankee which makes it about No 4 size.  Sadly it was completely overcast, drizzly and very chilly.

Ardamurchan to stbd

At 1715 we entered Castlebay channel.  As Castlebay came abeam we looked into the bay and didn't like the idea of being in a south-facing bay with strong S winds forecast.  So we carried on further up the channel (to the W) and anchored off the island of Vatersay at 56 56.4N 007 30.7W in 8m over sand.  We logged 54.7nm on this 9 hour passage.

Anchored off Vatersay

Here is our track...

We stayed at anchor for two nights as a weak front went through.  Very glad we installed the heater!

On the passage and while at anchor we occasionally saw seals.  We saw lots of birds, including (we think) black guillimots and razorbills.

Dunstaffnage to Tobermory

Hi everyone,
We boarded Zen Again for a two week cruise in western Scotland on Saturday 12th May after another Caledonian Sleeper rail adventure.  Happily the weather was good, so we immediately set about making final preparations for sea.  These included:

• bent on the mainsail, boombag & lazy jacks (the new carriages are a big improvement);
• rigged the mainsail tack and clew reefing lines;
• hoisted and furled the staysail and yankee (the new headsail Profurl furler is good too);
• rigged reaching sheets; and
• tidied up below, restowing a lot of gear from out-of to in-commission locations

Luckily the wind was light, so hoisting and furling the headsails wasn't too exciting.

View of renewed lashing on mainsail blocks

Beefed up gooseneck

New StaLok rigging

New ProFurl furler

On Saturday evening we had a slap-up meal at the Widemouth Frog.  Very nice.

On Sunday we sailed from Dunstaffnage to Tobermory.  Initially the wind was very light from the SE and we ghosted along in bright sunshine.  The wind gradually built up to about 10 knots.  Along the Sound of Mull the wind came in from the W and continued to build.  It was so nice we even hand-steered!

Twas great to hoist our recently serviced mainsail which now features "AUS" above the previous "F88".  We were required to add the AUS to renew our IRC racing certificate.  Good to "show the flag" in another way too.

Aussie!

We had up to a knot of tidal current with us in the Sound, as shown by the photo below.  We were passed by one super yacht which was motoring (what's the point of that?) but otherwise no one overtook us.  Zen Again is marvellously slippery with a clean bottom.

May the tide be with you

We arrived in Tobermory harbour with the wind gusting up to 20 knots but once inside the harbour it was relatively calm.  It was wonderful to pick up a mooring in a place we last visited with my Uncle Ian in 1994 on a charter boat.

Zen Again in iconic Tobermory

Ditto

Later in the afternoon we went ashore in the dinghy and strolled along the front.  We had a pint and fish & chips at the MishNish pub, where we ate with Ian so many years ago.

Tobermory Waterfront

Ditto

We returned to Zen Again well fed and ready for a longer sail.  The weather was set to hold for another day so the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) beckoned!

Here is our 26nm track...