Summer 2007

Summer holiday time again. After last year we had decided to attempt to get a bit further up the Scottish coast. The aim was Ullapool with lots of time to linger in various anchorages en route.

Iain and Margaret joined us for the first week. Great fun as we headed out. As we left Campbeltown in sunshine we felt the pattern was set for the trip. Alas we only got beyond Sanda when we went into a fog bank which necessitated putting the radar on and sailing blind for a couple of hours. Fleeces had also to be donned as it was very cold and damp. As quickly as we went into the fog we were out of it.
John declared that in approx 4 minutes we would see a ships funnel appearing on the horizon (he’d seen it on radar) and we did. Quite ethereal the way the top of it suddenly loomed out of the mist with the remainder held in the inversion.

We made good progress and arrived in Ballycastle in daylight and sunshine. We knew we had to sample both the local fish and chippy on the pier as well as Maud’s icecream shop. A very healthy diet indeed. Why is it always food that is bad for you that tastes so darned delicious. Ballycastle is lovely little town and the following day we had several good long walks exploring what it had to offer including a bus trip to Giants Causeway.

Our next leg of the journey was up to Gigha. Always a delight and in the glorious sunshine even more so. Found time on this occasion to visit the botanic garden, which just happened to be past the pub on the way home. The evenings entertainment was provided by a late arrival in the anchorage. It is a small anchorage and space is very limited. The majority of us on anchor had settled for the night when the stillness was broken by the arrival of another yacht which was going to attempt to drop the hook in the middle of everyone. Needless to say after the first failed attempt and the anchor being pulled up manually (therefore lots of grunting, groaning and exchanges of some rather fine Scots language), the boat had an audience. After another 3 or maybe 4 attempts, John thought to make a comment to them. “How much chain have you got out?” the reply brought another helpful comment “You’ll need a lot more than that, try 20″
At this point the riposte was “Have you yins no got a f******* t.v. to goan watch?” This time Iain answered “No this is far more entertaining”. At this we needed to go below before someone’s loud guffawing got us into more bother!

Surprisingly they were gone when we stuck our heads above deck in the early morning.

Next stop was Tayvallich. Another fabulour anchorage and one which made for an interesting entry. Spotted a few boats we knew, one being Keri and Stevie’s “Jenny’s Rival”. Unfortunately they were not there and we had only just missed them by a day.

Time was running out for Ian and Margaret. As we had done Cuan Sound last year we opted for the Doris Mhor. We were just a bit early for the tide so spent a time punching against it. However once it turned we were going like a rocket.

Alas it was into Kerrera as Ian and Margaret were catching the train at Oban next day. We went across with them and found ourselves bumping into Sandy, Zena, Walter and Jen who were heading over on the ferry to Tobermoray to pick up a charter boat.

As always when friends leave, the mood on board Jalan that night was quite somber.

We left Kerrera and headed south to Iona where we managed to get ashore. Then headed to the anchorage at Bunnesan.
The following day we went to Coll. We had had a great sail, spotting dolphins and basking sharks on the way, and decided to anchor in a small bay for the night. It was a tad challenging to get in to due to some nasty rocky outcrops. However the chartplotter and charts got us safely in andout. There was only one other boat Tao of Clyde. Strange places to find 2 castles within 100 yards of each other.

Next day we were in Arisaig. Having spent so many years there with the kids and dear friends and their family we have many happy, if wet and cold, memories of the place. In all those years we had never been there when the highland games were on. Clearly a highlight of the local calendar we decided to go. We had forgotten just how far it was to the sands at Morar. When we saw the notice it seemed to suggest that it was just at the back of Keppoch where you can buy the elephant eggs. However some passing motorist stopped to offer a lift, if we would show them the way. Thank goodness cos we had to walk all the way back again. It was a delightful day but as time went on the dark rain clouds began to gather. We’re hardy we can cope – when will we ever learn. The rain that falls up there is something to be beheld. We were absolutely soaked to the skin – but hey that’s Arisaig.

Next day the sun was shining and we ventured back to our old stomping ground of Larrach Morh. Much changed sadly but could still hear Gareth screeching ‘mint sauce’ at the stray sheep and imagine the huge fires George used to light when clearing the ground.
Happy days.

After a few days it was time to head further north to yet another happy haunt. Plockton. Hamish MacBeth country. Couldn’t believe it when we met people on the pub that night who had come all the way from America to visit the place where the programme was filmed. She’d also gone to see Archie’s place (Monarch of the Glen)! The t.v. loses the effect created by the midgies but she got a sample of them. The little b’s were ferocious, probably because it was a tad humid (yup more rain).

Moving on we spent a night in Gairloch before heading up toward Ullapool. The seas were quite big and the sailing was excellent. The boat carves the waves really well. As we were going through a narrow stretch of water we encountered a couple of sea kayaks. They were barely visible in the height of wave and it was just lucky we caught the waterproofs shining in shaft of bright light. Not sure if they are brave or just mad. Wouldn’t catch me doing it for sure.

As we headed round a headland another yacht came into sight. Could it be? Yup it was another Island Packet. Called them up on the radio and had a quick chat. The couple kept her a Gairloch although they hailed from Forres and it was their first season.

Ullapool was interesting to enter in a big wind. Picking up a mooring even more so. We settled to make some food and had no sooner eaten when an old guy starts rowing out from the shore towards us. We had already decided we would drag the mooring if the wind got any stronger and had opted to move to drop the anchor. He advised us that this would be wise and that the mooring was private. Not a lot of conversation from him then!

The plan had been to go round the west side of Skye and take in the Chimneys restuarant. However the weather had other ideas. We were listening to the forecast – gales to the north and south – we were sandwich filling. John decided to make a run for Portree. Well we made it with little time to spare,a scrap of gib and we were getting 6.5 knots out of her. As we entered Portree the RNLI went barreling out at full throttle. (a fatality – someone fishing of a rocky outcrop washed away by a big wave, we discovered later)

The next 2 days were spent on a large mooring buoy getting spun round and round in huge winds. The one trip ashore in the dinghy was hilarious. We were soaked on arrival, dripped our way round the shops and then got sodden again getting back to the boat. Put the generator on and watched a dvd to try and drown out the noise from the wind and waves. SUMMER HOLIDAY that’ll be right.

This was the turning point for us we had a night in Arisaig on the way back. We are getting quite good at spotting the channel markers now. Next stop was Tobermory. Ooops! It just happened to be the West Highland week and the fleet were in ahead ofthe race down to Oban.
Met up with Kerri and Stevie as well as their other crew. They’s been having a succesful time so we joined them at the pub for the prize giving. There to meet Ron and Karen Haggerty whom we hadn’t seen since a dinghy holiday in Greece a few years earlier. Great fun.

Next day we were out of the harbour as the fleet were lining up for the start of the race. John had promised we wouldn’t attempt to keep up with them Ha! I was sail trimming fit to burst, tacking time and time again until eventually we had a word or two. Fortunately even he realised Jalan is not a racing machine and settled down. We managed to get in to Dunstaffanage before a lot of the boats but the notion that we had secured a berth was a joke. The booking had been made in March but clearly mattered not a jot. We ended up rafted 3 (nearly 4) deep and just had to get on with it.

As a grand finale we went to the prize giving with Kerri and Stevie and Ann who had a few pots to collect. They are really committed to racing and deserve the achievements.

So another new home for Jalan Jalan. She will stay here till October and hopefully we shall have some excellent sailing opportunities up here