A G Cameron

Just a little bimble about the bay because it's so frustrating seeing a boat and some wind and not using it! Stayed to the east on the way out to avoid a dinghy regatta out of Helensburgh Sailing Club but didn't head further because there was a nasty-looking rain cloud sitting over Greenock. So we turned back and drifted along with the wind back to the mooring. There then ensued an embarrassing attempt at mooring under sail which totally failed! Worse than that, after starting the engine it took another 3 attempts before we were secure. I blame the gusty wind...

Hopes of a good day's sailing, buoyed by more than one forecast, were soon dashed by a fickle force 2. Although we did manage to raise sails off Hunterston it was slow going. The last straw came after 4 tacks trying to pass Inverkip jetty and SOG dropped to 0.8 knots before Cloch lighthouse. On the positive side it didn't rain and the Waverley was taking on passengers at Largs as we passed. 7 hours after dropping the mooring in Millport we were secure on our home mooring and heading for a long, hot shower. Lovely!

Something weird happened in the middle of the night! Lamlash is known to be exposed to swell when the wind is from the east but this was something else. About 0330 I woke to a violent rocking motion. There was no wind so at first I thought this was a tidal effect but after an hour it still hadn't stopped so I got up to investigate. I wasn't the only one as a forest of cabin lights and a rumble of engines showed. 5 hours later we were still being tossed about in a 1-1.5m swell so we weighed anchor and left. It was another hour before the sea had moderated enough for us to make breakfast and a further hour before any useful wind appeared. Conditions gradually improved until we sailed into the wind shadow of Wee Cumbrae and had to start the engine again. The entrance to the new Millport harbour is remarkably easy from the south so we were soon tied up and having a late brunch in the Garrison House cafe.

From Tarbert to Lamlash was supposed to be a gentle sail in F3 breeze from the south west. Of course, that forecast was wildly inaccurate as usual and we spent the first 2.5 hours motoring before the wind filled in from the north! However that did give us a very gentle, if rolly, downwind sail, hitting nearly 5kts under genoa alone over the Arran measured mile. Lamlash was as pretty as ever and we were glad we had arrives early as the moorings and the Anchorage filled up quickly. Some vessels seemed a little too close for comfort but in the calm conditions no one was swinging wildly. On Saturday we took the spectacular service bus to Lagg distillery for lunch and a dram or three. Lagg is very new, having only started producing spirit in 2019, and seems a somewhat industrial in its approach to whisky-making. But they are very aware of the history of whisky in the area and the setting, and the building design, are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, so they are well worth visiting. The food is good too! The next day we went in the other direction, to Brodick Castle, former home of the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton and latterly the Duchess of Montrose. The Castle and grounds are now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and they do a good job of telling the story of the people and the place. There are unexpected connections with the Emperor Napoleon and with Prince Albert of Monaco, who both visited the castle.

After another peaceful night at anchor off Otter Ferry we set off early to catch the outgoing tide. It was another misty start but slowly cleared. This was fortunate as there was quite a lot of porpoise action including a large group who seemed to be feeding on a bait ball or other shoal of fish. The forecasted F2-4 wind never appeared so it was another dull day of motoring. Arriving in Tarbert the sun broke through and made the town sparkle which made up for the earlier greyness. The marina was busy which meant plenty of helping hands for docking but the facilities were still coping well. 2 laundry loads and 2 showers plus excellent food from the "Silver Darlings" made the stop well worth while. Another early start tomorrow in the hope that the forecast will align more closely with reality.

After the disappointment of finding Inveraray Castle closed we decided not to stick around in Inveraray. However, mindful of the distance, lack of wind, and presence of tide, we didn't leave until lunchtime. Because of the low tide and lack of landing facilities we couldn't go ashore so that meant a lovely lazy morning. Departure was under engine but the new nav tablet started acting up almost immediately, first refusing to record a track and then shutting down altogether due to overheating. The obvious solution was to put it in the fridge for half an hour, which helped, but ultimately the battery had to be removed to ensure a full reset. By this time the wind had begun to fill in as we transited the Minard Narrows so the engine was finally turned off and full sails were raised. There was talk of anchoring in Port Ann (appropriate to the first mate) but with strengthening southerlies in the forecast the decision was made to use the Otter Spit as shelter.

This was always going to be a slog, navigating up a narrow sea loch, and with zero wind in 27C it certainly was. Setting off was delayed an hour due to a dense fog which took a few hours to clear. Our faithful old (45 this year!) Thornycroft rumbled away under the cockpit sole while we sweltered under "full bimini mode" with the cockpit cover up and 3 sides rolled away. The Minard Narrows were really the only highlight featuring a splendid castle and some interesting tidal streams which Sam, the Ancient Autohelm, took in his stride. Arriving at Inveraray we found a row of large, bright orange buoys which might have been (turned out to be) unmarked visitors' moorings. We anchored, as advised by the pilot book, between the pierhead and the river in 10m. Ashore we were disappointed to find both Inveraray Castle and Ocho's, our favourite restaurant, were closed so we settled for a beer at the Inveraray Inn and a visit to the Co-Op for some fresh supplies. Plans for an evening trip ashore were dropped when it became evident that the pier was unusable at low tide. We didn't fancy scrambling over mud and seaweed to go for dinner. So another quiet night at anchor (after the bikers had gone home) and some careful planning to take advantage of the tide tomorrow.

Missed the start of this track as I'm still getting to grips with new (to me) qtVlm navigation software! Weather forecast was for little or no wind and for once it was right. Sam, our 'Ancient Mariner (aka Autohelm 3000!) was entrusted with the wheel and we chugged our way past Tighnabruaich to Ardlamont Point where I thought there was a breath of wind. There was, but it wasn't helpful so after a few tacks the iron sail was deployed again and we headed up Loch Fyne. Some 5 hours later we finally rounded Otter Spit and anchored off the Inn. Which was shut. The long motoring was amply rewarded with stunning scenery and musical accompaniment from a neighbouring yacht which included a fiddler among its crew. Magical. No otters sighted but a group of porpoises and a seal made up for that.

After two nights in Port Bannatyne, and a visit to the spectacular house of the Marquesses of Bute at Mount Stuart, we needed a little quiet space. And we knew just the place. The Burnt Islands are a well protected anchorage in any conditions and with an approaching high pressure system the only issue was the rain. That and the squawking seabirds on the conservation islands. All the same e did manage to sail over 90% of the way, only using the engine out of the marina and on arrival. Moody 31 "Topsy" dropped by for a chat and entertainment was provided by a Swedish yacht with a novel approach to anchoring.

Although the forecast was for an unfavourable F5-6 for most of the day there was a window of opportunity around mid-day. The objective was Lamlash but the winds since yesterday had kicked up a substantial swell which the crew judged too uncomfortable for a 'holiday'. So after some 45 minutes beating into a decent SW F4 a decision was made to turn northward and head for the shelter of Rothesay or Port Bannatyne. A swift broad reach was found and the mood was further lightened by the appearance of a pod of dolphins who checked us over for 5 to 10 minutes. We were still making good speed as we entered Rothesay Bay so made for the sheltered waters of Port Bannatyne. Tomorrow we'll try to visit Mount Stuart which has been on the bucket list for far too long!