Draig-Y-Mor summer cruise 2003
"Ah, what is woman that you forsake her, and the hearth-fire and the home acre, to go with the old grey Widow Maker?"
(from Harp Song of the Done Women by Rudyord Kipling)
THURSDAY 15™ MAY 2003
It was a bit of a wrench leaving the wife and the cosy micro climate in Maryport Marina, especially after a good meal the evening before at "The Harbour Restaurant", following a walk to the summit of Skiddaw, earlier in the day. But I was away by 11.30, heading in the general direction of Portyerrock, a deep water anchorage to the N.E. of the Isle of Whithorn, on the Scottish side of the Solway Firth. The family was to be re-united on 2nd June, on or near the Isle of Skye. Meanwhile I was in sole charge of our Twister "Draig-y-mor" and together we had to make sure that we got to a suitable (and yet to be decided) rendezvous on time.
Motor sailing in a light North Westerly wind, we passed the "Two Foot Bank" buoy at 13.12 hours, when the wind backed to the south west and freshened. By 15.00 hrs there was a halo around the sun and "mare's tails" in the sky.
"Mackerel sky and Mare's Tails, make tall ships wear low sails"!
The coast-guard forecast on the V.H.F. warned of strong winds from the East or South East, which would make Portyerrock an exposed lee shore. So at 15.25 I changed course for Kirkcudbright Bay. After waiting for the tide in the shelter of Little Ross Island, we motored up the twisting channel and were moored alongside the town pontoons by 21.00 hrs. a good decision, as it rained and blew all the next day.
SATURDAY 17th MAY 2003
A southerly wind, force 4 or 5 gave us a chance to make for East Tarbert Bay, on the north side of the Eastern point of the Mull of Galloway on one tide. This secure anchorage is protected from the south and west through to northwest. Being spring tides, a lot of water was flowing out of the Scottish bays, giving turbulent conditions off their headlands. The sea was lumpy off Little Ross Island and Burrow Head, but with 2 reefs in the main and the full yankee jib we made good progress, passing the Scare rocks in Luce Bay at 17.00 hrs.
Though inside the M.O.D. bombing range, the Scares are a good mark when crossing Luce Bay, lying 5½ miles ENE of the Mull, the Big Scare drying 21 metres. We passed quite close to be sure of being up-tide of the south going tidal race at the Mull, but saw no aircraft. By 18.00 hours, about low water, Draig-y-mor was anchored at the head of East Tarbert Bay, in line with the slipway in 5 metres of water. With high cliffs on the windward side, the calm was impressive. Cattle and sheep grazed the hillside and a black bird sang nearby. Only a gentle swell penetrated the anchorage. I paid out 55 metres of chain in case a wind shift might cause violent down-draughts, but all was well.
It would have been a nice place to go ashore, with good views from the top of the Mull, and no doubt good fishing off the rocks. But no 'phoning home, as the mobile could not find a network!
SUNDAY 18™ MAY 2003
The forecast was for south westerly winds of force 6, occasionally force 7 off exposed headlands, and the windward side of the Mull of Galloway would certainly be a very exposed headland! The west going stream (the ebb from the Solway) was to start 20 minutes after high water Dover, at about 14.00 hours, and would run at up to 4.5 knots. So once committed, there would be no going back!
The favoured destination was Brown's Bay, on the southern entrance of Lame Lough (north of Belfast) in Northern Ireland. No tide runs through Brown's Bay which is sheltered from winds from south east, through south and west to northwest. Once round the Mull, it would be a broad reach to Brown's Bay, which should mean a fast and comfortable passage with 2 reefs in the mainsail and the yankee jib rolled up as required. So I decided to "give it a go"!
When rounding the Mull one needs to be close in or at least 3 miles off in order to avoid the tidal race, which would be dangerous today with a Spring tide against a SW force 6. Slack water is the time to be there but I was ^ hour early and found a strong ebb from Luce Bay already running, with a series of foaming crests 5 or 6 feet high, right to the foot of the cliffs. Perhaps it was an eddy left over from the east going flood tide, but our 3 bladed propeller and 15 horses pushed us through this 100 yards of turbulence to the relatively calmer waters to the west of the point.
Once on a course of 250° M (to avoid a further race off Crammag Head) the sails and the wind vane took over from the engine and the helmsman, and once clear of the Crammag race, a course of 290° M took us to our destination at near record speed.
Seas off this lee shore were about 7 feet high, and a squall which lasted for a good 30 minutes, had us overpressed with 2 reefs in the main and 4 rolls in the yankee jib, between 7 and 8 knots on the Stowe log and the Skipper hoping that nothing would break! An extra 2 rolls in the yankee would have done the trick, but that would have meant spoiling the sail trim and re-setting the wind vane, with a very good chance that I would get wet! As I was comfortably perched on my companionway seat in the shelter of the spray hood I was reluctant to move.
This is when the hours spent on winter maintenance yield their reward. Nothing broke! Approaching the weather shore of Ulster, the seas decreased in size and the sun shone, producing our own special rainbow astern. As we approached Brown's Bay there was a great thunderstorm with lightening and hail. This killed the wind altogether, so we motored to the anchorage in near calm, letting go in 5 metres at about 20.00 hours.
In spite of the recent calm, we had averaged 5 knots through the water and 6 knots over the ground with 30.43 miles on the log. This on the day when the Larne and Portpatrick Lifeboats were launched to assist yachts in distress.
After this sort of account one sometimes sees a panel headed "lessons learned", also sometimes listing "safety equipment" on board, so her is a list;
- The vessel should be appropriate (confirmed at least partly from one's own experience) for the voyage intended, with gear that can be relied upon not to fail or break.
- Crew strength must not be over-taxed. Going with or across the seas is much less tiring than going against them.
- If possible, stem foul tides at the start of the trip to be sure of getting fair tides near the destination.
- In strong winds avoid tidal races when the wind is against the tide.
- Remember that the seas are smaller and the opportunities for anchoring are greater off a weather shore.
- Plot your position on the chart at least every hour.
MONDAY 26™ MAY 2003
Now was the time to decide on a suitable rendezvous to meet my wife who would arrive by car. A well protected anchorage with good road access and secure parking was required, preferably without the expense of going over the Skye bridge. A study of the charts suggested that Plockton might fit the bill, so that became the next destination. To get there we had to navigate the tidal races of Kyle Rhea and Kyle Akin, passing beneath the Skye bridge before turning northwards for Loch Carron.
All exciting stuff, as I had never been to any of these places before, though I had heard enthusiastic reports of sailing around the Kyles of Loch Alsh from my wife's mother and godmother They had sailed there together in the 1920's and 30's producing sepia photographs of various family gaff cutters and a small racing keelboat which they sailed by themselves. Perhaps they would be with us in spirit
Meanwhile, for more up-to-date information, I had the Admiralty Tidal Stream Atlas, Admiralty chart No. 2540, and the excellent Pilot books by Martin Lawrence. Only just in time did I realise that the two Admiralty publications use different standard ports for the Kyle Rhea. so there was an undignified scramble to get away at 11.40 hours!
There was a good breeze in the bay, so I took in 2 reefs in the main. not wanting to be over pressed in the narrows where the wind might be concentrated and the steering tricky.
Luckily I was able to follow a barge, which made a dog-leg course through Kyle Rhea, keeping in the favourable stream (doing 10.1 knots over the ground at one point) while not being swept on to the rocks or into the contrary eddy. We emerged into Loch Alsh thinking that the main excitement of the day was over, but no!!
The south west wind, which had been modest in the Kyle, came gusting down from the hills with great force. Glad of the two reefs in the main sail, I took in 4 rolls of the yankee jib which had us going along at over 6 knots, keeling at about 45°, with the toe rail at water level.
There was not much time to look at the chart, but we could point for Kyle Akin and the Skye bridge. Under the bridge the wind "went funny" but in anticipation I already had the engine going and that pushed through the wind shadow. It is not a place to hang around, as ships frequently use this narrow channel. In fact a small tanker come through soon afterwards, gradually catching up with us on a course of 320° C.
With a strong but gusty wind and a quartering sea, the wind vane could not be left to steer with the ship just behind, so I only took the occasional glance at the chart. But it was brilliant sailing and we gave the tanker a good "run for her money" before she finally overtook.
Then I had time to study the chart properly. It had looked quite simple - from the bridge channel, follow the shore along outside all the islands, then turn to starboard for Plockton.
But not on a course of 320° C, which was taking us up the inner sound. By the time I looked at the chart, we were about to leave the Crowlin Islands to starboard, the approaches to Plockton already being left behind on the starboard quarter! So we had to say goodbye to our tanker friend, make a quick tack, and bear away on a broad reach to Plockton, where we anchored in 6 metres at 16.15 hours.
Lessons learned? I should have made a rough note of the course towards Plockton from the Bridge approach buoy, but we left in such a rush and in Loch Alsh there was too much excitement. Then there was the fun of "racing" the tanker, but I could have hove to on the other tack without risk of collision, and worked out my proper course. As was sometimes said in my school reports, "could do better"!
At about 16.30 hours I became aware of a slight stomach ache, and remembered that I had not eaten anything all day. So I had two cups of tea, followed shortly afterwards by mixed nuts and Ruby Port Wine. Then a tin of hot Spaghetti Bolognese. followed by a tin of pear halves in syrup. Finishing off with a fortified "Black Currant Bracer".
That is a drink made from a blackcurrant "teabag", plus a spoon or two of sugar, with red wine added to cool it to drinking temperature. This was followed by a snooze. One has great freedom when sailing alone, though one had to guard against the danger of becoming eccentric!!
TUESDAY 27™ MAY 2003
Plockton is a very good place for a rendezvous. The anchorage is protected except from the northeast and visitors' buoys are available and advisable if the vessel is to be left for some time. There is secure parking and even a railway station! There is a launderette, a general store and a good hotel on the sea front which has a dedicated "yachtie" shower at £2.50 a go, where they thoughtfully provide warm dry towels.
The locals have a Clinker built one-design racing dinghy, suitable for sailing or rowing, with a 6" deep keel running the whole length of the boat, but no centre board. Originally gaffers or luggers, they now have tall Bermudan rigs which lean over as the boats dry out on the foreshore. Also wondering about on the foreshore is a herd of Highland Cattle which do a good job in keeping down the grass verges all around the village. The only thing lacking is a supply of marine diesel fuel, but this can be obtained from the harbourmaster at Kyle of Lochalsh.
WEDNESDAY 28™ MAY 2003
I learned that at 8.00pm on Wednesday nights, a Ceilidh is held in the Town Hall at Portree, Skye, which seemed a good idea after a relaxing day at Plockton. So I weighed anchor at 09.25 hours and picked up a buoy at Portree five hours later. About half way there the wind increased from S.W. 3 to S.W. 5 or 6, so in the shelter of the isle of Scalpay, I took in two reefs in the main and 4 rolls in the jib. All this to find that all tickets had been sold prior to the event!
Slightly huffed, I anchored for the night opposite Portree below the high cliffs of Camas Ban, luckily escaping the severe downdrafts mentioned in the pilot book. Apart from a solitary otter, it was a lonely and rather gloomy spot and I regretted not going into one of the jolly bars (with live music) in Portree.
THURSDAY 29™ MAY 2003
An early start and a good S.W. breeze saw us rounding the hidden rocks off North Rona at 10.35 hours, entering Loch Torridon aft 11.55 hours and anchoring for lunch at Loch Shieldaig at 13.50. The afternoon was spend in exploring Loch Torridon on the lookout for a Rival 34 called "Rhum", belonging to the Revd. And Mrs. Roff, finally anchoring for the night in a bay on the southern shore, with trees to windward and a stream flowing in. Though surrounded by high mountains they mostly stand back from the shore of Loch Torridon giving many pleasing views and reducing the exposure to down draughts.
FRIDAY 29™ MAY 2003
Heading southwards we got off to a promising start, but the light south easterly wind died away to nothing by about 11.00 hours. This because the sun's rays were heating up the rocky land mass to windward, starting a sea breeze which cancelled out the light offshore wind.
Quite by chance we met the Roffs in "Rhum" heading for their mooring in Loch Torridon. After a brief chat we continued to Pol Creadha, in the parish of Applecross, under the "Iron Topsail".
Pol Creadha is a small natural harbour, the N.W. facing entrance protected by a mass of rocks, mostly submerged at high water. Red (port), green (starboard) and white (various) perches show up well in the main entrance, but the electrician seems to have put the red lights on the green perches, and vice versa. The red perches and the leading marks on the shore, guide one clear of the outermost rock, whose perch is rather old and insignificant. Being near low water and in a flat calm, entry conditions were ideal. Once inside we found good shelter and a sandy bottom (clearly visible) where we anchored in 6 metres. The harbour was occupied by fishing boats and few local yachts. A walk to the Post Office and an extensive exploration by dinghy of the harbour and neighbouring Pol Domhain occupied the afternoon.
A warm and slightly hazy evening, the sun a red ball slowly sinking behind the mountains of Skye, induced a feeling of mellow thankfulness for the good fortune of having such a sturdy little vessel and of being in this place at this time.
John Curtis
Draig-y-mor