Wednesday 1st October

Sunday,  left the berth at Glenarm at 0400 in order to catch enough north going tide to get through the North Channel before it turned.  Leaving in pitch dark made it tricky  avoiding the fish farm that occupies a large part of Glenarm Bay.  With a F4 SW to W wind I was doing average 6kts with tide and by sunrise was just a few miles off the Mull of Kintyre, and crossing the southern end of the TSS.  When the tide turned I was well on the way up the Sound of Jura but the wind was dropping and I motored the last few miles into Twin Beaches Bay at the northern end of Gigha, anchoring at 1300.  I could have continued motoring north all afternoon but it is such a fabulous spot and tomorrow I would have wind to carry me north.   The beach is compared with ones in the Caribbean but with Otters !   Some folks were braving the chilly water.   

Monday,  I set an ambitious target to reach the Sound of Mull, about 50nm.  However the day would be dictated by strong tides, the key one being through the Sound of Luing where it runs at up to 6kts.  It meant fighting a contrary tide for most of the 30 nm up the Sound of Jura.   Fortunately it was F4/5 S to SE wind which pushed me well against the current.  As I was approaching the eastern end of the Gulf of Corryvrekan, famous for its whirlpools, I slowed to almost a standstill in a particularly fearsome tidal race and had to motor briefly to get through it.  I ultimately enjoyed the pay off though as I then had 4 hours of favourable tide which carried me through the Sound of Luing and up the Firth of Lorn.  I reached Craignure at the southern end of the Sound of Mull just as it was getting dark and anchored clear of moorings and the ferry jetty.  It was a very small space to fit, as was very soon highlighted by the Calmac ferry which arrived soon afterwards and passed less than 100m away as it came alongside.   

Tuesday, as the weather forecast is now deteriorating rapidly it becomes imperative to make it to Skye, the final destination, today. It’s another stretch of about 45nm and needs maximum use of tides so I set off at 0700 at the start of the north going flood.  A good F4 from S blows me rapidly up the channel and I’m kept busy making several gybes of the main and poled out genoa.  By 1000 I’m passed Tobermory and heading for Ardnamurchan.  As I round the headland the water is now open to Atlantic swell and the sea becomes very lumpy and confused with waves reflecting off the cliffs.  But once around and heading north east toward Skye, it settles down to a steady rolling following sea.  The wind increases to 20kts at times and I’m bowling along at an average 6kts.  Heavy dark clouds hang over the highland mountains to my right, with beams of bright sunshine breaking through here and there, shedding patches of sunlight onto the slopes and reflecting bright colours.  To my left the islands of Muck and Eigg sit shrouded in mist and occasionally lost in a rain cloud.  With just a few miles to go I’m now racing along at over 7kts, it’s as if SO can sense we are nearly there.    A large pod of dolphins join us, performing acrobatics and squeaking to each other.  At 15.30 I pull into Armadale Bay near the southern corner of Skye.  Martyn and Stephanie are expecting me and sitting in their dinghy behind their boat, Sandpiper, on a mooring.   They show me to a nearby visitor mooring where I make fast.   SO will stay here till next week when she will come out of the water and be laid up for the winter at the nearby boatyard.     

And so ends another season, next year we will be back and exploring northern latitudes.     Thankyou once again for following the blog.  

 

Twin Beaches Bay, Gigha

The Paps of Jura

Armadale Bay, Skye