Dinghy cruising among the Small Isles, 1995

A cruise among the Small Isles south west of Skye had been an ambition for a few years and 1995 was obviously intended for it. Weeks of perfect weather in July/August allowed us to cruise in Speedy our 16’6” Beaufort from Arisaig to Eigg, Canna, Soay, Loch Scavaig, River Morar, Eigg again, Loch Moidart, and back to Arisaig. Nights on board: 14. Days sailed: 8. Distance sailed: 120 NM. Crew: Jenny and David Jones. Combined weight 130kg. Combined age 116. Experience: started dinghy cruising in 1984; four seasons in 14’9” Seafly Two Seas, and seven in Speedy. Three previous trips to W coast of Scotland.

Charts: Admiralty 2207 & 2208 plus OS maps, all at 50000 scale. Tides: Admiralty NP 218 Tidal Stream Atlas; NP 159a v2.00 computer program for IBM PC was used to precalculate times and heights for 4 weeks around the planned cruise dates.

Sailing Directions and Anchorages: Clyde Cruising Club, Part 3, Ardnamurchan to Cape Wrath (referred to in text as CCC).

Background: Canna — the story of a Hebridean island by J L Campbell. 1994. Canongate Press, Edinburgh. Paperback, 345pp. The Natural History of Whales and Dolphins by Peter G.H. Evans, 1987, Christopher Helm London Publishers. Cruising Weather by Alan Watts, 1982, Nautical Books.

Equipment follows DCA’s Boat Safety Recommendations but no barometer! We have Seagull 40 Plus with 2 galls petrol, oars (8’7’ made by Jenny), inflatable dinghy, ground tackle: 5kg Bruce with 3.5m 3/8” chain and 25m 10mm terylene warp; 2kg Bruce with 4.5m ¼” chain and 25m 10mm terylene warp, overboom Dutch barn shape frame tent made by Jenny from 200 sq.ft. Terylene sail from crashed hang-glider, rainproofed by frequent Fabsil spraying, car battery to supply fluorescent tent light, winebox.

Wednesday 26.07.96 After two days trailing from Horsham, with an overnight stop at Stockton-on-Tees, reached Arisaig in the evening. Found boatyard unattended and slip obstructed but hard shore looked okay for launching. Rigged boat ready for an early start next morning, and slept in car.

Thursday 27.07.95 Arisaig to Eigg 06h40 Filled our three 1-gallon water containers from the boatyard tap but later found much better at other taps or burns on the islands. Launched from stony shore just at entrance to the boatyard premises, left car and trailer in what seemed to be a free adjacent public car park, rowed away to pick up a mooring buoy to have breakfast and prepare boat for sea.

08h00 Set sail, and in the quiet conditions with a leading wind, easily found our way out of the complicated Arisaig main S entrance. Going out, the orange perches are kept on the starboard side while green/white and black/white perches are kept on the port side. Arisaig Marine’s office was unattended in the evening or early morning so we could not spend £4.50 on their chartlet of the harbour — not really needed by a dinghy if you have CCC. The N entrance channel was used in earlier times and although unmarked ought to be suitable for a dinghy in favourable conditions.

Passage to Eigg was made exciting by close approaches of whales — real possibility I thought that one would nudge Speedy. Their 10 tons against our half (guess) doesn’t bear thinking about! One must have swum right under Speedy as it surfaced just on our starboard side as we sailed quietly on. Could hear them blowing from far away. 12h15 Beached on sand inside Sgeir nam Bagh in Eigg Harbour for a lunchtime breather.

14h00 Started around west side of Eigg — delightful, although anxious time rounding the SW corner where I had not read the chart well enough and found us sailing through the rocks to Bogh’ a’ Churaich instead of outside it.

Later, when breeze failed, decided to go into Laig Bay on NW side of Eigg for the night since forecast was for generally quiet weather and we only had a W/NW whisper.

18h00 Moored to two anchors in Laig Bay in crystal clear water, 3.5 metres deep by my leadline. Quiet evening and beautiful sunset over Rùm mountains so late to bed.

Friday 28.07.95 Eigg to Canna 01h00 Woke up to find boat pounding on beach in low surf as tide ebbed. I had not allowed enough depth for tide’s range, draught of boat, play of warps and angle of beach when planting the anchors. Very uncomfortable couple of hours while tide continued to fall, then rise again. Fortunately breeze was now offshore so when we floated at 03h00 we went out into deeper water. This bay is not a good place to be afloat overnight since some swell must come in from Sound of Rùm no matter how quiet is the weather and would be very unpleasant in onshore winds. We spend all nights on board since our boat is too heavy to haul out above the HW mark and we do not carry a land tent.

10h15 Departed Laig Bay. Forecast still fair, winds southerly 3/4, vis mod occ good. Wanted to get to Canna with its good haven so we could rest properly after long drive from Sussex, night in car, first couple of days sailing, and bad night on this beach. Tides won’t be helping but are not very strong so if breeze holds up we should be okay. Crossing Sound of Rùm we had another close encounter with whales but too brief to photo.

Skirted close inshore to NE coast of Rùm, then turned towards Canna whose mass was visible greyly 5 miles to the west. Passing Kilmory Bay an offshore breeze brought midges to attack us — something Rùm has a bad reputation for. Thankfully we were only troubled again later on Soay and on Eigg while climbing the Sgurr. On board at anchor we kept them at bay with Kilmos pyrethrum coils — unbelievably effective.

Very fast finish across the sound to Canna/Sanday with full f3(4) and an increase in sea state with the flood tide (as noted in CCC), not too bad in this weather but quite glad to get in lee of Sanday. Took 5 hours to cover about 17 NM.

15h15 Anchored in Canna Harbour ‘between the two churches’ at 276051 to stow sails, have afternoon tea, collect our thoughts etc. In this beautiful, sheltered, natural harbour there was only one yacht and ourselves.

Amused to watch, from too far away unfortunately, a scrap between a pair of seals on rocks at N point of Sanday. Used engine to reccy and decided best place for a dinghy was tucked among the rocks/islets one or two cables east of the footbridge connecting Sanday to Canna (268050 on OS Sheet 39). Here we could dry out on a completely clean sand/mud bottom, with swinging room. Would not expect any swell would reach this far, whatever the weather. We had good access to both islands and to the water tap we eventually stumbled across behind the school building on Sanday. The CCC direction to a ‘water tap near the church on Sanday’ is misleading. We searched for it without success and were told later that it is near the disused iron-roofed cottages N from the church. It is best to assume that there are no supplies to be had. There is a PO ‘which Winnie only opens now and again for an hour at a time’ but we never spotted it open. Perhaps around ferry times? We never saw any ferry either! A curiosity is an old sweetie tin perched on top of the red letter posting box. Inside we found some nuts and raisins — perhaps left there for hungry castaways?

The population of Canna and Sanday together in 1981 was only 18, in 7 inhabited houses, and may be fewer now judging from the empty dwellings — although there are some new cottages as well. In 1821 there were 436 in 73 houses — it is difficult now to envisage such masses!

Saturday 29.07.95 On Canna. Spent a very comfortable night although much rain. Morning was reasonably fair. Had a lie in. Then walked ashore to Sanday and the abandoned Catholic church hoping to fill a water can. After picnic lunch in the meadow behind the houses went paddling on the white sand beach shown as ‘boat harbour’ on the chart but bound to get bad swell if wind was from SW. Gorgeous flowery meadows. Canna is infested with swarms of rabbits and blessed with a herd of gorgeous highland cattle.

Walked as far as Tarbert Bay where road starts a steep climb inland to a col which would let you cross through to the N side of Canna. Met a naturalist who was walking right round the island having arrived with the ferry at 07h30 (05h00 sailing from Mallaig). He had seen sea eagles on the tops and said there is a walkable sheeptrod right round Canna, keeping to the cliff tops — very high on the N side. This must be a grand walk. Noted 3 or 4 yachts in harbour on our return.

Sunday 30.07.95 On Canna. Walked past the ‘castle/prison’ to the top of Compass Hill (NE of the harbour) to see if could detect the notorious magnetic anomaly using my hand bearing compass. Results were that from the hill the bearing of Speedy (anchored near the footbridge) was 232 deg whereas from Speedy the hill’s bearing was 055 deg — a deviation of only 3 deg. Surprised how little since old books talk direly of complete reversals of the needle and so on. Visited the Protestant church which exists solely for the benefit of visitors, since all the residents are Catholic.

On returning after our long walk, an island woman joined us in conversation, sympathising with us arriving in the rain on Friday and said we could use the tap and toilet in the unused cottage at 266052.

Monday 31.07.95 Canna to Soay. 05h55 Shipping Forecast confirms slack weather continuing. So main problem likely to be frustration with ‘variable 2/3’ winds. 06h10 Fetched gallon of lovely white water from the school tap and preparing to go to Soay.

08h50 Up anchor.

09h00 Departing from Canna Harbour (looking busy with 8 yachts in on Bank Holiday) we were saddened by sight of a sheep that had got itself trapped on the cliff by rising tide —nothing we nor it could do to save it unless it swam a long way. Spotted one whale far off and one dolphin close to, plus usual crowds of floating auk type birds with babies. Wind was very light north-easterly and tide stream to the NW so best course we could hold took us to Loch Brittle.

11h20 Crossing Loch Brittle entrance and started tacking to get into Soay Sound and the harbour. When a mile short, the breeze reversed and gave us an easy run for the last stage.

14h30 It had taken 3 hours to get from Rubh an Dunain on the S side of Loch Brittle and we arrived too late to get over the bar into Soay harbour so anchored in kelp, gravel and boulders to wait for flood. Depth was only 1 m so I started calculations to see whether we would ground on this nasty bottom. Concluded we would not but it was very close and any swell would have forced us to go away to wait for the tide to rise.

16h30 Rowed across bar and entered; anchored just past old railway engine boiler used to make steam for Gavin Maxwell’s defunct shark liver oil factory enterprise. Depth at 17h00 only 1 m. There was an ‘atmosphere’ on this part of Soay that put us off. In addition to clegs and midges I think it was the contrast between lovely Canna and the hemmed-in, derelict, abandoned state of Soay’s harbour area that depressed us. Anyway we proposed not to linger but to depart next morning. After settling in, we walked across the neck to the SE side — Camas nan Gall. Interesting for the view of the Soay settlement, and the windmill and solar cell powered telephone system.

Woke up in the middle of the night and looked outside. Fantastic phosphorescence in water with visibility at least 4 m and could see little lights twinkling even with no disturbance of water — best show I’ve seen in Britain.

Tuesday 01.08.95 Soay to Loch Scavaig, Skye. 09h00 Departed Soay under full sails for Loch Scavaig but later had to reef and tack up the sound. Fell light as we entered Loch Scavaig. Lots of inquisitive seals on rocks as we ghosted towards head of loch. Nearly fell in the water as two military jets thundered up the loch at silly height heading into the Cuillin.

12h00 Anchored in pool N of En Glas at 485195.

Took inflatable to landing steps and walked along west shore of Loch Coruisk, D turned back at the Slabs at 475209 but J carried on to do the complete circuit of the loch arriving back at the steps at 17h30.

D meanwhile took inflatable to waterfall at 483196 to fetch a gallon of lovely white water. Chatted to friendly skipper of pleasure boat from Elgol — doing a good trade this summer. Night was spoiled by a period of buffeting from down drafts — not a danger with our quiet weather but unsettling in a small boat and warning of what could be in windy weather. (See CCC).

Wednesday 02.08.95 Loch Scavaig - Point of Sleat - River Morar. By 05h20 buffeting ceased and 05h55 shipping forecast was N/NE 3/4 occ 5 so favourable for my plan to go south via Tarskavaig Bay on W side of Sleat Peninsula, then Camas Daraich at Point of Sleat, and on to River Morar.

08h30 Buffeting resumed in En Glas pool.

09h10 Wind much stronger now and buffeting worse. Realised needed to work out carefully how to get us safely away. Where we had tucked ourselves was chosen to give most protection against any wind or swell from the south but was now a lee shore of steep rock and very close. So we had to recover heavy anchor and motor away without any slip ups — sails or oars were no use in these conditions though the latter were ready to phrutch with if the Seagull croaked!

10h10 Successfully got away from the pool and set sail down Loch Scavaig. Shook out all reefs — but put two back in once clear of Loch Scavaig. Then, when in open water on way to Sleat, fully reefed mainsail. Wind was full f4 occ 5, waves 1m. Sailing course for Tarskavaig was too wet and bumpy so bore away to simply broad reach to the peninsula shore as best we could and then turned on to a run down to the Point of Sleat.

13h30 Anchored in Camas Daraich, Point of Sleat. Lovely shelter from the northerly wind —in fact dead calm. Wanted to stay for a few hours to allow time for the tide to rise and let us in over the bar at River Morar. J sunbathed and D went to sleep.

17h15 Departed Camas Daraich, for River Morar, 6 NM away across the Sound of Sleat. While in lee of Point of Sleat breeze very light so set full mains’l. Once clear, wind increased so reduced main first by 2 holes and then after a minute or two fully reefed and genny furled to a scrap. Wind and sea increased so quickly that D did not get round to putting on oilies before things got hectic nay desperate. Got very heavy indeed! Only course I could manage was a beam reach with both sails flogging and rattling like machine guns as I completely spilled wind. Fortunately this course would take us to just upwind of River Morar. No chance of tacking, gybing or even heaving to in these conditions because genny was beyond control. D couldn’t leave helm to help Jenny and was very worried that heads’l roller reefing gear would let go some way and let out all the heads’l. At sea we cannot drop this sail which is in the groove of the roller spar. Waves were big — (2 m?), short and steep with many breaking crests, fortunately only a couple of these caught us. We were sailing parallel to the waves and they were pretty well predictable. Sometimes the lee gunwale buried a little in a trough but to my relief as I watched helpless, not more than a gallon or two came over the wide side decks of the Beaufort. Several times I thought we were a goner but only once did the lee deck go completely under. Our Whale Gusher Urchin bilge pump is mounted under the starboard side bench and Jenny bravely went and sat down on the downhill leeward side to work it. I was pleased that the centre plate was only down a little since I’m sure we’d have been a lot worse off if much had been showing underneath. (But, thinking about it later, with little plate showing there would have been nothing to use for righting the boat if we had capsized. Being realistic I don’t think we could have done much to help ourselves in those conditions if she had gone over). The reassuring thing about the whole episode is how resistant to capsize she seemed to be. Until this experience I would not have believed we could have survived such a combination of wind and wave so my respect for the boat has gone up considerably — and also my determination to strenuously avoid a repetition since I’ve never been so frightened as this in any activity! We saw a couple of fishing boats and I was wondering whether they had seen us or were keeping an eye out for us because if they were I’m sure they would have concluded we were in trouble or heading for it! Jenny later admonished me for keeping the flare-pack ‘safely’ in the stern locker — quite inaccessible in such a seaway. Next season it will be Velcroed under the foredeck — or perhaps slung round my neck! When nearly across the sound a yacht (rare sight) crossed ahead of us running before the wind and waves with only a tiny headsail set which confirmed to me that the wind was strong. Two hours and 6 miles of terror — seriously!

19h15 Could now identify the entrance to River Morar so turned downwind and Jenny managed to completely furl the genny and then take down the main. We ran down to River Morar under virtually bare poles just a hanky size sail.

19h30 Anchored as soon as we were inside on the south side of the entrance. What a relief to get out of the wild conditions and find that the bar was placid in the N/NE breeze. After ‘composing ourselves’ motored to northernmost part of estuary and anchored; wind still very strong here but at least a weather shore and no waves. After much bailing and sponging before and after getting tent on we changed into dry clothes and cooked soup, then Sainsbury’s Sweet ‘n Sour Savoury Rice (yummy) and frankfurters. Much appreciated!

Thursday 03.08.95 In River Morar. At 05h55 wind in our anchorage still strong but Shipping Forecast is for light winds and the same reported from Tiree and Malin Head so I guess we were suffering from acceleration of wind down the Sound of Sleat.

We moved to just downstream of new road bridge (not shown on chart and air draft unknown but impression is maybe only 6 to 8 metres) and anchored on north bank of river. Walked to Loch Morar — very beautiful, and Morar village to get a gallon of petrol. Climbed the hill with big steel cross S of the hotel for fine views. Morar village stores/PO not open in 1995.

Friday 04.08.95 In River Morar. Took a walk along road on S side of river to try to get view of sea state. After miles only got a distant view but saw enough roughness to decide not to sail. Instead took 10h37 train from Morar to Arisaig to pick up our car and have a rest day. Drove to Mallaig for shopping, several good chandlers, Info Centre, fishing boats’ quay, and coastguard/harbourmaster’s office.

Asked a fisherman about winds on Wednesday. He had been out at the time and said ‘yes it had been quite windy but we do not pay much attention’. The coastguard also did not have any record but commented that forecasters do get things wrong. He kindly made us a copy of the weather FAX map and forecast which showed that the quiet weather with winds from the N quarter was set to last. He asked whether we had ‘any communications on board’ meaning Marine VHF radio that we could have used to seek info on the weather before setting out across the Sound of Sleat. All we have is the tranny for BBC Shipping Forecasts and Inshore Waters Forecasts. The last time I had got a forecast on Wednesday was at 05h55 — 12 hours before our beating. Should have tuned in at lunchtime but reception is often poor in these parts. If we had Marine VHF we could have heard the weather broadcasts from the coastguards every 4 hours and talked to them if we had wanted to. This experience has started me thinking again about the place of radio in dinghy cruising — especially when going into waters known for severe conditions and rapid changes.

After a really enjoyable day in Mallaig drove back to Morar and found a nice new concrete launching ramp at Bourblach, 677936, accessed over a cattle grid through a gate from the north-going lane of new Morar village bypass, A830. Not sure of ownership etc but farmer entering after us stopped to simply ask that we were careful to close the gate by the cattle grid. This could be a useful alternative to Arisaig for dinghy cruisers providing weather compatible with crossing bar — we had no worries, but have not experienced onshore wind and swell. See caution in CCC.

Continued to Arisaig, parked car and took 17h34 train back to Morar. To avoid neaping on next tide decided to move anchorage to deeper water. Using fenders anchored to a found traffic cone base, marked a spot at 677921 on line between white house on N side of river to end of fence on S beach. Cleared a few large cobbles from swinging circle and now had room for whatever wind, and a clean soft bottom to dry out on. Fine sandy beach on S side of river is easily accessible from road and there is a good toilet block above so is popular and why we stayed on the N side. When tide came in rowed boat to new deeper berth.

Saturday 05.08.95 River Morar to Eigg. 10h40 Motored away from anchorage, crossed bar and set sail for Eigg.

16h05 Arrived Eigg after a slow passage due to very light winds — f 0-2, westerly to start, then easterly. Saw dolphins, eider, and ‘2 gallon’ jelly fish (i.e. looked as big as our bucket).

Anchored at 491848 just S of Kildonnan Farm. Seal came to have a look at us. Landed and did dhobi in stream below old water mill.

Sunday 06.08.95 On Eigg. Spent day walking on Eigg. Visibility stupendous. Moved anchorage inshore to 487849 when got back from walk to avoid grounding on the rocky bottom next low tide as tides growing after neaps and measured only 0.5 m under us at 08h00 LW.

22h00 Getting very windy but we’ve now got long scope, plenty of swinging room and a clean bottom with good holding in ‘mud’ (chart). In these parts charted ‘mud’ seems nothing like the goo we’re used to in England. Instead it is more like fine sand which may be from white to black but is always walkable, clean, and good holding for our anchors.

Monday 07.08.95 On Eigg. D’s big birthday! Thinking of sailing to Loch Moidart today but later decided wanted to spend some more time on Eigg. General weather forecast predicting 24 C — warmest part of British Isles — wonderful.

08h00 Boat dried out. Two farmyard geese joined flock of 27 unknown species wild geese on shore — or was it the other way round? Amusing to see the domesticated variety consorting with their wild cousins, only a quarter their weight probably. Decided we’d walk and climb the Sgurr. Visited crew of a Drascombe Drifter dried out on the sand between the pier and the old boat harbour — this was the only boat we saw in our two weeks’ cruise that would anywhere near qualify for the DCA. The Drifter is very heavy (bare boat = 900kg). After our experience crossing the Sound of Sleat I felt envious of their more substantial craft which they had launched from Craobh Haven two weeks earlier, with two more weeks planned.

Spoke to a couple at the pier cafe who had been watching an otter mum and her two babies from their campsite above Laig Bay. Bought D’s birthday cake and an excellent Scottish Wildlife Trust leaflet at the cafe and got rid of our garbage into their bin. Refuse disposal on Eigg is a political issue that embarrasses the locals who blame the island’s proprietor for total lack of any facilities.

The SWT leaflet describes several circular walks starting from the pier for the benefit of day visitors from the mainland. We set out on Route 3, to the Sgurr (393 m), and met a family who assured us that it was easy — as in fact it turned out to be although shattering for D who ain’t what he used to be as far as long walks and steep places is concerned. Leaflet says 4 hours and 6 miles but our round trip from the boat was nearer 12 miles and we spent 9 hours ashore.

Views from top and along the way were magnificent — to the Outer Hebrides and past Mull and the Treshnish to Coll and Tiree, as well as countless Skye and mainland mountains we could not name.

After coming down from the Sgurr we tried to find the Massacre and Cathedral caves which SWT leaflet recommended for otter spotting but we had no luck. However J found some puzzling specimens on the shore about which more later.

‘SECRET FOOTPATH’ We found a useful short cut route from Kildonnan/Poll nam Partan towards the pier that starts off up the cliff face from the road just past the bridge near the old water mill at 487852. It traverses diagonally left to emerge at the cliff top and then a pleasant continuation towards the pier. In the reverse direction, finding the start of the descent down the cliff is most important! You are at the start when the right hand end of the white farm house nearest the beach at Kildonnan bears 080 deg M. Back on board J cooked scones since our bread was finished.

Tuesday 08.08.95 Eigg to Loch Moidart. 08h40 Ready for sea — planning to go to Loch Moidart, 10 NM to the SE. Forecast is light/variable southerly.

11h35 Arrived in North Channel, Loch Moidart after lovely f1-2 close hauled sail from Eigg. Only saw two fishing boats and one sail (exiting from Arisaig).

12h40 Anchor dropped for lunch at bar at Shona Beag. Fantastically quiet in here. Lovely narrow corner in the channel — I wonder how big a yacht could come this way — but fine for dinghy cruisers. The Sgurr on Eigg visible back through the N channel from our lunch anchorage. Saw porpoise/dolphins and one seal on trip across. White farmhouse above our Eigg/Kildonnan anchorage was visible as a back mark for the whole trip and a bearing of 123 deg true was sailed all the way with apparently negligible tide set.

We explored the E part of Loch Moidart under engine but did not find any places that really looked attractive for the night. A few other boats were among the islands between Riska and Torr Port a’ Bhata which is very pretty and the usual place but we thought too far from a landing for footpaths, and I was still thinking about the buffeting we got in Loch Scavaig when anchored afloat among steep terrain. Getting a good night’s rest is vital for avoidance of bad tempers and bad mistakes!

17h10 Finally selected Cairns Pool, 658710 for night — not the prettiest spot in Loch Moidart but convenient for getting ashore for footpaths, far enough from main visitor area near the castle, and giving good shelter from the fresh southerly wind. Measured 3.5m depth. Later a man (the Bailie?) in a red dinghy motored across from the houses opposite and ask brusquely whether ‘we were lost’. He seemed to be suggesting we were in an unsuitable spot for anchoring/staying the night and warned us not to do any fishing. We could stay that night however.

Wednesday 09.08.95 In Loch Moidart. At LW next morning the dried out’ pool’ turned out to be rather small and rocky and near the edge of the river course so perhaps the bailie’s message had been well meant.

J went walking to Newton of Ardtoe and Acharacle for shopping but D exhausted after Monday’s expedition to the Sgurr on Eigg so stayed with boat.

Since now agreed that Cairn’s Pool was unsuitable, carried the big anchor, buoyed with a fender, to a flat patch of ‘mud’ a little downstream, directly opposite bailie’s house. After clearing a few rocks and cobbles from the swinging circle was at last satisfied. Also looked behind Eilean Uaine for use as a dinghy anchorage. Found bottom excellent with virtually no stone and the holding better i.e. muddier than opposite the houses where the bottom is rather coarse and loose sandy/gravely since river is quite fast flowing there. Behind En Uaine is very shallow and rather open to the west, but pretty, reasonably near a footpath, and well away from roads. Across the river a launching/recovery ramp could be seen directly off the road end at 665721 just S of Castle Tioram. Looks usable from half tide. Parking not determined but might be a problem depending on visitors to the castle — very busy on Tuesday after Bank Holiday but quiet next day. When tide came in, walked boat to its new berth, inflated rubber boat, and went to sleep for the day!

Thursday 10.08.95 Loch Moidart to Arisaig. After breakfast rowed across to pier to meet bailie and J got three gallons of (yellow) water from his greenhouse by the leftmost building. Quite friendly and no mention of our first encounter!

Inshore Waters 06h55 forecast was southerly 3/4 (occ 5) so, still worrying after our Sound of Sleat experience, I was apprehensive about venturing out but bailie and another visitor encouraged us by saying that with the wind from the south we would be fine running north with the tide to Arisaig that day. So we rowed and motored to just west of the entrance of Faodhail Dhubh to anchor for lunch and wait for the tide to turn northerly. 12h55 Quite windy so with fully reefed main and half furled genoa we left the south channel of Loch Moidart and had a good run N to Rubh Arisaig covering 9.5NM in 2 hours. 15h15 Dropped anchor in Arisaig moorings after sailing all the way until the final orange port hand perch when put engine on to cross the shallows where tide was running fast this way and that, and to traverse the moorings. After a brief pause for breath lifted anchor and sailed barepoled to the stony shore and made a quick recovery onto the trailer on a rising spring tide. Put boat and car into the car park for the night and D bivouacked on Speedy with the midges until the breeze came back and drove them away.

Friday 11.08.95 Arisaig to Loch Creran by road. De-rigged boat somewhat anxiously since breeze very fresh and worried about dropping mast on cars surrounding us.

Decided to drive to Creran Moorings, Barcaldine so we could camp ashore there en route south. Very squally weather on way so reckoned we had ended cruise at right time. Spotted from the road what looked like launching ramps on S side of Loch Ailort. Delighted to hear from Jock and Jonquil, proprietors of Creran Moorings, that Joan and Tony Abrams had phoned earlier to say they were also arriving later and asking for a table to be booked for dinner at the Lochnell Arms, Connell Bridge. The booking was amended to a table for 4 and we shared a splendid meal with them, on their wedding anniversary as it turned out to be. We had rain that night and the Shipping Forecast for Malin/Hebrides was f5/6(7) so glad to have pulled out in time after two perfect weeks.

Saturday 12.08.95 Return to civilisation. Said farewell to Joan who was off to Oban to buy some bits for Red Knot in preparation for its journey to Greece. We called in at the Oban Sea Life Centre just down the road from Creran Moorings to see if anyone there could help identify the specimens J had found on the shore on Eigg. Nice receptionist there ushered us through without paying entry fee (£4.45 for adults) to go and find Simon. He said they were baleen plates from a whale, most likely Minke as these are the commonest around the Small Isles and since the plates were quite small. He had previously only seen plates 6 feet long where some of ours were about 2 feet and others about 8 inches. Minkes have 230-360 plates on each side of upper jaw and they serve to filter their food from the water.

However the people at OSLC and its equivalent at Mallaig seemed more interested in our sightings of basking sharks near Coverack, Cornwall in May and among the Small Isles. I do not know why there is such interest in the shark nor whether it is the same species Gavin Maxwell was exploiting on Soay. Carried on driving south and reached Stockton-on-Tees our overnight stop in dark and rain.

AFTERTHOUGHT: from CCC entry about Sound of Sleat: ‘In strong SW winds, especially against the tide, a short steep sea builds.’ Well we now know that conditions are also vicious in strong NE winds against the tide! We were crossing between Dover HW+2 and HW+4 and between 1 and 3 hours after local LW.

CCC gives tidal rate as only 1 kt — I’ve never understood why the wind against tide effect is so potent but studying the chart at home afterwards notice that the submarine topography is quite rugged hereabouts. CCC is written for yachtsmen so us smaller fry should take any warnings seriously. If F6 is a yacht gale, what is a dinghy gale?

Perhaps the answer is in Alan Watts’ book Cruising Weather which has a table illustrating the implication of wind strength for (presumably racing-) dinghy sailors:-

force 5 Dinghies ease sheets in gusts. Crew use all weight to keep craft upright. Genoas near their limit. Some capsizes.

force 6 Dinghies overpowered when carrying full sail. Many capsizes. Crews find difficulty in holding craft upright even when spilling wind.

force 7 Dinghies fully reefed. Difficult to sail even on main alone. This is the absolute top limit for dinghies - other than in extremis.

force 8 Dinghies may survive if expertly handled in the seaway on foresail alone.

The wind down the sound had a fetch of 18 NM and, also according to Alan Watts, even without wind-against-tide effects you can expect 2m waves after 3 hours of f6 or 3m waves after 2 hours of f7.

I think we had had our first taste of f6/7, and I did not like it, though J seemed unfazed!

June is regarded as better than July/August in these parts but Jenny and I are both now blessed with school holidays so the end of July was the earliest we could start and this year it was perfect. With 6 weeks available we no longer needed to feel forced to move on in order to finish the holiday within say 2 weeks. However you still have to be sure that your anchorages are safe for all conditions that could develop and that cannot be said of many places on the West Coast. Advice in books about being ready to get away from an anchorage if the weather direction changes during the night must be aimed at the yachtsman since the last thing I want to do at 2am is put to sea and look for somewhere better! Even in the superb 1995 summer these thoughts were always present at bedtime and make up a large part of the ‘stress’ of dinghy cruising. When, because you are too tired or lulled by the peace and beauty, you do not think enough about arrangements for the night, trouble ensues.

Weather on previous trips had been:

1989: first two weeks of August, fine weather for rounding Mull etc.

1992: end of August, heavy weather for Loch Creran DCA Rally.

1994: end May/beginning June, fine to moderate for Arduaine DCA Rally.

Besides the scones mentioned earlier Jenny also cooked Boat Bread when needed. Her recipes for both follow:-

Boat Scones Ingredients:- 8 oz wholemeal self-raising flour, 2 oz marg, 1 egg, milk or water to mix. Optional additions:- 1 oz sugar; dried fruit or cheese; seasoning.

Rub fat into flour; make a well; add beaten egg and water to mix to a firm dough. Shape and cut into scones. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Cook 6 mins each side or until done.

Boat Bread Add 1 tsp salt to 8 oz of wholemeal self-raising flour. Mix to a dough with water. Knead, roll and generally flatten out to shape which fits your frying pan. Get the frying pan really hot and drop in the dough. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Is like pitta bread.