Our Spring Cruise

Our Easter Cruise

Troon is. Little more can be said on the matter.
We rigged and readied Albatross and together we said "Farewell" to Footloose.

We had a day in hand before Professor Edwards was due so we wizzed up to Arisaig and left the trusty Skoda there.
The train trip back to Troon was long, cheap and very pretty.

The day before our planned departure for Campbeltown was,  as is traditional, spent mending water pumps.

27th March
We sailed to  Campbeltown.  Jib alone. F4 easterly.
Campbeltown marina pontoon had been fitted with special anti-gull netting.  Fortunately, my beloved spotted this before attempting to leap onto the pontoon and no injuries were sustained.
There was no sign of Mr Salmond in Campbeltown that day.

28th March
We sailed to Port Ellen.  It was windier than expected.  Albatross hit 11.5 knots rounding the Mull of Kintyre. Unfortunately the wind made much of our singing inaudible. This was disappointing.
We made it to Port Ellen in 5 hours. This was remarkable, possibly improbable, certainly unlikely, but in retrospect, comprehensible.

We like Port Ellen.The weather however,  was crap.
The marina wasn't open when we arrived.
Fortunately, my beloved spotted a cleverly concealed rope across the pontoons,  and yet again saved the day.

Port Ellen Marina, Islay

A very nice man from the volunteer marina committee switched on the electricity and water and informed us that there would be no charge for our visit because the marina wasn't open. We were however, allowed to leave a donation at the Spar Shop.

For the next 2 days the weather was unchanged.  Too windy for sailing.
Al took us to an excellent meal at The Islay Hotel. We went for walks (mainly to the Co-op), and generally complained about the weather (which was crap).
We even had an exciting taxi ride to the town of Bowmore, mainly so that Al could check out their whisky.

Eventually Monday, the last day of March,  broke and, armed with yet another inaccurate weather forecast (East or South East,  force 4 to 5 maybe 6), we set off in trepidation into a Northeasterly,  force 2 to 6 for Ardfern.
We motored much of the way,  arriving at 1730 in style, leaving a slightly bigger dent in our bow than in their pontoon.

Supper was fish and chips in the pub.  We liked the pub.

After considerable discussion and analysis we decided that the day's adventure did not quite constitute an epic but was otherwise entirely satisfactory.

April 1st dawned with the news that medical researchers were now recommending a daily intake of at least 7 pieces of fruit or veg and that, as a result,  some laxtive manufacturers faced bankruptcy.
We set off for Oban confident that the weather forecast would be wrong.

Al was confident about the weather. 

Our trip across Dorus Moor and up the Sound of Luing was remarkably sedate when one considers the precise meaning of the expression  " equinoctal spring tide".

Oban marina had changed little since our last visit.  The broken pontoon is perhaps rather more broken,  the broken washing machine has gone, the loos and showers are still, well  ..... loos and  showers. The wifi is somewhat frail but the shuttle boat to Oban is excellent.  There is still little shelter from an easterly.
The wind that night was a strong easterly.

We said goodbye to Al and went shopping. We bought a pair of trowsers, a long handled scrubbing brush and four fish cakes.

An alternative to building sheds

How to build a conservatory.  A guide for sailors and their pets.

There comes a time in life when some men have built almost enough sheds and should consider building a conservatory instead.

How to do it.

You need a house with a garden. 

A house

If you’ve already extended your house, you may need planning permission.  For this you get some forms from the very nice people at the Council and fill them in.  This is not very difficult.

Next you need to dig some big holes for the foundations.

A big hole

It rained a lot when we did this

A big hole full of water.

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We barrowed the soil and clay from our holes down the garden and spread it out in a convenient hollow.  If you don’t have a convenient hollow, you may have to hire a skip.

A convenient hollow hole full mud

Cement, bricks, sand and building stuff came from Covers.  

Covers in Burgess Hill were very helpful.

The helpful man from Covers

My brother helped me mix the concrete

Mixing concrete

We filled the foundations and build a little wall

Filled inside with rubble

.Rubble "blinded with sand"

Damp roof course and floor insulation

Insulation

All snug for the winter frosts

Cousins of Horsham supplied the conservatory and were very good.

Mick installed it for Cousins. He was also very good.

Mick's labours

Next we laid a screed floor.  We did this is sections to make it easier.  This was a mistake.

David mixed the concrete for this. This was a good idea.

Floor screed

David is a superlative mixer of concrete.

Electricity should only be installed by a professional, so I did it.

Floor tiling is tedious.

All done.

All done.

Thanks to Jean, David, Mick and Cousins.

Two things "not to be missed" in January 2014

The first, and most important, thing not to be missed in January 2014, is Sainsbury's Basics Mince Pies.
18 pies for 25 pence * (or less than 1.4 pence "per unit").
For the less technically minded reader, each "unit" is a mince pie. And they taste good.

Not to be missed.

Next, and less important, pages 36 to 37 of this month's Practical Boat Owner ("this month" for some reason being February).  

Those of a nervous disposition are advised to concentrate on the pies.

*locally, conditions may apply.

Return of Storm Chaos

Wheelie bin blown over for second time

Future Epic Adventures

It is, of course, very important that all sailors think of the future at this time of year.

Last year.

On this basis, it is never to soon to plan for the coming season and to start the search for crew and victims.

As my regular reader(s) will appreciate, we are currently berthed in Troon. We like Troon.

March next year promises to be unusually warm in Scotland, so our first leg will begin sometime in March when we will leave Troon.  Thence approximately, Campbeltown, around the Mull of Kintyre, Port Ellen on Islay, eventually perhaps to Oban (to pick up and drop off crew, as and when and if appropriate), then perhaps clockwise around Mull, maybe over to Canna and eventually to Arisaig (where we have a mooring booked and from where trains run to Glasgow).

As you can see this first leg is already at an advanced stage of planning.

Thus Epic 2014, leg one will be Troon to Arisaig via Mull  late March to mid April.

A telephone box

Epic 2014, leg two requires more planning but this will be know as the "St. Kilda Epic" and we may attempt to sail to St. Kilda and various other places.

Epic 2014, leg two (St Kilda) is from Arisaig to Arisaig via St Kilda  14th June to about 20 July.

Copied without permission.

After a trip home to celebrate an important family wedding, leg 3 will start again from Arisaig around 4th August and last up to a month.  The route will be probably be Arisaig to Troon via lots of very nice Scottish Islands.

An example of a very nice Scottish Island.

Leg 4 will happen sometime in September and will involve a trip from Troon (of which we are very fond) and some sailing to re-position the boat, if possible, somewhere even more convenient for the coming winter.

Great Storm Chaos

Our wheelie bin was blown over.

Our wheelie bin after The Storm.

Our Clyde Cruise

27th August 2013

We were very happy in Campbeltown so we stayed for two nights.

We walked across the causeway to Davaar Island and looked at the cave paintings; 

Jean liked the cave paintings.

We went swimming at the lovely leisure centre; we visited The Linda McCartney Memorial Garden, and we met a Mr Alex Salmond.

We met Mr Salmond at the Royal Hotel where he had been staying the previous night. 

He greeted us like old friends. 

I thought “I think that’s Mr Salmond”. 

We had supper at The Ardshiel Hotel. It was very good.

29^th August 2013

We sailed to Lochranza on The Isle of Arran.  We picked up a mooring and went ashore.  There is a castle and the people are very friendly. 
There was no sign of either King Harkon or Mr Salmond.

30^th August 2013

To Port Bannatyne

The marina is in Kames Bay, a couple of miles from Rothesay.

 I suspect that my interpretation of some parts of The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 differs slightly from that of the Rothesay Ferry, but we arrived safely anyway.

We liked Port Bannatyne Marina and we stayed two nights. 

We caught a bus to visit Rothesay and see its sights. 

Rothesay used to be the premier holiday destination for Glaswegians.

We visited Mount Stuart.  

This neo-gothic house was put up by a Victorian chap whose forebears had made a lot of money using a mixture of tricks that included marrying  rich people and owning a lot of mines in South Wales. 

One of these forebears had even been British Prime Minister, albeit briefly.  

Anyway, having a monstrous pile of dosh, his lordship built a pretty (in my view) monstrous house using absurd quantities of marble.

I’m sure he liked it.  

After a very interesting tour I became a socialist, albeit briefly.

Next (on the basis of an exceptional recommendation by PB)  we visited the Victorian Public Lavatories of Rothesay.  

These are truly exceptional.  

Rothesay also has a fine castle.

1^st September 2013

To Troon.

The forecast was W or SW F 5-7.  

This caused us some anxiety especially as the current version of the Clyde Cruising Club Guide advises against entering Troon in strong westerly winds.  

After prolonged dithering I eventually advised my beloved, using my most decisive tone, that I had decided that it was unwise to go.  Accepting this, she did just suggest that it might be worth phoning Troon to check how bad it really was.  Troon subsequently reassured us that the information in the CCC Guide was out of date and the entrance would be fine. 

I therefore decisively reversed my former decision and opted to set off  …  definitely.  

We did, and we got there.

 A pleasant sail gusting 30 knots but always downwind.  

Troon entrance was a breeze.

We’d made it.

Another season’s sailing completed.

 

A circumnavigation of the Northern Isles and (most of) Scotland.

  

1227 miles logged.

Crinan and Caledonian canals transited.

Excellent sailing and wonderful times together and with friends

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Roll on next year.