Tuesday 29 June 2010 Fort Augustus, Caledonian Canal N57 08.8’ W004 40.05’

Another leisurely day along the Caledonian Canal, in generally sunny and warm weather with little wind.

From Laggan Locks, there is a short length of canal before entering Loch Oich probably the most beautiful of the lochs on the waterway. We decided to stop to have a look at Invergary Castle which is now a ruin. Pulling into the designated pontoon, we could not find the castle or any sign of ruins but did appreciate a wonderful picnic spot. Looking at the chart again, it was apparent that we had come into the wrong bay and had to proceed a mile or so further to get to the castile. Not the most horrendous navigational error!

Alcyone arrived at the top of the Fort Augustus flight of locks and had to wait before being able to lock down, through the town, to the pontoon berth at the bottom. Whist waiting, a large (perhaps huge, or maybe gross) white motor cruiser (mini cruise liner) arrived and was duly shown into the locks whilst we had to continue to wait. The skipper was not amused. But was somewhat pacified on being told that we could lock down in a few minutes with two naval patrol boats.

Our instructions were to follow the patrol boats into the locks and go starboard side to at the rear of the lock. However, the naval boats went starboard side to, one ahead of the other, giving rise to excitement on Alcyone as fenders, fender board and lines were moved over. The lock keepers were agitated because apparently the naval boats had exceeded the speed limit and one of the keepers lives on the canal with his handicapped son and the wash from the naval boat caused damage to his boat and minor injury to his son; there were interesting altercations on the lock side as the names of the two Captains were demanded and presumably received. As the patrol boats entered the lock, their standard of boat handling was judged by the lock keepers to be not good enough to avoid damage to Alcyone as they swung around. Hence, they asked us to go right to the front of the lock and then opened only one gate to let us out first and trap the naval boats in until we were securely moored in the next lock. We were instructed to leave the last lock first so that we could moor on the pontoon for the night; the final indignity for the naval boats was that we took the last berth and they had nowhere to moor!!

A later arrival than anticipated but some fun and games along the way. So off to the pub for a pint and steak.

Monday 28 June 2010 Laggan Locks, Caledonian Canal N57 01.645’ W004 49.485’

After a leisurly start and lauderette visit, Alcyone left Banavie Basin, for the first section of the Caledonian Canal arriving at Laggan Locks late afternoon. The weather was forecast to be wet and windy but it actually turned out to be occasional heavy showers with wind squalls giving way to a beautiful evening.

The Great Glen divides the Highlands of Scotland with a series of lochs. As early as 1726 it was considered to be the ideal site for a canal connecting the west and east coasts. Surveys were carried out through the eighteenth century but it was not until 1802 that any action was taken on the proposals. The canal was designed by Thomas Telford. Funded by the British Government and was constructed from 1803 to 1822; it was the first publically funded transport project and remained in public ownership until the privatisation of British Waterways.

The highest part of the canal is at Laggan and the waterway through Loch Oich. Its construction was a major challenge using equipment and techniques available at the time. There were massive excavations required. Up to 250 men worked at Laggan using horse drawn wagons on railways to take the earth away.

The canal, officially opened in 1822, comprises some 50 nm of navigable waterway which about third is man made, the remainder being formed by natural fresh water locks. There are 29 locks and 10 swing bridges along the waterway. The maximum vessel size that can navigate the canal is 150 ft loa, 35 ft beam and 13.5 ft draft. Alcyone looks very small in the locks!

The canal was initially intended to provide a safe transport route for naval frigates during the Napoleonic Wars but in practise it did not play any military role until the First World War. Today it is predominantly but not exclusively a leisure facility.

Sunday 27 June 2010 Banavie Basin, Caledonian Canal N56 50.899’ W005 05.451’

After William left, Alcyone departed Corpack Basin to climb the eight locks of Neptune’s Staircase. The locks of the staircase are continuous where the upstream gate of one lock is the downstream gate of the next. Having started one has to continue. The staircase is a significant tourist attraction with a huge range of languages heard - and many photographs and yards of video of Alcyone taken. One tourist was asked if he paid royalties for the photographs but it would seem the answer is 'No'.

The weather was wet and windy and hence having got to the basin, we decided to put up the cockpit tent and retire for a well earned rest. The rain hammered down on the deck and intermittently the wind screeched in the rigging.

Saturday 26 June 2010 Corpach Basin, Caledonian Canal N56 50.546’ W005 07.293’

After a no wind passage up Loch Linnie, Alcyone arrived early afternoon at the Corpach Sea Loch at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal. Because of tide restrictions to operate the gates, we had a short wait on the pontoon outside the loch before locking through into the basin for the night. At least for this cruise, this was the last of the western isles. It certainly has magnificent scenery and a huge number of anchorages and harbours; an excellent cruising ground. But as we sailed up the loch, there were long pondering discussions as to how to photograph the area to give an impression of its grandeur and magnificence. The most helpful suggestion, from the crew, was a helicopter hovering at 40 feet!

This was also crew change day. Guy arrived by hire car late the afternoon and the William is due to depart in the hire car tomorrow morning.

Friday 25 June 2010 Dunstaffnage N56 27.04’ W005 25.97’

Having failed to fully explore Tobermory on the previous visit, a walk around the town and environs was most enjoyable before a leisurely departure for Dunstaffnage. No wind. Motored all the way gazing in awe at the majestic scenery. Arrived Dunstaffnage late afternoon in what must be one of the most beautifully located marinas.

This was the day that iPhone navigation arrived on Alcyone for real use. In fine weather it worked  well but would not be robust enough for serious use in poor weather.

Robin Wills has sold his Contessa 32 Cantata and bought a Malo 38 “Cantata II” which was bought in this area and he and his crew were up to sail the boat back to the Solent. We had arranged to meet at Dunstaffnage Marina before we set off to the Caledonian Canal and he went to join a club rally in Lock Ailine before departing on Sunday for the Solent. Also in the marina were Josie and Roger of “Nordleys” who are sailing round Britain to raise money for brain tumour research; details on their blog at  http://contessa32.blogspot.com    A few beers were consumed!

Thursday 24 June 2010 Tobermoray N560 37.132’ W0060 03.970’

It rained all night and was generally miserable with the wind coming and going but strong in the gusts. The anchorage was somewhat exposed and, although invited to move further into the bay, we decided to stay warm and dry down below and hence rolled around all night – a bad mistake in retrospect. Having not gone ashore in Armadale, in the mist and rain, we made a prompt start  to return to Mull. There was a slight breeze but on the nose with a bumpy unpleasant sea. A typical highland day. Little was visible of Skye or the other islands and mainland shore. But we had achieved an objective of the cruise and made it to Skye.

Later as we were passing Muck and Egg, there was a brief interlude of sunshine highlighting the cloud around the mountains on Rum. It is easy to understand why the western isles are a favoured cruising ground; one correspondent stating that it is the best cruising ground in Europe. When the weather is good, it is very good but when it is bad it must be horrendous.

We decided to go back to Tobermoray and the crew decided they should treat the Skipper to dinner ashore. On the advice of the local garage man, we had a local fish supper at Cafe Fish – excellent.

Wednesday 23 June 2010 Armadale Bay, Isle of Skye N570 03.997’ W0050 53.690’

In overcast weather, we left Tobermory after a leisurely breakfast and set sail for the Isle Of Skye. The wind soon picked up to a Force 4 to 5 from the south west giving a fast passage down wind with GeorgeW steering most of the way. Mid afternoon, a front came through clamping down visibility and increasing the wind, accompanied by rain. Hence, rather than continue on to other anchorages, it was decided to make Armadale the overnight stop. For much of the way, Alcyone had sailed with one reef in the main but later the main was dropped and we ran under just genoa.

Coming up past Muck and Eigg with the mountains of Rum behind with a ring of cloud around them was most spectacular; we saw little of Skye as it was lost in the mist and rain. The sense of spectacle was enhanced when a pair of sharks appeared and later a sea lion.

It had become a sort of initiation right to get to Skye as the most northerly part of the western islands possible within the time limits of the round Britain cruise. The scenery differs from the more sheltered islands and certainly from the Firth of Clyde. All we have managed to do is have a small taster of the area but has wetted the appetite for more – maybe!!

We are moored in Armadale Bay alongside another Contessa 32 “Lady G”. She looks to be the same age as Alcyone (i.e. she also does not have the CO logo moulded in the bow).

Tuesday 22 June 2010 Tobermoray N560 37.132’ W0060 03.970’

Alcyone locked out of the Crinan Basin in the first lock of the day and set sail for Tobermoray. The previous evening, as the sun set, we had looked out over the Sound of Jura at the majestic scenery and looked forward to different cruising ground albeit only for a few days. As the lock gates opened to let us out, there was a certain excitement of anticipation.

It was bright sunshine and very light wind; once again Alcyone was motoring although later in the day we had a reasonable breeze and were able to sail up the Sound of Mull and into Tobermory. The channel up between Scarba and Luing has overfalls and ‘oily boilies’ causing, even in the calm conditions, trouble for George to steer through. In rough weather presumably the area lives up to the published warnings.

Tobermory, famous as the background for the children’s television series Ballymory, is a very pretty and striking town with the buildings along the harbour all brightly painted. The Harbour Authority have installed pontoons out into the bay and built a most impressive Harbour Centre. Well worth a visit.

Monday 21 June 2010 Crinan Basin N560 05’ W0050 33.38’

Alcyone traversed the Crinan Canal. Not quite the full length but from Oakfield Bridge to the Crinan Basin with all but the first 3 locks to operate. No other boats were due when we set out and hence we went through the locks on our own. However, two boats, one of which was Milly Brown, caught us up but we were told that the three boats would not fit in the locks together and therefore we must proceed on our own. With just two onboard it required a system to go ahead and open the lock, take the warps, close gates and operate the lock and finally to close the gates as Alcyone left; no problems were experienced operating the locks singlehanded. William certainly earned his lunchtime beer! He did finally say it was good fun.

The Crinan Canal is certainly picturesque. It was constructed over an 8 year period from 1793 to 1801, with improvements in 1816 and again in 1930 to 1932 when larger sea locks were built. Presumably it was planned to improve communications with the western islands from Glasgow and would have been used by the coastal sailing vessels of the time being presumably pulled through the canal. The engineering of the canal is impressive – at least one of the locks was clearly cut out of rock. One structure that caught the eye was a bridge that was retracted on its own little rail track wound in by a hand operated worm drive; as Alcyone came through, a girl member of the waterways staff wound it in taking her male colleague for a short ride! And finally there was a very pretty descent into the Crinan Basin at the western sea lock.

Alcyone acquired a significant amount of sludge on her topside from the fenders as the rubbed up the lock walls. Hull polishing and cleaning is required as the hose at the Crinan Basin would not remove all of the staining.

Alcyone was berthed in the Crinan Basin for the night behind an old Clyde puffer that has been preserved and used for tourist trips. The cruise reading on Alcyone includes the stories of Para Handy by Neil Munro and it was fascinating to see a puffer.

It was somewhat odd navigating a fairly typical inland waterway in an offshore yacht. But very enjoyable.

Don Howard of Wild Call, the first of the new generation of Contessa 32 built by Jeremy Rogers, came on board for a beer. Regrettably the planned meet up as we sailed north next day did not happen.

The day ended with a magnificent sunset and shower at the local boatyard with suitable shower fittings. A wonderful day.

Sunday 20 June 2010 Lochgilphead, Crinan Canal N560 02.225’ W0050 26.548’

Once again a beautiful sunny day with modest breeze.

Left Tarbert for Ardrishaig at 1100 hours for a short sail up Loch Fyne; the final sail in the Firth of Clyde before entering the Crinan Canal to go across to the western Islands. Tarbert is an excellent sailing harbour with good shelter in an attractive setting.

The Firth of Clyde is a superb cruising ground; uncrowded, modest tides, sheltered anchorages, magnificent scenery. It must qualify as one of the best sailing areas in the world. One topic of debate on Alcyone over the last day or so has been which is be best anchorage we have been into during the week; the majority vote would be for Carrick Castle as just magical. Before setting off one correspondent suggested that the Clyde was a better cruising ground than the western islands – not having yet sailed in the western islands I cannot comment but look forward to forming a view. However, I am sorry to be leaving the Clyde.

Turning into Ardishaig harbour and staringht into the sea lock for the Crinan Canal gave rise to a “different type of sailing”. Several boats arrived together making for a full lock and a turbulent ride as the sluices had to be opened fully to get the downstream gates to close. Alcyone then proceeded along the canal for the first four locks to Oakfield Bridge. It is odd taking Alcyone through what is a normal inland canal but with much debate about how many people it takes to operate a lock - the consensus view is that William and I are due for a demanding time taking through the other locks.

Oakfield Bridge is the venue for a change of crew. William arrived from Glasgow airport having done the round-the-island race yesterday; Richard & Carol leave by bus early tomorrow by bus for Glasgow airport.

Saturday 19 June 2010 Tarbert N550 51.959’ W0050 24.716’

Hot sunny weather. A morning doing the jobs, making use of the excellent facilities in Portavadie including an excellent launderette where everything is shinny new and works.

And then a wonderful sail across the loch to Tarbert – reaching in a Force 4 with bright sunshine – a distance of some 3 miles!

On arrival at Tarbert we looked around for a suitable berth finding one alongside Milly Brown at one end of the marina. Mark was flying an interesting signal from the cross trees. The an afternoon exploring Tarbert and provisioning for the next Leg. Tarbert itself is a major sailing centre of the Clyde with a well known regatta week in June each year. It is a well sheltered harbour with good facilities for yachts.

Two Loch Fyne skiffs moored in the inner harbour caught the interest. One, Iolar, was built in 1900 and restored in 2005, the other was Wee Dooker was built in 2008/2009 by the young people of Tarbert as a replica of an Ardishaig in 1908.