Adrishaig - 23 June 2006 (day 34)

Yacht Gothik

Canal Basin

Adrishaig

Argyll & Bute

23 June 2006

Click here to see a map.

Logged distance: 32M

Chart distance: 38M

Time under way: 6h50m

Friday 23 June 2006

I have to admit I'm playing catch up with the log of events. As I write this the date is Friday 30th June 2006. With one or two exceptions, every day that has passed has been more interesting than the last and I really feel the need to write the log with fresh memories and fresh experience. I will just have to recap the days in between with pictures and a few notes to describe what was going on... what seems common place today was pure magic the day before - the pure essence of which would not be conveyed in a true and fresh manner; e.g. seals! A little while ago I described to you our first sighting of a seal on Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire. Since then we have spent many an hour watching seals, especially on Sanda Island. Now seals are 'common place' - that is 'in our experience'. Seals still hold our attention and fascination but so many things have overtaken those experiences.

Without further ado - pictures...

Our trip up East Kyle, between the north east side of the Isle of Bute and the mainland, was very tranquil. The air was thick with moisture but not cold, the soft light adding to the lushness of the deciduous trees and the luminance of the rhododendrons. On the mainland side there were many groups of houses with well kept gardens while Bute was less populated with grassy slopes. Ben had his fishing line out as we motored along. The fish were biting but kept getting away.

Two thirds of the way up East Kyle runs a ferry from the mainland across the narrow straight (300m) to Bute. It was here that Ben began to have some success with fishing. Two mackerel, the second being caught almost before the line had been let completely out.

At the northern end of East Kyle are a set of islands, the Burnt Islands. They almost block the passage into the West Kyle but two well buoyed channels exist marking a way through them. We opted for the north channel for no reason other than it looked more interesting.

West Kyle, as the name suggests, is on the western side of Bute and leads into Loch Fyne. We were still under engine at this point but the wind was beginning to brush the surface of sea and from a direction that looked promising. The main sail was raised just as Ben started to catch more fish. Soon the number of fish being landed on the boat was becoming a chore! One of us would reel it in, hand over hand on a spool, another would lean over the side to fill a bucket with sea water. Once on board a quick knock over the head with a winch handle would generally stop it from flailing around too much, followed by gutting and rinsing the deck. We ended up with seven fine fish before stopping and calling it a healthy meal. All caught within an hour or so, most caught within a few minutes of each other.

The view from the seaward end of West Kyle was across the large peaks of the Isle of Arran. This high island has been in view at some point on our journey for many days now.

By the time we had got to the end of West Kyle and into Loch Fyne we were under full sail with the engine off on a smooth sea. As we headed north the wind came from the west giving us wonderful easy sailing conditions. However, we would often reach a patch of sea that would be glassy smooth and devoid of any wind. Looking around it was usual to see a patch only a few hundred metres away with ripples indicating a breeze. Sometimes it would reach us in few seconds, at other times we would have to wait many minutes before the sails would fill. The air is so much affected by the land here. I know the theory but the practice of actually sailing in these conditions is not one I'm very familiar with. There's lots to learn - when stalled in the calm there are plenty of other boats that are obviously not, some hugging the shore or a cliff. Sometimes we get it right and others don't, but most of the time I suspect it is the other way around.

On our final approach to Adrishaig the wind picked up and began to throw some rain at us. We could see the rain from a long way south of Adrishaig. Although the wind was from the west the rain and clouds, instead of sweeping eastwards, stayed in the same place - another effect of the narrow sea lochs and the high land. Adrishaig has to be approached with some caution, the loch here becoming quite shallow with numerous submerged (and invisible) dangers extending a way off shore. The passage in is marked with buoys but it is still not obvious without the chart. The route involves a dog leg, the Nautical Almanac says to line up a block of flats in the town with an isolated white painted house on the hillside. What happens if the owner of the white house decides to paint it purple I've no idea. Do they have these kind of things written in the deeds?!

We made it to Adrishaig and the first lock of the Crinan Canal without any problems. A friendly lock operator waved us straight in, closed the gates and open the sluices - peaty brown fresh water came flooding in. Different smells, different experience. Once through the lock we were in the tiny and very sheltered basin at the southern end of the Crinan Canal. An eight mile length of waterway connecting the waters of the Firth of Clyde with that of the open sea and the islands of the west.

Ben and I had a wander - mainly to try and find some parsley for our fish dinner but mostly to replenish our table wines and beer! Not a lot of shops to be found in Adrishaig but we came up trumps - the post office had a tub of freshly picked parsley next to the till and the Co-Op next door had it's normal selection of good cheap wine. The only hindrance to us now being the midges.