Moray firth

[BruceB]

I may be moving up to this area if all goes well next week. Anybody have any knowledge of the area and its Ribbing potential.

[Ribochet]

The Moray Firth is a Special Area of Conservation and is very famous for its dolphins and other marine life.

Be wary though as the last time I was there -the Skipper of one of the Sight seeing boats got very ansy with one of the RIBs in our group for "speeding" ie 20 kn in the area below Kessock Bridge at Inverness, even though at that time there were no signs or warnings.

You will probably know that Inverness is the entrance to the Caledonian canal which is just amazing and if it is open it would be another option for this time of the year - there is a slipway in North Kessock and also a new marina in Inverness and also in Wick to the north - so plenty of options - enjoy

[BruceB]

I mostly am wondering about little harbours and places to go, little piers and villages along the coast where you can drive over to and have lunch, that sort of thing.
While the scenery is fantastic on the west coast there are limited places to go where you can get inside for a bite to eat in "iffy" weather.
The west is briliant in sunny weather for remote places and barbies but in the last couple of years we have had precious few nice days of weather.
had a look at the diving in the area along the south side of the fiirth and it looks brilliant, lots of new wrecks to dive.
However I need somewhere for feeding and watering the missus to keep her onside.....

[Ribochet]

In that case check out Helmsdale - its a beautiful little village with a sheltered harbour and a long floating pontoon - the village has all the usual amenties and an award winning chippy where the portions are huge

[BruceB]

I know Helmsdale, I go to Orkney two/three times a year and pass through it.
I am thinking more along the coast towards Elgin as I am not that familiar with this part of the coast.
Are there not lots of little ports and fishing villages to visit along this coast?

[Perroboy]

The west is briliant in sunny weather for remote places and barbies but in the last couple of years we have had precious few nice days of weather.
had a look at the diving in the area along the south side of the fiirth and it looks brilliant, lots of new wrecks to dive.
However I need somewhere for feeding and watering the missus to keep her onside.....[/QUOTE]

If you think the West Coast with all its sheltered harbours is no use in bad weather then the East Coast is going to be a shock!!!You may have 3 weeks at a time when you cant even get out!! West is best!!!

[BruceB]

I know about the lack of shelter. It places that you can pop into and have a bite to eat and a wander around in a little bit of civilisation that I am looking for.
The west coast is fantastic when the weathers nice and you can land on beaches etc and have a barbie.
Its not so easy to convince the missus to go out on the boat when I can't promise here a warm place to have a coffee and cake or a glass or two.
West coast towns are a bit short of this sort of thing, especially in the winter........You are better catered to in Bute, the clyde is a two hour tow for me each way.
More thinking on the possibilities of sticking the boat in for a run to somewhere, having a bite and coming back, especially when the weather is exactly that, weathery.

[Bigmuz7]

Have ye lost your senses man ? .. I take it work is the driving force ?

Theres no other like the west .. all you get on the 'other' side is people whose pitch goes up at the end of a sentance .. and Polwart .. I was in his home toun the day actually ... had the shotgun under the seat but I didnt see 'im .........

[BruceB]

I am a west coaster too but Oban is a bit too far west for comfort
Its a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. oh bugger, I do!

I am just fed up with no access to anything, its fantastic in good weather but honestly how much good weather have we had in the last two years...................

I want to go back to somewhere that has a cinema, pubs, shops, and everyone isn't bloody related to everyone else!

[spartacus]

I used to launch at Rosehearty. Local kids are like something out of Oliver Twist - with an accent that takes a bit of getting used to! Little bu**ers jump off the breakwater in the summer and were playing on the slipway when I was launching (as you do!) Tight slipway and the harbour dries out, but good place to start from. There's also a decent carpark. Rosehearty falls under Aberdeenshire Council - so you can pay £60 for annual membership to launch or £15 to launch and recover. Great stretch of coast, especially gannet colony on cliffs at Troup Head. Gardenstown is a great harbour for lunch, sheltered, etc. There's also the SS Fram wreck, etc. Give me a shout if you want to cruise in company next spring.