Western Scotland - Sunday 26 August to Saturday 1 September 2007

[Paul Beaurain]

Hi

Those who followed and gave support for our last years trip around England and Wales (Berwick Upon Tweed to Silloth - North Cumbria) full details on the link below (if required) we are arranging to be off again!

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ght=father+son

We are this year planning a West Coast of Scotland trip. over 7 days trip from Largs on the Clyde to Stornoway and back to Largs (550Nm).
Having been without a boat for this year both Bryn (now 12) and I are looking forward to the Scottish Trip.
We know from last year that it is the friendly people we meet and help/advice along the way that adds greatly to the experience.

We can not ask Kathryn 'High and Dry' to give daily update posts, this year, as she will herself be in the US. But one way or the other we will post updates from here on.

plan
Sun26th Largs to Port Ellen (Islay)
Mon to Stornoway (Lewis)
Tue to Portree (Skye)
Wed to Tobermoray
Thu to Crinan
Fri to portrush (northern Ireland)
Sat back to Largs

We very much look forward to meeting RIB people along the way
Paul

[Paul Beaurain]

Hi
Good day yesterday on the RNLI lifeboat house trip.

Spent some time loading the Redbay and getting everything put away.
Forcast was prety good for today. NW3-4
Plan was to go to Port Ellen Islay.
Just arrived 16.15. found a coffee and internet cafe! But not many places to eat this evening.

We have done just unter 80Nm. stopped at spoke to 'The Grocer' from his post office and general shop on the south of Arran.

Aftyer rounding the MUll the head seas were quite large and 11kts is all we could make for an hour. gradually as we moved north we got some wind shadow from Islay.


Cafe is shutting now so have to go.
Post tomorrow - if we can
Paul + Bryn

[Amber1]

Glad to hear you made it round to Islay.... I'm very envious, back to work tomorrow!

Hope you are lucky with the weather, the scenery is fantastic up north.


Enjoyed the trip yesterday. Let us know when you get the new boat, and we'll try to meet up during your 20hr engine break-in period, if you plan to come into the estuary.

Will follow your trip with interest.

Best wishes.

[Paul Beaurain]

Hi Again
To Katryn in USA - hope you are enjoying your holiday also - as much as we are.


Amber and Mrs Amber and all from RNLI fundrasing day - great day. sorry you are back at work.

Bryn Played and fed macheral to a seal yesterday evening from his hand from the boat.

After some technical worries - with the boat, noticed when the engine was checked. Nothing availbale easily at Port Ellen. Engine auto bilge pump failed and the manual unit (a good sturdy one) had a the start of a split in the gaitor!
Anyway. Woke early to hear a strong wind blowing and the shrubs in the B&B garden, all dancing around. Forcast was 4 accasionally 5.
The paln today was to Stornaway. West of Colansay then between Coll and Tiree and on the the outer Hebrides.
I could see with these NW winds (at least a five) that pushing 100miles into this before we got some shelter would be to much. so we exited Sound of Islay into the wind and found it as expected. Sowe headed due north and hid behind Colonsay (east side) and the at the northerly point struck off NE for Mull and aimed for Tobermorey.
With the seas now abeam the ride was fantastic. Entered Sound of Lorne and then saw lots of dolphins. We had planned to stop in LOch Alne for lunch. But this was fine. We prepared sandwiches and sat and watched dolphins playing. Hearing their air escape each time they surfaced by the boat. The sun was now out for the first time.
Bryn now took charge of driving up the Mull allowing me to review pilot info (and watch him of course). He rode the ferry wash like a true expert!
Heard (over the VHf) that the Tomermoraey life boat was deployed - but could only hear the coastgaurd transmission - not the yachts.
Arrived Tombermorey and refuelled. boat tidied in the afternoon sun and off to find a B&B.
Tomorrow Stornoway?

paul & Bryn.

[Paul Beaurain]

Hi
Early start - depart Tobermoray at 04.45
1 and 1/2 hours of night ribbing - very exhilerating, before dawn broke.
We headed for Rhum and Bryn commented ' the chart plotter has run out' no it will update in a moment - well it did'nt so our electronic coverage ended at 57deg N! It was so calm that we stopped for breakfast and reviewed options and destinations. I had good paperchart back-up. But not for Sound of Raasay and Loch Alsh/sound of sleet on the return leg. Would I get charts in Stornoway?
Coffee was brewed and a plan made to go west of Skye up to the Northern tip (Rubha Hunish) from hear we could evaluate if to continue arond Skye or make the break across past Shaint Islands for Stornoway.
Conditions were very good - almost no wind just overcast and grey! So off we went. Had 1st lunch stop soon after and then a second once in at Stornoway.
arrived 11.30 moored now to visitors pontoon.
Refilled fridge, went to laundret, library (now) for internet and found chart supplier for 2208/2209! all sorted.
Next to review the online forcast - bye for now
Todays mileage estimated at 105Nm

[Jon Adlard]

Paul
Glad to see your having a good time, how are you getting on with the boat?
Cheers
Jon

[Louise]

Great to hear all is going well and you are experiencing some good conditions. Hope you're taking lots of photos! All the best for the remainder of your trip.

[jwalker]

Same as Louise!

[Andy Gee]

Paul,
Your certinaly getting the best spell of settled weather in a while , you need to spend more time up here, enjoy.
cheers
Andy

[Paul Beaurain]

Good morning.
Andy - thanks for your best wishes.
Thursday 11am - Tobermoray (to refuel + supplies)
So we left Stornaway Yesterday (Wednesday morning) very still and no signs of the promisded increasing W/NW wind. Made steady progressw for Skye and Portree. Vis dropped and rain set in and those west winds also. Lunched in Portree and then off through the bridge and Kyle Eakin in Loach Alsh and down Sound of Sleat. We had terrible weather very poor vis. needed radar to see the shore! Interestingly many yachts had no reflected signal whatsoever.
With poor vis and deterioting weather (head seas down Sound of Sleat) we dipped into Loch Nevis and anchored overnight. Very heavey rain overnight. but slightly better vis this morning.
Bryn helmed all the way to Tobermorey - inititally into an uncomfortable head sea, until we were in the shadow of Eigg. turned south around Ardmachen point and ran with the waves - Best ribbing so far!
Stopped now at Tobermoray - aim to be off for lunch in or near Oban and then on to Crinan Sea lock for tonight.
Bryn says great day helming.
Bye for now