Crinan advice please

[Stevem]

Hi All

I've got a family holiday booked for the end of this month staying at Duntrune at Crinan.
Weather permitting, I plan to go over to Jura avoiding corryvreckan but is there anything else I need to be aware of in this area.
Also any suggestions of any should see / go to. I'll be in my sib and 25hp so nothing too adventurous!

Thanks.

[ashtonmarine]

Hi

ardfern is a short motor away, corryvreckan is great if on neap tides and you are tide with wind. if either of these are not the case then it is interesting. Craobh Marina - Scotland's Gateway to the Isles is a must and mackerel fishing 10 yards outside the harbour walls is v good as well!

Head south just past Ardnackaig and you will find a stunning bay. there is a good pier to tie up to and then walk across to Tayvallich. that will be a stunning day and the food is local and v good.

if you want to see pictures look at my face book page for august last year https://www.facebook.com/david.ashton.16 sorry it a long scroll down but you will at least see where you are going!

Dave

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Stevem

Hi All

I've got a family holiday booked for the end of this month staying at Duntrune at Crinan.
Weather permitting, I plan to go over to Jura avoiding corryvreckan but is there anything else I need to be aware of in this area.
Also any suggestions of any should see / go to. I'll be in my sib and 25hp so nothing too adventurous!

Thanks.

All of the tides round there are fairly strong, and so create overfalls at headlands etc. It is all manageable but make sure you understand wind against tide and plan accordingly. Remember the overfalls will be worst at full flow (spring tides and midway between high/low) and better at neeps and when the tide is turning. Get a proper chart and it will show you where the overfalls are. The Dorus Mor (heading from Crinan to Craobh Haven rather than south) is in my experience usually "worse" than the corry.

In my experience confidence around there is about knowing what the "escape" plan is if you decide a change in weather is too bad, or experience an engine problem etc.

[The Gurnard]

Nice spot for a Holiday Stevem ..are you at the castle ?



You are in tide race heaven which can be a lot of fun ..assuming the wind is playing ball with the tide. Your 25HP will easily cope with the races if you can
At the end of Loch Craignish ..you have the Dorus Mor race ..it can carry you straight across and then through the Corryvrechan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqkcBsg1jXY

You already know the Corryvrechan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jevwjLDhJrY

Then you have the Grey dogs .. next gap up from the Corryvrechan ..between Scarba and Lunga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yHbJEIwwic

There are races around Fladda and the Sound of Luing seen from Belnahua

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksn90VZs4Xs

In fact the whole Sound of Jura is a race itself .. just not as noticeable as the bottle necks it flows through (mentioned above)

Between Jura and Islay is another interesting race .. in the Sound of Islay..you will need to negotiate if you want to visit Loch Tarbet on Jura... with its raised beaches is very worth while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J7gieYwqgI

The U tube videos are showing good flows so I presume spring tides..they don’t always flow as fast. However do be aware of the Dorus Mor ..if you head north..it might be sleeping when you cross it..but can suddenly awaken and be a very intimidating bit of water in a SIB...for you trying to get back

Crinan itself and Loch Craignish are very sheltered ..and its no problem going south down to Carsaig Bay etc. Mackerel have arrived in the area ..so bring your fishing gear.

Timing and good weather is all that is needed...and as Poly mentioned.. know there are various ways to go round the islands etc

Im sure you will enjoy the area..lots to see..in fact too much to mention ..so I wont mention more.

[Stevem]

Excellent stuff many thanks, three replies and enough info to last me more than a week... I'd better get the maps out and start planning routes around the suggestions given, just need the weather.
We are in one of the cottages attached to the castle which I think / hope still has water once the tide is out as know a lot of the bay empties out at low water.
Thanks

[The Gurnard]

Yup..it dries out near the castle Stevem ..but Im pretty certain where the RIB is moored in my photo.. it keeps a boat afloat..however slightly further in the bay its high and dry at low water. Keep an eye on your depth if heading straight to Crinan from the castle too...it gets shallow quick near the canal mouth

A nice trip on a good day would be south then up into Loch Sween. In fact..the beauty of a SIB and that area is.. if tide and wind dont suit..just nip across to Loch Fyne..its tide times are the opposite of Crinans..and it can be sheltered there when the coast is not so sheltered. Even drive to Tayvallich..Loch Sween is very pretty..Im sure Jambo will agree

[Fenlander]

Hope you have a good time Steve and look fortward to seeing some pics on here afterwards. As Gurnard says you have a great choice of tidal races! We've stayed in one of the castle estate gatehouses previously but as a non-boating holiday. We really liked the area for family stuff.

I'm sure we've commented before that you will be one week ahead of our holiday and only a few miles north of our destination.... leave us a bit of good weather... and send the midges even further north if you can!

[Stevem]

Cheers Gurnard / David, can you remember what the area was like for launching near the castle. Can I leave the boat moored up there?
Will try and get some decent photos but once the Gurnard has posted photos mine look a bit poor, must try and beat the Gurnards.....

[The Gurnard]

I have never stayed at the Castle steve..so only going by memory.

I doubt you could moor a SIB safely there as its quite rocky around the shore even when the tide went out ? I remember keeping a close eye on the bottom as I moved in to take the photo of the RIB. Here is a crop of the photo..so you can see its tender is on the grass as are some kayaks. Around the corner to the seaward side was similar if I recall correct. So think it will be a haul ashore job at night unless its flat calm. But I may be mistaken..I wasnt really looking for that at the time.



I use the wee free slipway at Crinan Village if Im launching the SIB in that area.

I used to enjoy exploring the islands in Loch Craignish ..ie Island Macaskin had a couple of abandoned cottages and an owl made a nest in one..I often saw the owner of Eilean Righ land on the loch in his seaplane
Seago in Loch Craignish on a beach of Island Macaskin



That is why I started using an aux engine even on my wee seago slat floor.. I found the fishing was good heading from Island Macaskin to Crinan.

To the east of the island is sheltered from the Dorus Mor..so I happily motored around with my 2.5hp outboard ..but knew if it failed..I could be sucked into the tide race very quickly .. my oars wouldn’t stop that happening. Its not as bad as the U tube showed when its calm ..and you can go round it if you wish.

Dorus Mor at Craignish point



Looking over Dorus Mor from Craignish Point towards Jura and Scarba gap..where the Corryvrechan lies sleeping



The Dorus Mor is not a problem when there is no wind.. just big boils of moving water but it will kick up big time when the wind causes waves. It can make your heart stop even in the calm .. when a small vortex starts swirling beside your sib ..and you see air getting sucked way down into the depths



It is a lovely area so don’t let the U Tube vids put you off..just be aware ..the races can get like that...and know where they are so they don’t take you by surprise.

Think springs will be around 23 of July..and around about 4m high ? ..then falling off again after that...but I dont have a tide table for there at the mo.

Hope that all helps..if Im in the area ..and its possible ..I could give you a shout and show you some of the places of interest around the races

[Poly]

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

...but I dont have a tide table for there at the mo.

Tide and Sea - Tide Tables for Oban

[M.Thornton]

Great to see such valuable advice and help given,this is Rib-net at it's best.

[Stevem]

[QUOTE=Hope that all helps..if Im in the area ..and its possible ..I could give you a shout and show you some of the places of interest around the races[/QUOTE]

yes it helps a lot. Would be great to meet up if you are in the area, just let me know.