Redneck Does Loch Long

Steve509926 · 17 May 2021, 21:14

The second day of our Scottish adventure with Redneck started on Dornie slip, and what a bad start it was.
Parked up, Redneck set up, fully loaded and trundled off down the slip - then disaster struck, the yoke/leg of the transom wheel snapped, sheared clean off. Oh well, nothing I could do about it, manhandled Redneck down to the water and carried on. I'll deal with the transom wheel problem later!
Out into the confluence of Loch Duich and Loch Long, and as it was high tide decided to go up Loch Long. Couldn't understand why it's called Loch Long, as it dosn't look long at all on the map.
Lovely trip, calm water, very slight breeze and beautiful scenery. Got towards what I thought was the end of the Loch, the sides narrowed and I was preparing to slow down and turn back, when the Loch turned a corner and opened up into a beautiful vista. Now I know why its called Loch Long as Diane said "it's longer than it looks"

We traveled towards the end of the Loch, slight breeze, ripples on the water, then the most magical change happened - the water became still, almost glass like. It was quite surreal, it felt like Redneck was floating compleatly out of the water, and no I'd not taken anything. Stick with the video and you'll see what I mean.
Eventually decided to return back to Loch Duich before heading back to Dornie and the broken transom wheel problem

https://youtu.be/RuRYfIvhVwU

Oldman2 · 17 May 2021, 21:37

By the end I felt like I could get out and walk the rest, even with the reflections it didnt seem like water, very strange.

Steve509926 · 17 May 2021, 21:44

It was a very strange but wonderful sight. I have been on still reflective water before but not like that, and apart from the OB it was very, very quiet.

Wish I knew how to put video in a thread so it shows the opening of the video and not just the link.

Brinormeg · 17 May 2021, 21:48

Wow steve.......just watching your video on the 55 inch tv just now to do it justice

Wifes getting more excited by the minute to go with views like that, but probably be next year before we would try on our own after we get a bit of experience under our belt.

Pikey Dave · 17 May 2021, 21:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

It was a very strange but wonderful sight. I have been on still reflective water before but not like that, and apart from the OB it was very, very quiet.

Wish I knew how to put video in a thread so it shows the opening of the video and not just the link.

The best way to post videos is to upload them to YouTube & then post the link. The forum software struggles with video.

Steve509926 · 17 May 2021, 22:04

Hi Dave, I've posted the YouTube link but it just shows as a http link and not a video picture link.

jeffstevens763@g · 17 May 2021, 22:06

Another good day Steve seems a shame to spoil smooth water with a wake nice bit of video

Steve509926 · 17 May 2021, 22:24

Fantastic day Jeff, and your right the journey back wasn't the same without the reflection but it was still very good.
With the weather and tide, it looks like we are going to get at least 2 more good trips out, but
the snapped transom wheel yoke has restricted where we can launch from. We can realistically only launch from smooth'ish slips. So Plockton is looking good for tomorrow and I got chatting to a retired crabber who gave me details of a slip near Applecross so fingers crossed. Shame about the wheel as I don't think we will be able to SIB in Loch Hourn which I was really hoping for after seeing Donny 's video.

Steve509926 · 17 May 2021, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Wow steve.......just watching your video on the 55 inch tv just now to do it justice

Wifes getting more excited by the minute to go with views like that, but probably be next year before we would try on our own after we get a bit of experience under our belt.

Thanks Brian. Loch Long is probably a good 1st sea loch to do a couple of hours either side of high tide, launch 2 hours before and make sure you're back on the slip 2 hours after. Dornie slip is rough but good parking, toilets and coffee.
If you have no experience of currents and tides I wouldn't venture west out into Loch Duich towards Kyle but going east on Loch Duich towards Kintail would also be OK.

TmMorris · 18 May 2021, 06:03

Looks like a great day out. It's quite surreal when a body of water becomes mill pond flat as the acoustics completely change which does weird things to our feeble human minds. I used to row in the early evenings and when you got localised weather like that it was rather strange.

An absolute bugger re the transom wheel. The design looks terrible though as there appears to be next to no plastic around the swan neck to tollerate any kind of twisting force at all.

The Gurnard · 18 May 2021, 07:26

Here is your video showing on RIBNET. All you do is open your video in You Tube. Pause it at the start of the video. Copy the address from the top of You Tube..and paste direct into RIBNET

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

Calm weather in Scotland is not that unusual, however what is unusual is calm weather and hardly any midges at this time of year because its still cold north winds when they do blow. I guess this is the day I was on Loch Etive this week when you were on Loch Long. Calm water makes for poor fishing .

If you found the calm experience strange..its even stranger when there is a slight swell but still flat calm. The boat bobs over the swell with a hypnotic feeling.

Glad you are enjoying your holiday.

Steve509926 · 18 May 2021, 08:02

Thanks Donny, a great holiday so far and it's partly down to your inspiring videos and great information

Thanks for the video tip, guess its easier on a laptop and not a mobile.

TmMorris · 18 May 2021, 08:10

The great Scottish midge. I spent three months living on Skye and spent each day praying for wind and rain because of the relaxing peace and tranquillity it afforded you.

willk · 18 May 2021, 08:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Wish I knew how to put video in a thread so it shows the opening of the video and not just the link.

The forum supports "standard" Youtube URLs but not Youtube mobile addys. Donny's workaround will work with a mobile device - it's easier on a PC

willk · 18 May 2021, 08:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Couldn't understand why it's called Loch Long, as it dosn't look long at all on the map.

It's called Loch Long because the people who named it didn't speak English. They spoke Gaelic, and Long means Ship. Loch means Lake. Makes more sense now doesn't it? Vast swathes of Scotland have very descriptive names that are totally lost in translation/bastardisation.

Steve509926 · 18 May 2021, 08:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

It's called Loch Long because the people who named it didn't speak English. They spoke Gaelic, and Long means Ship. Loch means Lake. Makes more sense now doesn't it? Vast swathes of Scotland have very descriptive names that are totally lost in translation/bastardisation.

Everyday you can learn something new.

Never knew Long means Ship

The Gurnard · 18 May 2021, 08:38

To be a bit more precise although perhaps a little pedantic .. a rough translation means Lake of the Long Ships ..as its named after the Viking boats that raped and pillaged our coast a few years back.

willk · 18 May 2021, 08:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Everyday you can learn something new.

Never knew Long means Ship

I suspect it's an archaic term, referring originally to Birlinn style galleys - your typical viking ride.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphad

Fenlander · 18 May 2021, 13:53

Steve thanks for these reports. For those of us who are unable to get far from home for a variety of reasons they are a great encouragement for when we are able.

We have rarely ever seen it that mirror calm and always marvel at Donny's videos when he finds such conditions.

I do remember back to my youth jumping off the bow of an anchored boat into totally clear calm water off Beauport bay in Jersey where the water itself was invisible and it felt as if you might fall all the way to the bottom.

jeffstevens763@g · 18 May 2021, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Fantastic day Jeff, and your right the journey back wasn't the same without the reflection but it was still very good.
With the weather and tide, it looks like we are going to get at least 2 more good trips out, but
the snapped transom wheel yoke has restricted where we can launch from. We can realistically only launch from smooth'ish slips. So Plockton is looking good for tomorrow and I got chatting to a retired crabber who gave me details of a slip near Applecross so fingers crossed. Shame about the wheel as I don't think we will be able to SIB in Loch Hourn which I was really hoping for after seeing Donny 's video.

That’s a good slip near applecross if it’s the one I’m thinking of launched my rib from there it drops off at the end into deep water with a sheltered bay just around the corner