2004 was a funny old year. Generally speaking the weather was pretty awful and yet we managed to have some quite good cruising and to enjoy a lot of it. Only a few of our plans worked out but what took their place was just fine in the end. It went to show
a) that the best laid plans of mice and men gang astray and
b) that it’s best when cruising to stay absolutely flexible!
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Faustina II left her home port of Portaferry in on 11 June - see the Red track on the map - with just Ann and myself aboard and turned north en route to Scotland. After a very mixed day of good wind, no wind and dead ahead wind we moored in Glenarm that evening – at which point I realised that I hadn’t topped up the fuel. We made very complex arrangements to get a tanker to the marina but, by the time it arrived, there was no vehicle access as the HM had gone home and it had to leave us un-fuelled. I decided that we should play safe before heading up the Scottish west coast and that we should return to Bangor next day. We did that, refuelled and popped home for an hour or so. That evening we set off north again and reached Red Bay well after dark. We tried anchoring off the jetty just north of Waterfoot but some youths on the jetty who were fishing (or something!) shouted at us very crudely and we withdrew a little way to the south to anchor without such company.
Next day we crossed the North Channel and put our nose into Gigha at about lunchtime. The weather was cold and grey and the bay didn’t look at all inviting, and so we pushed on to spend the night at Ardfern marina (where of course I could have got fuel!). We ate well at the ‘Galley of Lorne’ and watched England losing (bravely of course!) 2-1 to France on the box.
Next morning (Mon 14 June) we bought some essentials (and a few non-essentials) at the brilliant marina chandlery. I wish all chandleries were as good as this one. Then on north through the Dorus Mor towards Cuan Sound. The vis became so poor that I stopped for a while to really plan the transit of the Cuan Sound in detail. In the end the visiblity was no problem though it was cold, drizzly and grey. We turned into the Sound of Mull past a very dark Duart Castle against a 20kt headwind – and I decided that enough was enough. We turned into Loch Aline on the north side of the Sound and anchored on the starboard side inside the entrance, turned on the heater and stayed warm and secure for the night. |
We passed Tobermory at midday next day and with the wind still OTN we headed for and rounded Ardnamurchan Point. (By tradition this qualifies one to wear a sprig of heather on the bow for the rest of the season!) During the afternoon the wind improved until we were bowling along, past Mallaig and up the Sound of Sleat. We were overtaken by a small flotilla of German minesweepers (should we have been listening to the news?) and we passed through Kyle Rhea just before the tide turned against us. That evening in the gathering gloom we took a well sheltered mooring that we found in Totaig Bay opposite the impressive island castle of Eilean Donan.
It was so vile outside next morning that we just went back to bed! Later with the weather screens up I worked up the energy to clean and grease six winches (not my favourite job!). We did boat jobs all day and then, in the evening, fortified by a G&T, we went in Poppy, our RIB, to look at the castle. Heavy rain from really low clouds soon drove us back to the boat and an early night.
Ann made bread as we made across to Kyleakin next morning. We wanted water but unbelievably water via a hose was not available at the pontoons at Kyleakin.
 with the Skye bridge in the background |
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We tested the hotel anchorage again next morning but I still wasn’t happy about it. We returned to Upper Loch Torridon, anchored and then took the RIB to the headland from where we could walk the 2 miles along paths to the hotel. Then in Cathryn’s car we went exploring to the north, the main aim being a visit to the Inverewe Gardens. They were ‘ok’ but it rained and no garden is at its best (especially to a non-gardener like me) in the rain. The rained bucketed down as we returned to Shieldaig. We had supper with Cathryn in the pub and then walked back along the peninsular to the Poppy and so back to Faustina II.
We went south to Plockton next day - follow the Blue track on the map. It was cold and nasty but the wind was behind us for a change. For the first-timer the entrance to Plockton is a little tricky as there are numerous rocky patches around, but the village and anchorage is well worth a visit. The village is charming and the surroundings very attractive. We were advised in the village that there are about 6 visitors' moorings tucked away at the head of the bay (a fact not noted in the CCC pilot book) and so we able to lie securely whilst we explored and ate ashore in the Plockton Hotel. I noted that evening that the wind had gone down and that the sun was trying to come out – some improvement!
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I visited the small Plockton PO next morning where Internet facilities were offered. One computer. I wanted to update the ICC web site. The service was so slow that more time was spent talking to the delightful postmistress and to customers than actually doing things to the web site. It was so slow in fact that the nice lady couldn’t bring herself to charge for the service when I finally gave up after an hour or so. We slipped at lunchtime, went south under the Skye Bridge again, turned south through Kyle Rhea with the tide and anchored in the lee of the Sandaig Islands (of ‘Ring of Bright Water’ fame). It is a lovely placid spot. We took Poppy all through the small islands, landed for a walk and then collected mussels that Ann prepared for supper in wine and onions. Delicious.
N'ly gales were forecast for later but in the morning we set off south again in warm sunshine. Ann even sunbathed. We passed by Mallaig at midday and decided to go into Arisaig. It was reported to be a pretty place but the entrance is another interesting bit of pilotage with rocks on all sides all the way in. It actually wasn’t particularly difficult though in a note later to the CCC pilot book compiler I felt that the perches could perhaps be identified rather more comprehensively to avoid posible confusion. It was about 1½ hrs before LW as we entered and being able to see the rocks helps. We anchored there for the night. The moorings and anchorage are private and a fee is payable.
The NE wind was pretty fresh in the morning and we initially decided to stay put. However after breakfast it moderated somewhat and the rain set in. We thought that we should at least get around Ardnamurchan Point that day. However first we went alongside the pontoon to get water and there we were 'honked' at continuously and pathetically by a baby seal that stayed alongside the boat. It appeared to have lost its mother. After the Rhum ferry had departed we went alongside its jetty to take on fuel. We had a walk, shopped for food and then, mid-morning, we slipped. We were round Ardnamurchan by 1430 with just the Yankee pulling us along at 6 kts through the grey murk and occasional rain. We anchored in Loch Drumbuie at 1700 – and the rain just – well, rained – and hard. There were a lot of boats cowering at anchor in the protected NE corner!
We debated about going south outside Mull next day, but Ann ‘won’ and we stayed inside. There was now a SW'ly gale forecast! We went down the Sound of Mull, again with only the Yankee doing the pulling, passed Duart Castle and went around the corner into Loch Spelve. The entrance to the loch is another interesting one - not difficult provided that care is taken to stay in the right lane - so to speak! Much of it is very shallow. We motored up to the bay in the NE corner and anchored securely there amid the mussel farms. It’s a lovely quiet spot with just a few houses in sight and a road far enough away to be silent. The following morning was fine. We found that we had been joined in the anchorage by a Bowman 48 - a big brother! We weighed soon after breakfast and headed south towards the Sound of Cuan. I had thought to go through the Sound of Luing but found that I didn’t have a chart that gave me enough detail given the increasing poor conditions that came on during the morning. So we went back through Cuan, through a fairly placid Dorus Mor and along Loch Craignish to Ardfern again. We had found this to be a friendly and well-run marina. We bought some wheels to help us drag Poppy up beaches and Ann started work on some new cushions for the boat.
That evening we gave a drinks party on board for some Americans and by the end of the evening had virtually contracted to go down the Grand Canyon in rafts for 3 weeks in 2006 – an adventure that is still on! The promised vile wind and weather duly arrived next day and we stayed put. Ann made more cushions and I went to the village hall to use their Internet and we both went to a community curry dinner at the hall in aid of funds for its ambitious rebuild. Friendly folk.
Next morning (Sun 27 June) we were away early and were clear of Loch Craignish by 0930 and heading south again. The wind was SW 3 and so we had to motor. During the afternoon the wind veered to allow some sailing aided by the engine. I stopped the engine at 1600 and we sailed the last 20 miles or so to the west side of Rathlin Is, making a good 7 kts. The tide was creating rough seas off the island but they soon flattened out and we reached Ballycastle marina at 1900.
We left Faustina II there for two days whilst we home for a couple of days.
We were back on board with our new crew, Sheilah, on 29th June. The plan had been to go around the west coast of Ireland to join the ICC's 75th Anniversary Rally. The forecasts were dire but we held off a decision for another day whilst the three of us paid an interesting visit to Rathlin – by ferry! |
Next day the weather was fine but the wind was strong from the south and the forecast was still bad. Reluctantly we gave up on the west coast idea and set off down the east coast of Ireland with no great anticipation of pleasure from that generally dull coastline. We stopped to refuel at Bangor and fixed an electrical problem and then, over the next few days went on to Ardglass, Howth, Arklow and wonderful Kilmore Quay where the HM never fails to be helpful. The marina was very crowded but he got us in somehow!
On 6 July I actually managed to use the Cruising Chute, which took us gently across Hook Bay and part of the way up the river towards Waterford. We lost the wind and started the engine at Duncannon, which was just as well as there were about eight salmon nets across the river to be avoided - each with its guard boat and semaphoring keeper. We stayed at Waterford for 2 days enjoying the tourist attractions. No HM appeared during our visit but we learnt from friendly 'native' boaters how to get a gate ‘key’ and from where to buy the card need to obtain power. We greatly enjoyed Waterford and the run up the river to the city is lovely too. Sheilah had to leave us from there to return home.
Ann and I were away at 0500 on Friday in order to use the tide out to the sea. We were abeam Dunmore East by 0700 and turned west under sail, passing Capel I and Ballycotton. We entered Oyster Haven and fastened to a private mooring buoy. The weather by now had relented and it was a beautiful quiet evening.
We rounded Old Man of Kinsale next morning – it was again grey, overcast and cold. We bumped across Courtmacsherry and Clonakilty Bays, bypassed our original destination of Castletownshend and turned through the Gascanane Sound and into Schull where we anchored. My birthday was next day (Sun 11 July) and we stayed anchored at Schull and had a long walk along the coast and later a rather poor meal ashore. We stayed another day and took on water and fuel, and got some laundry done. (On our boat, laundry completed = happiness!) On Tuesday we were joined by Patrick and Mary K......... (ICC) with whom, on Wednesday, we sailed around to Castletownshend and a good meal at the ‘Mary Ann’s' pub
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There are enough descriptions of the Rally elsewhere so I won’t fill in the details. Amazingly the large number of boats attending never really appeared to be a problem (except perhaps at Kinsale Marina) but there were probably rather too many people at the functions to make it quite as much fun as a smaller Rally. The organisation was splendid and we were certainly glad that we had been there.
 during the Irish Cruising Club's 75th Anniversary Rally |
From Glengarriff Patrick and Mary went home, but the Ronnie and Hazel stayed with us as we made our way back to Kinsale. In keeping with the generally contrary weather that we had had for most of the trip to date, the wind was blowing freshly from the west as we struggled towards Sheep’s Head. We motored for a while and then when we had got to a position where sailing was feasible without tacking we had a good beattowards the Head. However Ann wanted peace for her lunch preparations and so we heaved-to for a while a few miles to the NE of the headland. Having been fed we went on around Three Castles Head and Mizen Head and anchored in Crookhaven at 1600. We invited the crew of Carragheen, Michael Mc... (ICC) and Peter B...... (ICC) to join us for supper on board and we had a very jolly evening.
We had a dead run next day as we passed to the north of Cape Clear I and then out through Gascanane Sound en route to Glandore. There I had to replace a blocked loo pipe (with a lot of expletives) but I was rewarded with a good meal at the Marina Hotel. The next morning we went to Crosshaven and moored for the night at the R Cork YC. Next day we motored up to Cork city to see the sights! It’s an interesting trip up the river and there was a good pontoon near the first road bridge in the city centre to go alongside whilst we visited the very comprehensively stocked chandlery there. We returned to the RCYC and had a ‘sailing supper’ in the club. Next day we left the boat in the care of the RCYC and the rain lashed down and totally soaked us all as we boarded the Ronnie’s car to be driven back to our home in the North.
Ann and I were back on board 6 days later on 4 August, having travelled south by train free of charge (as we are of a certain age!) We refuelled Faustina II at the Scalpe Marina. Our plan was to go now to the Isles of Scilly en route to Brittany. However the wind, true to practice, would be directly on the nose and so we went around to Oyster Haven to await a change of wind direction that had been forecast for later in the day. We anchored. The wind changed direction several times and the rain came in hard. It was not a hard decision to stay right there until things cheered up a bit. It’s supposed to be fun!
We got away again early next morning with the wind out of the west. See the Green Track The seas were rolly and a main preventer became necessary. We left the Kinsale Oil Field a mile to port. The sun came out and it even became quite warm. The wind died in the early afternoon and we motored on with dolphins paying us a couple of welcome visits. And so things continued until we reached the New Grimsby Sound in the north of the Isles of Scilly at 0330. It was of course still dark. There are no lights there and the vis had become poor, and so we circled for a while until it became light enough to see our way into the anchorage between Tresco and Bryher. Actually it WAS an anchorage when I was last there many years ago but moorings have now been laid, and one would have to admit that these are probably safer (though more expensive) to use than an anchor in this place near to Cromwell’s Castle. Certainly there is room for more boats there. We dozed until lunchtime and then went ashore to visit the Tresco Tropical Gardens. They are beautifully laid out. The entrance fee is £8.50 pp and the main flowers then on show were agapanthus – sprouting like weeds.
That was Sat 7 August. We rather sadly gave up on the idea of going on to Brittany as the wind was firmly from the SE and it was forecast to stay there for a few days. We therefore stayed in the Scillies for a week, and that turned out to be just fine. The islands are really beautiful and there is a lot to explore both by boat and on foot.
On Sunday we walked on Tresco and got both hot and wet and had a seriously expensive lunch at the very smart Island Hotel. We felt that we deserved it! On Monday we took Faustina II south across the Tresco Flats. The Flats (or shallows) look rather daunting on the chart but at half tide and above they were not a problem for our 1.5m draft. We had set off to go to Hugh Town on St Mary’s but we decided instead to go to anchor at St Agnes. There we walked ashore to the old lighthouse and had a splendid pasty (me) and crab sandwich (Ann) for lunch. Good local food. It was a lovely sunny day and a nice place but I thought that the depth of the anchorage would get a little thin at LW. We opted to return to New Grimsby and went there by going west around the islands outside all dangers. There was quite big swell and the seas pounding onto the outlying rocks with clouds of spray were a good reminder of their dangers and of all the ships that have foundered in the area over the years.
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Overnight there was thunder and vivid lightning. We decided again to visit Hugh Town and so once more crossed the Tresco Flats and took a mooring off the town jetty used by the mainland ferry. Hugh Town is the capital of the Scillies and there are many good strong moorings laid for visitors. It was however rolly and not very comfortable. Rain was all about. A fellow yachtsman came over kindly to admire Faustina II and he suggested that we might like the anchorage at St Helen’s Pool to the east of Tresco. We piloted our way there through heavy rain showers but despite the fact that the Pool is lovely, it is rather open and there wasn’t much shelter and so I decided that New Grimsby would again be preferable. We left to the north and went close by Round I and its lighthouse. There were no mooring buoys free and so this time we had to anchor. We walked for while on Bryher before crossing to Tresco for a pub meal in the excellent New Inn.
We stayed another two days in New Grimsby relaxing and walking. There was one drama. That was when we tried to weigh our anchor to move onto a newly vacant mooring buoy when worse weather was forecast. The anchor came up firmly embedded in the loop on the end of a very old and rusty wire hawser. Some intrepid ‘yachting’ (as Ann calls it) got us loose after about 30 minutes of hard work. We had a good audience of nearby securely moored yagghties - but no offer of help.
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Next day we went for a six-mile hike out to the Daymark and back, and in the evening, after a short return match with our Welsh neighbours, we had an excellent meal at the Ebb restaurant. We were away at 0530 next morning for the crossing of the Bristol Channel to Milford Haven. We managed to sail nearly all the way but the sea was aggravatingly bumpy and uncomfortable. We arrived at 1730.
I have heard many people say that they don’t like Milford Haven, but I do, and I certainly appreciate the Dale when its nasty outside. It was there that we anchored (as we usually do) for a quiet night. The next day was very special as my daughter, her husband and their three young daughters, who were holidaying in Wales, came to join us for the day. Several memorable events occurred. The first was that we were boarded by police who required us to complete the same ‘pink card’ that they had required of us last year. An ‘anti- terrorism’ measure. The companionway was swabbed to see if any drugs were aboard and we had to prove our identity. All very pleasantly done (as it was last year) - but why does it only happen to us in Milford Haven? My granddaughters were greatly diverted by all this!
 after a day on board in Milford Haven |
After we were ‘released’ from the interest of the police we moved up into the harbour and anchored for lunch near the RNLI boathouse. Almost immediately a ‘maroon’ went off and shortly afterwards the lifeboat came down the ramp and entered the water with a most satisfactory splash. Later we saw the Trinity House vessel Patricia lifting a buoy to do some maintenance. We went on as far as the big road bridge and then returned to Dale. The weather had remained fine all day – we were very lucky – but no sooner had I landed my daughter and the gang than it began to rain very hard indeed. We stayed at anchor overnight. The wind freshened and we decided that we would stay another day until it relented somewhat.
Finally on Thu 19 August we set off for Arklow - although I didn’t make a final decision about our destination for some hours. The swell was quite big but the tide carried us quickly past Skomer I. and up to the South Bishop LH. I had kept in contact with the CG updating them with my options – Fishguard, return to Milford Haven or on to Arklow. In fact we turned downwind towards Fishguard for an hour at one stage because the wind was so strong and the forecast so bad. However the wind backed a little to the southwest and moderated a smidge and I decided that we had better get on to Arklow before a promised northwesterly set in later that night. And so we went for it – and it was a character-building trip. The wind was all of F7 for much of the day, but at least it was on the beam. Faustina II loved it of course, fine sea boat that she is. It was a bit more wearing for the elderly crew! However we got to Arklow safely at 2300 and two tired people moored alongside the pontoon in the river.
We had a day’s rest in Arklow and then the rest of the trip was just a long run back up the coast to Portaferry, which we did in a day on Sat 21 August.
It had been a ‘bitty’ sort of cruise but despite the failure to complete a ‘Grand Plan’ and despite the weather, we had enjoyed ourselves. That’s quite enough to ask of any cruise!