Badger of Baltimore’s Cruise 2004 (Oban/Mull/Iona/Easdale/Gigha/Glenarm)

Introduction

This year Badger of Baltimore was entered in the ‘West Highland Week’ Regatta for the first time, under her current ownership. The summer cruise plan was to have a ‘boys week’ racing at WHW; then crew change in Oban, with the boys returning home by car and Maggie would join the boat for a 2 weeks cruise around the Mull area, prior to being back in Bangor for the BYC Regatta on 21^st August.

The ‘boys’ were David McMullan, son Rory, Terry Davidson & Gordon Smyth.

We departed from Bangor on Friday 30^th July at 08:05 to catch the tide up to Gigha. Pintail was just ahead of us, en route to Craighouse.

The fuel berth at Bangor was closed, so we had to pick up some diesel en-route. There was very little wind, so it would be motoring all the way. We diverted into Glenarm, only to be informed they had no fuel there, and then continued directly up to Gigha. Leaving Glenarm we saw a sunfish swimming around at the surface, to the south of the salmon ponds, but that was about all we saw of interesting fish life all week.

There was a feeder race planned from Gigha to Craobh Marina on Saturday morning, which had to be abandoned due to lack of wind. We motored up to Crinan Yacht Services and filled up with diesel and then proceed on up to Craobh Marina for the start of the WHW on the Sunday morning. During the week we managed two 3^rd places and finished 4^th overall in our whitesail class – the highest placed Bangor boat.

During the week we travelled from Craobh Marina to Oban, then to Tobermory and then back to Oban for the final prize-giving. Whilst at Oban, we anchored off the Yacht Club and made use of their shower & toilet facilities.

The cruise started at the end of West Highland Week.

Day 1 – Saturday 7^th August

After filling up the boat with diesel and water, the ‘boys’ disembarked and awaited the arrival of the car. Maggie was driving up with Terry’s wife Liz, having stayed overnight near the Crinan Canal.

After the ‘hellos, exchange of news and goodbyes’, we got Maggie’s bags aboard and straightened the boat up a bit. The forecast wasn’t very promising, with strong southerly winds forecast but we decided it was best to go somewhere rather than stay in Oban.

Being a Saturday routine demanded a shopping expedition to Tescos, so we went into Oban centre by dinghy and Maggie had her first look around the town. Loaded with provisions and a new gas bottle, we returned to Badger for a late lunch.

Our intended anchorage for the night was Loch Aline, which is on the mainland side as you enter the Sound of Mull. The weather was still OK but we needed to wait for the tide to be with us entering the narrow passage into the Loch

We departed from Oban at 16:40 and hoisted sails once clear of the entrance between Kerrera and Maiden Island.

On a broad reach we set off for Lismore lighthouse, which we passed at 17:35 and entered into the Lynn of Morvern. Duart Castle and then Craignure were clearly visible to port as we progressed up towards the shallow areas at the entrance to the Sound of Mull.

Identifying the rocks off the entrance to Loch Aline took a bit of discussion, then once happy we had passed them, we turned in on the compass bearing shown in the Imray pilot and soon picked out the leading marks. As this was our first visit there, we were not sure where to anchor for the night. There is an anchorage on your right, which would have been well sheltered in southerly winds, but someone was chipping rust off a steel hull with a powered hammer, so we continued on down the Loch and

anchored at 19:35 just outside some permanent moorings, together with several other visiting yachts. (Distance travelled14nm).

Sitting eating dinner in the cockpit we were entertained by a yacht unsuccessfully anchoring by dropping the anchor and then going full speed astern; and two traditional large sailing boats came in, one British and the other Dutch.

As the sun set, the water edge was lined with herons.

Day 2 – Sunday 8^th August

As we needed to wait for the ebb tide going out of Loch Aline, we had a leisurely breakfast and soaked up the atmosphere. Maggie started to appreciate the difference of anchoring versus using marinas.

It was quite sheltered in Loch Aline with high tress all around, but wind was forecast to be SE4 or 5, occ 6.

Together with the two traditional vessels, we departed from the anchorage at around 11:30 and headed out, back through the narrows. Outside the wind was quite fresh, so we rolled out half the genoa and set off under sail up towards Tobermory. Other boats were heading south into the wind, some beating under sail and others motor-sailing. They were in full oilskins with water splashing over the deck; we sat in t-shirts and shorts – it was an exceptionally warm wind. Past Eilean Glasa at 12:45, we gybed and continued up to Tobermory. Sailing on a run under furled genoa only, we were making 6.2kn with a wind strength was 26kn true. Glad we weren’t heading to south!

We entered Tobermory Bay at 14:00 and after a look around, anchored south of the pontoons at 14:30. (Distance travelled 14nm)

Once we got tidied up, we went ashore had a walk through the town and had a shower and a pint in the Mishnish Hotel. Many of the restaurants were closed or fully booked, so we returned to boat for an evening meal.

The evenings entertainment started with the firing of two maroons, followed by the roar of the Lifeboat engines starting up. We listened to events unfolding on Ch16, as they couldn’t get Ch0 to work. There appeared to be a yacht in difficulties just N of Tobermory Bay, so Lifeboat didn’t have far to travel and was back quickly towing the yacht into the pontoons. Lifeboat then went searching for something dropped overboard, then went off to Loch Sunart on another errand.

We turned in early, as rain stopped play.

In the middle of the night there was a loud thump – we had hit something! Thinking we had drifted, the skipper was quickly on deck with oilskins on but little else. We were still in the same position relative to our neighbours, but another boat was alongside us. ‘Betty P’, a chartered Gibsea 33, had sailed into Tobermory in the dark (engine not working) and tried to anchor up-wind of us and had drifted down and hit our pulpit on the port bow. Their skipper was trying to fend us off, whilst his partner hastily found their fenders. As our anchor chains were clearly crossed and they had no engine, I suggested it was probably best to raft up overnight and sort out the anchors in the morning. Breast ropes and springs attached, they sheepishly returned our port bow light to us and we each departed below out of the rain.

Day 3 – Monday 9^th August

It was still raining when we got up. After breakfast I bailed 4inches of water out of the dinghy and then went ashore to look for a laundrette to get some of last week’s clothes washed. Found a lady who would do it, provided I was back by 2pm to collect it.

Stopped in the bakery for some fresh rolls for lunch and went back to the boat. Not much sign of life yet from Betty P, but I passed them in a couple of fresh rolls for their brunch. In the afternoon the rain finally gave up. After more bailing of the dinghy, I collected the laundry and then we stirred our neighbours and began untangling our anchor chains. During the night he had dumped out more chain and reckoned he had 40m of chain out. After a couple of attempts, we concluded that they had to lift their anchor, as it was clearly over ours. Their electrical windlass wasn’t working (engine not working, so batteries flat) but they resorted to a mix of manpower and manual windlass. When their anchor appeared, it was hooked into ours and both surfaced together.

We decided that they should drop theirs, so they would be near to the pontoons, and we re-anchored a bit further south and closer into the shore, hoping for a quieter night. One of the ‘must dos’ that we had been told about, was to have a fish & chips from the stall at the end of the pier at Tobermory. “Only opens when there is fresh fish, etc, etc” So I ventured over in the evening in the dinghy, whilst Maggie settled down to a G&T. On a rating of 1-10, we gave it 6.

As the evening wore on a number of yachts appeared and started to fill in all the available gaps. And then a very large yacht, Longbow (an army training vessel?) came and anchored less than 2 boat lengths from us! The skipper could see that I was a bit concerned (was it the steam coming out of my ears?) and said he would move if we got too close. As things transpired the wind died away overnight and we didn’t swing around too much.

Day 4 – Tuesday 10^th August

The forecast was E or NE 3 or 4, so by 08:30 the anchor was up and we departed from Tobermory bound for Staffa & Iona. We breakfasted as we rounded Ardmore Point at the N of Mull, motoring due to lack of wind. Weather was fine, if a little cold, and we began trying to ventilate and dry out the inside of the boat.

We passed a stately Victorian mansion, Glengorm Castle, see photo opposite.

To our north we could see Ardnamurchan Point and to the west the island of Coll. However as the forecast still wasn’t very promising, we decided they would have to wait for another trip. Click for Part 2