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Wed 10 September 2008

Back to the Clyde

The first stop on our return leg to the Clyde was Carsaig, a few miles south of Crinan - an attractive village set round the bay, offering a nice half-mile walk across the peninsula to the more sheltered but less accessible Tayvallich. On a dreich, windless morning we started down the Sound of Jura but after a couple of hours the weather improved and we reached Gigha in bright sunshine, seeing a dolphin with calf in Ardminish Bay. Ashore, we enjoyed playing in an impromptu music session, walked to Achamore Gardens, and at night stargazed into the very clear sky. Mike left us the next morning, taking the ferry to Tayinloan, and we set off to round the Mull of Kintyre. Off the lighthouse, we met with /Seol na Mara /and passed across her Skipper's bunnet, which Peter had sorely missed. There followed four hours of frustrating motor-sailing without making any appreciable headway against the fierce tide - but as it eased we were able to continue to Campbeltown. After a showery day at Brodick, we made up to Rhu, where the Mate gutted the bucketful of mackerel we caught off Inverkip. Our final day started with a visit to Iain and Barbara in Helensburgh, then we motored up-river to Dumbarton where we were immediately de-masted and lifted out for the winter. Our summer cruising had occupied 121 days, covered 1,760 nautical miles, and visited 70 anchorages.

Posted by skipper at 02:22 PM | Comments (1)