2025, May 29th, Day 61. Plockton - what next.

The urgency is off my return, at least for a week or two as my wife has been referred to a different consultant for a different type of surgery. 

However, the weather for next week around these parts is not good. It is miserable here at the moment raining with light occasionally quite fresh winds but should be improving, contrary to Wednesdays forecast,  Friday looks OK to move so, assuming that does not change, I will head south tomorrow to Tobermory before stronger winds Saturday. Or to the Small Islands or someplace else for a night if Saturdays weather gets delayed.

Models for mid day Friday. I will probably be motoring.

Inshore forecast today at 12:00:

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Cyclonic becoming northwesterly, then variable later, 5 or 6 at first in south, otherwise 2 to 4. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south. Rain or showers. Good, occasionally moderate or poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Variable 2 to 4, becoming southeast 3 to 5, then veering southwest 4 to 6 later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in south. Showers, becoming fair later. Good.

Winds over the weekend are blustery and especially on Saturday would be uncomfortable in the sound of Sleat but not in the sound of Mull.

Tuesday is not looking good.

I suspect I'll spend one, probably two days in Tobermory to get some laundry done, replace a used Campinggaz cylinder, a few days fresh food and replace the fuel I'll probably use tomorrow, only 10 litres or hopefully less if I get some wind but I would prefer to have everything I can carry. 

I need to think about what to do thereafter but I would either move south to to shelter in Loch Aline for Tuesday or somewhere closer if visiting the Treshnish Islands, Coll or Tiree.

Planning finished; my notes, tidied up with some explanation, are put here in case they are of interest to novices planning to do some coastal sailing.

Tobermory - Tobermory 30/5/25

Sources, tide tables, tidal atlas (Admiralty via Imray iPad App), CCC Pilot (after the Admiralty sailing directions), extract from a detail on Admiralty Chart 2540 Loch Alsh and Approaches.

HW Ullerpool 12:20 & 22:30, one day before springs,

Tidal Gates:

 Kyle Rhea

This is the key one, the tide though here can run faster than the boat will go and there can be overfalls to the south and strong eddies, so has to be done with the tide and although slower for a mile or so it is usually best done close to slack water so as to give the best tide on leaving if going any distance. South going from HW Ullerpool so be there at c 10:20. 

Extract from chart insert 2540-2 Kyle Rhea

Working backwards. 

Skye Bridge:

The tide under the Sky Bridge is not  insurmountable but can run at up to 4 knots so best to plan for it. It is very variable, at springs (neaps are different) usually east going HW Ullerpool - 3:00 to +3:30 but depends air pressure and particulalry on wind. 

So friendly from 07:20, best not to pass after 09:30 so as to be at the Kyle Rhea at slack water.

Point of Ardnamuchan.

Whilst not extreme the tide around the point will definitely slow you down significantly if adverse and can cause rough seas especially wind against tide, it is SW going from HW Ullerpool - 00:10 till +05:50 = 10:10 - 16:10. There is nothing to be done about that as even at better than 6 knots I would miss the tide, I'll just have to hope it is not that rough and stick it out.

The Route

Only being 8 miles from Skye bridge and another 4 with the tide to the Kyle Rhea the first part is easy, slip not later than 07:45 to give some time to clear the anchorage to make the entrance probably a bit before the tide turns (it could turn a bit early) at 10:20. Plug that into the route I already had from previous visits and let Seapro crunch the numbers and we get this.

SeaPro is only as good as the number of tidal "Diamonds" permit
and how unambiguous the interpolation between them is so in this
part of the world especially it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt in
places but this should be a reasonable plan (times UTC)

Click her for Plockton.