2025, June 7th Day 70. Kinuachdrachd Harbour to Kilnaughton Bay, Islay.

 WIP

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A grotty day but on the plus side only light rain rather than the heavy in yesterday’s forecast, so I left the anchorage at 06:40 to get some following tide to help me south. 2+ hours later and no wind yet but I am pressing on.

The forecast for the next few days is more rain so checking out anchorages etc. holds little attraction. The wind forecast SW then W or NW F3-5 for tomorrow, although not brilliant, is the best for crossing the N Channel for the next week so I will probably head over from Islay early tomorrow.

A day of changing plans; I wanted to get as far south and west as possible to give the best angle on tomorrows likely wind and shorten the distance so was aiming for Port Ellen, but after a few hours of motoring in 0 - 4 knots of wind and quite a lot of light but steady rain I decided to head for Aros bay on the SE corner of Islay, the angle on the forecast wind would be c 20 degrees worse and it would be about 3 miles further to the Mull of Kintyre but I didn't want another 3+ hours of motoring on a damp windless day.

Then a little after eleven o'clock when I was off the south point of Jura the wind set in from the NW at 15 knots, the rain was heavier but the met office radar suggested it would soon clean, and the implication from the met office chart for lunch time was the occluded front was clearing and the wind should hold.

So at 11:50 I reverted to my original plan and sailed at 4.5 - 5.5 knots to just off of Port Ellen to anchor in Kilnaughton Bay.

Approaching Port Ellen, from L to R, almost hidden

Laphroaig, Lagavulin and Ardbeg distilleries.

Port Ellen and the anchorage.

The 15:00 runs of the ecmwf and UKMO models, available earlier than usual, are somewhat better than this mornings, but light winds could be a problem midday:

The 12:00 inshore forecast, issued before this run of the model does not yet quite reflect this.

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 4 to 6, backing westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, becoming moderate for a time in North Channel. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly veering northwesterly 4 to 6, backing southwesterly 3 to 5. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre. Showers. Good, occasionally moderate.

I have done the route south from here before so pulled up that plan and ran it for tomorrow, in theory I could be there in time for dinner if I can make 4.5 knots. I suspect more realistically it will be a later arrival or perhaps I end up further north at Red Bay or Glenarm. At least we are closer to neaps than springs but a brisk north-westerly against the ebb tide from c 10:30 could still cut the sea up somewhat.

Times UTC, another early start required .

40 miles in eight and a quarter hours.

Update:

The inshore waters forecast just got worse:

Mull of Galloway to Mull of Kintyre including the Firth of Clyde and North Channel - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Northwesterly 4 to 6, occasionally 7 in North Channel, backing westerly or southwesterly, 4 to 6. Moderate at first in North Channel, otherwise smooth or slight. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: Westerly or southwesterly 3 to 5, backing mainly southerly later. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate near Mull of Kintyre. Showers, rain later. Good, becoming moderate or poor later.

I’ll to check the midnight forecast before I leave and put my head out of the hatch.