2024 June 20th Day 83, Loch Aline to Eilean Dubh

As noted in the previous post there were two options, both of which were going to need the engine due to headwinds, initially light but increasing. I decided to try for the Sound of Jura as the strong tides through there would get me furthest and potentially set up an earlier crossing of the north channel but, even starting at 03:20, with my speed reduced from 6 to 5 knots by all of the crud on the hull, it was still tight to get through the strongest currents before they turned adverse.

It was all daylight sailing, even with overcast skies I could easily see the length of the Loch, it being Scotland on the longest day, a day early this year.

Duart Castle at 05:15.

However there was a good fall back if early progress was slow with the unpredictable tides of the area, If I was not at a way point NW of Insh Island by 07:15 I could revert to "plan B" and carry on down the Firth to Loch Tarbert.

I made it with 25 minutes in hand after cutting a few corners in the good visibility and went down the Sound of Jura.

The tide changed a bit early (not unusual) and had not been as strong as hoped for, so I gave up on Gigha and went to the good anchorage as Eilean Dubh, the last sensible anchorage before Gigha, at yet another place called Sandaig Bay, that I had used in 2021.

Approaching over falls with escort.

Making 10 knots over the ground with the help of 5.5

knots of tide, occasionally more.

Playful Dolphin

With southerly winds sometime light and sometimes strong it was unclear what to do next, most likely a couple of nights at anchor or perhaps a dash to Gigha next day to get another 20 miles under my belt. I decided to not set an alarm to catch up on some sleep and to make the decision in the morning.

Eilean Dubh anchorage.

37 miles in seven and a half hours.

Lots of videos, most with dolphins.

Click here for Gigha.

Round GB 2021, Day 52. Gigha to Eilean Dubh, Carsaig Bay.

I had planned to explore some of the mainland lochs as I went north but the weather was miserable, overcast with mist, drizzle and the inevitable chilly wind (I was back to wearing 2 fleeces) so I decided to make use of a favourable tide of up to about 2 knots to get close to Crinan and hopefully to get into the basin the next day (Sunday) to enable an early start on Monday.

The wind dropped shortly after leaving and I almost put up the spinnaker but the forecast was S - SE F3-5 and there were some big clouds upwind so I waited for about threequarters of an hour and suddenly it was blowing 15-17 knots. With the 45 sq. m asymmetric cruising chute that would have been a bit of a struggle  to get down but single handed  the 60 sq. m symmetrical I would have put up would have had a real challenge. 

So I was feeling vindicated as I went up the loch making 7 knots over the ground under the headsail alone.

There are a number of small anchorages and a bigger one about five miles from Crinan so I went for the smallest, highly recommended on the Antares chart, unlike the main Carsaig anchorage close by  described as "usually an unattractive option".

The anchorage, the red marker is the boat. Note the scale.

The outer Island from the Sound.

The southern end of the anchorage with an narrow passage back
into the Sound.

The eastern shore, an island. the top of a yacht's mast visible
centre.

Looking north to another, less attractive Carsaig anchorage.

This is turning out to be quite a noisy anchorage, at least when
I go into the cockpit and all the young birds start giving alarm
calls, there must be half a dozen varieties on the long, thin island
outside of me but Oyster Catchers and Gulls seem to be the most
numerous. And they sure have loud cries.

20.1 miles over the ground in just under 5 hours with less than 20 minutes on the engine, and that included a 5 or 10 minutes battery charging the batteries whilst I backed up the anchor, just in case given the  size of the anchorage.

Slide show of all my pictures from Gigha to Eilean Dubh , page through by clicking the arrows or click in the centre of the pic to view from Flickr in a new window or full screen:

Click here for the quick hop to Crinan and into the canal.