2025 June 5th, Day 68. Tobermory to Loch Aline.

The latest forecasts are showing fresh NE winds on Saturday which with F6 today rather puts the kybosh on The Treshnish Islands. It also shows rain most days for a good while and not very helpful winds to get south next week.

After a shower and some last minute shopping I left at 11:20 earlier than planned and against the tide to perhaps give me the opportunity to get to Loch Spelve to make a passage through Luing a possibility, with a very early start, on Friday. If things go to plan I'll be in shelter if and when the stronger northerly wind arrives on Saturday, probably on the Jura side of the sound or east of Ghia, most likely the former as I am not in that much of a rush.

There was absolutely no wind in the harbour that was rapidly emptying out of cruising yachts, outside there was about 8 knots but with more forecast and heavy squalls about I stuck to headsail only. Soon after it was up to 15 knots and varied from that, occasionally less, up to 20+ and at one time 25 which was a bit nerve wracking with the dinghy in tow.

Apart from having to avoid a freighter and two large ferries the trip was generally uneventful but I decided against Loch Spelve as the wind had steadied to a brisk F5 and would be on the nose and against the tide at charted over-falls at some point between Duart Castle and Lock Don. So into Loch Aline with a swift 360 degree turn and a lurch towards the shore when the ferry, which had been alongside for at least an hour, decided to come out just as I got there.

Entry delayed by the ferry, we would have collided just south of
the red can buoy, another yacht and a large motor boat coming
from the east also had to take avoiding action. We entered in line
astern with me leading, probably frustrating them as I stuck
to 5 knots, 6 over the ground, they both over took me as soon
as they could whilst I was getting the anchor ready.

A nice change from the last attempt was anchoring on the first attempt in good holding although next morning I did find I had found a spot with lots of thin black mud on top of the thicker stuff and I needed several buckets of water to clean the deck after weighing anchor.

Facebook post:

The plan for tomorrow is to leave when I wake up to take the last of the tide out of the Sound of Mull and then cross to the east side of the Firth of Lorn 6 or 7 miles N of Fladda and anchor there, leaving early afternoon to get the first of the S going tide down the Sound of Luing stopping for the night at Crinan or a bit further S. 

If the weather is as the models showed in the evening I should have light adverse winds on Friday but tide all the way after the stop for lunch, then a north-westerly on Saturday to take me down the Sound of Jura. I will need to find a safe spot later on Saturday as a F6 is forecast.

14 miles in three nd a half hours.

Click here for Puilladobhrain.

2025 10th April, Day 12 to Loch Aline.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many for all of these video's? Most are best viewed full screen and perhaps slowed down a bit (three-quarters speed?) or you miss the details.

It was a trip of two halves:

Motoring from Crinan through Dorus Mor and The Sound of Luing to Insh Island then mainly sailing up the Firth of Lorn, into the Sound of Mull and to Loch Aline. 

The ride through Dorus Mor and the Sound of Luing, whilst not especially dangerous in sensible weather, can be a very quick, even wild ride, this time it was rather sedate with the maximum tide of about 4 knots past Fladda and only a knot and a half through Dorus Mor which I went through at slack water 3 days after neaps, but where NW bound it can run at 8 knots at springs with strong overfalls.

Entering Dorus Mor. some commentary towards the end.

Overfalls exiting Dorus Mor. The heart rate went up

when I saw the first of the white foam balls, it was a 

particularly big one and it looked just like a white pot

buoy partially towed under dead ahead. I had already

cut the engine and made a big course change to avoid 

before I realised what it and they were.

Out of Dorus Mor looking towards the Gulf of Corryvreckan,
a pair of Eider Ducks in the foreground.

The Sound of Luing, Fladda (with white building) in

the distance.

Approaching Fladda port side view. The autopilot

steering a steady course, note the change of heading

due to the eddies and over-falls.

Approaching Fladda and Dubh Sgeir, starboard side.

As planned I had motored the tide assisted 12 miles or so until past Fladda, the wind was still light but looked promising and once abeam of Insh Island the wind had set in from the SSE at about 10 knots so up went the big spinnaker.

Spinnaker up (with the pole too low) and in the

few minutes that took me the wind veered 30 

degrees so I had to gybe.

After the gybe and with the pole correctly set.

It got a bit windy for a while, 15 knots and I though I would have to take it down but the wind dropped and I kept it up till past Loch Don where the wind backed and I either had to gybe the spinnaker again to avoid running ashore or take it down, being close to the turn into the Sound of Mull I took it down. 

Black's Memorial Tower, just short of Duart Point.

Lady's Rock Light and Lismore.

Duart Caste, I have been taking pictures of this
every year since 2020 and not one without
scaffolding on it.

Overfalls off Duart Point.

Approaching Glas Eileanan just inside the Sound of Mull.

I was at anchored in Loch Aline at 16:00 after a quick passage helped by the spinnaker run up the firth. No pictures or videos of Loch Aline this time but there are loads from previous visits, click here for all posts of Loch Aline (it will include this one, opens in a new window).

32 miles in six and a quarter hours.

Dinner: Scratch made Spag Bol.

Click here for a foggy trip to Tobermory.

2024 June 19th Day 82,Tobermory to Loch Aline

With the tides wrong to go a long way I motored down the sound of Mull in light winds to better position myself for the next, long leg, which ever that might be.

Large scale felling was taking place just north of Loch Aline
which did no good at all to my Hay fever. This ship was loading
at a jetty 3 cables north of Loch Aline and running a shuttle service
to somewhere near Oban, she was returning from that direction
when I left next morning.

Forestry is not the only industry here, according to the chart
the jetty inside the Loch services a sand mine.

Entering Loch Aline.

The forecast is not good with light headwinds, again increasing later in the day, there were two main options, down the Firth of Lorn to anchor in Loch Tarbert, the tide being wrong to go through the Sound of Islay and to get to a protected anchorage the same day, or to go back the way I had come through the Sound of Jura, hopefully to Giga. Both would need an early start, the Sound of Jura a very early one and it would still be tight.

14 miles in three and a half hours.

Click here for the next leg

2024 May 17th Day 49, to Loch Aline

The strong winds did not materialise, now they are due tomorrow night so with no wind I headed for the Sound of Mull on a lovely day apart from the lack of a sailing breeze. I started early against the tide to get favourable tides where they run strongest, on a neap tide currents were modest but I followed my already plotted route to give the Gulf of Corryvreckan, famous for it's huge whirlpool and strong tides, a very wide berth.

Passing the Gulf of Corryvreckan

Why it is a good idea to keep clear of The Corryvreckan.

Approaching Fladda and about to exit the route inside Jura and
Scarba into the Firth of Lorn

Fladda

The route requires accurate navigation in strong currents
but is not difficult, pots buoys being the main hazard
for a well engined boat.

I was rather concerned when I saw lots of yachts heading for
The Sound of Mull, probably with only half showing on AIS,
if this was a rally going to Loch Aline or Tobermory space
was likely going to be an issue. It turned out it was a local
version of the three peaks race.

This crew were taking the race seriously having sliding seats
fitted to each hull and two guys rowing.

The tide was foul shortly after entering the sound but not strong and I was at anchor in Loch Aline at 16:30 on a very pleasant evening watching a few seals.

Entering Loch Aline.

 

A couple of seals moving out of the way as I go into the anchorage.

From the anchorage

47 miles in eight and three-quarter hours.

To The Sound of Luing

To Loch Aline,

Click here for Tobermory

2023 June 3rd, Day 51 Tobermory to Loch Aline

A slow passage but pleasant and I arrived in the anchorage at the head of the loch in time for lunch, watching seals basking in the warm sun.

You have to look sharp through the narrow entrance, the ferry
is small and can offload and reload very quickly, I had slowed
down to deconflict in the Sound and although I did not delay the
departure it was close.

There was even less wind inside the Loch.

"Pippin" (left) once the stead of fellow Jester sailor John Willis
and before that Pete Goss. John and Pippen have featured on
the blog several times.

Tobermory to Loch Aline

14 miles in four and a half hours.

Click here for Oransay

2023 May 14th, Day 30 Scallastle Bay to Loch Aline

The forecast indicated that there would be no reasonable chance of getting to the Outer Hebrides any time soon and with NW winds forecast I decided to move to an anchorage with more protection for a couple of nights before moving to Tobermory for laundry and resupply. Loch Aline was the perfect place and close by which was useful as my back was (and still is) playing me up and I did not want to do anything to make it worse.

"Provident" a fine old gaffer beating up the Sound of Mull

Best to turn off the sound, just lots of wind noise. 

Entering Loch Aline through the narrow channel and 

sometimes very busy entrance.

Baby seals, if I had known they would turn up I
would have anchored a bit closer to the reef.

A popular large anchorage, well protected from most
direction and quite attractive, lots more pictures below.

 4 miles in an hour and a half.

Click here for the trip up the Sound of Mull to Tobermory.