2025 11th April, Day 13 to Tobermory.

I was awake early after an early night to find a heavy mist, it had not been forecast and I suspected it was fairly local so decided to move off to get at least the first hour or two against a relatively slack tide. At 06:30 I could see both banks of the Loch, 5 minutes after I had got the anchor up everything had disappeared with the visibility perhaps 20 yards.

I was tempted to put the anchor back down but decided not to and gingerly went down the Loch at a walking pace, fortunately my modern doppler radar is particularly good close in with essentially no minimum range and at 100 meters (or less) will show just about everything, even reasonably sized pot markers in smooth water.

There is quite a lot of detail in the next bit as I am thinking of using it as part of a post or page on navigating in fog.

I had two independent DGPS's running and visible, one the 9" plotter with Garmin vector charts derived from the UKHO, the other a 10.5" iPad with raster charts including the very accurate Antares GPS charts of the entrance and the anchorage (the lap top with Admiralty & Antares raster charts and different vector charts was not going to be any use as it is on the chart table). I could also have had a spare iPad and / or phone running vector or raster charts but that would have been a bit over the top!

As a bonus the plotter and iPad has tracks from previous visits (optionally displayed) my track inbound was my preferred one to follow as it was clear of lobster pots the day before and I displayed just that one on the iPad, see below.

Previous tracks are often a help in fog, on this occasion I only
displayed the one of my arrival. Note the scale, and unlike
some Admiralty carts and those derived from them (most) they
are up to date within a few years rather than decades and were
made using GPS and echo sounders rather than manual methods
and a lead line as can be the case with charts.

Most of Loch Aline was last surveyed by lead line for the UKHO in 1921, and a few parts of the Sound of Mull not since 1904, I have frequently seen much older and current plotters, other than seriously expensive ones for commercial use, don't tell you. Another good reason for having Admiralty raster or paper charts, or both (Imray charts don't tell you either). The Antares survey was in May 2015.

About 150 yards from where I anchored, nothing visible. The
radar is showing 3 other anchored boats (large blobs), the
small red blob is the pole on Sgeirean nan Ron (a short reef).
Making < 3 knots through the water, 3.6 over the ground with
the ebbing tide. Range rings at 250 metres.

In fog the Split screen mode is usually better than radar overlaid on the chart as weak radar returns are not hidden by chart detail, past tracks etc.. Also the radar view can be set for short range targets and the chart view for longer range for situational awareness and more distant AIS targets. 

In open waters I would typically have the radar looking out one mile to ID boats without AIS in time to avoid and with a sporting chance of seeing small navigation marks without radar reflectors. The Chart view I would set to 5 - 10 miles or more to see vessels with AIS in plenty of time. On this occasion in confined water the GPS was at greater magnification for ease of viewing. AIS and planned track if set, can be displayed on both. 

Both displays are set for North up (from the fluxgate compass, they can be set independently, without the compass most modern systems will estimate using GPS). I find that better for situational awareness and particularly for collision avoidance, others get confused and prefer heading or track (if available) up - I find that confusing! I did a poll once on an aviation forum with a significant number responding, IIRC 60 - 70% of > 100 responses preferred track up, clearly my brain is wired differently to the majority! I would certainly recommend people try head up as radar controlled collisions are less likely, particularly vs heading up and especially if you like "bread crumb" trails set on - I don't, there is more opportunity for confusion and radar usually showing trails for fixed objects! The radar's MARPA if available or AIS will show tracks for selected vessels which is more helpful.

Approaching the loch entrance, the red blob ahead of me is the port lateral buoy, about 150 yards away, I saw it at 50 as the fog lifted. With a good rise of tide I could be sure of not running aground if I stayed within the previous tracks some of which were at low water.

The red line on a similar track is a large motor yacht that was a mile or so ahead of me and was classified as dangerous (to my parameters) by the AIS system and so it's past track is automatically displayed. Range rings at 150 metres.

The AIS contact at the top of the radar screen "Lara of Chichester" is, as I write, one berth down from me at Tobermory. She had left her AIS on whilst parked and arrived there in the early evening.

My inbound (right at the bottom) and outbound
tracks, the channel is about 75 yards wide.

The ferry on her berth, about 75 yards away with the fog
lifting further.

The fog stayed patchy until I was well north of Ruba Aird Scisg and the fish farm north of there, about 5 miles, then it suddenly cleared but was still there behind me. With a freshening wind I was able to sail for about an hour but not making a great deal of progress against the tide.

Whilst still in the fog I was rather disconcerted to find a large ferry coming up behind me making 14 knots over the ground, about 16 through the water. I was perfectly safe as I was using GPS and radar to keep well to the right of the main channel and a couple of hundred yards off shore, was broadcasting my presence on AIS and could see hers. She past me under 250 meters away (by AIS and Radar) and was only just visible. How she would have avoided anything not visible on radar a good way away, I don't know.

14 miles in 4 hours.

As previously forecast some bad weather is coming and it is looking worse every day. I could be here until Tuesday or Wednesday 😞and it is unlikely I will be able to head out via Coll as wind is likely to be making the anchorages untenable for some time. Direct to Barra or via the Small Islands may be an option but the ECMWF and UKMO violently disagree on the weather from Tuesday.

Click here for time in Tobermory.

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.

2025 9th April, Day 11 to Crinan

23 miles in 5 hours.

I awoke to find a light NE wind blowing so left earlier than intended, against the tide, to make use of it. The domestic forecast said it would continue for a while but it was wrong and I only made two miles before the wind died to nothing and on went the engine. Again.

I pondered over the option of continuing through the sound of Luing and heading for Mull but I would not have made the tide into the Sound of Mull, Loch Spelve did not appeal and it would be motoring all day so I continued as planned to anchor off of Crinan which should give better protection with the forecasts winds than my original plan of Gallanach Bay a mile further north.

As I write (15:30) there is a good sailing breeze from the west, when the forecast said southerly at 5 knots, but it could be very local.

Tomorrow it will be late start, up anchor at 09:45 to arrive at the entrance to Dorus Mor no earlier than slack water, at springs the tide runs at 8 knots. The passage through the Sound of Luing will be slower than later in the tide but there is a good chance of reaching Loch Aline, just inside the Sound of Mull, with a favourable tide just before slack water.

Now to refuel from the cans, prepare tonights spag bol and perhaps sit in the sun for a while, when blowing the wind is still chilly but in shelter it is the warmest day of the trip so far.

Crinan anchorage

Click here for The Sound of Luing and on to Loch Aline.

2025 8th April, Day 10 to Loch Stornoway

After a quite night I left at 07:40 for Loch Stornoway, I was sailing immediately but the wind did not last that long and I motored for three and three-quarter hours of the six hours it took to get there.

Making some way under the cruising chute.

But it wasn't enough so I tried the spinnaker but soon that
was no help so on went the iron topsail.

Less tide than expected in the Sound of Ghia.

This annoys me, a plastic balloon released for a birthday, cluttering
up the sea with plastic, and it is not the first I have seen this cruise.
There was one off Dundalk Bay and a few miles from me a survey
ship was about to change course thinking another was a pot buoy that
could have got entangled with its towed equipment, the guard ship
managed to get there first and identified it for what its worth.
Possibly all from the same party.

Ardminsh Bay, Gigha and, apart from when I was at Howth
only the second yacht seen since Milford Haven.

The Loch Stornoway anchorage has a bad reputation with a specific warning on the Admiralty chart of its dangers in a south-westerly wind / swell, the CCC pilot is slightly less negative but, I agree with the notes on the Antares chart, with a reliable engine to get you out if things turn nasty (beating out between the reefs could be a bit of a struggle) and with better weather forecasts the warnings do seem a bit misplaced as the anchorage is well sheltered from other directions and has good holding in clean sand. 

Naturally, having been motoring with a SE wind of 2 - 3 knots about a mile out, the wind turned to the south west at 9 knots. The local forecast had shown a SW wind for a few hours but later and at only 2 - 4 knots.

I decided to carry on and see what happened, I need not have worried as 4 or 5 hours later there was no wind and over night the wind went round to the forecast direction of north east.

Loch Stornoway, best viewed with the sound on. My

young great nephew was worried that the birds would

keep me awake.

22.9 miles in 6 hours

Click here for Crinan.

2025 7th April, Day 9 from Bangor across the North Channel.

An excellent sail for a change although chilly, I have had a lot of bad luck with light winds going north. After a reasonable amount of sleep, but still not enough, I had the anchor up at 07:15 and was under sail soon after in a rising wind that topped out at F4. The  cruising chute went up just before eleven as I was able to bear off in the now south easterly wind once past the Maidens. It stayed up until 12:30 when wind picked up to 15 knots but I could still make good speed under fore and aft sails.

The Maidens

Sailing with the cruising chute flown from the spinnaker pole,

something more people should be doing with the wind well aft.

Note the main boom preventer, always important but particularly

so single handed.

The Mull of Kintyre.

I just made the tide off The Mull of Kintyre at 14:00 and headed up the west side. The wind started playing tricks increasing briefly to 22 knots from the south then dropping to 6 - 10 knots before swinging all over the place at a few knots, so the engine when on at 15:20 and I was at anchor in Machrihanish Bay at 17:00.

The last time I was at Machrihanish. Left base to land on the
very long cold war runway, it was a dispersal site for nuclear
bombers, RAF V force (Vulcans) and USAF (B52s).

It may look bland but this egg fried rice with chicken etc. tasted good.

Arriving at a sensible time, one of the reasons for not going further north the other being 5 hours of adverse tide, I had time to cook. 

I was a bit put out, I cooked off two portions of chicken in a little olive oil that I had got from a "traditional" butcher in Howth, by the time they were done so much water had come out of them that the chicken stock covered the diced chicken. One portion for the "special" fried rice the other with some sweet and sour cook in sauce for tomorrow.

9 hours 45 minutes for the 49 GPS miles.

Slideshow includes the leg from Howth to Bangor.

Click here for Loch Stornoway.

2025 6th April, Day 8 to Bangor.

Saturday night's fortifying curry, no cooking on 
Sunday due to the high seas and later tiredness.

I woke before the alarm so was away 30 minutes early at 03:30. In the shelter of the marina the wind was about 12 knots and fortunately just off the bow on the pontoon side, this allowed me to take off and stow the two bow lines (two because of the strong wind and awkwardly positioned cleats on the pontoon), the breast line was holding the boat with the wind blowing the bow off. I was also able to stow the 3 forward fenders, and move the fourth a few inches aft to the other side of a stanchion so I could slide it back as I shoved off.

This was good news as the water immediately outside the harbour was likely to be, and was, rough and I would have little time inside whilst leaving as the channel is very narrow and I would have to steer. Everything except the midships line was now in reach from the cockpit, the midships dock line stayed where it was until late afternoon when the seas calmed down.

The wind also helped me turn round in the channel that is little over a boat length wide, after casting off and hoping aboard the boat move back and the bow blew off so I was able to quickly get to the outside of the channel and then turn hard right into the first avenue between two unoccupied hammerheads with the wind helping the turn as it did when I went hard astern to generate a lot of "prop walk" pushing the bow to starboard, a few seconds of that and I was off.

The seas were very unpleasant in the shallow water so I headed directly out to sea for deeper water and to make an offing round Ireland's Eye. When I bore off it was evident that with the wind well north of east I would not be able weather Lamby Island so I had to keep the engine on for another hour and a half until I was about a mile to windward of the Island and the wind veered. With a strong F5 I set just a reefed jib and then had to further reef it further to slow the boat down to give the autopilot a chance to cope with a very steep cross sea without also having to handle weather helm, before doing so I was making better than 7 knots with one reef in the headsail. At one time a wave broke on the boat and I ended up with about 4 inches of water in the cockpit, I can't remember the last time that happened.

Once things had calmed down somewhat I was able to take a video which, as always makes the sea look less rough than it was.

Reaching in a F5.

Later, at 13:30 the Irish Coastguard broadcast the weather forecast from 12:00 withdrawing the small craft warning of F6 winds, clearly no one was looking out the window at the met office because I was sailing in F6 briefly at about 11:30 then from 12:00 to 13:15, fortunately the sea was much calmer than earlier and calmer than in the video.

The wind started to drop from F5 at around 14:30 and I started the engine half an hour later as the wind had gone. Fortunately the sea around here often dies almost as quickly as the wind, I now had the tide behind me for the first time on this leg (North of approximately Dundalk the tides reverses with the flood running to the south).

2 miles from Donaghadee Sound (directly behind the main
shroud), passed through at the end of twilight.

Slide show of this leg with more videos and pictures on the next post.

The passage through Donaghadee Sound on the neap tide was as benign as it gets with barely 1.5 knots (vs 7 or 8 at springs) and I was at anchor in Ballyholme Bay just east of Bangor at 22:15.

89 miles in just under 19 hours, and I was very tired and feeling very old after the hard work of the morning - mainly just holding on to the boat.

Click here for the leg to Scotland.