Saturday 28 September 2013 – Kip

Start of the big pack up.  Took off wind instrument for investigation and mainsail for repair.

Warm sunny day to dry things off. Fortunately the wind was light so we did not miss a good sailing opportunity

Friday 27 September 2013 – Millport to Kip

No wind at all – very damp and foggy so we did not go ashore. At last a little bit of wind arrived. Motored then slow sail. Pam caught 5 mackerel. No photos.

Thursday 26 September – Ardrossan to Millport

Good sail with 1 reef, shame it was not a bit further.  After lunch we went ashore and took a quick look at Millport, which was not at its best late on a cool midweek afternoon at the end of the season.  We also visited the smallest cathedral in the British Isles.

Entering the bay at Millport

Moorings at Millport

View from the prom

Cathedral of the Isles, Millport

Arran seen from the top of the island

Wednesday 25 September 2013 – Irvine to Ardrossan

We visited the Maritime Museum (which included a visit to the ship “Kyles” that we were tied to"!).  The most unexpected exhibit was “Air Sea Rescue Craft 10”. This boat, and a number like it, were left anchored around the coast during World War 2. The idea was that if aeroplanes were shot down or crashed nearby the aircrew could swim over to the lifeboat, find food and shelter and await rescue.  It seems they were not used much.

The visit was worthwhile. However as the museum has only just reopened after major changes, some of the exhibits still need to be better presented – the machine tools seemed to be short of quite a few parts and short of explanation as to how they worked.

Leaving Irvine later than intended and with more wind than expected we opted out of going all the way to Millport and stopped at Ardrossan.  We had to wait for the ferry, then motored in painfully slowly against strong wind and took down the mainsail in the outer harbour.  We were still fiddling with fenders and warps when the harbour control called us again.  I did not wait to hear what they were going to say – just headed straight in before they told us to wait for the ferry again.  The marina is well sheltered by flats.

River Irvine, looking down river from the museum

We are moored alongside the puffer “Kyles”

Model of a ship’s engine rooms, from the pre-CAD days of the 1980s

The half ship models were built to help design the plating

Tuesday 24 September 2013 - Holy Island to Irvine

Eventually made a late start in very little wind, and headed for Irvine.  Motor-sailed part of the way to get there before the ebb started.  We entered the river past the old pilot tower which many years ago when Irvine was an important port used to have signals which showed the depth on the bar.  We then passed a beautifully made footbridge which was a millennium project commemorating Scottish inventors.  Unfortunately both it and the other attraction which it led to are now unused.

Irvine is not set up for visiting yachts! Even the residents have problems as the river is now owned by a property development company who don’t care about it and don’t maintain anything.  After some confusion we ended up alongside the “Kyles”, an old puffer which was part of the maritime museum, helped by locals Jimmy and Denny.  There appears to be quite a problem here with thefts and vandalism, so when we went into town we locked the boat for the first time for ages.

In the evening Jimmy invited us to join him on his fishing boat which he has spent years converting.  We appreciated the company, guitar-playing and the warm stove.

Leaving Holy Island in no wind

Entering Irvine. The old pilot tower used to have signals showing the depth of water

The sliding footbridge was a millennium project, sadly now abandoned

Monday 23 September 2013 – Lamlash to Holy Island

The shortest sail of the trip, across the bay under genoa.  We found the anchorage had more shelter and a bigger area of useful depth than we expected.  We visited the information centre, walked over the top of the island in the cloud and visited St Mo Las’ cave.  Returning to the boat there was very little wind and not enough time to move on so we stayed overnight

Buddhist centre on Holy Isle

The boat is just visible through the mist

Normally you get a view of the whole of the Clyde from the top of Mullach Mor on Holy Isle

Wild Eriskay ponies

Cave on Holy Isle – a sea cave from an earlier higher sea level

St Mo Las’ cave

Sunday 22 September 2013 – Campbeltown to Lamlash

After 2 long days and with no tidal constraint, we enjoyed a lie in and left late morning after chatting to 2 of the 3 other visiting boats.  Both were on their last trip of the season, one from Bangor (NI) and one from Girvan, and both were regular visitors to Campbeltown.

Good sail with cruising chute until we rounded the S end of Aran, then the wind went a bit light and it took ages to get to Lamlash.  Just for a change we departed the pontoon and picked up the mooring under sail.  It’s a good job we charged the battery fully on shore power.

Ship coming in as we leave Campbeltown

Light on Island Davaar, Ailsa Craig in the distance

Pladda, a small island at the S end of Aran

Another yacht + Pladda

Entering Lamlash Bay, Holy Is on right

Sunny, warm and with a fair wind!