Wednesday 31 July 2013 – Loch Scresort to Arisaig

Good sail with 1 reef.  Arrived Arisaig in time for lunch.  Spent ages fitting the new log which had been delivered direct to Arisaig.  Unfortunately nobody ever designs boat interiors to make it easy to run replacement wires, so a lot of time and temper was used to expose trunking and remove ceiling boards.  Eventually it was all together, seemed to work and we drove round a bit to calibrate it.  Then the rest of the big pack up before heading south tomorrow.

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Sunset over Loch Nan Keal, Arisaig, Eigg and Rum behind

Tuesday 30 July 2013 - Armadale to Loch Scresort (Rum)

We had a bit of wind, for a change.  The plan was to go to Loch Scresort on Rum, take a quick look ashore and have lunch, then on to Arisaig where we would leave the boat for a while.  After a good sail to Loch Scresort, we took a brief look ashore, which included tea in the community cafe and chatting to a couple who had just chartered a boat from Armadale.  Back on the boat we left for an evening trip to Arisaig, but found the wind a bit light.  Not wanting to motor, we returned to the anchorage.

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Leaving Armadale

View up Sound of Sleat

Anchored in Loch Scresort

Mountains of Rum from Loch Scresort

Monday 29 July 2013 – Isle Ornsay to Armadale

Where can we go without much wind (so we don’t have a long motor) that is interesting or we have not visited before?  We decided to try Armadale as it is only a few miles along the coast, on the Skye side.  Surprisingly we sailed nearly all the way, though rather slowly, and picked up a mooring belonging to Isle of Skye Yachts.  They only have moorings, no pontoons.  They can fill boats with water and diesel by having an enormously long pipe on the pier and dragging it across to the mooring with the workboat.

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Isle of Skye Yachts moorings at Armadale

Armadale – time to get aboard before the rain

Sunday 28 July 2013 – Loch Hourn to Isle Ornsay

The period of fine weather with low pressure had at last ended. The pressure was down to 999 and light rain fell all morning, so we loafed about in the boat (the first time for ages) until the rain stopped after lunch.  Hardly any wind, so we motored and then sailed slowly to Isle Ornsay, which has a good anchorage.  Entering the bay Pam caught 2 small mackerel. 

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Isle Ornsay anchorage,
Loch Hourn is to R of mountains behind

Anchorage from near the hotel

Saturday 27 July 2013 – Crowlin Is to Loch Hourn (En Rarsaidh)

Rather misty at first. While waiting for it to clear we took a walk on En Mor, the biggest of the 3 islands.  We left just before lunchtime, when the mist had gone but had not been replaced by any wind.  So we motored through Skye Bridge, through Loch Alsh and into Kyle Rhea, which is the narrowest part of the passage.  At this point a good headwind came, so we stopped the engine and started sailing.  The wind direction was no problem with a strong following tide and we soon emerged into the Sound of Sleat to find stronger headwind.  The wind seemed to have been strengthened by the funnelling effect of the narrowing sound, as it lessened as we carried on.  Eventually the wind dropped and we motored to the first anchorage in Loch Hourn

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Anchored in Crowlin Is. Skye behind

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Approaching Skye bridge

Cyclists taking a break on the bridge

Entering Loch Hourn

Approaching the anchorage at En Rarsaidh in Loch Hourn

Inside the anchorage, 2 boats already present.

Anchored, Upper part of Loch Hourn behind

Friday 26 July 2013 – Upper Loch Torridon to Crowlin Is

A light day with a lot of motoring and some sailing.  The cloud was much lower on the mountains with more rain, so it seemed yesterday’s walk was well timed. We seem to be having a remarkable run of fine warm weather in spite of the low pressure (1007). For the last few days the cloud and showers have built up over the mountains in the day and then cleared in the evening. Anchored in the inner pool in the Crowlin Is, with one other boat already there.

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Leaving Upper Loch Torridon

Much rainier over the mountains than yesterday

Approaching Crowlin Islands (and a lot of weed)

Thursday 25 July 2013 – Liathach

“Seek local advice”.  That’s what they say when planning a passage – and it applies just as much to planning a mountain walk.  We managed to ambush one of the outdoor centre instructors and got some useful information.  Later we came to the Youth Hostel and got directions for the path.  Having failed to hitch a lift to the far end of the walk, we started up the path nearer to the village, finding it made for a quick ascent with easy going underfoot.  The ridge was spectacular, giving rather hazy views of the surrounding ranges.  The scrambling up the pinnacles did not seem too difficult – the best route was generally marked by scratches where crampon-man had passed in the winter.  We met a couple coming the other way who assured us the walk back down the road was shorter than I had expected, so we carried on and completed the walk.  The total absence of wind on the summits confirmed that this was a day for the mountains not the sea.

Some wind when we leave the boat – don’t believe it will last

Upper Loch Torridon from the first peak

Spot the boat

N side of the ridge, looking back to the W

Ridge looking E

Ben Eighe is the big ridge just to the NE

On the main summit

A bit of mist appearing on the way down

Who’s lagging behind?

This landing place is not so good when the tide is down

Mist and cloud clearing in the evening

Wednesday 24 July 2013 – Badachro to Upper Loch Torridon

About 1 mile from Badachro is Flowerdale pier and pontoon.  Although not a favourite place, it provided an opportunity to fill with water and to shop for food and diesel.  We rafted with a Gemini catamaran called Catflap and spent a while chatting with the owner and having a guided tour of the boat.

We did not want to stay in this busy place overnight and as no wind was forecast for the next few days, we decided to go to Upper Loch Torridon to do a mountain walk. We motored most of the way there.  On arrival we were pleased (after the Loch Roe experience) to anchor in loads of empty space. In the evening we visited the hotel, which turned out to also have an outdoor centre, B & B accommodation and an Inn. So we visited the bar and asked about the route up and down Liathach.

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Flowerdale pontoon

First view of the Torridon mountains

Part of Liathach. Torridon village below the mountain

Looking south from the anchorage

At anchor, Ben Alligin behind

Sunset over Upper Loch Torridon

Tuesday 23 July 2013 - Aultbea to Badachro

Sailed out of Loch Ewe, beating into light wind, hoping to reach down the coast.  However the wind dropped and we motored most of the way as had become usual.

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Moored at Badachro (East side)

The main moorings at Badachro

Monday 22 July 2013 – Loch Roe to Aultbea

Oh dear, the most uncomfortable night for a long time!  Anchoring in Loch Roe had been a mistake, but staying there had been a bigger mistake!  The wind did not drop as it kept promising, but kept coming back in gusts.  We seemed to be inches from the rocks in the dark, so kept an anchor watch.  By 5 am we decided further attempts at sleep were pointless so we had breakfast and left.  The anchor was of course well dug in to good mud – however you don’t know that until you pull it up.

Once out of Loch Roe we relaxed a little and had a good sail with 2 then 1 reef in. We passed the Summer Isles and entered Loch Ewe, by which time the wind was quite light and the day warm.  Unusually we completed our day’s sailing by lunchtime. Loch Ewe used to be used as a base for convoys, so contains a number of military relics.  I presume it is still used occasionally by the navy as the “big ship” style buoyage is maintained.

We were glad to have lots of space to anchor and no rocks to worry about – the weather was then completely still overnight so we caught up on our sleep.

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Dawn over Loch Roe

There’s a mountain under there

Passing the Summer Isles, mountains behind

Entering Aultbea (Loch Ewe)

Anchored in Aultbea with lots of space and no rocks

Sunday 21 July 2013 – Loch Ardbhair to Loch Roe

A very light wind day, with a good deal of motoring.  However on entering Loch Roe wind appeared from the east, blowing down the loch into the small anchorage, which has high cliffs on one side and an island on the other side and is well placed for shelter from west winds.  The anchorage was unnecessarily obstructed by a fish farm pontoon, so we anchored in the remaining space and expected the wind to soon drop as it had on recent evenings.

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Leaving Loch Ardbhair. Quinag behind

Quinag, Suilven and other mountains

Tee shirt weather at last.

Old Man of Stoer

Old man. Spot the climber

Another view of the mountains

Entering Loch Roe