Category Archives: Treshnish to Plockton

Ardfern to Carsaig Bay, Mull

Wednesday 1 June 2022

56:19.22N 005:59.06W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

After a rather disappointing May a spell of settled weather and a few days of northerlies mean little S’ly swell and a good opportunity to visit Carsaig Bay on Mull. Stunning weather but little wind forecast and we’re resigned to a day of motoring. A leisurely start with tide north most of the afternoon – and set off down Loch Craignish with the sea glistening and the Paps of Jura largely free of cloud.

We’re near neaps meaning quite restrained tides north through Dorus Mor and the Sound of Luing and, despite the forecast, enough wind to sail, bearing west  south of Fladda towards the Garvellachs. We tack north of Eilean Dubh and then run across to Mull near the mouth of Loch Buie, even reefing the jib at one point. A futher 2 tacks take us into Carsaig Bay, anchoring as the wind backs to E/NE – perfect for the night with a barely perceptible swell.

A beautiful spot in front of the sunny pasture of Carsaig House with the cliffs rising above.

Carsaig to Cragaig Bay, Ulva

Thursday 2 June 2022

56:27.89N 006:12.57W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

Another day with little forecast wind – a light, cool NE’ly but again enough to sail all day. Out of Carsaig before breakfast, we started with jib only and a minke whale sighting, adding a preventered main for a stable goosewing and then main only.

Very serene along the Ross of Mull making 4-5kts with a touch of tide to help. As often seems to happen, we hit the Sound of Iona near low water requiring some care to keep to the deeper channels – taking the east, Mull side and with the wind now ahead of the beam giving a good fast passage through. The contrast between the pink granite at the tip of the Ross with the tiered basalt of most of the Mull west coast was particularly striking.

Clear of Iona we continued north on a decent beam reach passing Staffa, busy with tripper boats and a couple of yachts. Our goal was Cragaig Bay but rather than anchor in the main bay we explored the first bay to the east – anchoring just north west of Torr Beag, giving good shelter from remains of the NE’ly and great views west to Dutchman’s Cap in the Treshnish Isles. A lovely, compact spot with good views to Iona – but wide open to the south west – wind and swell – not a problem today – and another ‘new for us’ anchorage.

We rowed the few yards over to Ulva but the terrain was quite rough and it would have been hard going to reach the track to Ulva Ferry – so back in the dingy and an extended paddle, Canadian canoe style around Eilean an Dusain. A late and glorious sunset.

Ulva to Loch Mingary via Lunga

Friday 3 June 2022

56:37.93N 006:12.43W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

Another beautiful day and more very light winds – this time not enough to sail, so essentially a motoring day. But not far to go to our first stop at Lunga in the Treshnish Isles – although we added a short detour to look at Gometra South Harbour. We saw Corryvreckan looking very smart under new ownership and back chartering – now Swiss flagged! Great views back towards Ben More as we headed out from Cragaig Bay.

Lunga was already busy with a couple of trip boats from Tobermory in and half a dozen yachts. We anchored in the prime spot (56:29.73N 006:25.05W – click for google maps) just vacated, close in and a short row ashore to the boulder beach – and path up to the cliffs and the puffin colonies. More people here than usual with the Jubilee holidays added to by a small cruise ship – Island Sky – but most already departing as we went ashore after lunch.

We soon had it almost to ourselves and plenty of time to walk over to Harp Rock that was literally covered in guillemots – the noise (and smell) almost overpowering. The puffins by contrast had picked quieter spots for their burrows and a little patience soon had them at ease with plenty of good photos – and still bluebells in flower!

I watched a shag grooming, gradually getting closer until able to get this shot – its green eye and scaled throat making a vivid link back to their dinosaur ancestors. The puffins on the other hand – with orangey brown, slightly sorrowful or apologetic eyes could hardly be more different. And a pair of razor bills put on a wonderful display dance for the camera.

With the forecast predicting moderate SE’lies all night Treshnish, and particularly our spot, would be less comfortable, so we upped anchor just before 6pm and took advantage of the north flowing tide round Rubh’ a’ Chaoil and Caliach Point to motor to Loch Mingary. Another new anchorage for us and perfect for the conditions giving views NW. A fine evening with highland cows grazing nearby as the sun finally sank into the sea just south of Rum and Canna.

Loch Mingary to the Borrodale Islands via Eigg

Saturday 4 June 2022

56:53.18N 005:48.68W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

More light northerly winds and a stunning cloud-free sky making north a good direction to sail – with enough apparent wind to keep us sailing all day. Some vague beating to get us west of Ardnamurchan – the wind direction changing to help us as we go and then a direct close reach to Eigg. Our initial goal is the South Harbour at Galmisdale – often full of swell and very uncomfortable – today it will be perfect.

Soon anchored (56:52.51N 006:07.89W – click for google maps) with 4 other sailing boats already in and more arriving. Lunch and then ashore via the Galmisdale Harbour slip and an excellent walk around the SE coast to the ruined chapel at Kildonan. The new buildings at the pier – cafe, shop etc are almost finished and the whole island has a very comfortable feel – huge variety from the basalt cliffs and Sgurr to the wooded lanes and machair.

With the wind still looking good for an evening sail we decided to move on to the Borrodale Islands – setting us up well for what’s looking like a wind-free day and Loch Moidart tomorrow. The wind was now in the NW requiring a short spell of motoring to clear Eigg’s wind shadow and then a fast beam reach heading first for Garbh-eilean Bay – a small west facing bay just to the west of the Borrodales. The last few miles saw the wind well over 20kts and the need for a reef or two, and in the end I decide the wind was just a little too W’ly and we move round to the Borrodales proper – anchoring just after 9pm in the second bay from the east.

By now the sun was just dropping behind the hill; time for a late supper – with a family group of Canada geese parading around the boat.

Borrodale Islands to Loch Moidart (North and South Channels)

Sunday 5 June 2022

56:47.15N 005:48.77W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

Not a cloud to be seen as we pick up the anchor – nor much wind – but only a short motor across to Moidart and, it what is becoming a trend for this cruise, we take advantage of the very quiet conditions to explore the North Channel with the help of the excellent Antares chart. Like the South channel it would be less fun with a W’ly sea running but the channel itself is fairly straightforward and less challenging than I expected. Here we are approaching the narrows and then, once through, the view back west and then ahead east into the loch.

The inner channel is huge – much of it good anchoring depth and seemingly good holding in sandy mud. We anchored NW of the land bridge between Shona and Shona Beag (56:48.10N 005:50.20W – click for google maps) – half a mile or so north of our usual spot tucked south of Riska.

Lunch and then time to exit and head round to the South Channel for the night.

An Island Packet was maybe 20 minutes ahead of us but as we made our way, near low water, towards Riska they seemed to have anchored well forward – leaving our preferred spot clear. A few minutes later as we rounded the corner they were moving again and then dropped in ‘our spot’ taking much of the anchorage. I later learned that they thought they might be too close the cables – odd to check only once anchored. We dropped once a fair way back but the bottom was rocky and the anchor just bounced along – so we headed instead 1/2 a mile or so further into the loch anchoring in the pool SE of Eilean an Fheidh. And a very attractive spot it was too – harder to get ashore and no view of the castle but plenty of compensations. Ann worked on a paper for a conference in August whilst I went for a row.

Loch Moidart to Canna

Monday 6 June 2022

57:03.23N 006:30.77W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

An early start – we wanted to get to Canna in time for a decent walk ashore – and glassily still as we wind our way out past Castle Tioram. The wind improved slightly with a hour or two of F3 giving us a decent close reach but mainly much less and much of the day was motor-sailing or just plain motoring as we took the route east of Eigg and Rum.

With a fair bit of east in the wind overnight and barely a murmur of S’ly swell is seemed liked a good day to try the Canna Boat Harbour, SE of the channel between Canna and Sanday. We’ve often sat on the beach and wondered whether getting in here was possible and then Mr Bradfield very kindly produced a chart showing a route in, more space than seemed likely and, generally, a good clean, sandy bottom of perfect anchoring depth. The only problem is swell so today was an opportunity too good to miss. Rounding the southern cliffs of Sanday we found ourselves sailing through rafts of puffins – not something you often see on the usual approach to the main harbour – and then a few anxious moments as we worked out where the entrance was. But again, with no swell and Bob’s chart it was all reasonably straightforward and we anchored off the beach, midway between the two drying rocks. A quite stunning spot and quite different from the normal Canna Harbour experience.

Easy access ashore onto the beach and then a lovely walk round to the ferry pier and back. We were all on our own – quite a contrast with the harbour where all 10 moorings were taken and a further 8 boats were anchored.  A different world.

Canna to Mallaig

Tuesday 7 June 2022

57:00.33N 005:49.57W – click for google maps

Click to view our whole route in google maps

With water running low, the batteries in need of a good charge (we’ve been sailing too much) and a weather change coming we’re heading to Mallaig. A promising 10kts of NE’ly wind soon dies to nothing and we motoring again – although only 24nm to run.

The highlight of the day came as we rounded the Point of Sleat and started across the Sound – an odd looking ship approaching fast and looking a lot like the Waverley. AIS confirmed our guess and we slowed and changed course to bring us within a few hundred metres of her track. We’ve seen here all over the country – in the Thames at Tower Bridge, the Solent and South of St Catherine’s Point on the IoW and Tarbert in Kintyre – but never both so close and steaming flat out!

She continued on to Kyle and we tied up in Mallaig picking (as usual) a south facing berth stern to the fishing harbour – where there’s always somethgin going on. Lunch, shopping in shorts, red diesel in cans from the chandlery and then tent up before the rain set in. We’ll stay here a couple of nights – there’s a bit of a blow coming and boats are starting to pour in – but we’ll head north on Thursday.