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Post by dnickj on Mar 3, 2016 10:54:38 GMT
After years of plotting and planing we are renting the house out and moving onto the boat - the jobs have been jacked in and we are off to do a 6 month tour round the UK ending up in London for next winter
we are leaving the Solent at the end of April and heading west then up the Irish sea to spend a month or so in western isles of Scotland before heading East and down the North sea
we are in the process of finalising the plan and would be geatful if any one has any recommendations of where or where not to go - Thanks Nick
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Post by dublin on Mar 3, 2016 13:50:20 GMT
We will be on the boat in the Scottish isles from start of June to mid August, with a couple of short breaks to catch up on urgent works. We spend most summers there, usually about 8 weeks on board, and the list of "do's" is much too long for a forum.
Passage ports on the Irish side Dun Laoghaire, great marina with great staff but expensive, although maybe not for a Solemt sailor New marina in Greystones, about 10 miles south of Dun Laoghaire is new and have not been there. Carlingford is best avoided Ardglas, south of strangford Lough is a good place to wait for the tide through the south section of the north channel. If going into Clyde it gives an effective positive tidal flow for 11 hours taking you to lamlash on Arran or Troon if you need crew change - Prestwick airport is only £5 taxi ride. One of my favourite anchorages in Scotland - maybe because it was first even Scottich landfall many years ago Bangor in Belfast laugh is also great marina with great staff and mush better value. If depart 2 hours before hw one tide will carry past fair head and all the way to Islay or gigha Glenarm on Antrim court is good place to start a tidal ride up past Fair head. Church bay on Rathlin is good
Peel on IOM is really nice and good value but access restricted to 3 hours each side of high water so not great as a passage port but Is a great base to do the tourist thing on IOM
All this and you are not yet in Scotland
A month is much too short unless it is intended as a ticking the box type cruise rather than enjoying the real beauty.
Last year was 1 days sailing for every 3 days hiding from gales or worse - for the first year ever we "lived" in oil ies. Other years we managed to get good periods of tshirt sailing, but you don't go to Scotland for relaibble weather.
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Post by ianpowolny on Mar 3, 2016 14:47:28 GMT
Mussels at Loch Spelve; Tobermory (Ballamory fame) and Loch na Droma Buidhe for an overnight anchorage with very little light pollution; lunch at Port Appin; oysters at Carbost Oyster Shed; Plockton and under the Skye Bridge - get the tide right though!!! Moorings at the Duisdale Hotel and lunch there but take plenty of money. Glamisdale anchorage Eigg. We have a mooring off Heather Island near Oban which rents out at £10 a night. The crofter will take the money and if he doesn't make then it's free.
An alternative to the standard pilot books - The Scottish Islands by Hamish Haswell-Smith
If you fancy some excitement try following someone who knows through Cuan Sound.
Take long underwear, ski socks and gloves and Avon Skin So Soft.
One mistake we made when we made out escape was not to take enought time when we arrived in an area.
Ian
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Post by dublin on Mar 3, 2016 19:33:43 GMT
Ian mentions gloves Invest in a pair of sealskinz
Cuan sound is a doddlle provided there is no swell form the west. Mentioning Tobermory. Great cycle from Tobermory out to the eastern shore and back through the woods ( we carry full size bikes on board). Can be walked if you want to take a day. Iislay. Great walk on road from portellen north. Takes in three distillery with last ardbeg having a lovely late lunch restaurant about 8 miles round trip but the 4 home are a killer with a rucksack full of single malt Go up lock sunart. Salem is a touch of heaven. Spent thee days there two years ago in short tea shorts and bare feet watching the eagles soar. Could keep going on and on for ever. The good thing about the weather is that if it was reliable the place would be full of boats. The beauty is the solitude.
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Post by dnickj on Mar 4, 2016 10:59:44 GMT
thanks all for the information - hopefully the time in Scotland may edge up to closer to 2 months
we dont realy want the trip to end up being like a hop on hop off coach trip !! we would prefer to do less places but get the most out of each
we had though originally a 6 month round trip would be reasonably leisurely but im beginning to think we could do that easily just in Scotland
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Post by Anwen (Deep Joy) on Mar 4, 2016 15:36:36 GMT
Nick,
I have done the trip around Lands End a number of times and would recommend that you go from the Helford round to Padstow. This is easily possible in a day, and Padstow is an excellent destination. The last time I did it, the tides worked out perfectly so that I left Helford at 6am and was in Padstow by 7pm, making use of the reverse current that runs along from Lands End to St Ives ahead of the flood tide starting. In order to do this, you have to stay very close in, and keep a sharp lookout for the pot buoys that are dotted all along this section of coastline. From Padstow, either Swansea or Milford Haven are excellent destinations on your journey north, although Milford is obviously more on the direct route.
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