Great

[puddock]

I took the boat from Dunstaffnage to Peterhead this week. Now, Peterhead may be "pipped at the post" in the UKs best cruising area polls but what a difference it makes to be able to be there in 1/2 an hour, rather than 4 or 5 hours. My 'jobs list' is decreasing already

The other benefit was my first taste of night sailing, on the way round. Fantastic feeling. I loved it.

Right, I'm away back to the boat

[Fingal]

Well i was hoping to come for a sail in Rosally thios season but from Peterheid? Maybe we should have an East Coast Muster in Arbroath.

[puddock]

I'm game for a muster

[Gardenshed]

how about a de-brief of your trip. Any memorable moments?
Can you translate yachting terms into Doric yet?
Does the chandler in the Blue Toon have anything delicate enough for a craft of leisure?

[puddock]

I relaunched Rosally on Friday 9th April, without any problems (despite the knot in my stomach and the constant nagging at the back of my mind that I had missed something). Engine started 1st try and we headed over to one of the hammerheads to get the sails on and prepare for sea.
My crew for the trip was Tam ("LUDD" on YBW), he turned up for the trip just as we finished getting the mast up and rigged. Perfect timing!
We decided to get our heads down and have an early start on Saturday to catch the tidal gate at the Corran Narrows.

6am Saturday, we cast off and left Dunstaffnage behind - be warned; we WILL be back!

The little wind there was, was right on the nose, so the engine was left on (This was to prove a feature of the trip).
We arrived at the Corran Narrows a little early, so drifted around for an hour before sweeping through and continuing up to Corpach. My first time through the Narrows and my first time on the Canal. Excited, apprehensive and curious all at the same time! Cracking weather - but not much good for sailing.
We reported to the Waterways office around 1pm and were asked to wait for "HMS Archer" an RN Patrol boat, who was due around 2pm. Hopefully this would still give us enough time to clear Neptunes Staircase.

Bang on time, HMS Archer appeared and we followed her into the locks.

I had been advised to carry plenty fenders, long lines and a sturdy fender board - nobody mentioned a gas mask though! Those Patrol boats churn out quite a lot of exhaust fumes. However, things went fine and we spent the trip up the Staircase watching as the cadets (? - they were students from Aberdeen University) got holered at and put through their paces. Eventually we got to the top and spent our first night on the pontoons at Banavie. A quick shower, followed by a stroll down to the Lochy Bar for a pint of Guiness and a plate of Steak and Haggis pie (Delicious - another first!), then back to the boat for an early night.
Next morning looked like being another cracking day and we set off to get to the locks at Gairlochy (9am opening) that would allow us into Loch Lochy on our way to Fort Augustus.

We had to wait at the swing bridge as we'd reached it a little early and had our first drama of the trip. An unscheduled MOB drill had to swing into action whilst mooring up to the small jetty - I dropped my fags out of my top pocket With expert efficiency, they were soon recovered and chucked under the grill to recuperate.

Again, all went well and we enjoyed a nice motor along the canal and Loch Lochy, then Loch Oich before descending to Fort Augustus - still in transit with HMS Archer. By this time, the banter had picked up and there were liberal amounts of p-55 taking and good natured abuse being exchanged between crews. We also happened to pass a motorsailer (going the opposite way) by the name of Parahandy .......
After a couple of hours waiting to lock down in Fort Augustus, we had a scary moment entering the first lock. Tam misjudged the throw with the line, wash from HMS Archer caught us and the steady headwind took our bow !!!
Within less than 10 seconds, we were lying across the lock. Now, Rosally is 10.1m long and the locks are 12.2m wide Amazingly, I managed to complete the 180 degree turnaround without contacting anything solid - probably more luck than skill. We shot out into the basin, turned around and continued on as if that was the way we always do it
Obviously, for such a stunt and it being a beautiful, sunny Sunday afternoon the locks were lined with tourists ......
The remaining descent went perfectly and we motored out into Loch Ness, to be greeted by a great sailing breeze - on the nose!
Although I was a little miffed at motoring all this way, I was pretty pleased as this was the first time I had attempted to winterize and service the engine myself and she hadn't missed a beat.it was almost 5pm but we decided to plug on toward Dochgarroch at the other end of Loch Ness. It was going to be a bit of a slog but we wanted to be ready to start down toward Inverness in the morning.
About half an hour into Loch Ness, I sighted a pretty white Contessa heading to Fort Augustus - the lucky bu88er had a perfect breeze behind him !

Appologies for not getting a photo as you passed Marisca - it could have been a cracker

We eventually arrived at the end of Loch Ness in pitch darkness and picked our way along the canal to Dochgarroch where we spent the night.
Next morning, we were on our way again and arrived at the locks ready to descend to Seaport Marina in Inverness - once again, in company with HMS Archer!

Another 2 hours spent waiting for them locking down and locking back up again, before we could descend, meant that we would be cutting it fine to clear the canal and catch the tidal gate - on top of that, I had a dead domestic battery to replace as the original wasn't holding charge at all. So, we spent the night at Seaport Marina and found a great wee pub that had one of the best collections of real ales I have seen North of the border (Clachnaharry Inn).
Tuesday saw us clearing the locks at Clachnaharry at heading into the Beauly Firth for the start of my first ever sailing trip in the North Sea (and, as far as I know, Rosallys first timet there too). We arrived at the narrows between Fort George and Chanonry point and were relieved to find that we had timed it right, as we swept through effortlessly. Unfortunately, the dolphins weren't putting on their normal show there - this is a famous dolphin watching location, where dolphins can often be seen very close into the beach.
They did appear a little further on, once we were into the Moray Firth and provided me with some excellent pictures ..... of waves!
Still the wind persisted on coming straight at us..... It was getting annoying now. I amused myself by watching a lot of aircraft coming and going from the airbases - apparently there was a NATO excercise taking place (Joint Warrior).
Between Kinloss and Lossiemouth, while Tam went below to take a lie down, I noticed an RAF SAR helicopter approach, then circle us twice. Sure enough, he came on the VHF and asked if he could use us for a practice winching. Wow, we were being treated to our own personal display! All we had to do was hold our course and speed for 30 mins.


It was an amazing piece of flying to watch and deepened my admiration for these guys. Thankyou "Rescue 137". Not only did we get a fantastic display but we also got an extra 1/2 knot from his downdraught
It must have been an omen because just after they left, the wind swung slightly and began to pick up and we managed to get the sails up
Close hauled along the Moray Coast, as darkness approached rounded off an excellent day. The wind reached @18kts AWS and we were frequently over 7kts SOG. Rosally was in her mint and handled like a dream.
Tom got his head down for a few hours and left me to enjoy my first ever taste of night sailing - an absolutely brilliant experience. I never saw another vessel after 10pm. I gave Tam a shout around 5 am, so I could grab a couple of hours shut eye, as we neared Rosehearty.
Around 7 am I woke to find us wallowing in the swell off of Kinnaird Point Engine on and motor sail the last stretch to Peterhead, giving Rattray Head a wide berth.
We entered the Marina at 12.00, exactly 24 hours after leaving the lock at Clachnaharry.

All in all, a great trip, apart from lack of or direction of the wind. Nothing broke, the engine never missed a beat, great company with Tom and an education.

[Gardenshed]

thanks for that, glad all went well. I'll contact you if I am up in the North East and need to go saiing.
Cheers

[Telo]

We reported to the Waterways office around 1pm and were asked to wait for "HMS Archer" an RN Patrol boat, who was due around 2pm.

Sounds like a good passage for you!

Funnily enough, there was a telly outdoors programme (BBC I think) the other day about HMS Archer going through the canal, with some telly journo navigating or steering it at one point. Don't think they hit anything.

[wint]

Hi there, you say you went through the canal weekend the 16-18th April going west to east, I was going in the opposite direction, having spent the last while in Peterhead and last winter in Inverness, went down the canal that weekend, was in Fort Augustus that Sunday arrive about 1300hrs and was up through the lochs and moored up for the night about 1600hrs, lovely day and lots of tourist. If you had got to loch ness on the Saturday you would have a strong wind in the right direction, F5-6, I came out of Dochgarroch that day, Saturday and it was right on the nose, too much for single hand run, so turned and went back to Dochgarroch and came that Sunday what a difference flat calm but had a slight run on gennoa. I too went 180 but that was at gairlochy, loch keeper drop bow to soon and gust took it around, but like yourself, to the onlookers, it looked as it should of happened, the language might of been a give away . Down and happily moored in Barcaldine, and yes 4 hour drive is a thought as I am based up here in the north east, but what a difference moorings anchoring galore here. I do not know him well but say hello to Rowana if you see him, and the others in Peterhead.

[Rowana]

{snip} I do not know him well but say hello to Rowana if you see him, and the others in Peterhead.

Hi wint,
I'm still in Peterhead in the same berth. If I remember correctly, you were the guy who had the Varne 27 with a blue hull directly opposite me, "Calisto" I think. Nice to hear from you, and enjoy the west coast.

Jim

[wint]

Jim

That is right, first posting missed out who I was, but you are right there.

Ian