Lost my MoK cherry

[ash]

Well, Joan and I lost our Mull of Kintyre cherry when we took Mistral from Campbeltown to Ardminish Bay, Gigha this morning.

We couldn't have picked easier conditions, no wind at all, though it was a bit misty.

Some figures.

Mistral is a 1970's era yacht, 27' LOA, 23' LWL, 2.3t design weight, but with a modern 13.5hp engine.

16/07/2013 HW Campbeltown 05.49 BST.

We left the pontoon at Campbeltown at 04.00 BST, and built up revs as the engine warmed going out of the loch to settle at 2,500 rpm and 4.8 Knts through the water.

We seemed to have tidal assistance once we were clear of Island Davaar.

We were off Arranman Barrows buoy at 05.45 BST

We were off the red buoy in Sanda Sound at 06.15 BST and had 7.9 Knts SoG.

We were close in right under the lighthouse at 07.15 BST but only had 3.7 Knts SoG despite the log showing 5.1 Knts through the water. SoG went as low as 3.5 Knts before picking up again.

By the time we were 2 nmiles north of the lighthouse, SoG was up to 6.4 Knts.

Kept a bit of tide, maybe 1 Knt, all the way to off Tayinloan, and were on a mooring in Ardminish Bay by 11.30 BST.

The handheld GPS recorded a trip of 43.5 nmiles and a max speed of 9.5 Knts but some of that might have been me moving it quickly.

I recorded my track on OpenCPN but made the mistake of touching the netbook just at the crucial point, and had to restart the recording. The track recording shows maximum speeds just over 9 Knts, but just at either side of the break in recording so that might just be the GPS signal being re-established.

We slapped off one wave which I hadn't noticed early on before we got to Deas Point, but otherwise it was OK though we could see white water further offshore at Deas Point and under the lighthouse.
Maybe it isn't Deas Point – the last corner before the lighthouse – the one with the rocks sticking out into the water.

We were close in right under the lighthouse at 07.15 BST but only had 3.7 Knts SoG despite the log showing 5.1 Knts through the water. SoG went as low as 3.5 Knts before picking up again.

This surprised me a bit – any thoughts?

Ash

[Gardenshed]

Well done breaking your MoK duck.
Your question about speed when you were under the lighthouse: probably a back eddy.
Nice lightouse and even in benign conditions, you get a sense of achievement. Bet your first beer after that tasted good

[aquaplane]

Well done you two.

You didn't leave it too long to have a later set off! I thought it would be another couple of days.

Keep us informed how you are getting on, you have good tourist weather even if it's not brilliant for sailing.

[ash]

Well done you two.

You didn't leave it too long to have a later set off! I thought it would be another couple of days.

Keep us informed how you are getting on, you have good tourist weather even if it's not brilliant for sailing.

Cheers. Joan decided that an 0330 alarm call was OK.

I kind of forgot that it was still be dark at 4am. Was OK though, even being overtaken by a fishing boat at the red / green near the causeway.

Ash

[mm5aho]

Well done. It isn't so bad as some make out, but it could be if choosing to round in bad weather.

The slow part under the lighthouse is the well recorded back eddy. This can be useful if timing wasn't planned so well - hugging the shore at that point can be an advantage, but if you'd chosen the time (and you seemed to have) then going too close can be a handicap.

You mentioned Arranman Barrows. My poor memory says Barrels? I've always thought it a strange name, whether barrels or barrows. Who were the Arranmen - just men from Arran? And what did they do there?

I'm passing that same way about 1st or 2nd August, but not to Gigha, heading toward Rathlin or thereabouts.

[Silkie]

Well done Ash and Joan. How long are you out for and might we see you a bit further North? Having said that I'm not back on Silkie until the weekend after next.

[ash]

I'm on my phone so won't attempt quotes.

My mistake, I did mean to write Barrels.

I thought that the inshore eddy was west going 2 hours early, when the main flood? was still east bound. I found an east going eddy at HW Campbeltown + 0125. I've never read of that.

We need to be back in Kip for Sunday 4 Aug or Monday at very latest. Want to come home via Crinan Canal, just for the experience. Will go back to Clyde early if weather looks iffy, otherwise who knows. Don't think we'll be as far north as Mull / Oban. That will be for another year.

Ash

[Bodach na mara]

Well done. We have tried several times and failed, never even setting out from Campbeltown. On several occasions we have stayed there for a few days seeing boats that had set out for the Mull or Northern Ireland returning somewhat shaken up. Somehow that area south of Kinityre has a weather all of its own and never as forecast.

The last time was in company with two Bavaria 37/38s The owner of one had been round several times an "always got good weather." as someone who usually gets the wind too strong, too light but always from the wrong direction, I accepted an invitation to tag along. It did not start well. We set off from Portavadie (where we had met up) in the forecast force 3 NWly to sail to Campbeltown. The wind failed after Skipness and we started motoring. I had doubts about keeping up with the two Bavs, and they both got ahead, but the wind came back from the SE and we passed one of them. In a very nasty chop and against a fresh SEly, we were down to under 3 knots at times and finally got to Campbelton well ahead of the second Bav. When they got in we found that they had all been seasick and it was all they could do to get there at all.

The next day, the schedule called for a departure at 11am to motor round weather forecast to be fine with winds of "2-3 knots with gusts of 5 knots from the SW" (XC Weather.) It was p1ssing down and blowing a hooley in the morning as Irene and I went to Tesco for a few stores (mainly liquid) and blew out two umbrellas in the process. We assisted several boats from Ireland to tie up and the skipper of Bavaria no 1 asked why they did not go round the Mull. The polite version of the answer was "Today? Not bloody likely." After lunch, the wind dropped a bit and we set off back up the Kilbrannon sound, heading for Ardrishaig. The wind held and gave a good sail to Skipness again, where it died completely. This has happened often to me in that location. As it was too late to get into the basin, we motored to Portavadie to round off that futile attempt.

We could not venture far this year as a series of appointments meant that we had to be at home more or less on a weekly basis. The longest trip we made was only 6 days as a result, so I am now green with envy at your success.