Malts Cruise - We promise to behave...

[foolsbrew]

I am not at liberty at present to divulge exactly how we might behave, but...

We are a US crew, visiting the Western Isles for the first time as part of the 07 Malts Cruise (blame Alba, they chartered me the boat...). After venting what is sure to be some interesting sentiments about an event that chokes all known sites with a 100+ boat fleet in your favorite spots, and the fact that one of them is filled with Norte Americanos, I would appreciate it if the brain trust could say some things about places not to be missed, places to be missed, pubs not to be missed, things idiot tourist charter people always do (and so we should not) etc.

I should say we're from the Pacific NW, which seems remarkably similar in nature - San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands, orcas, salmon, oysters, good pubs assailable from the water, sometimes vicious tides, submarines, pubs, way too many power yachties, pubs, and loads of fishing and ferry traffic.

I apologize in advance for my intrusion, but your insights are eagerly sought.

Gracias, and amen.

[foolsbrew]

I should add, I've read the moorings and anchoring articles on the site, and of course read Martin Lawrence, and some of the CCC stuff. I'm looking for that "local knowledge." And, this is your chance to tell us how not to behave, and regale us with horror stories of our countrymen behaving badly.

[claymore]

Hi
On your way to or from Skye make sure that you slip into Canna Harbour.

You may find the whiskies of Islay a little peaty - get into Craighouse on Jura and do the distillery tour there then try the Superstition.

Have a great trip - which boat are you chartering - we are around so I'll look out for you.

[foolsbrew]

We are chartering the estimable Eloise, a Sun Odyssey 43 DS. There are 7 of us, so we wanted to be sure we could banish misbehaving miscreants to their cabins, short of keel-hauling.

For as long as I have owned a boat - a J30 and now a Bavaria 32 - there has been a bottle of Islay on her. Sometimes Lagavulin, when I'm feeling all gelted up, and sometimes a Bowmore when times are leaner. The larder has also been known to contain Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig, and a franken-malt called "McLellans". Frankly, I think Islays were made to be consumed with sea air...

We were actually planning a Canna stop on the way up to Harport, post Tobermory. I'm afraid the wife loves "Local Hero" with entire sections of dialog memorized, and so a Tobermory stop is obligatory. Though now she also wants to meet Davey up in Salen in Loch Sunart.

[Silkie]

All the possibilities mentioned in the Classic Malts Along the Way section have their own unique charms and no-one can pick your particular favourites for you but one of mine not mentioned is Puilladobhrain.

If you do decide to visit however, just remember that no matter how much you may covet a particular view..


..you shouldn't try to anchor on top of an earlier boat (no matter how small she is) as Eloise's charterers attempted the weekend before last.


I hope to be around and about for the first weekend.

PS - They weren't American - and welcome aboard BlueMoment and to Scotland.

[claymore]

Local Hero - "the Auld Country, MacIntyre"

Then you'll need to be in Arisaig.

[cpedw]

Be sure to keep to the south side of Loch Bracadale on the way into Harport ...http://www.bluemoment.com/snark.html .

On your way to or from Talisker, consider a stop at Doune http://www.doune-knoydart.co.uk/yachts.html where there's not much, except if you phone beforehand you can book dinner and one of their mooring buoys. The dinner's fantastic and the shelter is good, except from the north.

Derek

[foolsbrew]

Silkie: I read your post about someone anchoring on top of you, the picture just made me laugh out loud. I will try not to anchor less than a boatlength on top of anyone!

Claymore: Perhaps Burt Lancaster's finest role. I can only hope to lose my Blackberry to a tide pool...Arisaig was one of those spots we were considering on the way up or back from Skye. Perhaps that seals the deal.
"Are you sure there are two l's in dollar, Gideon?"

cpedw: Excellent! Thanks for the pointer on Bracadale, and we may well consider a stop at Doune - we had budgeted a day after the ceilidh for, er, "recovery."

[Silkie]

The picture was taken after they'd shortened scope.

The only sailing American I've met locally and socially was a charming chap called Hugh Dundee. He was the perfect host when we went aboard his Cape Dory later in the evening but he clearly didn't understand pub etiquette and you might find the link useful in this regard.

Not to be outdone by Derek there are also some useful pilotage notes (for Easdale in particular!) in my blog entry for that weekend.

[claymore]

"My - but ye say the damndest things Marina...."

[Telo]

I can only hope to lose my Blackberry to a tide pool...

No need. Just pass it over to Claymore, and he'll lose it in his bilges for you.

He really should pay more attention to the EU Directive about the responsible disposal of electronic items....

[foolsbrew]

Once again, to all, I appreciate the info! I'm to hand Claymore my Blackberry across his bilge, then?

That pic was *after* they shortened scope? Now I know why you mentioned something about being able to shake hands with the chap.

I read with intense concentration the post on the Easdale outing, as I found the Oyster Bar Brewery's website a few months ago, and had been counting the minutes (6,520 from now) until I could sample their product. Sadly, Jacki at Alba said something like "you really shouldn't take Eloise anywhere near Easdale." Now that I know about that mooring, though, if I spot it open, it's all over. (We are somewhat ale obsessed here in the US NW, and I'm a certified Institute and Guild of Brewing brewer.)

That was a beautiful view, and to reciprocate I share with you a couple of Puget Sound post-race pics:

Waiting for the last race...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/212/4732 ... 3f.jpg?v=0

Hoping for just enough wind to cross the line...

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/206/4732 ... 5f.jpg?v=0

[Booby Trapper]

I'll apologise now for the weather and the midges.

[foolsbrew]

Bear in mind, we come from the Pacific Northwest. Our summer begins July 4. It rains here for 10 months of the year. Mostly a benign rain, but not always. This past winter 70-80 knot windstorms knocked out electricity for weeks for some people. Summer, when the weather is almost nice, is typically pretty light air so tough on sailing. Mostly. Sometimes it's not so good. We call that fishbelly white color a "tan." We drink so much coffee because otherwise we would speak in Entish.

In all seriousness, I think teh weather is not so different. Midges, on the other hand...I can't wait to encounter that experience. Though I hear at sea and on the boat they aren't usually that bad. True or no?

[DaveS]

Up until an experience last year I would have agreed that midges are a nuisance (to put it mildly) ashore, but little or no problem afloat. Last year, however, I anchored at Oronsay and was immediately descended on by a horde of the little b*ggers. An hour later they'd gone.

I hope this was a freak event and not the forerunner of a change in their habits. Perhaps it's retaliation since pubs have started to install midge eating machines in their outdoor drinking / eating areas. (These really work and have transformed calm evening drinking...)