BLUEMOMENT

Someone been tying up alongside HMS Astute again?

I suspect that the chentleman who wrote these words has not visited since I posted them here.

Wasn't me was it?
I've done it twice - first at Millport near the crocodile rock tied to the steel grid.
After a few more than originally planned, we returned to find the dinghy vertical like a buoy. Had to steal/borrow a sensibly parked dinghy then get a knife and cut us free.
Second time we got jammed under the stairs at the Mishnish. Luckily some good soul undid the outboard and left it on the street to stay dry.

Not you but thanks anyway.

Twasn't me either, my similar experience was on the slipway at Brodick. A short paddle with rolled up keks and a fingertip untie of the painter sans shirt cured the problem.

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I believe Mme Shard has some experience in this area.

Nick wrote:.
I believe Mme Shard has some experience in this area.

It would quite unbecoming of me ever to mention in public what happened at Inverie. That will remain a closed book.

However, I will own up to doing the same at a jetty at the top end of Loch Aline. On a fine day two or three years ago, we went for a walk ashore, one that turned out to be rather longer than I'd anticipated, up to the Leacraithnaich bothy near Loch Tearnait. It was a fine day, and as it turned out, also a spring tide.....

That jetty didn't half seem long as I walked down it in my grundies. The water was bloody cold and was well up above my knees before I concluded that I'd have to dive for the painter. I retreated. Fortunately, this caused much amusement for other boats, one of whom, realising our predicament rowed ashore and rescued us.

Lessons learnt:

• 1. Don't go ashore except fin the most dire emergency;
  2. Always carry a wetsuit in you rucksac. Not only very useful in a damp climate, it also provides protection against midges and the giantest ot giant clegs.

I did it once at Conway (big tides there 30' plus) but kind locals, spotted it & moved it for me.

On another occasion, I borrowed mooring & went ashore on a rising tide. By the time I returned to mooring bouy was 2' under water & the stern of the boat about 18" out. As that boat was O/B powered, I couldn't start the engine - it was clear of the water. I couldn't untie my strop, the force on it was close to a ton. So I cut it with a knife & then rushed to the stern to start the O/B before we were carried into the boat behind. The wife & kids were not impressed by the episode, despite my masterful solution!