Back o' the Pond, Cullipool

[Shuggy]

We tried to get into Back o' the Pond on Saturday afternoon (new CCC book has detailed sketches for South entrance). Recommended max draught of 1.2m and we're 1.5 but I thought we might have a gentle nudge on a rising tide. The problem was the wild tidal x-stream on the way in that would not have allowed for any non-committed manoeuvres and I reckoned there was at least a 50% chance of a cock-up.

Has anyone done it? Is there a reasonable channel? I definitely took the righ decision for the time, but is it worth having another go? I reckoned HW slack would be the only realistic time, but there's so little slack water time around Fladda that getting stuck would probably be an option if I hit the bottom (we tip the scales at about 13 tons so getting off could be a problem).

Your thoughts, Chents?

Shuggy

[DaveS]

I got in once with the previous boat, an Etap 22 with the keel down - draught of about 1.2m IIRC. It was entertaining, if you like that sort of thing... The first difficulty was in keeping oriented with the sketch in the entry channel. Then, entering against the tide, it was possible to make a series of gentle nudges with the keel against the rocks until the gap was found. Getting out via the N entrance involved another grounding.

I've never been back, and would be a bit reluctant to try it with the current boat, but maybe I'm just feart!

[Nick]

.?

[DaveS]

Well, I have wondered about that. It would certainly fix the orientation issue on the approach, but whether the mapping would be accurate enough to find the gap is another matter.

As an example. Using Cmap, which I've found generally pretty good (Dunstaffnage excepted) the normal route through Cuan past the Cleit draws a plotted track across a drying patch which according to the sounder definitely doesn't exist... Although I haven't updated my electronic chart, looking at the new version of the paper chart suggests that if I did the anomaly would not be removed.

[Nick]

Hmmm . . .

Yes, I have noticed that drying patch and my track across it . . .

I have however seen less than three metres there at mid-tide in teh days when our echo sounder worked, and since getting the plotter I now pass about a boat length further away from the Cleit!

[Shuggy]

I found it challenging too - the strength of the x-tide meant that there was a point of no return which is why I chickened out... it was low tide so there was every chance of hitting the bottom and being cartwheeled around! Ah well - some other time maybe - preferably when there's a bit more depth.

[sahona]

If the 'plotted track' is in fact the snail's trail, it may be the setting in the plotter at fault. If it's set to maximise storage use, it tends to 'join the dots' instead of accurately depicting your course. Try it again with shorter sampling time.

[claymore]

We went in and out at the top of a spring tide just to kill a bit of time one day before catching the run down to Dorus Mor. Pretty complicated and entirely reliant on the laptop - as with West Loch Tarbert

[DaveS]

If the 'plotted track' is in fact the snail's trail, it may be the setting in the plotter at fault. If it's set to maximise storage use, it tends to 'join the dots' instead of accurately depicting your course. Try it again with shorter sampling time.

I understand what you mean, but that's not the cause: the "boat" symbol can be seen passing over the "drying patch" before the next plotted line segment is drawn. And it's not a datum offset issue either.

[Shuggy]

Cheers Claysie - sounds like a plan...