BLUEMOMENT

wide. shard posted some photos in a whereisit recently ( think on ybw ). a fairly small harbour i think and not all of it will be useable.
i am trying to rack up some 60nm + voyages for the rya log book. i could treat the trip to rathlin as 2 trips ( both overnighters ). leave kip fri am, arr c0700 sat. bit of sightseeing etc, leave rathlin c 1800 sun, arr kip c 1700 mon.
sanda is still on my must go list. spent over an hour last august trying to anchor. just could not get the cqr to dig in at all. eventually had to cut and run for campbeltown.

Which is why the faithful old Bruce should be considered as a better deal - We've dragged our way around most of NW england and Scotland with a blasted CQR and when we weren't dragging I was repairing my fingers.
Never had any problem at Sanda - Line up the end of the little stone slip and anchor to the left of it - quite a way in.

we were trying to anchor between the jetty and the mooring. never had any trouble with cqr before but that`s the first time trying to anchor on sand i think. also the first time i could actually see the anchor on the bottom. i think the sand was so hard the anchor wasn`t even beginning to dig in - it almost appeared to bounce when it landed !

I've got a Delta and never had a problem however it is oversized, being a size up from the one recommended for the boat

If there's no-one on the mooring, use that in Sanda. I've anchored a couple of times in there, no worries. The biggest problem is the current that sweeps across the entrance, don't get that wrong or you'll know all about it! Slack water didn't happen until some time later than predicted, although the locals knew exactly when to turn up in the pot-boat!

i would have pirated the mooring but a yacht had preceded us in by about 20 mins and was on the mooring. the annoying thing was being overtaken by same ship about 3/4 way to campbeltown

little boy blue wrote:i would have pirated the mooring but a yacht had preceded us in by about 20 mins and was on the mooring. the annoying thing was being overtaken by same ship about 3/4 way to campbeltown

Torpedos and machine-gun the survivors. Then go back for the mooring.

little boy blue wrote:wide. shard posted some photos in a whereisit recently ( think on ybw ). a fairly small harbour i think and not all of it will be useable.

It's not big, but big enough for Suprstrath's cat, although as Silkie (I think) commented, might be a bit of a tight turn if the MacBrayne's ferry's in.

Having said that, SC could park up easily in the shallow part of the inner harbour.

It's all dependent on the weather now.

Shard wrote:It's all dependent on the weather now.

Yes. I've got the crewing sorted, The Glamorous Nurse and her dochter for the first couple of days, then a proper sailor for the rest of the week.

" Outlook for all UK Inshore Waters for following 3 days:
Winds moderate for a while later thursday into friday as high drifts into Southern Britain, but low dominates late friday into saturday with strong wind in places, perhaps gales over Scotland. "

not looking too promising for rathlin. can`t see the crew being very enthusiastic about crossing the north channel on friday night.

little boy blue wrote:not looking too promising for rathlin. can`t see the crew being very enthusiastic about crossing the north channel on friday night.

Outlook for all UK Inshore Waters for following 3 days (from 0500 Tuesday):
Strong or gale force westerly winds in all areas on Thursday, decreasing on Friday, becoming light and variable by evening except around Scotland, then freshening from the south or southwest on Saturday.

Hmmm, doesn't look good. I've seen the Irish side of the North Channel calm fairly quickly after a gale, but, having been stuck in Campbeltown for two days in similar circumstances, would still be inclined to give it at least 24 hours afterwards before going round the Mull. Or am I being too cautious?

We were hoping for an overnight passage on the Thursday, but that really doesn't seem likely now. Whatever, waiting until Fri/Sat will push back our schedule for the following week too much. Much as I like the Crinan Canal, it's just not the same.....

the tides are spot on for an overnighter heading west but of course with a westerly wind of any strength the whole north channel would probably become one big overfall between midnight and 0700.
we are a mere 23 feet oa and of limited experience so unless there is a marked change i doubt we will see rathlin this weekend.

Different story in the Firth of Lorne of course. The sailing bits of Saturday & Sunday look like W F5. Westerlies tend to give a combination of SW & NW IMO, depending on where you are. Should be fun, I hope.

little boy blue wrote:unless there is a marked change i doubt we will see rathlin this weekend.

Shame - latest forecast is back with the "8" number and the "g" word. We've cancelled plans for Rathlin I'm afraid. Posted message on SB:

Ummmm...., latest forecast suggests Thursday night passage to Rathlin would be unwise. Because we hope to meet a schedule for next week, we'll probably go NW via Crinan Canal now, thus missing Rathlin. Shame. I was looking forward to a musical soirée in McCuaig's bar.

Had an email from Superstrath, last heard of in Tarbert. He's also cancelled Rathlin at Easter, and will be heading back for Ardrossan on Thursday.

Outlook for the following 24 hours (ie Thursday):
Wind: west or southwest veering northwest 5 to 7, perhaps gale 8 for a time.
Weather: showers.
Visibility: moderate or good.
Sea State: moderate or rough on exposed waters, perhaps very rough for a time in North Channel.

Outlook for all UK Inshore Waters for following 3 days:
Mainly west or northwest winds, occasionally fresh or strong, occasional gales across Scotland, whilst moderating for a time over Central waters as a fresh east wind develops for a time across Southern waters. bands of rain or showers expected.

Really disappointed. Maybe next Easter?

xcweather is currently showing 4s or 5s (albeit westerlies) with only the occasional 6. Starting to look worse further north.