15 mins of fame

[longjohnsadler]

As we motored into Tayvallich. Loch Sween, last monday, bobbing at a mooring not ten yards from the port bow was the noble Claymore; clean of prow, honest of stature, seaworthy, looking sprightly and light to the helm. Couldnt tell you anything about the boat, but as we passed the skipper waved, and I muttered to the crew, ' No that cant be...the famous Claymore from Scuttlebut?'
Discretion being the watchword on our boat, the 1st mate shouted out, 'He says you post on that website thing.' Our cover was blown.
After a brief but cordial interlude in the Tayvallich Inn, we left the following morning to discover the Fairy Isles, whilst Claymore lunched at the McCormaig Isles and no doubt overnighted on one of the Torran Rocks. Oh, and I once got Matt Busby's autograph...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[jimi]

Was the man looking as fit as a lurcher with worms? That Caulie cheese is an awfie thing!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[longjohnsadler]

Re: jimi

Not sure bout the lurcher or the cheese but I'm sure your name cropped up....

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[ParaHandy]

Sprightly ...???

Must hae got 'im afert ra caulifloor supper ... an nae menshun orra new navigation hazards. He must be wi ra missus?


<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[longjohnsadler]

Re: Sprightly ...???

Eh? But he was drinking the heavy...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[claymore]

Re: Sprightly ...???

I tak it ye got back tae Lough Swilly in yin piece?
We'd an awfy time - Ah managed tae get doonwind o yin Puffer an he tairned us a' black.
We'd a fine time on the MhicCarmaig Isle where ah wiz dive bombed by a gull an slipped on ma airse an did the finest seal launch as has bin witnessed fer mony's the lang day.
On Jura a wiz trundled roond they gardins by Dear Heart an telt off by the wee mannie fer tryin tae pinch some poppies which a thocht wid gang nice wi ra caulie. Ah cam aroon a corner an can face tae face wi an otter - Jings it wiz ra spittin image o' Jimi wi 3 days stubble an then a med ma big mistake. Ah went on ra distilliary toor an cam oot ra wairse fer drink. Seemed a guid idea tae by masel a wee bottle o ra Superstition (13 years old) an an even better yin tae get stuck in wance safely ensconsed in ra skippers fornicatorium back aboard.
Jings - by the time a' surfaced there wiz at least 8 paps o Jura an ra Missiz nane tae pleezed. We'd a fair trundle back tae Crinan where a' managed tae get a mortgage application form filled oot an treated us tae a roond o drinks. Ah fell oot wi a wee mannie in ra Loch Melfort Hotel wha wiz trying tae palm me aff wi a shrimp fer a bit haddock an a' things considered we'd a burster o' a week.
Yin Artfu' Dodger motif on ra boat looks awfy like masel tryin tae stond an widdle wi ma cargo o Jura on board.
Ma vhf is knackered, a broke a hinge, ah jammed ra heedsail furler fer a while - Ah reckin that wiz Para - an apart frae that it wis a disaster free wee sail.
Ah mind ye asked me tae clean yer boat wance ah'd done ma ain - well ah honoured my side o' ra bairgain whilst ye wiz aff doon ra Tayvallich Inn wi yer pretty wee dochter - wid ye be sendin' me ma fiver fer ma labours?

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[longjohnsadler]

Re: Sprightly ...???

Interesting take on the Artful Dodger motif. But then a fellow skipper's wife in Crinan harbour pointed at the boat and said,'Whats that horrible little man doing with his hand. Thats disgusting.' (I think she was on about the motif).
Wouldnt take the route back to Swilly outside Islay again. Wind bang on the nose and the sea like a six hour Alton Towers ride with no hope of getting off. As we motored up Fahan creek to the marina after a 14 hour passage, someone had removed three of the channel marker buoys and we nearly ran aground. Would be difficult to look dignified whilst being called ARTFUL DODGER and stuck on the sand overnight. As for the fiver, I bought a round in the Crinan Hotel as well...
The 'pretty wee dochter' (looking smug) sends regards. I'm off to look at the charts of where we were and write up the log...

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[claymore]

Re: Sprightly ...???

<I'm off to look at the charts of where we were and write up the log...>

Just a thought - it sometimes pays to look at the chart before you go and if the Forum Log Police catch you making up your log after the cruise you can wave goodbye to ever being able to wear the blue ensign.

Which day did you cross - Thursday, Friday seemed like it would have been a good time - it was certainly flat in S of Jura and Crinan. I saw the Seawolf in Crinan basin on Friday morning but they'd gone by the time we got back from our morning consitutional.
Are you up there again in the summer?


<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[longjohnsadler]

Re: Forum Log Police

I would like to make it clear that I thoroughly deplore any tampering with the sanctity of the log. Any suggestion that I fabricated any entry is simply - and totally - untrue.
There again, a few harmless items added post-voyage can make the cruise more interesting and heroic, if a little difficult to recognise for the rest of the crew.
For instance, interspersed between these entries:
0945 Hoisted sails. Stopped engine.
1015 Dropped sails. Started engine
could be added -
1000 Sucked into Corryvreckan. Lost several crew overboard into a whirlpool. Wind - Southwest 4 or 5. Sea state - circular.
or indeed -
1005 Spotted mermaid sunning herself on a rock. Stopped to take pictures.
(This latter may be pushing the bounds of credibility too far. The chances of anyone sunning themselves anywhere on the west coast of Scotland at anytime during the second half of May is frankly unbelievable.)
There is no doubt Sir Francis Drake and Lord Nelson were at it too. The Spanish Armada was probably a storm in a teacup, and the Battle of Trafalgar just a spat over the colregs between his lordship and a few chaps in a Beneteau - until someone wrote up the log a few weeks later and added the bits about heart failure and snogging the crew...
I digress. We travelled back on thursday (according to the log). Although the weather wasnt too bad, the sea was still very lumpy off Islay, but calmed down halfway to Malin Head and the sun came out. The last 15 miles was a good run under sail as the wind shifted round to the east.
Hopefully we'll be back up during July or August. If you get a slingshot with the tide, Swilly to Port Ellen is reasonably straightforward. We'll -ah -keep you posted

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[claymore]

Re: Forum Log Police

Thank you for that most informative post my boy. What you are actually suggesting seems quite reasonable really. I have pages of 09:00 -Left Melfort
17:00 Arrived Tobermory with little in between. My problem now is that as this goes back a year or two I really have no idea what went on so I suppose I could just invent a few things - Dear Heart Brewed Up, Dear Heart Made Lunch, Dear Heart Agreed with Me over where we should go. Dear Heart did not blame me for the rolling swell on Colonsay
Seems altogether better!
Perhaps see you July.

<hr width=100% size=1>regards
Claymore
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif