Anchorages on Tiree

[ctva]

I know that Tiree is a mainly flat island with little shelter for anchorages but I was wondering if anyone had any experience or suggestions of overnight anchorages on the north or east shores for when the wind is in the south or west? We've used Gott bay before which is idilic with miles of surrounding white beaches and views to die for but.... no shelter if the weather is anything south.

 

[Krusty]

Best is in Gunna Sound; the southern part of the bay, S of the above-water rock dividing it; sand.

On the north coast, the western side of Balephetrish Bay; sand. The bays further east, Vaul and Salum, are (or were) more weedy; tricky approach through rocks too.

From memory, the greatest difficulty (pre-GPS) was identification from seaward: "Third sandy one on Port from Gunna Sound" comes to mind.
Good shelter from wind and seas but not northerly swell, often making dinghy-landing a wet business and getting off again a mite challenging; even thrilling.

 

[Sgeir]

As above, Gunna Sound, but I recall that there are power cables marked on the chart as being in the middle of the bay.

EDIT: incidentally, Just to the north on Coll, Feall Bay can occasionally give sheltered anchorage. We've anchored there overnight.

 

[uxb]

There's a tiny wee harbour at Milton that the local fishing boats use, if your boats is -30 ft you might be able to tough it out with them but Tiree is not a place to be when it's rough or windy from any direction.
It's exposed to any wind and waves going which is why is such a popular windsurfing and *itesurfing destination.

 

[ctva]

Thanks for the info, I'd been told about the one in the sound before but with the cables there, is there still enough room to anchor?

 

[Steve_N]

As an aside, because I haven't anchored there, Gunna Sound was THE place for basking sharks when we were there a couple of weeks ago.
At least a dozen of them cruising around in the sunshine in the vicinity of the starboard hand marker.

Drifting around under genoa we were able to get really close, almost too close in fact as I thought we were going to get t-boned by a 6 metre monster at one point, but happily it diverted at the last second and gracefully slid past, enormous mouth wide open.

Well worth a look if in the area.

 

[Sgeir]

Thanks for the info, I'd been told about the one in the sound before but with the cables there, is there still enough room to anchor?

Don't presently have access to log books, but, from memory, I recall that we anchored there temporarily waiting for the tide to turn, probably as Krusty described; "S of the above-water rock dividing it; sand". That seems the obvious spot, there is room, but take care.

 

[DaveS]

Looking at it on Visit My Harbour there seems to be room between the rock and the cables. I am finding this information most interesting, having experienced Gott Bay in a southerly and not wanting to repeat it.

 

[Sgeir]

How did you find it on VisitMyHarbour? Couldn't see it, but then I haven't signed up for the site.

I'd actually forgotten about that anchorage until someone (Webcraft or Jim the Pontoon perhaps?) mentioned it just the other day. When I later looked at the chart I seemed to remember that we anchored there and had a meal as the tide turned. Very nice spot, but would be very exposed in some winds.

 

[DaveS]

How did you find it on VisitMyHarbour? Couldn't see it, but then I haven't signed up for the site.

I signed up. It was about £20 IIRC, and I find having on line access to all charts very handy. (I'd got used to having this with the free version (1 week old data) of the AIS site, and missed it when they disabled the detailed charting.) As a member there's a discount if you buy the "for navigation" electronic charts for use on board, but I haven't got round to this yet.