Any anchorages etc near Inverness Sea Lock?

[dunedin]

Any suggestions of safe places to wait overnight near the Caledonian Canal Clachnaharry Sea lock if arrive overnight before locking hours?

Clearly could go into Inverness Marina for a few hours, but any alternatives?
Anchorage shown on Admiralty chart at Fortrose Bay, just inside Chanonry Ness, but looks to be in the main shipping / boat fairway. To the side looks steep to or shallow.

Winds expected light to mod southerly or SW

 

[jdc]

I've spent a very peaceful night at anchor in Fortrose bay. It's not that steep-to and so was fine for a night but of course it depends on the wind. Since you know the weather I assume your are planning this rather soon? In which case note that LW neap tides is at least 1.6m above LAT which makes quite a difference to the width of the zone in which one could anchor and still stay afloat at LW. Same applies to the Beauly firth: personally I'd go 100m or so W of the canal entrance and just anchor. The chart says mud and it's out of the stream and passing traffic.

I'm not a local 'tho - was just passing through the canal - so hopefully someone with local knowledge will be along.

 

[Herald]

Fortrose Bay is fine for anchoring in - you would be well out of the shipping lane. Tuck in down from the Fortrose Sailing Club moorings. You can also find a visitors mooring buoy at Fortrose on the last trot of moorings (white buoy). The bay is exposed from the South and can be uncomfortable in a moderate or strong blow. The other option is Rosemarkie Bay, the other side of Chanonry point, which is sheltered from the South.

It is possible to anchor off the canal entrance. Other option is to tie up at the entrance to the canal on the jetty. I wouldn't want to do it if wind was moderate, but if light winds, with sufficient fendering, then its not an issue. Have sat there for a few hours before.


Inverness Marina is an option, otherwise, another option (a bit further out) is Cromarty and then catch the flood down straight to the canal entrance.

 

[dunedin]

Thanks both for the replies.
Yes looking at the chart more carefully the marked channel past Fortrose is a dead end - with shallows at the southern end.

In fact as it was neaps and running a bit late stopped off in Lossiemouth. Entering at high water was fine, and departed at mid and rising tide. But even with 2m of tide there were some rather shallow spots visible, so glad waited till half tide before leaving.
And waiting at the entrance to the sea lock is not attractive. It seems to have a microclimate with strong westerlies and lee shore waves, even when calm a mile away.