Back door to Cuan Sound?

[Ubergeekian]

I've been wondering about this for years.

Is the narrow passage from Ardinamir anchorage into the Cuan Sound - between Torsa Beag and Luing - ever viable as a route for boats bigger than dinghies? It looks from the chart and it real life as if it ought to be, at suitable states of tide, but I have never seen anything suggesting let alone encouraging the attempt. Could I have taken my modest 4' draught through there the week before last? Anyone done it?

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Oban Sea School Know This Area Well

I have not tried that passage. You should drop Oban Sea School an Email; they are on the Web. The Chief Instructor is very knowledgeable about the area and this is exactly the sort of passage he would undertake or at least investigate. At the start and end of the season he can spend a lot of time in the inner sounds.

 

[photodog]

I would pay money to watch that... it must dry to at least 2 meters through there... I was watching cows wading across a few years ago...

I will root around and see if I have a piccy from t'other side.... but its scary enough trying to come in through he CCC marks!

I have to say that when I first looked at sailing around their that going through that gap looked like a tempting thing... but then you need to work yourway north up into the anchorage.... and I have a sneaking suspiciton that this will not be well charted!

Still... give it a whirl and report back! It could be your own little mini Everest!

 

[machurley22]

Here's a view of the passage in question, with water.

I've idly considered the possibilty too but don't think I would ever actually try. Nor have I ever heard of anyone else trying it. Do let us know how you get on.

 

[contessa26]

I've been wondering about this for years.

Is the narrow passage from Ardinamir anchorage into the Cuan Sound - between Torsa Beag and Luing - ever viable as a route for boats bigger than dinghies? Anyone done it?

Hi, I've been through many years ago in a Folkboat, under sail, with the last of the flood, at springs. We'd rowed through previously with a dinghy, if I remember rightly, to check it out. I do remember though, that we nearly went aground on a reef not far to the north, after we thought we'd got through the channel ok... There are a few rocks in the bays to the north of Torsa, but you see 'locals' moor boats in this area.
Best wishes.

PS have you ever tried the channel at the southern end of Puildhobhrain; we met a guy many years ago aboard an RNLI sailing lifeboat who used this passage, but we never dared follow him. Or the channel north out of Tinker's Hole amongst the rocks? Or inside Guirasdeal - quite easy. Between A' Chuili and Naoimh? Not too much problem either. Due west out of Dubh Beag/Dubh Mhor anchorage?

 

[webcraft]

.
Been out the passage North of Tinkers Hole following a friend who said he had done it earflier. Very scary, I shuddered when I looked at the track on the plotter last time we went past.

- W

 

[alan_d]

I've been wondering about this for years.

Is the narrow passage from Ardinamir anchorage into the Cuan Sound - between Torsa Beag and Luing - ever viable as a route for boats bigger than dinghies? It looks from the chart and it real life as if it ought to be, at suitable states of tide, but I have never seen anything suggesting let alone encouraging the attempt. Could I have taken my modest 4' draught through there the week before last?

Why not try walking it at LWS?

 

[Mark-1]

Or the channel north out of Tinker's Hole amongst the rocks?

I've been through there in a boat drawing 1.6m. We touched bottom once on a rising tide but it was easy - a bit of an anti-climax. The locals use it daily as a short cut.

 

[Romeo]

I've been wondering about this for years.

Is the narrow passage from Ardinamir anchorage into the Cuan Sound - between Torsa Beag and Luing - ever viable as a route for boats bigger than dinghies? It looks from the chart and it real life as if it ought to be, at suitable states of tide, but I have never seen anything suggesting let alone encouraging the attempt. Could I have taken my modest 4' draught through there the week before last? Anyone done it?

Probably no turning back if you change your mind. I was hoping to do it in a shrimper at easter time, but tide times did not work out for us.

I do the clachan sound, under the bridge over the atlantic, under full sail. Touched a couple of times. Very satisfying to do though.

 

[machurley22]

I do the clachan sound, under the bridge over the atlantic, under full sail. Touched a couple of times. Very satisfying to do though.

Give us a shout next time you plan to do this and we'll take some pics for you. I'd like to see that!

 

[gardenshed]

what's the airdraft under the bridge over the atantic?

 

[machurley22]

Charted clearance is 6.7m.

 

[Romeo]

The greater your draft, the less the air clearance that you have! Not going back that way again soon, but here is a photo I have posted on here before:

 

[Ubergeekian]

Charted clearance is 6.7m.

Are there still low obstructions further north? My 1991 CCC Directions warn about a private TV cable lower than the bridge.

 

[toad_oftoadhall]

Are there still low obstructions further north? My 1991 CCC Directions warn about a private TV cable lower than the bridge.

There are, what I take to be, power cables N of the bridge.

No idea of their relative height, but not significantly lower than the bridge, probably higher.

According to Navionics cables 10 metres north of the Bridge, cables 6.7 metres S of the bridge.

I'm not at all sure the cables to the south are still there.

 

[Mark-1]

Are there still low obstructions further north? My 1991 CCC Directions warn about a private TV cable lower than the bridge.

Yes, cables are still there. This was taken from the Bridge in April:

This is the view South, again April:

 

[Danny Jo]

"Or the channel north out of Tinker's Hole amongst the rocks?"

I've been through there in a boat drawing 1.6m. We touched bottom once on a rising tide but it was easy - a bit of an anti-climax. The locals use it daily as a short cut.

Freestyle too, and she draws 1.65m. As we had been through it in a dinghy at low tide and had a good 2m above that, we gave it a go, and gained a short cut through to the Sound of Iona.

I posted this last summer, I think

 

[Sgeir]

Or the channel north out of Tinker's Hole amongst the rocks? Or inside Guirasdeal - quite easy. Between A' Chuili and Naoimh? Not too much problem either. Due west out of Dubh Beag/Dubh Mhor anchorage?

Having once left a lump of our keel in Loch Teacuis (and not at the usual crash zone....), I'm a wee bit wary of some of the tighter passages.

Haven't done it, but watched other yachts take the northern passage from Tinker's Hole, apparently without incident.

Re going west from Eilean Dubh Mhor and Beag, here's "Silver Surf";

 

[AntarcticPilot]

The way out of Bull Hole to the north also looks perfectly feasible, and we saw a fishing boat do it while we were there. But I'm afraid we chickened out of trying it.

 

[Ubergeekian]

The way out of Bull Hole to the north also looks perfectly feasible, and we saw a fishing boat do it while we were there. But I'm afraid we chickened out of trying it.

The Staffa trip boats were all doing it too - certainly on their way back - a couple of weeks ago. Like you, I opted not to!