Blue Moment's Website

claymore

claymore

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Blue Moment\'s Website

Webcraft's site has a good section on Moorings in Scotland - I've just been reading it and had to laugh when I read the section on Salen in Loch Sunart.
Claymore is a reasonable man and not one to fall out with anyone, but I came close to throttling the sod that runs the moorings at Salen - then I read this drivel from Webcams site
David, who owns the jetty and moorings at Salen could not be more helpful. He lives above the harbour and will invaraibly meet any visiting yacht as it arrives. He comes out in his dinghy, provides a follow-me service to the moorings, attaches your mooring lines to the bouy, provides the latest weather forecast, offers his local advice, takes your rubbish and could not be more helpful.He can readily supply water and diesel and arrange a wide range of services to support visiting yachtsmen in this remote location. Also, he will almost instantly provide locally caught shell fish of excelleny quality on request. He is an ex master mariner and sea pilot and knows the sea well. In fact, I'd say that these moorings are the most welcoming and helful on the west of Scotland. .

He must have written that load of old tosh himself. Pass me the sick-bag
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Did you notice that the purple prose you quote is preceded by "UPDATE OCT 2005: This report is given verbatim from a correspondent:"?

This is BlueMoment code for "I don't believe a word of the following so-called report but I was getting no end of grief for my previous comments about this man and his moorings and so I've had to include this keech (sp?) for the sake of balance." IIRC the previous comments included a phrase to the effect ".. these moorings cannot be recommended at this time"
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Oh good -I'd hate for the robbing sod to be thought well of. Perhaps the Chentleman's cruise should go up there and liven the place upo a bit? maybe we could see if can walk on water as well as you do?
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

From the description of his many talents I'd be surprised if he wasn't very much better than I in the water-walking stakes. Perhaps we could discuss the 2006 itinerary at the winter video-viewing muster?
 
Re: Chentlemen at Salen

What a capital notion . . .

Let's go and test the legendary hostility . . . erm, sorry, surely I mean hospitality of the moorings mannie at Salen.

I haven't been there for years . . . we found the anchorage full of moorings, no space to anchor in what was a fair old blow. A local fisherman pointed to a mooring (private, not rental) and said the owner wouldn't mind if we used it and wouldn't be back. The pier owner and resident git came out and kicked us off it, leaving us to anchor outside the reef. When we rowed in to go ashore a local beckoned us frantically to come over and land at the bottom of his garden, where he regaled us with many a tale about the Ogre of Salen.

Essentially the Pope's translation is correct.

- Nick
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Excellent Suggestion
I have some rather captivating moments of Wee Jamesie doing his impression of Ellen Macarthur. I'm going to have to start being nice to my students so they can edit the film and burn it onto a DVD - all tasks way beyond my humble abilities.
 
Lawrenny Quay Hotel and Yacht Station

[ QUOTE ]
Swinging moorings up to 8ft draught. 8 miles upstream from Milford Haven. Landing pontoon, full facilities, hotel. Book in advance.


[/ QUOTE ]



My turn, I would like to strike this dreadful place off the cruising map.

Full facilities, include a balancing act that would amaze Russian gymnasts as you climb out of the dinghy onto the most rickety pontoons known to man. You are requested to tie your dinghy around the back of the pontoons, DO NOT leave them at the front, fear of god. Yet around the back for the full length are dinghies with no gaps to get in, most dinghies are full of water, so these are not daily visitors, hence the balancing act.

There is no VHF contact and the woman who also runs the 'chandlers'* is often away from the telephone, we had a really bad signal, so communications were poor.

When you walk over the big holes in the pontoons and up the ramp do not use the banister for fear of getting rust splinters! The whole thing creaks as you walk up.

By full facilities, this presumably does not mean basics like a shop or showers, unless you count the trek across the caravan site to the filthy toilet block where you can get a ONE minute luke warm shower off the meter, which can only be topped up with tokens bought from the chandlers* which is hardly open. Luckily I had thought ahead and bought 4 tokens, so we could shower in the morning before she arrived.... But SWMBO had spare tokens in the ladies side, so I had to bang out SOS on the wall to get her to pop in and feed the meter. I was half way through shaving and covered in soap.

Laugh, no.

We spent the next night at anchor as not to give any more cash to such a rip off place, it was in the middle of nowhere and was just horrid.

Not recommended, at all.....

*chandlers, they sold rubbish that even nauticalia would not buy in!
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

hi all sounds like falty towers. i will keep well away on my next trip up that way. i have never come across anything like it on our visits to that part of the world always met nice help full folks we love sailing up there . mainly round tarbert kyles of bute. rothesay. clyde . love haggis so quite at home there. how dose he get away with it ???anyway happy sailing to all.
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

He tends to get away with it just the once - I don't think he gets much repeat business.
Suppose its rainy and cold with you just now? - Its very mild here and a gentle drizzle is helping keep our gardens green. Should stop by mid morning and then the sun will without doubt start cracking the pavements.
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

"In fact, I'd say that these moorings are the most ...... HELFUL on the west of Scotland".

Maybe this wasn't a spelling mistake!
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

I'd noticed that on Blue Moment and read with interest specifically for next season. Please, I'm very interested in what your own (or others) experience has been going into Salen and when you last went? Genuine interest, because it's a lovely spot; honestly not the start of any heated debate, just want to know the score - thanks.
 
Re: Lawrenny Quay Hotel and Yacht Station

[ QUOTE ]
When you walk over the big holes in the pontoons and up the ramp do not use the banister for fear of getting rust splinters! The whole thing creaks as you walk up.

[/ QUOTE ]

If it is as bad as you say, then a swift call to the health and safety executive should solve the problem.
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Its a lovely little spot. Very sheltered and no problems going in - well marked reef on the left as you enter. The Pub was going through a rough patch and last I heard it had closed although I understand it has reopened again. The chap that has the moorings just comes over a little strong - he's out there and fastening you up, grabbing your gash and emptying your wallet before you have time to think. He also tells porkies in that the bottom is fine for anchoring but he tries to influence you to go on his moorings. I know he is in business but there's a better way of dealing with people.
Acharacle is about 30 mins walk away- there's a brilliant bakers there and good village store. Went to a McCalmans Concert there a few years ago which was really good.
There's also some good walking out towards Ardnamurchan from there if the weather is not good - and Glenfinnan of course.
Sunart is an interesting Loch although I find Strontian a little depressing.
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Thanks - I understand what you mean! Guess it's a wee bit like being hassled in a shop; you know what you're after, you're more likely going to buy, but you really don't need the OTT attentions of the assistant and it kind of puts you off.

Anyway, glad I asked and thanks also for the tip about Acharacle, I'll make a point of looking it up when I go over to the boat tomorrow - provided I don't get blown off the pontoon on the way there. Was seriously hoping for a bit better forecast for this w/end /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Will you let me into a little secret?

Berwick?

Donald
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

I believe the word your'e trying to convey is sassenach

Donald
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Thanks for that BB. I can't remember ever having seen the word in print before.

Doubtless you will also be right about sassunach - I've always previously used sassenach.

PS - Why (sic)? Surely I haven't got machurley22 wrong too? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
Re: Blue Moment\'s Website

Totally agree with you, went there once and won't be back till someone tells me he ain't there anymore. And I know others who feel the same. Shame really cause it was a nice spot otherwise.
 
Re: Keech

Personally your holiness I have always considered 'keech' to be the correct spelling. Perhaps we should ask Gregor Fisher?

Anyway, we would do well to remember . . .

Real men don't eat kiche . . .

- Nick
 
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