Fun round the Mull

[JumbleDuck]

We rounded the Mull yesterday, west to east, and encountered two stranded yachts on the way.

The first was on a tiny beach just south of Machrihanish Bay. Looked in fairly good nick, but no sign of life. Reported to the CG who after a while let us know that it has been there for a few months. I'm surprised it's still intact. Still, if anyone else sees it, don't worry. It's actually quite a remarkable feat of beaching, because it's the only beach under miles of cliffs. Someone was very careful or very lucky.

The second was well and truly stranded on the Arranman's Barrels reef at the east end of the Sound of Sanda. Spoke to a chap rowing round it in a dinghy who said he was fine and needed no help, but the Campbeltown AWLB passed us a bit later and seemed to be going to help. No need to mention names, but if you are out there, "V", I hope it ended well.

 

[Quandary]

I posted a warning about the green boat weeks ago so if you paid attention you might have saved yourself a diversion. It does look very neatly parked but there has not been a westerly gale yet.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I'm nowhere near as familiar with the Mull as you are, but I recall that the Arranmans Barrels are pretty well marked with a buoy, and of course well and truly charted. No wish to cast nasturtiums, but I do wonder what went wrong. The few times I've passed that way, they've been a landmark to tick, not a real hazard, though I can see the danger in bad weather.

 

[Quandary]

The buoy is a long way out though, I remember a Tomatin Trophy feeder race when they used to go to Campbeltown, they sent us round it as a diversion to keep us away from the finish at Davaar while they finished their gin, the wind was light and the tide was streaming west and unless the kite went up very smartly you were doomed to sit on the rocks. Campbeltown life boat was standing by all afternoon and some yachts were there overnight.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I posted a warning about the green boat weeks ago so if you paid attention you might have saved yourself a diversion. It does look very neatly parked but there has not been a westerly gale yet.

Oops. Still, not much of a physical diversion (I'm an inshore route person) and it added interest to the trip. Any idea how it got there and if the occupants were saved?

I'm nowhere near as familiar with the Mull as you are, but I recall that the Arranmans Barrels are pretty well marked with a buoy, and of course well and truly charted. No wish to cast nasturtiums, but I do wonder what went wrong. The few times I've passed that way, they've been a landmark to tick, not a real hazard, though I can see the danger in bad weather.

My best guess is that someone forgot to check "General direction of buoyage" and went red to red. Stuff all wind, no waves worth bothering about. There is a wreck marked right at the tip of reef but even so it was quite a surprise to see one there.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

My best guess is that someone forgot to check "General direction of buoyage" and went red to red. Stuff all wind, no waves worth bothering about. There is a wreck marked right at the tip of reef but even so it was quite a surprise to see one there.

It's an odd one to cock up on, because firstly, it's just one of a succession of port hand marks, all on the obvious shore side of things, & secondly, boats move as a mob round there - you just follow everyone else

 

[AntarcticPilot]

My best guess is that someone forgot to check "General direction of buoyage" and went red to red. Stuff all wind, no waves worth bothering about. There is a wreck marked right at the tip of reef but even so it was quite a surprise to see one there.

That sounds plausible.
I wonder why they are port channel marker buoys rather than south cardinals? South Cardinals would leave no confusion about where the danger lay, and there's no obvious channel for them to be on the port side of, until you get to Galloway! Sanda isn't marked with green buoys - there's one green beacon, but that marks the entrance to the anchorage, not the main channel between the Mull and Sanda. If I remember correctly, it's actually a rather inconspicuous post!

 

[JumbleDuck]

It's an odd one to cock up on, because firstly, it's just one of a succession of port hand marks, all on the obvious shore side of things, & secondly, boats move as a mob round there - you just follow everyone else

True. On the other hand if you're heading west it's the first port hand you get to, and that may have caused confusion. There wasn't much traffic eastbound (unsurprising for a summer Monday) and since we saw him high and dry at LW Gourock + 1 hour, ish, I imagine he had been heading west.

 

[awol]

If you sail down the coast from Island Davaar, the Arranman's Barrels buoy first appears well to port. The first time I did it I had been lulled into the concept of deep water and could easily have ended up aground. Carelessness in not examining the chart well enough was my stupidity. At least I haven't done it again - well, there, anyway!

 

[bikedaft]

I posted a warning about the green boat weeks ago so if you paid attention you might have saved yourself a diversion. It does look very neatly parked but there has not been a westerly gale yet.

Do you have a grid or lat/long please?

Walked that coast last year, trying to figure out which beach? (N of Sailor's bay?)

 

[JumbleDuck]

Do you have a grid or lat/long please?

The beach is just south of Earadale Point, at 55 23' N, 5 47.8' W.

It's actually quite a nice spot and in very fair conditions I'd be tempted to try a landing there, just for fun. By dinghy.

 

[bikedaft]

The beach is just south of Earadale Point, at 55 23' N, 5 47.8' W.

It's actually quite a nice spot and in very fair conditions I'd be tempted to try a landing there, just for fun. By dinghy.

Thanks. That is the bay where Sailor's grave is, a lovely spot. I have taken the boat in fairly close but there are quite a few reefs (from sat pic). Lovely spot to spend an evening on land (i walked!)

https://flic.kr/p/2jHwf7j

 

[JumbleDuck]

Thanks. That is the bay where Sailor's grave is, a lovely spot.

I saw that and wondered what it was. Who was Sailor?

 

[AngusMcDoon]

I saw that and wondered what it was. Who was Sailor?

No one knows. Unidentifiable body found in about 1917 I think.

This one?

The Sailor’s Grave at the Inneans

 

[JumbleDuck]

No one knows. Unidentifiable body found in about 1917 I think.

This one?

The Sailor’s Grave at the Inneans

Fascinating. Thanks. Must go and have a look some time.