No pontoons at Ardrishaig.

[Quandary]

Early in the winter Scottish Canals decided that the waiting pontoon at the Ardrishaig end of the Crinan Canal was 'unsafe' and removed it. They have so far not shown any particular interest in repairing or replacing. Boats are starting to show up now and with short winter hours access to the canal is limited. There are private moorings in the harbour and in Loch Gilp but one needs to be wary of depth or limited capacity. The best plan is probably to stop off overnight at Tabert or Portavadie, about 10 miles south. There is usually room to tie up inside the sealock, long lines with weights and plenty of big fenders will cope with the tides. Loch Gilp has plenty of room to anchor north of the ship pier and is okay as long as there is not too much stong east in the normally southerly wind but requires a fairly long trip to get ashore either at the Boat Club slip or the old one at the boatyard beside the new multimillion pound red shed. The Argyll is still trading but no longer does food, for that there is the Grey Gull at the N. end of the front. The other pubs have gone. The Rumblin Tum is fine for lunch or breakfast but closes early afternoon until summer.
The rumours of a new village pontoon are still circulating.
I will post an update if anything eventually changes.

 

[mainsail1]

Thanks for the update. We may well go through in May.

 

[ctva]

No surprise at that, SC installed it as a waiting pontoon as you said but singularly failed to boot off the locals that abused it, a bit like Kyleakin is now. So they will have looked at it and said “none of our customers are sing it, so we’ll remove it.”

Another point to bring up at the meeting next month. Will you be there?

 

[Quandary]

No surprise at that, SC installed it as a waiting pontoon as you said but singularly failed to boot off the locals that abused it, a bit like Kyleakin is now. So they will have looked at it and said “none of our customers are sing it, so we’ll remove it.”

Another point to bring up at the meeting next month. Will you be there?

It was free for its intended use most of last year though there were some cuckoos nesting on the shallow side.

Wot meeting? I think they are hoping to avoid troublemakers.

 

[JumbleDuck]

No surprise at that, SC installed it as a waiting pontoon as you said but singularly failed to boot off the locals that abused it, a bit like Kyleakin is now. So they will have looked at it and said “none of our customers are sing it, so we’ll remove it.”

I never failed to find a spot on the south side, though the north often seemed to be occupied by locals. Quandary, you can put me down for the first Sunday in July ...

 

[Quandary]

Quandary, you can put me down for the first Sunday in July ...

I am not sure if I will be doing it this year, Hugh has definitely stopped, the old dog Toby is dead and it is a much harder and less sociable job single handed. At best I will be restricting it to regulars like yourself but I plan to do a bit more sailing, I missed most of the early summer weather last year. I am trying to find a few reliable stand ins that I can pass enquiries to if necessary.
Problem is that I do enjoy doing it when it goes well and the sun shines and I definitely need the exercise.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I am not sure if I will be doing it this year, Hugh has definitely stopped, the old dog Toby is dead and it is a much harder and less sociable job single handed.

Ach, I'm sorry to hear that. Can you give Hugh my best wishes and thanks?

At best I will be restricting it to regulars like yourself but I plan to do a bit more sailing, I missed most of the early summer weather last year. I am trying to find a few reliable stand ins that I can pass enquiries to if necessary.
Problem is that I do enjoy doing it when it goes well and the sun shines and I definitely need the exercise.

Thanks!

 

[ctva]

It was free for its intended use most of last year though there were some cuckoos nesting on the shallow side.

Wot meeting? I think they are hoping to avoid troublemakers.

”Our Customer Forum this Year will be in the Cairnbaan Hotel on Saturday Morning the 13^th April at 10.30am.”

 

[dunedin]

Ach, I'm sorry to hear that. Can you give Hugh my best wishes and thanks?

Me too, to both of you. Made the Canal passage a pleasure. :encouragement:

 

[pagoda]

Me too, to both of you. Made the Canal passage a pleasure. :encouragement:

Add myself, it was a few years ago, but you two made the whole thing easy!