Rothesay Harbour/marina

[cdogg]

Despite there being no useful wind, we had a lovely motor sail on Wednesday from our base at Portavadie Marina (Loch Fyne) around the Kyles of Bute to Rothesay Harbour/Marina. This was my first visit to Rothesay by boat in probably 30 years and I barely recognised the pier with its new ferry facilities. We entered on three greens after the ferry had left and was waved towards the inner harbour by the Harbour Master who opened a foot bridge to allow us passage through.
Apart from being slightly tight (at least to me), the inner harbour apparently offers complete shelter even from the ferry wash.
Rothesay is trying hard, and succeeding, to renovate all the promenade's unique features (Victorian, I think, but no doubt you will correct me) i.e. gardens, band stand, summer theatre etc.
After a very enjoyable Indian meal and a good night's sleep we 'motored' back around the Kyles, anchoring for a couple of hours for lunch and some fishing from the dinghy in a mirror like anchorage in Wreck Bay.
Even with no wind, the West Coast of Scotland can produce some magic boating moments without travelling great distances.

Recommend: The Kyles of Bute, Portavadie Marina, Rothesay, and Wreck Bay.

Cheers
Cdogg

 

[cdogg]

I should have said I used my 'NEW' Rocna anchor in Wreck Bay for the first time, but to be fair , it was so calm a couple of bricks would have been adequate!!

 

[shaunksb]

I hope you took the opportunity to spend a penny (well pound now if you want a shower) at the beautifully restored Victorian toilets.

All the Pottery exported from Stoke.


Lovely...........


.

 

[cdogg]

Strangely, the toilet facilities were closed. I don't remember the opening times but they were printed on the door. Sadly, we had to use the ferry terminal toilet (no shower/1 WC).

That aside, I wasn't trying to make our short outing to Rothesay sound like a huge adventure as I'm sure most, if not all the boats based in the Clyde area will have been there many many times (bit of a milk run really), just delighted to be on the water again.

Talking of Rothesay though, we spent some very happy summer holidays there as a child during the late 1950s early sixties. In those days there was a navy ship anchored in the bay (I think it was called 'Adamant', but I may be wrong) with submarines alongside and we used to hire the wee putt-putt motor boats to potter out to see her at close hand. At least once, during our stay we would also take the evening cruise around the bay on the 'Gay Princess'. Great memories.

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

its tight

Agree completely. Its now one of our favourites and has come a long way in 3 years since they finished the inner harbour

It is very tight and the pontoons are quite short. The inner bank are really for sub 30' boats only. Having a long keeler this can be quite scary but we have a good coping tactic which may help others.

Either drop off a crew member on the outer pontoon to go and recce where you are going to park first or if short handed, put your fenders out on the starboard side...

There is a hammer head pontoon just in front of you as you turn to port going through the bridge. Go along side there briefly, recce then move on. There is very little room to get it wrong if you have a few 40' with their transoms sticking out 10' past the end of the pontoons on both sides!

Or get a bow thruster - still on my wish list.

 

[Little Five]

Strangely, the toilet facilities were closed. I don't remember the opening times but they were printed on the door. Sadly, we had to use the ferry terminal toilet (no shower/1 WC).

That aside, I wasn't trying to make our short outing to Rothesay sound like a huge adventure as I'm sure most, if not all the boats based in the Clyde area will have been there many many times (bit of a milk run really), just delighted to be on the water again.

Talking of Rothesay though, we spent some very happy summer holidays there as a child during the late 1950s early sixties. In those days there was a navy ship anchored in the bay (I think it was called 'Adamant', but I may be wrong) with submarines alongside and we used to hire the wee putt-putt motor boats to potter out to see her at close hand. At least once, during our stay we would also take the evening cruise around the bay on the 'Gay Princess'. Great memories.

Sadly these days "...an evening cruise and the Gay Princess" has a different meaning entirely. Whether this facility is available in Rothesay, I couldn't possibly comment

 

[cdogg]

OK, just for you: "Happy Princess"

 

[fmoran]

Super part of the world for sailing - us in Caladh on our own two weekends ago. Went in there in preference to Wreck Bay as the walks ashore are a lot better. There were only 2 boats in Wreck Bay on the same superb Saturday evening.

 

[Little Five]

OK, just for you: "Happy Princess"

How about "The Kate Middleton"

 

[Little Five]

Super part of the world for sailing - us in Caladh on our own two weekends ago. Went in there in preference to Wreck Bay as the walks ashore are a lot better. There were only 2 boats in Wreck Bay on the same superb Saturday evening.

Lovely photo. Makes you want to be there and in those conditions one wouldn't worry to much about the old fashioned plough anchor

 

[cdogg]

Super part of the world for sailing - us in Caladh on our own two weekends ago. Went in there in preference to Wreck Bay as the walks ashore are a lot better. There were only 2 boats in Wreck Bay on the same superb Saturday evening.

Agreed. Caladh is one of our favourites too, but on this occasion my son wanted to try some fishing around the Burnt Isles from the dinghy - No luck though!
As a matter of interest, have you visited Otter Ferry or anywhere in the upper reaches of Loch Fyne ?

 

[Ubergeekian]

At least once, during our stay we would also take the evening cruise around the bay on the 'Gay Princess'. Great memories.

Are you sure that wasn't the Gay Queen? Still around, currently Queen of the Fal.

My childhood dinghy trips from Port Bannatyne were regularly interrupted by the Gay Queen and her singing skipper, who broadcast auld Scots sangs over the tannoy as they cruised the Kyles of Bute.

 

[cdogg]

Are you sure that wasn't the Gay Queen? Still around, currently Queen of the Fal.

My childhood dinghy trips from Port Bannatyne were regularly interrupted by the Gay Queen and her singing skipper, who broadcast auld Scots sangs over the tannoy as they cruised the Kyles of Bute.

Thank you for the correction. You are absolutely right about the name and I do remember the music on board. Assisted by your prompting, the cruise did indeed go up the Kyles. Thanks also for the link to the photo. Do you remember the navy ship, was it the Adamant ?

 

[pagoda]

Agreed. Caladh is one of our favourites too, but on this occasion my son wanted to try some fishing around the Burnt Isles from the dinghy - No luck though!
As a matter of interest, have you visited Otter Ferry or anywhere in the upper reaches of Loch Fyne ?

Otter Ferry has good pub grub, 6 moorings and a small pontoon for landing. (Owner is a sailor ...)
Up Loch Fyne we've been to Strachur - The Creggans Hotel. Not cheap but good food. 2 moorings. Never got to the Loch Fyne Oyster bar at Inverary...
The islands half way up are interesting . It's a long sea loch with odd funnelled wind , you need to get the wind right or some motoring will be required! Quiet on account of the distance- but none of the MOD nonsense of Loch long etc..

Graeme

 

[cdogg]

Otter Ferry has good pub grub, 6 moorings and a small pontoon for landing. (Owner is a sailor ...)
Up Loch Fyne we've been to Strachur - The Creggans Hotel. Not cheap but good food. 2 moorings. Never got to the Loch Fyne Oyster bar at Inverary...
The islands half way up are interesting . It's a long sea loch with odd funnelled wind , you need to get the wind right or some motoring will be required! Quiet on account of the distance- but none of the MOD nonsense of Loch long etc..

Graeme

Thanks for that Graeme,
I think we will give this trip a go, we can't be based at Portavadie without 'doing' Loch Fyne. Like most people we have been to Ardrishaig when using the canal but have never explored the rest of the Loch.
Cheers
Clarke
('Echo' Bav 30)

 

[scottie]

Went in to portbanantyne for lunch friday it looks good £6.00 short stay.

Run down from Kip ended up doing 8.4 knots 32knot wind Ne (forecast se 8 knots) interesting

 

[Ubergeekian]

Thank you for the correction. You are absolutely right about the name and I do remember the music on board. Assisted by your prompting, the cruise did indeed go up the Kyles. Thanks also for the link to the photo. Do you remember the navy ship, was it the Adamant ?

I think that was before my time - we had family holidays there from about 1972 till about 1982, and although there were in those days great big admiralty mooring buoys in both Rothesay and Kames Bay, none of them was permanently occupied.

Does anyone else remember Arthur Robinson, who hired out rowing boats and moorings in Port Bannatyne?

 

[cdogg]

I don't remember the boat hirer in Port Bannatyne but did spend many a happy day helping Taylor's hire motor boats at Rothesay prom. near the pier. At the end of each day we used to tow them in long trots round to the inner harbour for the night. Great fun. We boarded at the George Hotel somewhere round the bay towards PB.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Adamant and Adamant

HMS Adamant

Example of the other Adamant which can still be seen at Rothesay today but in a grander style.

Not at all relevant

 

[Sgeir]

The Loch Fyne Oyster bar is about five or so miles beyond Inverary on the west side at the head of the loch. It's been a good few years since we've sailed there, but there are visitors' moorings (at least four if I remember correctly), and it's just a short row ashore for a pleasant meal.

It's a pleasant enough sail and worth a visit.