Round the Mull for the first time!?

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Boeingdr

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Hi all, I am positioning my Moody29 to Oban next week with the help of 2 crew.
I was planning to go via the Crinan Canal as this is my first time away from the Clyde.
Looking at the weather forecast it looks pretty settled with max force 4 from East.
So I am considering going round the Mull of Kintyre instead.
Plan would be Largs - Sanda Monday.
Early start for the easterly tide Tuesday round Mull and long sail all the way to Ardfern (although options to stop off at Craighouse)
Then Ardfern or Craighouse to Oban Wednesday with tide.
Has any body any advice, are the timings realistic?
Previouse posts on here have mentioned staying very close in around the Mull, is that best and why?
Oh are there visitors buoys at Sanda and if not whats it like for anchoring in Easterly.
Thanks
 
Sounds like a good plan,

Sanda is OK for anchoring, and there is an eddy that can help carry you round close to the Mull - cannot remember, but this may be shown on the UKHO tidal streams; it is certainly mentioned in the CCC Sailing Directions. Surprisingly, we've found that the inner passage to be relatively unturbulent (if such a word exists).

Once round the Mull, the passage to the north seems to take forever.

Haven't been to Sanda for a couple of years, but don't recall visitor buoys, although there is one (the island's owner's?) in the main bay which I've seen visitors use. The main bay is handy for the "Byron Darnton" pub, but, depending on conditions, there is another anchorage to the east of the lighthouse on the south side.
 
Were no visitor buoys on Sanda this time last year, though anchoring is OK - and with light Easterlies I'd be happy to overnight there I think (we only stopped for Lunch and tide but had 6/7 NE) so didn't feel brave enough to go ashore.

In an E you can get some shelter behind a rocks / reef to the E of the bay (opposite side from Landing)

In that wind the Mull should be gentle - tight inshore is fine - though you can get some wind funnelling off the hills in some places.

Criaghouse how has payable visitor moorings (payable as of last summer I think).

Another option in E would be Gigha - you can anchor off the NW corner (lovely spot - but no shore facilities) or go for the main bay an visitor moorings an pub on the E coast - OK so long as there isn't too much in the East.

Either way - should be a lovely trip, though as others say - it seems a long way up !
 
Agree about Gigha and in the morning take coffee in Eilean McCormic if the tides permit and you are not going to miss the flood.
Keeping in to the sides up the Sound of Jura and the Firth of Lorne makes it possible to make progress when the tide is against you so you can set off in seemingly adverse tides and make it comfortably at the tidal gates which will be Dorus Mor and Pladda for you going North.
 
Ardminish (Gigha) can be very uncomfortable in an easterly. You would not think so, with only a two mile fetch and shallow water in the way, but it can get a bit lumpy. You may be better to make for Carsaig if the tide will not get you all the way to Ardfern.
 
If conditions make you concerned about the shelter at Sanda, consider stopping at Campbeltown - the disadvantage being an earlier start to catch the tide round the Mull.

Between the Mull and Sanda there are some interesting countercurrent eddies. Look out for other boats - the regulars know where the favourable currents are.

Consider Port Ellen on Islay - it looks like a long way, but if you round the Mull on the first of the ebb, you get swept up that way surprisingly quickly - just watch that you don't stray into the TSS. I'm not sure what the tides are doing, but from Port Ellen you can reach Oban in one long hop via the Sound of Islay or in two hops via Craobh.
 
Whatever you do, don't rely on the Contessa 32 and Bendytoe 30 that you might find doing the same trip at the same time - though you can buy us a pint in the Byron Danton.

There is one visitor's mooring at Sanda - or there was in May.
 
Craighouse is lumpy at the best of times, and especially so in an easterly, so on the Jura side Lowlandman's Bay is the better option.

Also, Ardminish is unpleasant in an easterly, but there's a bay on the north end of Gigha that gives good shelter.

If the wind <u>is</u> from the east you'd be better keeping to the Kintyre coast where there are several anchorages once you've passed Loch Caolisport.
 
Did most of that trip a couple of weeks ago. OK it was reasoinably settled weather and neap tides but didnt notice anything at all to worry about rounding the Mull . The bit through the sound of luing was more interesting and perhaps best done the first time in daylight - but again nothing to worry about.

As for timings I cant help. We were day sailing taking it easy and stopping in pretty anchorages. From memory we took 4 days over that bit and could probably have done it in one.
 
I can see why you have suggested Lowlandman's Bay as a good alternative to Craighouse, however, in certain conditions, there seems to be a very odd and unpleasant circular wave motion in Lowlandman's Bay which we found very uncomfortable and a bit worrying. We have actually abandoned Lowlandman's Bay in gale or near gale conditions and have opted instead for Craighouse which was choppy but felt, to us, more secure.

One other thing Boeingdr, if the moorings are fully occupied, or you prefer to anchor in Craighouse, watch out for the kelp where many, including ourselves, have dragged. After that experience, a Fisherman's anchor seemed to work well in Craighouse, and there are clear patches to the north of the moorings which seem to be free of kelp.
 
Lowlandman's Bay is well enclosed so you can find shelter somewhere from all directions, though in a strong SW the gusts funneling down from the Paps can be fierce. I've never experienced the effect you describe though I've been there many times (I'll bear it in mind though).

However, the original poster was considering Craighouse in a F4 easterly which would not be comfortable, hence the suggestion.
 
I'm thinking of doing a similar passage next summer, but wish to head for Iona as the first port of call on Mull; the idea would be to anchor at one of the anchorages at the western end of the Ross of Mull, and then get the ferry from Fhionport. To do that, it looks as if the stop after Sanda ought to be on the west coast of Islay. Are there any good anchorages on the west coast of Islay that people could recommend? Port Wemyss looked interesting; is there a good place for yachts there?
 
The west coast is a tad exposed and rocky, you're better catching the tide through the sound of Islay.
A lot depends on how you time it and what the wind's doing, but Port Ellen, Glas Uig and Aros Bay to the south, and Bunnahabhain to the north, are all convenient stops. If you have time, a shallow draught, and the weather is fair, then the Ardmore Isles are worth considering.
 
[ QUOTE ]

So I am considering going round the Mull of Kintyre instead.
Plan would be Largs - Sanda Monday.
Early start for the easterly tide Tuesday round Mull and long sail all the way to Ardfern (although options to stop off at Craighouse)
Then Ardfern or Craighouse to Oban Wednesday with tide.
Has any body any advice, are the timings realistic?


[/ QUOTE ]
Mull to Ardfern on one tide is perhaps a wee bit ambitious: you may find yourself wasting a lot of time plugging into the tide up the Firth of Lorne. I'd suggest that as well as Craighouse you look at Gigha and Crinan as possible stops.

One oddity about advice for rounding the Mull is that the CCC guides and the Admiralty directions - last time I checked - varied significantly in their times for the tides. A couple of hours, as I recall. I think it is very spring/neap dependent, and on how far out you are. I normally aim to get there at the earliest moment I think the tide might turn, and put up with a bit of contrary if I need too.

[ QUOTE ]

Previouse posts on here have mentioned staying very close in around the Mull, is that best and why?


[/ QUOTE ]
I have taken the inside route, but only in settled conditions and on the lee shore. When the wind's from the east the blanketing effect of the Mull for the inside route is dreadful. Stay well out, or you'll flog your sails and empty your bellies.

[ QUOTE ]

Oh are there visitors buoys at Sanda and if not whats it like for anchoring in Easterly.
Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]
As others have said, consider Campbeltown. Campbeltown - Gigha is a nice day and Gigha - Oban is a full but not impossible one. I'd overnight at the Garvellachs, Puilladobhrain or Easdale en route to Oban, myself.
 
Last year there was 1 visitors buoy at Sanda, owned by the owner/landlord of the Byron Darnton, you can reserve it beforehand, but there is only one and bottom in the bay is sandy, so anchoring isn't a hardship, although it can roll a bit.
_P3P2861.jpg

But it's the perfect place to wait for the tide

Gigha is good, and the V buoys in Ardminish are good and solid, though are exposed if there's any East in the wind. SE F7
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But it's worth it:
L1020215.jpg


And I second whoever said it seems to take an age to get up the Mull

It does! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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