Sailing to Scotland

[BERT T]

You can also add ticks to the list of fauna that you might pick up if walking through bracken, especially areas where there are deer such as Jura. They aren't uncomfortable, but they are known to carry Lyme disease.

Out of the three pests mentioned, ticks are the most dangerous. I know a girl who was bitten by one, she is now in a wheelchair, also there is no known positive test to identify Lyme Disease. If anyone would like more information you will find it here: http://www.bada-uk.org/

 

[jimi]

Ticks are'nt confined to Scotland. The area where I've picked up the most ticks is Cheddar!

 

[NormanS]

Ever heard of Durham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Stirling? Oh well.

Stirling would be quite a challenge. Particularly with a mast up. I have sailed up to Stirling, many years ago, but that was in a big sailing dinghy, and camping on the shore. (Tullibody Insh).

 

[EdWingfield]

I too made it in a big dinghy, sleeping aboard.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I must admit, I did'nt see a single midge in Scotland last year. I suspect they had all either been drowned or blown to Norway!

Couldn't have been drowned - we had NO rain..........
Well, only a couple of inches.

Let's hope we get another year like last year. And we have NO snow up here NW. Great place to live/sail/relax

 

[sailorgirl]

Are you intending to race under IRC or CYCA at WHYW?

CYCA in the restricted sail class.

 

[awol]

CYCA in the restricted sail class.

What, no pretty coloured sails? You might regret it, but only on the passage race days when all the good parking places go to the speedy. It's a great event.

I haven't experienced the English east coast but the bit from the Forth north to Clachnaharry, if that's the way you intend to go, can be a bit grim esp. in an easterly with not that many bolt-holes. Nice enough wee places if the weather's playing and your timings are right for the tides but every night you spend on the east is one less on the west and I know which I prefer.

 

[snooks]

the showers on the other hand are best forgotten.

Its my lasting memory from your blog.. a shower review in every port!

They were big events at the time

 

[fluffc]

Ever heard of Durham, Newcastle, Edinburgh or Stirling?

Yep, but none of them are on the coast. Edinburgh is a huge detour if you're travelling up the coast to the caley, or going 'round the top'.

 

[NormanS]

Yep, but none of them are on the coast. Edinburgh is a huge detour if you're travelling up the coast to the caley, or going 'round the top'.

You'll find that the West Coast of Scotland is full of "huge detours", as well. Best just go by bus.

 

[[70521]]

A good place to get stuck though, mind you the dreaded midge (or Cleg as Mr Hiscock called them

A Cleg is much, much bigger.

http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleg

 

[Sgeir]

A worse problem is arising now. Ticks are becoming a real menace, and some of them carry Lymes Disease, which is very nasty.

Couldn't agree more. I spent about twenty years stravaiging the hills (as well as a spell cutting bracken for the Forestry Commission) and was unaware of any problem until the late 70s. Not sure of the reason for it (some say too many deer, changing climatic conditions etc etc), but there is no doubt that these things are a real problem that appears to be getting worse. Long sleeved shirts and long trousers help, but, even so, it is no exaggeration to report that, on going ashore in our wilder areas, at least one of us is likely to pick up ticks.

Over the years I wrongly used, variously, vaseline, whisky, petrol, paraffin and diesel to paralyse the creature and howk it out. That, it turned out, is about the worst thing you can do as the paralytic tick pukes up into your flesh, possibly increasing the chance of infection. They are also likely to leave bits of their body in you.

The better way is to use a "tick lassoo"; we keep one on the boat and one at home. The lassoo method seems to remove them very cleanly. You can shop around but this is one advert, picked at random - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tick-Lasso/dp/B004WMDZ5E/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361196273&sr=8-1-spell

 

[Even Chance]

Wick worth a visit? Not for the showers!?! My over riding memory of Wick was Camborne-on-sea

It's a handy kicking off point for Orkney, but I wouldn't choose to go there if it wasn't

The Toilet complex modernisation has now begun. It should hopefully be ready for the start of the 2013 season. Its a £125,000 scheme, so should be a lot better than before!!

 

[NormanS]

Couldn't agree more. I spent about twenty years stravaiging the hills (as well as a spell cutting bracken for the Forestry Commission) and was unaware of any problem until the late 70s. Not sure of the reason for it (some say too many deer, changing climatic conditions etc etc), but there is no doubt that these things are a real problem that appears to be getting worse. Long sleeved shirts and long trousers help, but, even so, it is no exaggeration to report that, on going ashore in our wilder areas, at least one of us is likely to pick up ticks.

Over the years I wrongly used, variously, vaseline, whisky, petrol, paraffin and diesel to paralyse the creature and ohowk it out. That, it turned out, is about the worst thing you can do as the paralytic tick pukes up into your flesh, possibly increasing the chance of infection. They are also likely to leave bits of their body in you.

The better way is to use a "tick lassoo"; we keep one on the boat and one at home. The lassoo method seems to remove them very cleanly. You can shop around but this is one advert, picked at random - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tick-Lasso/dp/B004WMDZ5E/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361196273&sr=8-1-spell

It has been suggested that either the fewer number of sheep on the hill, or sheep not now being dipped, may have something to do with it.

Someone gave us a couple of wee plastic things, like miniature claw hammers, to houk them out, but some of the little varmints are so small..... I believe the "claw hammers" are available at Vets.

 

[snooks]

The Toilet complex modernisation has now begun. It should hopefully be ready for the start of the 2013 season. Its a £125,000 scheme, so should be a lot better than before!!

Excellent news

I'll have to get up to the distillery, sorry marina, to check it out

 

[Even Chance]

Excellent news

I'll have to get up to the distillery, sorry marina, to check it out

I've lived in Wick all 37 years of my life, and Ive never been a trip round the distillery in my life!!
You could smell it plenty if the SE wind was blowing when I was a kid in Polteney. Its a special childhood memory.
Ive drunk the clear Old Pulteney Whisky out of a lemonade bottle that came straight out the back door on many many occasions! (Its not as nice as the matured stuff tho!)
Ive drunk most of their products (especially the Old-P liqueur), and the special "WK217 Spectrum" is named after my Gt-Grandfathers steam drifter of the same name and number. They pioneered the Seine net fishing principle in the early 1920s on the Spectrum.

Aye "Week" (as its pronounced here) is a fine wee place in a very nice and remote part of the world. Maybe Ive got a tint of the rose type on my glasses, or maybe Ive just had too much Old-P, but I love the place!

 

[Fascadale]

Ever heard of Durham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Stirling? Oh well.

Yep, but none of them are on the coast. Edinburgh is a huge detour if you're travelling up the coast to the caley, or going 'round the top'.

Is this the "Solentcentric" view of Britain. This is news to me that Edinburgh is not on the coast. Amazing.

 

[Amulet]

Midge thread drift, ignore if it bothers you

... dreaded midge (or Cleg as Mr Hiscock called them)..

Midge & Cleg are both horrid biting insects in Scotland, but they are not the same thing. I think some southerners call the cleg a "horsefly". They abound in Scotland as well as midges.

Midges do not go out over the water. If you anchor even a modest distance off you don't get them. Every time I say this, people disagree with me. I have spent a many years sailing there and stand by my experience. Alongside, in canals and in marinas you can get eaten alive, and anchored a cloud of midges may come out to with you in the dinghy, but you can be completely free of them most of the time.

 

[Robert Wilson]

It has been suggested that either the fewer number of sheep on the hill, or sheep not now being dipped, may have something to do with it.

Someone gave us a couple of wee plastic things, like miniature claw hammers, to houk them out, but some of the little varmints are so small..... I believe the "claw hammers" are available at Vets.

The little green "claw hammer" as you say can be bought from vets. They work extremely well on animals; as for we humans, if you are careful to get a good purchase on the fiends then you can wip them off effectively with these tools. THOROUGHLY recommend them. Mind you, that lassoo looks effective too.

 

[uxb]

Midge & Cleg are both horrid biting insects in Scotland, but they are not the same thing. I think some southerners call the cleg a "horsefly". They abound in Scotland as well as midges.

Midges do not go out over the water. If you anchor even a modest distance off you don't get them. Every time I say this, people disagree with me. I have spent a many years sailing there and stand by my experience. Alongside, in canals and in marinas you can get eaten alive, and anchored a cloud of midges may come out to with you in the dinghy, but you can be completely free of them most of the time.

You are correct- midges are pathetic at flying and have a very short range so even a few meters offshore is usually midge free.