Sailing to Scotland
- Thread starter sailorgirl
- Start date
DaveS
Well-Known Member
I would almost agree with you, but I have experienced an exception. A few years ago I anchored at Oronsay and was greeted by a cloud of midges. I retreated into the cabin, closed the hatches, and lit a Moon Tiger which soon chased away the few that had got in with me. To date that's the only time I've been bothered by them at sea.
NormanS
Well-Known Member
In absolutely calm conditions, they can be adventurous and come out visiting, but the good thing is that midges can only fly at 4mph, so if there's any breeze at all, they're no problem.
They do like fresh Sassenach blood, though.
DaveS
Well-Known Member
Checking back in the log for 19/8/06 I noted NW1 when we anchored at 2030. So light, but not no, breeze blowing offshore.
smeaks
Well-Known Member
I agree living in west newcastle (that's the side away from he sea....) I can catch flatties and whiting in scotswood ..... Not withstanding he delights of blyth, amble, alnmouth, sea houses, Farnes, lindisfarne .......
A terrible coast to sail!
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KenMcCulloch
Well-Known Member
Indeed. From my kitchen window here in the heart of the Athens of the North, I can when vis allows observe four lighthouses. In the other direction i can see the Nelson monument with its recently restored time signal to help me set my chronometer on departure. If that's not 'on the coast ' I am not sure what is.
Magaz97
Well-Known Member
View attachment 28612
Nothing to do between Hull and Inverness, best stay away from the North East. It's horrid.
Nothing to do between Hull and Inverness, best stay away from the North East. It's horrid.
Romeo
Well-Known Member
Alnmouth.... the most favourite place I have arrived at under sail. Not for the faint of heart or deep of keel. We were navigating mostly by my dad's recollection of what the place looked like from the train, together with two sentences from the Admiralty North Sea pilot circa 1970.
pugwash60
Well-Known Member
There are many fine places to visit on the East coast......
However the passages are quite long and it is awfully exposed if. If you're lucky you won't be caught out but it's too long a cruise to set off on a good weather forecast and expect to be up to Fraserburgh - where you turn left, before the weather forecast runs out. Personally, unless I'd covered the West coast several times in the past and was bored of it, and had either about 8 weeks to make the passage so I could potter up enjoying the stops and waiting for the weather, or just one and was going to just sail 24 / 7 'til I got there then I'd go West about. The West coast has many more accesible anchorages and all weather ports and if there is East of West in the wind you can slip across to the appropriate coast for a bit of shelter. I work in the North Sea so I might be prejudiced against it, but it's not my favourite place, it's shallow, the waves are very fast and steep and there's often no where to go to get away from it. The view from my bridge is alarming at times, and I'm 20 metres up.
The view from offshore, looking landward, is often pretty dull, there are also sand banks, strong tides and fog to contend with although, to be fair, some of those aren't unheard of on West either. If I was doing it I'd probably invest in an AIS because of the greater volume of commercial traffic and possibility of fog.
ON the midges front don't be too alarmed, I live in Argyll, they can be a pain, but rarely on a boat. Avon Skin so soft is the best deterrent I've found, and a hat helps. It's also good to have somebody else who smells more attractive to midges, some definitely attract them more than others. There is a traditional midge dance which one accompanies oneself to by cursing horribly whilst slapping one's face and ears inappropriately ferociously. It's considered bad form to help other people in this manner.
However the passages are quite long and it is awfully exposed if. If you're lucky you won't be caught out but it's too long a cruise to set off on a good weather forecast and expect to be up to Fraserburgh - where you turn left, before the weather forecast runs out. Personally, unless I'd covered the West coast several times in the past and was bored of it, and had either about 8 weeks to make the passage so I could potter up enjoying the stops and waiting for the weather, or just one and was going to just sail 24 / 7 'til I got there then I'd go West about. The West coast has many more accesible anchorages and all weather ports and if there is East of West in the wind you can slip across to the appropriate coast for a bit of shelter. I work in the North Sea so I might be prejudiced against it, but it's not my favourite place, it's shallow, the waves are very fast and steep and there's often no where to go to get away from it. The view from my bridge is alarming at times, and I'm 20 metres up.
The view from offshore, looking landward, is often pretty dull, there are also sand banks, strong tides and fog to contend with although, to be fair, some of those aren't unheard of on West either. If I was doing it I'd probably invest in an AIS because of the greater volume of commercial traffic and possibility of fog.
ON the midges front don't be too alarmed, I live in Argyll, they can be a pain, but rarely on a boat. Avon Skin so soft is the best deterrent I've found, and a hat helps. It's also good to have somebody else who smells more attractive to midges, some definitely attract them more than others. There is a traditional midge dance which one accompanies oneself to by cursing horribly whilst slapping one's face and ears inappropriately ferociously. It's considered bad form to help other people in this manner.
sailorgirl
Well-Known Member
Have sailed west more times than I care to count, East about seems like a welcome change - Temptress is big enough to take most things the weather thows at us - we usually retreat long before she is in anyway inconvenienced! I for one like a navigational challenge too - new coasts, new seaports.
However at the end of the day the decision will probably be made on the day we leave
That'll be me then!
However at the end of the day the decision will probably be made on the day we leave
-
That'll be me then!
ctelfer38
Well-Known Member
Personally I favour a shotgun
sailorgirl
Well-Known Member
Well we've arrived in the Caley and I thought I'd report on where we ended up stopping off: Eastbourne & Dover were unscheduled stops to to severe weather (ie F9 in the forecast), RN&SYC, Lowestoft which was delightfully welcoming when yet more extreme weather threatened then Peterhead which was another warm welcome and very beautifully kept and equipped so a great passage stopover. After that short hops to Whitehills, tiny with a huge welcome, Lossiemouth which was a bit of a tight fit but we had a good night in the Steamboat and thence to the Caley. Weather aside we enjoyed the sailing, the people and the places and so far no midges cos they'd drown if they came out now!
S
S
Romeo
Well-Known Member
Hope you were in by Saturday. I was on the Moray coast yesterday and the Northerlies, gusting fairly strong in the afternoon, mixed in with pishing rain were perhaps not the best welcome to Scotland. It can only get better. Of course Notherlies are exactly what you want once you get to Loch Ness. Don't forget to fit your monster scarer. R.
KenMcCulloch
Well-Known Member
Enjoy the canal, it's really good fun and some amazing characters work the locks. At Kytra Lock you may be awarded a gold star for wearing your life jacket, and you can buy the finest local meat an pies from the excellent butcher in Fort Augustus. Once through do spend a few days around the Mull and Oban area. If you are passing Dallens Bay (Shuna Sound) on Thursday say hello to the green boat, I will be aboard fixing things.
sailorgirl
Well-Known Member
Won't be there until sometime next week but will give you a wave if you happen to be around as we pass