scarba anchorages?

[bikedaft]

hi,

looking to spend a few days exploring scarba and around. have anchored in the S facing bay at SE corner a few times, but what are the other anchorages like? eg the one on the W coast (facing N)? what is the bottom? and is it possible to anchor in the gut where the pier is at the NE? or tie alongside for a short while etc

have been in to the west side of the grey dogs before tho not anchored.

likely to have folk on land as well - is there any thruth to the rumour that a guy is living a hermit like existence on the island? it was from a man in (craighouse) pub

thanks

 

[Sgeir]

Port nan Urrachann is the anchorage is the NNE facing anchorage on the west side. We've anchored there, but don't think we stayed overnight; it was a while ago and the log book is not to hand, but I believe the bottom would have been stone or gravel rather than sand. A pleasant enough spot with a waterfall spilling into it, it felt quite open IIRC. I expect that it would be open to swell in anything but settled conditions. There are, reputedly, the remains of some beehive cells in the vicinity, but I haven't seen them.

Funnily enough, apart from the surge as the tide changes, the Corryvreckan seems to have a calming effect at the other place where you've anchored, Bagh Gleann a' Mhaoil (sp?). As for the jetty for Kilmory Lodge - seen trip boats there, but don't know about the depth or the formalities (private jetty).

EDIT: the owner of Inch sometimes lived in his cave there. Suspect the two islands have been confused.

 

[agurney]

hi,

looking to spend a few days exploring scarba and around. have anchored in the S facing bay at SE corner a few times, but what are the other anchorages like? eg the one on the W coast (facing N)? what is the bottom? and is it possible to anchor in the gut where the pier is at the NE? or tie alongside for a short while etc

have been in to the west side of the grey dogs before tho not anchored.

likely to have folk on land as well - is there any thruth to the rumour that a guy is living a hermit like existence on the island? it was from a man in (craighouse) pub

thanks

http://sailing.agurney.com/list-of-anchorages/scarba-west

Also, there's a nice spot further north on the east side:
http://sailing.agurney.com/list-of-anchorages/scarba-east

Better aerial views can be found at http://www.bing.com/maps/

 

[webcraft]

.
We anchored for breakfast in Port nan Urrachann a few weeks ago after spending the night in the delightful Bay of the Glen of Pigs on NW Jura.

The anchorage is totally exposed W though to N and I would not recommend it for an overnight stay or even to leave the boat for long unless the wind was light and between NE and SW.

Holding seemed good although because it was a breakfast stop I only gave it about half throttle to dig the anchor in. The anchor came up clean, so it is either sand or gravel. We were showing 7m under the keel and it was just after HW (neaps).

- W

 

[bikedaft]

magic thanks for those replies

was wondering about bottom at port nan urrachan after a rolly noisy night at barrisdale in the past (boulders)

don't think the hermit is the same as the one on insh (is he still there?) - i think he owns the island wheres there was a long tale re the scarba one that he was ex sas or similar and gone fairly paranoid. and was getting food drops from other sas types. sounds a bit surreal in the light of day right enough

cheers

 

[NormanS]

I have anchored at Port nan Urrachann, but it was some time ago, and my feet and fathoms chart, didn't show the name. It's a good spot for climbing up the hill to see the whirlies in the Corryvreckan. We have never spent a night there, and IIRC there was some confusion re a rock off the west point of the bay.

I've anchored in both the bays on the east side. I think from the one south of the jetty, it was quite a struggle to get up the hill, through the trees. We anchored in the bay north of the jetty, in order to walk through to the wild north-west coast, but there was quite a bit of tide through the bay. That would depend on the state of the tide, I suppose.

We anchored, and landed on Inch, or Sheep island, two or three weeks ago. Getting around on the island is very hard going, with rank vegetation. No sheep! I think the story was that it belonged to a London bus driver, and he used to live on it for periods. His walled-up cave, and various huts didn't look as if they had been used for a long time. 20 years maybe?

 

[dunedin]

Also been in Port nan U for a short stop. Good place for a brief landing.
But even on a relatively calm day we found it subject to swell from the south coming round the corner. Would not have been comfortable night spot when we were there.
Sorry dont recall bottom conditions

 

[Hadenough]

EDIT: the owner of Inch sometimes lived in his cave there. Suspect the two islands have been confused.

We anchored, and landed on Inch, or Sheep island, two or three weeks ago. Getting around on the island is very hard going, with rank vegetation. No sheep! I think the story was that it belonged to a London bus driver, and he used to live on it for periods. His walled-up cave, and various huts didn't look as if they had been used for a long time. 20 years maybe?

Isn't that Insh island off Seil, Firth of Lorn? We used to see someone there in the mid 90's when I worked on a charter boat out of Oban. Story then was that he was a rich banker from London.

 

[MM5AHO]

While on Scarba...

What are those tank looking things on the east side? Seems to be several batchs of them. Water tanks??

 

[bikedaft]

While on Scarba...

What are those tank looking things on the east side? Seems to be several batchs of them. Water tanks??

will have a look

have been puzzled by them as well

have avoided the NE corner (near the big house) after a slightly unfriendly encounter with one of the owners pre land access act 2003 (likely previous owners too!)

thanks

 

[webcraft]

Isn't that Insh island off Seil, Firth of Lorn? We used to see someone there in the mid 90's when I worked on a charter boat out of Oban. Story then was that he was a rich banker from London.

The 'Hermit' was still there in August 2003. Four boats anchored there during the Scottish Vega rally and a couple of the girls had an unnerving encounter with the elderly, rotund and completely naked hermit, who chased them out of his 'garden'.

.............. . .....Four Vegas anchored off Insh August 2003

Last I heard he was too ill to visit his island any more.

- W

 

[webcraft]

While on Scarba

.
Do make the effort to get to the top of the hill. It's a rugged walk, but the view is superb.

And the anchorage at the South end of Lunga (the big bay in the next photo) is well worth a visit

- W

 

[bikedaft]

thanks for the pics! yes keen to explore lunga and around. have motored into the bay s end lunga with the big beach, but it was a southerly... one day will pluck up the courage to go thru grey dogs, or at least not be late for slack (again)

oddly spoke to an ex sas mate who when i mentioned a paranoid ex sas guy, knew of some story that one guy had gone awol and was hiding on jura? so maybe there was something to it

 

[bikedaft]

hi, and thanks again for the info

went at the weekend, although cold, it was dry, and easterly 3-5 most of the time, so no tacking or motoring only the odd flurry of snow. saw a sea eagle in corryvreckon

anchored in port nan urrachann as suggested, tho had to move at midnight as got a bit lively (wind from N) tho it was only 20 mins over to big s facing bay on lunga, cracking stars. no swell out to the west of scarba/jura, never seen it that flat calm. went thru grey dogs, popped into crinan (to get a new gas regulator, brrr) then eilinn mhor and home. never really got close to the e coast of scarba as wind onshore, tho the wee indent at the NE with the pier looks ok for a lunch stop. couldn't see the wee bay (port nan sliseag on the OS map) thru the binocs. unusual to be sailing with snow on the hills, it was like being somewhere else.

pics;

looking down west coast of jura;

west coast jura

port nan urrachann;

looking N to morvern;

paps from eilinn mhor;

 

[Cloven]

Webcraft, bikecraft

Thanks so much for posting these pics on such a snowy frosty day here in the Borders.

Reminds me of my days many years ago when a group of us regularly went cruising on windsurfers. The longest day cruise was from Arduaine campsite (sadly no longer open), through Cuan Sound and into the Sound of Luing to land at Cullipool.

Then crossed the Sound of Luing to land in the bay on the east of Rubha Fiola where there was an Outdoor Centre. Although they regularly had sea canoeists visiting, we were the first windsurfers. Treated us to coffee & shortbread and then we ventured into the Gulf of the Grey Dogs - interesting currents - and then on south to land at the SE corner of Scarba. Walked along the shore to see Corryvreckan before returning via the south of Luing & Shuna and then back to Arduiane.

Not bad for a day "sail".

 

[webcraft]

Good grief Bikedaft,

You're a hardy soul to be out sailing in the Firth of Lorne in this weather - I presume you have a good heater on board.

How did you find your way from Port nan Urrachann round to the South of Lunga at midnight? Was there a moon?

Great pic of the Paps from Eilean Mor.

- W

 

[1114C]

Another thank you here for the photos - they are great, can only admire you going out in this weather

I think i saw you going down loch sween at new year on a very murky day - would that be right (1st or 2nd, not too sure which)? we watched from the shore in awe!

Re davewarburton - that sounds fantastic, i presume you were on longboards, i used to windsurf a lot south of there in loch sween and would occasionally go for cruises up and down the loch but never had the courage to go further afield, always think it is a shame that the longboard side of windsurfing has died away so much

 

[Cloven]

Another thank you here for the photos - they are great, can only admire you going out in this weather

I think i saw you going down loch sween at new year on a very murky day - would that be right (1st or 2nd, not too sure which)? we watched from the shore in awe!

Re davewarburton - that sounds fantastic, i presume you were on longboards, i used to windsurf a lot south of there in loch sween and would occasionally go for cruises up and down the loch but never had the courage to go further afield, always think it is a shame that the longboard side of windsurfing has died away so much

Long boards indeed!!!! Not possible with anything else.

The longest cruise we did on windsurfers was round Mull but we had the back-up of a motor sailer.
Day 1 Lochaline to Tobermory,
Day 2 Tobermory to Dervaig with thick fog around Ardmore Point
Day 3 Dervaig to Bunessan via the Treshnish Isles and Staffa
Day 4 rest day - visit to Iona
Day 5 Bunessen, Sound of Iona and then to Loch Spelve in an exciting F5/6
Day 6 Loch Spelve to Lochaline

Those were the days. Repeated much of this later when we acquired a yacht but it was never the same adventure.

 

[bikedaft]

Good grief Bikedaft,

You're a hardy soul to be out sailing in the Firth of Lorne in this weather - I presume you have a good heater on board.

How did you find your way from Port nan Urrachann round to the South of Lunga at midnight? Was there a moon?

Great pic of the Paps from Eilean Mor.

- W

thanks

heater is alas in the garage :-( wiring connection only, just need to fix it. we just wore a lot of layers. and drank whisky. only at anchor of course

there was half a moon and starlight to find our way to lunga at midnight.

the bottom is sand (i think) in port nan urrachann. we came in close to the sw point, and left by going along scarba shore to avoid the rocks.

tomgregory - yes that was us on the 2nd jan - it was supposed to be a battery charging trip only, but ended up in eilinn mhor, had a good sail back up the loch. where are you and we'll wave next time

 

[1114C]

tomgregory - yes that was us on the 2nd jan - it was supposed to be a battery charging trip only, but ended up in eilinn mhor, had a good sail back up the loch. where are you and we'll wave next time

we were in the comparative warmth of a caravan up at the castle bringing the new year in up there, some brave souls went swimming but i opted not to!