RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
If using Calmac, turn up and go by foot is easy and buses do connect. Booking a car on can be difficult with spaces a few days away.
Should we head south?
- Thread starter lustyd
- Start date
Sea Change
Well-Known Member
I lived in or near Stornoway for eight years, the idea that it's an 'extreme' place to spend a winter, and one that you might need to 'get out' of is quite funny really.
They have a good and friendly marina with very reasonable prices in the winter. Nice sailing community, especially the traditional boat club. Fisherman's CoOp is great. Good local cruising.
If you get a berth in the inner harbour marina, you're literally across the road from the wee CoOp. Laundry a hundred yards up the road. It's pretty easy living.
ylop
Well-Known Member
Ah, sorry I was meaning for someone who’s alternative plan was to head to the South of England because he’s struggling to cope with the current weather whilst in Oban Bay!
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Don’t I know it. We climbed Snaefell from sea level and it’s a lot further than climbing Snowdon from the ‘bottom’.
Indeed. If we stop for winter we’d do another summer here anyway and head down next August instead I think. Too many options.
Luckily we don’t own any cars or houses any more, too much admin and cost for both!
I agree with this, but please remember that we are southern pansies who like the warm
lustyd
Well-Known Member
We’re coping just fine, we’re just not choosing to sail in 30 knots of wind because we don’t have to.
You’re quite right, of course and I do agree.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
But at sea level, the West Coast of Scotland is pretty much the warmest part of the UK, with palm trees and other exotic plants growing as far north as Ullapool. If you want cold, come to East Anglia!I agree with this, but please remember that we are southern pansies who like the warm
Concerto
Well-Known Member
Near McCaigs Tower in Oban you will find some palm trees. I have seen them.
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
I've only seen McCaigs Tower as a romantic silhouette against the skyline; I've never been in Oban long enough to walk up to it!
Concerto
Well-Known Member
It is worth the climb. If you go to my About Me page you can find the link to my thread including Oban from my Round Britain trip. There are photos from McCaigs Tower of Obama harbour and the palm trees.
Zing
Well-Known Member
You got me on that one. Google came up with nothing also. Translation please?
boomerangben
Well-Known Member
We had “palm trees” in our garden in Stornoway. (Although they aren’t really palm trees, some plant from New Zealand I think and certainly no coconuts!)
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
It’s a very fine drizzle, finer than mist but still a rain.
Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: smirr n1 v:
Zing
Well-Known Member
Och aye Jimmy. I dinnae ken.
Interesting the Scotts have a hundred words for rain, like Eskimos have a hundred words for snow and Arabs have a hundred words for varieties of hot sand.
Blueboatman
Well-Known Member
Wales has that too of course
And when it’s still it’s like a sound blanket
Better enjoyed with an open hearth.
If the OP is serious about spending a winter in the moister parts of the UK he should be on the liveaboard sites asking about cockpit enclosures, cabin fever (
), dehumidifiers and Reflex stoves or lots of stable shorepower and sheltered berths where the decks ain’t green with moss.
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Thanks again for the thoughts and advice everyone. The forecast is now for storms right up to end of September and with the days getting shorter we’ve decided to give up and head south. This thread had made us more determined to get north but realistically we don’t fancy using the occasional calm day to dash about just to batten down in each location. Instead we’ll use the occasional calm days to head south so we can start on the European coast next year.
We’ve really enjoyed the Scottish islands so may try again another year.
We’ve really enjoyed the Scottish islands so may try again another year.
jdc
Well-Known Member
Wuff in St Georges channel!
We set off S like you on Thursday (from Dún Laoghaire) and all went well until about 12 miles S of Tuskar when just as it was getting dark the seas began breaking. 3 ginormous waves later we were knocked down and (stupidly, I hadn't closed the washboards) lots of green water below soaking all cushions, shortly followed by the chart plotter packing up, then the autopilot. At dawn I noticed the masthead wind vane was bent.
Hand steering all night, and thank God for paper charts, but we rounded the land around lunchtime and the Lizard at teatime. Helford for supper. No real damage apart from my pride and lots of work for our home washing machine. Hope your passage S is easier...
We set off S like you on Thursday (from Dún Laoghaire) and all went well until about 12 miles S of Tuskar when just as it was getting dark the seas began breaking. 3 ginormous waves later we were knocked down and (stupidly, I hadn't closed the washboards) lots of green water below soaking all cushions, shortly followed by the chart plotter packing up, then the autopilot. At dawn I noticed the masthead wind vane was bent.
Hand steering all night, and thank God for paper charts, but we rounded the land around lunchtime and the Lizard at teatime. Helford for supper. No real damage apart from my pride and lots of work for our home washing machine. Hope your passage S is easier...
lustyd
Well-Known Member
Blimey I’m glad we waited for a weather window. Currently tucked up in Ardfern and absolutely baffled by the random forecasts we keep getting. Almost impossible to plan at the moment so we’re choosing not to. Heating on, movie night with some wine
jdc
Well-Known Member
that's what we thought we had. W 5-7 for 36 hours instead of southerlies. And F7 I thought, 'no problem we've had much more ...' Ho Hum, pride comes before a fall.
Jolly sensible to wait in Ardfern even if you have to endure movie nights...