Taking a yacht through the Corryvreckan

[Bilgediver]

Would this be a challenge? sheer stupidity or a bit of a disappointment?

I know someone who has sailed through it in a dinghy so I would think that as long as you pick your moment weather and tidewise, it should be no more than an interesting sail. So I thought I would ask some experts...
Over to you!

You can have a sneeky look from a trip boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tugdep9dEqY&feature=fvsr

 

[Bodach na mara]

Yes, it was great. It also shows that the same film has differing effects on different people. Cos it got me hinking that the nearest I want to be to it is on the shore. And Mrs WD says we are never again going as close to it as we usually do on passage down the sound of Jura!

 

[jpthegp]

Corry is fine if you time it right as already mentioned. Get it a bit wrong, and you can start going backwards. Very amusing to watch from another boat...
A lot of the locals go through at almost any time of tide by sneaking up the side. I don't do it enough, but local knowledge helps.
Remember it is not so much of a whirlpool as a tide rip.

 

[Poignard]

I have been through it as crew on a chartered yacht. However, as I had a very severe whisky hangover at the time, I played no useful part in the exercise, nor can I remember much about it.

Hope this helps.

 

[richardsn9]

The knack with both the Corryvreckan and the Grey Dogs is to have a look first. Use an adjacent anchorage and find a good spot to watch the current build up. They are both used fairly regularly by local boats, and if you are lucky enough, you can watch the line they take through them.

PS When selecting a vantage point, a windy ridge helps keep off the midges (its only the females that bite you know)

 

[Lady Campanula]

I first saw the 'Vreckan from up on the shoulder of the hill, on the Scarba side. I was camping with my climbing club, at the autumn equinox in the early 60s, by the bay on the east side. No-one had mentioned anything about this, and I followed the gang up and over the hill.

I had no idea what the roaring was, until we came over the brow and looked down.... By gum, it was scary!

I've since been through there at slack, in a sailing boat. Eevn then, it seemed an evil place. Perhaps when next I'm passing that way, I'll manage to go through under sail, under a big moon.

 

[Cappen Boidseye]

Many thanks to all the responders, I am looking forward to my trip up the coast now and if the conditions are reasonable I will be checking out that anchorage.

Cheers!

MUM! I'm coming home!

 

[bikedaft]

"anyone got any vids of the standing wave that forms in corryvreckon at flood?"

In the BBC series "Three men go to Scotland" (or something) there was footage of them playing about in the Coirebhrechan. The wave broke over the stern of the boat (a fast motor boat, looked a bit like a Nelson to my untutored eyes) soaking Griff and Dara and setting off their lifejackets. May still be on iPlayer.

great vid thanks! at 20mins in the first episode, they get soaked by the standing wave...

need to watch part two now!