HOEOCA's Second Trip to Scotland

For a second consecutive year, a group of HOEOCA members rocked up in Largs on a warm and sunny afternoon to collect three charter yachts from Go West.  As this was a new charterer to us, following the sudden demise of Flamingo last year, we weren’t sure what to expect from the process.  Regretfully, what we got was probably the most tortuous handover we had ever experienced - or are we just spoilt by dealing with Fairview?  Nonetheless, North Star, skippered by David Gilchrist, managed to get away that evening to Port Bannatyne and met up with Entre Amis, owned by Chris and Mandy Dowson.  Voyager, skippered by Wendy Wilson, and Mistral, skippered by Simon Maycock, remained in port, eating on board.

The crew of Voyager were up early the next day, keen to get going in the continuing sunshine.  Our skipper wisely suggested that we pump up the dinghy to ensure all was well.  A good plan, as the pump was u/s so we had to wait for the chandler to open to get a hose replacement that turned out to be only partially successful.  After much effort, we had a more or less inflated dinghy (but without a thwart, rowing would have been tricky) and a replacement for a couple of other missing items.  Mistral had to remove a lot of unnecessary gear before they were able to depart, and went to Lamlash Bay to find that all mooring buoys were occupied.  A second issue was that their outboard had no forward drive so Aidan got his daily workout from ferrying the crew to the beach.

Voyager left just after 11am, with a destination of Lochgoilhead.  We expected that it would be motoring, but we had a really enjoyable sail for a couple of hours before the breeze decided it had had enough.  However, the superb weather and scenery compensated for the motor having to be on, and at least it was quiet.  At Lochgoilhead, we moored in company with Chris and Mandy on Entre Amis.  We all went ashore for an excellent meal in the Goil Inn and then returned to Voyager for more socialising in the cockpit.  The return trip from the pub to the boats was a little adventure as our outboard had insufficient fuel to enable propulsion.  A tow from Entre Amis’ dinghy was required, to much merriment all round (remember we had just finished dining and drinking).  We have yet to receive the invoice…

North Star sailed through the Kyles of Bute, enjoying the weather and scenery with the bonus of seeing the paddle steamer Waverley, and ended up at Portavadie, rounding off a wonderful day with a visit to the spa facility complete with an outdoor 'infinity' pool in twenty odd degree heat and stunning views.

The first day at sea for Voyager set a bit of a pattern.  Most days, we were able to sail but generally some motoring was also required.  Day two found us in Arrochar in hot sunshine for lunch, with the mate enjoying a refreshing dip in the sea.  We spent the night in Holy Loch Marina and were again joined by the crew of Entre Amis so some socialising was obligatory.  That evening, the weather took a very sudden turn for the worse with a strong wind springing up, necessitating a check on warps and later, rain.  We were glad to be on a pontoon. 

It was raining when we got up (a dreich morning) but more or less dry by the time we set out for our next destination, Kames, in the West Kyles of Bute, where we planned to eat ashore.  On the way, we had some great sailing up the East Kyles and then a quick stop on a buoy in Loch Riddon, following a “Man Overboard” practice.  (In reality, Peter had omitted to put the chin strap of his hat on and the strong breeze whipped it off his head.  Quick thinking by the skipper enabled a pick up using the boat hook on the first pass.  Our hatless (or should that be hapless) crew member was most grateful.) 

Alas, the meal in Kames was not to be, as we were advised by Entre Amis that the mooring buoys were uncomfortable in the brisk wind and chop and thus we continued on to Portavadie, with Entre Amis following us in.  Entre Amis were slowed by the waves on the route down to Ardlamont Point, but conversely enjoyed surfing those same waves once the wind was on the beam and caught up time.  Another meal on board, more socialising with Entre Amis and the wine stocks took another notch down; strange that.

Having heard much about the delights of the Portavadie infinity pool from other crews, we resolved to visit the facility, so eight HOEOCA members bobbed around in the warmth, despite a grey morning, for a very pleasant watery gabfest.  After lunch, Voyager headed for Loch Gair and Entre Amis to Tarbert.  The weather closed in, necessitating the testing of the new fog horn provided by the charterer.  As we anchored in a very quiet Loch Gair, visibility improved and we saw a rainbow over the entrance.  Another excellent meal on board and further inroads into our curated wine flights.  Would our supplies hold out?

In the meantime, North Star had visited Loch Gair for a lunch and swim stop, and then met up with Mistral in Tarbert, where both crews visited the Red Herring restaurant and enjoyed a good meal together.  Unfortunately, North Star then experienced engine problems en route to Campbeltown so had to return to Tarbert for some maintenance and then, on Tuesday, to Lamlash where they found new mooring buoys with pickups.  No swimming required, Jude Two please note!

Mistral headed up Loch Fyne on Monday, lunched in Otter Bay then moored in Strachur Bay, opposite Inverary.  Tuesday saw them sail and motor sail down to Portavadie where they enjoyed a soak in the Spa in the rain (good for the complexion, allegedly) and then dinner in the restaurant.

Back on Voyager, we left Loch Gair on a very still and sunny morning, heading for Lochranza.  It was so still that our wake virtually made it right across the loch side to side unbroken.  Whilst at breakfast, we had made the unfortunate discovery that despite the gauge showing full, our second water tank was empty.  We thus called into Portavadie to replenish the tanks, ate lunch on the pontoon, and then had a lovely sail towards Arran, before the wind dropped and the iron donkey was needed.  Despite the application of ramming speed when nearing the loch, we arrived to find all the visitors’ buoys occupied, but anchoring was relatively painless, albeit a long way from the tender jetty.  Janet, Rhoda and Ray had a brief swim before dinner. Entre Amis had arrived earlier with sufficient time to enjoy a tour of the distillery and met the crew of North Star in the shop afterwards.  It was a perfect evening and all three crews enjoyed an excellent sociable dinner together in the convivial atmosphere of the Lochranza Country Inn, a community-owned establishment.  On this evening, Mistral were anchored in the auspiciously-named Wreck Bay in the West Kyles and enjoyed the stunning scenery and sunset from there.

The old weather maxim of “fine before seven, rain before eleven” held good, at least on Arran.  It was a stunning morning when we woke, but as Voyager sailed across to Dunagoil Bay in the south west corner of Bute for a lunch anchorage, we looked back towards Arran, Goat Fell hiding behind grey cloud.  In settled weather, this anchorage is to be recommended.  After lunch, the promised rain started and we had a wet motor across to Millport and the relatively-new visitors’ buoys, joining North Star.  We picked one up, only then discovering that our yacht was attached to the ground tackle by what looked to be a length of 2mm green twine!  The mooring loop had been severed, presumably by a propellor.  Fortunately, we noticed and added a couple of mooring lines through the bight on the mooring buoy.  A final scratch meal on board and we were truly scratching around for wine, even resorting to drinking a 25cl bottle purchased for cooking ...  More might have been nice, but at least we didn’t have to carry excess alcohol home; there wasn’t any.

Mistral’s crew had things to do on land on Friday, so they returned to Largs on Thursday via the East Kyle, with their racing skipper exercising his prerogative to demand racing tacks; the slackening breeze averted a minor mutiny.

After a wet and windy night, we woke to the prospect of a fine morning and enjoyed a pleasant sail across to Largs, in company with North Star.  The handback was blessedly brief and soon, all Largs-based crews were headed home after another highly-enjoyable Scottish cruise.  We’ll be back!

Entre Amis headed towards the Crinan Canal from Lochranza and were again in the pulling business.  The Tugboat Dowsons towed a Wayfarer dinghy named Dignity through the canal, before making it to their home berth at Ardfern on Friday.

Many thanks to everyone who had a hand in organising this very successful and highly enjoyable cruise; sun, scenery, sailing – as they say, what’s not to like?  On Voyager, grateful thanks to Wendy for skippering, Ray for being first mate, and those who provided our excellent victuals and carefully chosen wines.

You can find the photo gallery here Ed