Ardnamurchan ... No More....

[The Gurnard]

I had never gone round Ardnamurchan Point before despite two failed attempts in the past, because of rough seas. It is the most western point of mainland UK and has a reputation for a difficult passage. A perfect forecast and I was ready for my third attempt. After all ..now that I live beside loch Etive ..I need to get used to passing it to reach the Small Isles which are only 70 miles from my house.

It started off with a wet ride in F4 conditions in the middle of Lismore Tide race.. I was expecting light winds so got soaked to the skin because I was not wearing my drysuit.



A quick stop at Tobermory to change into dry clothes and to refuel .. not with petrol as I had plenty of that ... but with a pint or three of Guinness to steady my hand before attempting the Ardnamurchan coastline ... in the hope it would be third time lucky?.



I was bounce to bits going past the lighthouse .. on the swells from the previous day’s F5 in the Sea of Hebrides.. but the Guinness oiled my 66 year old knee joints well and I felt nothing.



I now started on the 10 miles of open sea to reach the Small Isles just as my liquid lunch started to wear off.


I landed on the isle of muck as I was now bursting for a pee with all this water around me and the drysuits zip had stuck.



Then landed on Eigg for supper ... but ...



What happens next ? ..

I guess you will have to watch the video to find out. It will be coming along in a few days ..assuming the sea doesn’t call my name again before its made.

[TmMorris]

Very impressive. Can't help thinking that three pints and a dry suit isn't a recipe for wet, albeit warm, toes though!

[The Gurnard]

Yup .. I agree TmMorris.. IMO its just the nature of inflatable boats.. you can get wet regardless what you wear

[Matt]

I'm pretty sure that's not quite what he meant.

[Fenlander]

If that's all waves and not background hills in image one Donny that's a very lively sea.

[The Gurnard]

Hi Matt .. I know what I mean..but never sure what others mean.. simply because its the nature of social media.. its very easy to misinterpret written words without knowing the context .. so I never try too much.

Hi Fenlander..Gosh no.. but I see what you mean now I have looked at the first photo.. that is hills in the Sound of Mull above the sea horizon. I doubt the tide race waves were much above 2 ft high. I hold the Gopro approx 1 meter above the sea.. so if the waves were bigger than that..then they would be above the horizon when Im in a dip between waves ..they were nowhere near the horizon as this clip shows.. they still get you wet when they erupt in a pyramid shape though. They come in all directions too..which can be interesting.

[Fenlander]

Ahh understood... still an impressive headland to round.

Loved the "Balamory" photo... some 20yrs ago our girls would not have believed we knew someone who'd been there.

[The Gurnard]

I used to do work on Mull more years ago than I care to remember Fenlander and it was something to write home about back then..the highlight was a night in the Mishnish Pub ..listening to the accordion player who owned it..think his name was Robert McLeod. Had some absolutely brilliant night then.

However its all changed now ..even before covid times .. now punters look so serious nowadays and don’t understand someone entertaining them .. change days Im afraid..and not for the better ..only in IMO though. .

[Hat]

Great scenery donny , I remember the mishnish well, it was our favourite night out
after a days diving . I remember runrig played there one night great times

[The Gurnard]

Yup.. if the wall of the Mishnish could tell storys Hat ..I would buy the book

The owner / accordion player had his own style and everyone loved his versions of The Dark Islands or Mingulay Boat Song etc. Now the ginger beer crowd who visit and want Ten Guitars and played their way .. or you are crap ... are ruining it !! All IMO of course..

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

I used to do work on Mull more years ago than I care to remember Fenlander and it was something to write home about back then..the highlight was a night in the Mishnish Pub ..listening to the accordion player who owned it..think his name was Robert McLeod. Had some absolutely brilliant night then.

However its all changed now ..even before covid times .. now punters look so serious nowadays and don’t understand someone entertaining them .. change days Im afraid..and not for the better ..only in IMO though. .

I got sent to Mull a few times while at uni. Never made it to that pub but I do recall coming out of a pub in Oban to hear a lady calling out that there was a dog in the water. All we could see with our pickled eyes was a seal!!!

[The Gurnard]

For obvious reasons ..as I now live in the area ... I have to be careful what I say in this reply TmMorris .. but that sounds like one or two Oban folks I knew way back.. one in particular was called the “Cube” (for obvious reason)..and well known to the guys coming off the boats

I did think of her when I read your reply re the seal ..but if Im honest.. I had better nights in the Mishnish

[jeffstevens763@g]

Went to a Kaylie at the barn bar near lerrags Oban many years ago one of the best nights I’ve had in a pub. Sorry a bit off topic Donny

[davej]

Lovely set of pics, we had a great time circumnavigation mull ourselves a week or so ago and experienced some rough stuff at the end of the Ross of mull, lively bit of coast and not for the faint hearted! As we headed north form Staffa I was tempted myself for a run to Egg as I saw the scur or whatever it’s called sticking up just about inline with Ardmarcan point. Perhaps that’s for another day and even more fuel!

I must post some ices from our passage when I learn how too!

Thanks

Dave

[Steve509926]

Great pics Donny, looking forward to the video.

[The Gurnard]

I don’t think you are off topic Jeff ? ..only thing I could pull your leg about is your attempt to turn Gaelic into English which is out of step to the tune that I dance / stagger about at ..which is at Ceilidh’s.

Looking forward to our adventure next week and hoping the weather continues then too..its finally summer up here ..but bring your midge net..they are biting hard this year. Dont think we will make the Small Isles this time but got some decent trips to choose ..weather dependant.

Hi Davej .. The Ross can get lively ..in fact anywhere to the west of Mull can..its surprising just how winds change only a few miles off the mainland . I have never crossed to Coll or Tiree in my inflatables ..simply because I know how much the weather changes even though its only another eight or nine miles from Mull. Hoping of a round of Colonsay and Oronsay soon though. I have crossed to them before but never gone right round them..

So many Scottish Islands and I have so few years left to do them in

I confess..I have only once before felt so small , vulnerable and totally alone .. as I did when bouncing round Ardnamurchan Point this week .. and that was when I went round the island of Rona in my 2.75 F Rib and 6HP several years ago .. I must be getting soft in my old age



And yes Davej..get some photos of your trip up..its what boats are about

Video will be in a few days Steve..but worth watching .. it shows how bouncy things really were.. the photos dont do it justice

[willk]

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

..only thing I could pull your leg about is your attempt to turn Gaelic into English which is out of step to the tune that I dance / stagger about at ..which is at Ceilidh’s.

Kaylie McNogue?

[The Gurnard]

I guess we think along the same lines Willk ... as I initially wondered if I had met Jeff and Kylie in Oban on one of those nights I cant recall too well ..because I was too involved doing the Local Motion

For interest only here are a couple of photos from my last failed attempt trying to go round Ardnamurchan Point in my wee F Rib 2.75 with 6HP outboard. Its a very unpredictable stretch of water. I left Ardtoe in a flat calm and mirror smooth sea but as I approached the ligh house huge boomers started to randomly appear..and I guessed they were around 4meters in height ?





I appreciated its just the swell crossing shallower ground ..but as I sat watching it to choose my route round the point .. it appeared to be very random .. where and when they would appear ..so I decided not to trust my luck. A 2.75 meter boat being thrown in the air by a 4 meter boomer and I knew my loco motion days would be done.

This was at the back of my mind as I prepared myself for the unknown .. ... its not a SIB outing suitable for beginners and that is for sure !!!

A rough map for those not familiar with the west coast of Scotland ..total was 170 miles over a three days. I would still be out their if I had not forgotten my blood pressure pills ..and I was pushing my heart rate at times.



Ardmurchan ..no more ..Mull Mishnish ..no more .. Guinness guzzling Gurnard no more ...

Think it was the Complainers who put these words into song ?

[jeffstevens763@g]

i was waiting for my leg pulled Donny, you'll notice the time I sent the post well on my way by then.

[The Gurnard]

We will have plenty leg pulling time next week Jeff.

I eventually got the video of my trip finished. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for watching

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrYczSl4hgE