The Guppy rounds the Ross of Mull

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>all this virtually on your doorstep a boat and an understanding wife


That'll have Gurnard rolling about!

Yup.. my wife didn’t understand me in the slightest ..and left over 10 years ago. I now understand I am better on my own ..so I can never loose half a guppy again.

Cameras do show midges..but you need to know the subtle signs to look for ...

Iona on a still night ..before June.. not a midge in sight



After June .. worse than my ex trying to get into my bank account ..



Some midge facts ... only the female midge bites !!! Doesn’t surprise me though ..

Thanks everyone for dropping by..its appreciated..I will post the next part..tomorrow ..so keep looking in

[beerbelly]

your wife left you 10 years ago your even luckier than I first thought cracking pics keep em coming

[Poly]

Originally Posted by beerbelly

its not often that I'm jealous of another person but being lucky enough to be comfortably retired with all this virtually on your doorstep a boat and an understanding wife gurnard you are a very fortunate man . I have the understanding other half but a business that demands my time and a 6+hour drive to the delights of the western Scottish coastline .oh well ill just dream of my weeks vacation up at clachtol bay and hope the weather plays ball

Gurnard should be grateful for all the other wives...... Who stop their husbands just selling up for a simple life and cluttering the place up! I suspect there are many people on the south coast who could sell up, retire at 50 and enjoy life in a small house, with a small boat in rural scotland. Of course the weather and isolation isn't for everyone either.

[Stevem]

Gurnard, as ever i'm loving your work but please spare a though for us still in the grind!
My 'adventure' tomorrow involves me driving from Newcastle to Grimsby then navigating to Leeds before Wot (if i'm lucky) back to Newcastle.

Ah well, I've got a week in Crinan at the end of July and have everything crossed there are still a few silver fish about and like beer belly, the weather plays ball

[The Gurnard]

Talking of wives .. an old bachelor friend who is a bit of a jack the lad with the ladies was once asked by one if he had never had a wife.

He repied..of course I have.. I have had quite a few .. but I can honestly say..none were mine.

I am partial to a lady once in a while too ..but not for long term stuff

[jeffstevens763@g]

Absolutely stunning gurnard keep it coming it just proves the SIB has a big place in the boating world.

Cheers

[The Gurnard]

While still travelling up the weather shore of Iona.. I had ideas of nipping across the six mile stretch of open waters to visit Staffa and see Fingal’s Cave. At that time ... sea conditions looked good for such a trip in the wee guppy. However I decided that as the wind forecasts had been wrong of late .. to wait for a more settled forecast.

Im glad I made that decision.. because crossing the Sound of Iona.. the wind started to gust up to force four as predicted. I took this photo just before the waves started to break ..making photograpy impossible due to motion blur and spray. You can just make out the Treshnish Isles and Staffa in the distance. Staffa is to the right of centre... centre is Lunga.. and the Dutchman’s cap is the left hand Island.



Instead..I went with the Kayakers along the Ross of Mull towards Bunessan ..which was the original plan. The Guppy performed exceptionally well.. running parallel with the three to four foot waves . Although only nine feet long .. she was very stable due to her wide beam and flattish bottom. I have had V hull boats in the past which could easily induce seasickness the way they rock and roll .. side on to a sea. As I entered Camas Tuath bay ..the gust appeared to died again ..and I was sheltered from the sea by its headland.



There are the remains of an old Quarry settlement and Fishing village in this bay ..although it was nice to see many of the fishing houses have been recently restored.



I backed tracked to another lovely sandy beach at Market Bay ..where I had arranged to meet the kayakers. They didn’t want to go as far as Bunessan due to the seas and having to paddle back ..its hard work for them. We had second lunch in Market Bay



While I admired the shore in some detail



Soon it was time to set off for the Sound of Iona again. I arranged to meet the kayakers in the Bull Hole ..which is another sheltered anchorage. The wind was rising again..so I knew they would hug the shore . I prefer being off shore to avoid rocks. The Guppy handled the waves without a problem.. she kept on the plane too.. although I wasn’t going flat out.



By the time I reached the seaward entrance to the Bull Hole ..there was a reasonable swell running. I now had to turn and run with the waves..which was fun .. keeping on top of a wave..without slipping over its sometimes breaking face... or risk shoving the Guppy’s nose under water....



The ride got more exciting as the swell started to reach the shallow water of the bar that protects the Bulls Hole.. Wave speed increased and so did the Guppy. That didn’t worry me..but I knew there was only a couple of feet of water at the shallow part.. and there were rocks around too. Was I imagining dark shadows beneath the waves ..indicating seaweed covered rocks ?



I knew I was committed to the heading I was on .. Hesitating or changing direction could have very wet results. I surfed over the bar without incident .. then relaxed as I landed on another sheltered sandbar ... well inside the Bulls Hole



Where I waited and watched the entrance for my kayak companions to appear ...



To be continued ....

[The Gurnard]

It didn’t take the kayaks long to reach the shelter of the Bull Hole.The Kayaks are around sixteen feet long.. sealed with a spray deck.. and are extremely sea worthy in experienced hands. In fact.. they will handle rougher water than the Guppy could ever dream of...without being swamped.



As I took a photo of them in the Bull Hole..my brother took a photo of me in return. Although I may look daft in the sombrero type bonnet.. it keeps the sun off my face.. or I would have been as brightly coloured as the flotation suit



Our morning plan was to follow the route we had just completed..nip across to Iona for evening diner..then sight see the Abbey when all tourists had gone home.

However..because the strong wind ..which would soon be against tide in the Sound of Iona.. the kayakers decided to head back to camp... after all.. they had just paddled around 25 miles. I still had a fair bit of energy..and fuel..so nipped into the Sound to play in the overspills for a while.



Admire a lovely old ketch at mooring ...



Snap another quick shot of Iona Abbey..the place where Christianity began in Scotland...



Before following the last ferry back to the Mull of Ross.



Back at the campsite..we all ate another home cooked meal .. lit a fire ..and washed our dinner down with plenty of gravy and little nips in different flavours of yellow medicine ...



While we watched our favourite TV program.. The sunset over Iona part two ..



All the beautiful scenery had tired me out..so I was in bed by midnight ..to get ready for the last day of our Ross of Mull Adventure ... which will be continued ....

[Paul_S]

Cracking tale Gurnard. I am a member of the motor boat section of the Yachting Boating World forum (where I quite honestly never feel at home). Basically a few smaller boats like mine, but mainly larger very expensive gin palaces, and of all the posts I read...I can't say ANYONE seems to get the use and enjoyment you do. Just goes to show, it doesn't matter how much money you spend...none of it equates to happiness. Perhaps there's some truth to the old adage.....It ain't how big it is, it's how you use it. Although my wife still ain't buying that one

[The Gurnard]

Hi again Paul.. thanks for the kind words ... yup .. there is only one requirement to do what I do.. and that is a Sense for true Adventure ..but also know the limits of both yourself and your chosen boat. Money means nothing out in the sea...it can take the lives of rich and poor fools .. it doesn't care.

Due to another spell of good weather ... I got involved in other adventures ..hence the delay in writing the last part of the Ross of Mull.

There was a change in the weather for our last day on Mull.. temperatures dropped from the previous few day’s 20+ C to around 8C and we noticed it. The wind was also around Force 4 ..but still from the east..so we were sheltered from the full strength of it.

Our plan for the day was to visit Iona Abbey..then round the Ross of Mull to the south..as shown in the map.



The sound of Iona is a popular place for huge cruise ships. Overnight .. two arrived with boat loads of tourists.. all eager to see Iona Abbey. I flew across the sound at WOT .. assisted by both an incoming tide and off shore wind... possibly doing around 20 mph ?



I landed on a sandy beach..on the outskirts of Iona village.. and hauled the Guppy well up the shore..to give me time to wander around .. and not worry about the boat getting washed away. I don’t like fixed transom wheels... so don’t use them. An inflatable roller boat costing £20 does the job just as easily..and in fact..better over large stones..or soft mud. The roller stores small and blows up in seconds.

Just make sure you don’t leave the power head on the outboard .. tilted below the propeller when using one..or sea water can run up the cooling pipes..enter the exhaust ports ..and run into the cylinder. Of course this happens with transom wheels too..so you all know that.. right ?



I enjoy visiting old chapels and churches ..not because I am religious..but because I like seeing the work that went into making them ..and feeling the sense of peace in such buildings. Iona Abbey really is something special.. and a worth while visit. Its where St Columba first brought Christianity to Scotland. I took many photos.. but cant post them or I would be here all day..so have picked two at random.



Of course..I got in long before the cruise ships landed their many milling passengers.. and had the place to myself..along with my kayak companions who had also arrived. If you have never been..I do recommend a visit.



After the Abbey .. I again went ahead of my companions..and landed on another sandy beach on the island of Erraid....


... And clambered up to the old observatory to see the wonderful sea view. The observatory was built to signal the out lying light houses on Dubh Artach and Skerryvore.



Satisfied with my sight seeing..I then headed through the Tinker Hole and headed for the Island of Eilean a Chalmain ..but first..I though I better let the ship pass..I try to keep out their road as I feel kind of small and insignificant to them.



We all met up for another wee nip of the Jura Superstition ..on a small remote beach on Eilean a Chalmain.. while looking over the sea to the Island of Jura where the whisky came from.



Finally..we ended our journey at Traig Geal bay ..having successfully rounded the Ross of Mull.


We then followed our own routes back to Fidden Campsite where we enjoyed more nips and gravy..while planning future adventures.
I didn’t do a great mileage.. around 50 miles in three days..but in all.. it cost around £10 for fuel for the 6HP engine. The journey also gave me some experience of the smallest F-Rib 275..in some remote and rough water.

I was now happy to push it even further ..into more remote places ..where seas can turn nasty within minutes.

My plan ... was to head for Skye.. alone .. with the Guppy .. for a 150 mile sea journey to the edge of the world. That adventure will be posted soon.

Thanks for reading my drivel..hope you enjoyed it.


I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

[Chris Caton]

cracking adventure n cracking pics, top man Gurnard I'm with you on the abbeys etc, not into any religion myself, but you've got to admire the skills of those that built such places

[jeffstevens763@g]

Brilliant gurnard looking forward to your next adventure I admire any stone work even dry stone walling but the stone mason takes it such skill.

Cheers

[breezeblock]

where a bouts is tinkers hole on mull i googled it but can't find it pics are excellent by the way

[Fenlander]

One of the best set of adventure pics from you so far Gurnard... until the next one!

I was in the dentist waiting room the other day scrolling through them full screen on my phone and noticed the woman in the seat next to me catching a crafty glance. I reckon it was about the point of your alluring pic against the rock with the sheep's head she took a special interest... I noted she seemed to have all her own teeth and a good bit of life left in her so wondered about passing on an intro.

[The Gurnard]

Thanks again for dropping by Chris and Jeff .. you can really see the love and craftsmanship that went into building these places. Barrat’s the builder doesn’t do that now

Tinker hole is right here ..just watch the rocks at the approaches Breezeblock



Aww..Fenlander..if she was interested in the sheep’s head.. she would have fallen in love with my latest find on Rona .. a huge vertebrae from a whale..and what I think is a jaw bone. Almost as good as finding an elephants tusk.. I can carve it into all sorts of scrimshaw ornaments. The ruler is 1 meter..to give an idea of size..I brought them home. Its my trophy for completing the Skye adventure..coming soon. Its a good un too.

[breezeblock]

Thanks for that we're gonna head there from ganavan sands on the 18 June I've calculated at 16 knots we should be there in 2 1/2 hrs

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

One of the best set of adventure pics from you so far Gurnard... until the next one!

I was in the dentist waiting room the other day scrolling through them full screen on my phone and noticed the woman in the seat next to me catching a crafty glance. I reckon it was about the point of your alluring pic against the rock with the sheep's head she took a special interest... I noted she seemed to have all her own teeth and a good bit of life left in her so wondered about passing on an intro.

bit of the horse trading days coming back giving the old nag a once over David

[Fenlander]

I have to be very careful here Jeff... bearing in mind I have a Mrs who last year said "if you like the Aerotec so much why not buy a new one" and this year "that Suzuki looks good (spec wise, she's not that shallow) we should buy one"... you don't mess with an attitude like that.

So I was just thinking of Gurnard in case he found himself way south down the east coast and drifting up the Nene... woman in every port and all that!

[jeffstevens763@g]

Yep know what you mean regarding the boss tread very lightly. But as for the filly in the dentist may be an adventure toooo far for gurnard