Easdale RIB Rendezvous 2017 - 29/30 April

[9D280]

Another 20 mins driving and you could have gone out for dinner in Glasgow!...... Or died of boredom in the roadworks....

Joking aside between junctions 6 & 5 is a car park northbound from about 0700 till gone 9. My advice would be to have a long lie and a leisurely breakfast.

I'm going to try and get on the road after lunch... If it's later I may stop at the Real Food cafe in Tyndrum for some dinner.

See you tomorrow.

[beerbelly]

well that's us just about sorted quick bowl of cereal and were on our way. cheers 9D280 you have just made my mind up were coming via the A1 and Stirling .

[9D280]

Anyone coming up the M74 my advice would be to keep an eye on Google maps. It's reasonably clear at the moment (0900)

Also be aware there is a new stretch of the M8 opened Westbound, so anyone traveling to Glasgow on the M8 should get a clear run, even tho' Google implies the road has been closed!

Righty, better go dig the boat out and....errr.... get down to the auto factors for a trailer number plate for the new car!!!

See you all later.....

[Chunk]

Any plans to head out on Sun or Mon? Can't make it over for the main event but may make it late Sat.
Cheers

[9D280]

Quick Q -

Any idea(s) what the "plan B" route might be? I only ask as it's a LOT easier to set the route in my Backup Garmin on the PC & download it than do it wpt by wpt ion the Garmin.....

No problem if not...

[Trevor G]

Originally Posted by Chunk

Any plans to head out on Sun or Mon? Can't make it over for the main event but may make it late Sat.
Cheers

We'll be out somewhere on Sunday.

[SeafariCarolyn]

Hi all - well, it now appears to be a tradition ... we plan for Colonsay and Oronsay and the weather decides to thwart our plans I'm afraid. So - new plan for tomorrow is this (will be printed out copies in the ferry shed on Ellenabeich jetty and Easdale Island) -

EASDALE RIB RENDEZVOUS – SATURDAY 29TH APRIL ROUTE

Depart Easdale 0930

Head south to Cuan – through Cuan sound and up through Seil Sound and under the Atlantic Bridge. There is enough air draught for Celtic Voyager so everyone else should be fine – 12 metres from seabed to underside of bridge.

Head along west side of Kerrera.
Head along west side of Lismore.

Into Loch Leven under the Ballachulish Bridge and head to Ballachulish Harbour :

56°40’.85 N
005°08’.10 W

Seaxplorer are happy for us to use their pontoon there.
There is the Isles of Glencoe Hotel and Leisure Centre, the Laroch pub and a Visitor Centre with café.

Some may then choose to go to the head of the loch (Kinlochleven) – there is a harbour and town.

The return journey to Easdale will be via the Appin Narrows (east side of Lismore) - Pier House Hotel for cream tea, passing Oban and returning to Easdale.

[9D280]

Cool, thanks.

Right, I'll be on the road 9n about 10 mins. If anyone is at the Real Food it Tyndrum at around 1900ish I'll see you there.

[breezeblock]

whats the destination for Sunday we ended up going from ardmucknish bay over to Easdale then through grey dogs from the east and then headed to corryvreckan but I bottled it the waves were just too high at the time we got there so heads back to Oban

[Hogmonay]

Thank you everyone, just back home - safe, sound and wiser after a superb Rib Rendezvous, can't stop grinning. Unfortunately back to work tomorrow but imagine that my concentration will be more than slightly distracted with the fresh memories of one of my best weekends for a long time. The camaraderie and support from all that we (inexperienced newbies) was fantastic. Cheers and look forward to seeing you all again next year if not before!

[SeafariCarolyn]

Easdale RIB Rendezvous 2017
Colonsay as a destination for the Easdale RIB Rendezvous appear totally incompatible. For the third year in succession we were thwarted by the weather. Had we departed a day earlier seas were calm but the wind for Saturday strengthened to F5 to F6 SSE so Colonsay was a non-starter. We claim there is always somewhere to go cruising from Easdale so we reverted to Plan B.
0930 Saturday RIBs gathered in Easdale Sound heading south through the overfalls and into Cuan Sound. It was a bit of a wakeup call for the navigational exercise heading north through Seil Sound. Approximately 30 RIBs in close proximity squeezed under the Bridge over the Atlantic out to open sea heading to the west of Kerrera and on to the Stevenson built Lismore Lighthouse. Dodging the wake of the two Calmac ferries en-route to Mull and Barra and dealing with the steep overfalls between Lady’s Rock and Lismore, seas calmed as we headed up the west side of the island and further north to Loch Leven.
The road bridge at the head of Loch Leven is considerably wider than the Bridge over the Atlantic. The fleet made for the SeaXplorer pontoon at Ballachulish. Jill Mills of SeaXplorer had kindly agreed to us visiting but she was taken aback when around 30 RIBs appeared from the distance as we decanted for coffee and cakes from the café or beer and chips from the pub. For some the temptation of the latter was greater than heading further up Loch Leven to the old aluminium town of Kinlochleven. As the town is off the everyday track even some local Scots had never visited. Kinlochleven was hosting Pre 65 motorbike trials. The town was buzzing.
Back aboard we estimate most stopped for a further cream tea break at The Pierhouse Hotel at Port Appin before returning to Easdale circa 1800. A fine day.
Sunday the wind had backed easterly F6 so Loch Buie was out of the question. 1030 departure everyone headed for Crinan – again a coffee stop. Is there a theme here? Heading west with the seas on the stern the fleet went through the Gulf of Corryvreckan. Whilst it was slack water some still found the odd haystack of water interesting. Heading up the west side of Scarba, Lunga and Rio Fiola most visited Cullipool on Luing. Some who were staying for Monday went ashore to visit the new Atlantic Centre whilst others returned to Easdale to recover their boats. Whilst Monday is a bank holiday in England it is not the case in Scotland. It is one reason the event works so well.
We have noted that more RIBs are staying for longer. This is great news for the area. Please tell all your friends we do have good cruising from Easdale whatever the weather.
We don’t normally mention individuals in the report but a special mention to Jeff Stevens in his 4m SIB who covered 50 miles on Saturday. He came as far as Lismore, through all the rough stuff before being tempted by the Pierhouse hotel. Speedsters of the weekend go to Seamus and Jack on their Caesar catamaran. No RIB accepted the challenge to keep up with them except in the rough bits.
All in all a great weekend.

2018 – could it be the year for Colonsay?

Photos etc will be uploaded onto facebook and the website as soon as possible.

Best wishes,
Tony and team ERR.

[9D280]

And a big thanks for organising it!

I'll try to get some pics up later.....

[Roflhat]

Thanks for organising it, had great fun both days!
hopefully be back again next year, a few tweaks to the engine setup and we'll be even faster

Thanks as well to the crew on Sula for helping carry our fuel on the Saturday, and to Pete for helping sort our pull start last minute, very much appreciated

[GeoffW]

Originally Posted by Roflhat

Thanks for organising it, had great fun both days!
hopefully be back again next year, a few tweaks to the engine setup and we'll be even faster

Thanks as well to the crew on Sula for helping carry our fuel on the Saturday, and to Pete for helping sort our pull start last minute, very much appreciated

Our pleasure. Look forward to seeing the footage of you overtaking Celtic Voyager under the bridge. Your hard as nails you two ! I'm feeling it after 2 days on an 8 m boat!

Great weekend. Good humour and a very memorable ERR. Even got bottle nosed dolphins leaving Easdale this morning heading back to Ardoran

[beerbelly]

absolutely cracking weekend couldn't make Sunday as we were low on fuel and the car ferry from luing doesn't run on Sunday so couldn't get to Oban. but we really enjoyed the sat .we will be back next year but staying for a week. a big thanks to Carolyn and her team for organising a very good route taking into account the weather and making a pair of newbies feel welcome

[GeoffW]

Originally Posted by Roflhat

Thanks for organising it, had great fun both days!
hopefully be back again next year, a few tweaks to the engine setup and we'll be even faster

Thanks as well to the crew on Sula for helping carry our fuel on the Saturday, and to Pete for helping sort our pull start last minute, very much appreciated

How much faster do you need to go ?

https://en-gb.facebook.com/easdaleribrendezvous/

See video evidence !

[Maximus]

Puts me in mind of Whacky Races!
Glad to see and hear a good weekend was had by All

[Roflhat]

Originally Posted by GeoffW

How much faster do you need to go ?

https://en-gb.facebook.com/easdaleribrendezvous/

See video evidence !

Great video that! There are some great shots from over the weekend
We were cavitating in the rough stuff, just couldn't get the power down so hopefully next year we'll be faster when it gets bumpy

[Trevor G]

What a fantastic weekend - and it got hotter on Tuesday and Wednesday. We made it to Colonsay on Tuesday and Staffa on Wednesday, with a bbq on the beach on the way back from Staffa.
Thanks to Tony and all at Sea.fari for hosting again!

[Hogmonay]

Originally Posted by Trevor G

What a fantastic weekend - and it got hotter on Tuesday and Wednesday. We made it to Colonsay on Tuesday and Staffa on Wednesday, with a bbq on the beach on the way back from Staffa.
Thanks to Tony and all at Sea.fari for hosting again!
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Lovely photos and weather, not jealous in the slightest! [emoji30]