Launching from Barcaldine or Benderloch

[mm289]

Hiya, we are staying at the Camping Club site at Barcaldine for a week in August and inspired by all Gurnard et al's video's are bringing the F-rib with us (if I can find a way to get me, missus, tent, dog and F-rib in the Landy)


I have seen a few recent vid's from @phbailey on launching from Benderloch

(PS - I'm sure we will be popping into the chippie to say hello)


1. Just wondered if it is possible to launch from Barcaldine? I can see there is a boatyard there but wondered if there is a public area? If not has anyone any experience of the boatyard as we may inflate and leave there for the week as an option....


2. Alternatively (more questions) if we did have 2 or 3 days to do day trips on the boat where would be your top 3 venues. Happy to drive somewhere within an hour or two of Oban and launch as well as launch from aforementioned areas. We are more into exploring deserted beach's, dramatic coastline rather than munching through lots of sea miles.


Thanks in advance


Paul.

[Phbailey]

Hi Paul, The Marina is Creran marine, They will probably have a daily charge for you to use their facilities, last time a friend enquired, they wanted £15 to launch then another £15 to retrieve, most marinas will charge you £10 plus each day, even self launching

Loch Creran isn’t particularly interesting to go sibbing in either, if the days you are going boating are on my days off, I could possibly get out with you to explore some areas, and if you are with me I can get you into Tralee to use the private slip, ( I don’t work Sunday through to Tuesdays)

Other than that. You can launch directly from the beach at Tralee as you can drive down onto the beach,

Lots to see and places to explore in the area, but really depends on the weather, a run round Lismore is a great day out with a couple of castle (ruins) to see and if your lucky pods of dolphins , porpoises, and even sea eagles , the coast of Mull is a quick run out if the conditions suit, falls of Lora on a falling tide is a good experience as well,

We have just come back from a trip up the sound of mull into Loch Sunart, Tobermory and down to Loch Spelve, over 2 days covering around 110 miles, but to do something like this the weather had to be just perfect,

Give us a shout when your actually due up and I will see if I can organise some time to show you around

[mm289]

Awesome, thanks Paul


Just booked the campsite (it was kinda a last minute thing) so starting to roganise itinerary. Basically we will be up from the 17th for a week but not sure what we will be doing day by day. We are pretty relaxed so will probably be driven by the weather more than anything


Cheers,


Paul.

[Phbailey]

Originally Posted by mm289

Awesome, thanks Paul


Just booked the campsite (it was kinda a last minute thing) so starting to roganise itinerary. Basically we will be up from the 17th for a week but not sure what we will be doing day by day. We are pretty relaxed so will probably be driven by the weather more than anything


Cheers,


Paul.

Just had another idea, if you book on Highfield holidays park, you have acces to the slip at Tralee bay holiday park, it’s a sister site to,the main holiday park

[mm289]

I did look at that but we are regular camping club users and with the member discount etc it works out quite well for us


Cheers,


Paul.

[breezeblock]

were up next weekend and will be launching from north ledaig for a week

[mm289]

Cool, look forward to hearing where you go to. Part of our challenge was we are in a tent rather than caravan so some of the sites weren't available for us


Have been avidly watching @The Gurnard videos fro 2 years now which is pretty much what got us into SIB's and the idea of doing Argyll and Bute in the first place so hopefully will start work on a few places to visit over the next few weeks.


Cheers,


Paul

[Highland Haggis]

There is a slip way just past the boat yard on the main road as you head towards Fort William i am passing there tomorrow will take photo and send you it with gps point [emoji41][emoji41]

[mm289]

Cheers HH, appreciate that. This weekend was spent taking the Frib for a longish run - 6 hours or so - and testing out my new load carrier as we have to fit tent, Frib,wife and dog all in the car


Cheers,


Paul.

[mm289]

Just an update on this, we are planning to arrive Saturday 17th - its about a 12 hour trek including stops as we come from about as far away as possible without getting your feet wet (Dover)


So @phbailey we should be recovered enough to do a trip out on the boat Monday/Tuesday if you are around and weather dependant?


I have been re-watching some vid's from various of our members and trying to work out what would be the best 3 day trips. Although we are up for a week it is unlikely due to weather and other interests that we will get more than 3 or 4 days on the water so......


What would you recommend - my starter for 10 list below includes some that would need a short drive to get too - thats not a problem for us. Our preference is exploring rather than munching miles at speed, so ineresting coastline, small bays including places to stop to allow (soon to be) Sea Dog Charlie to stretch his legs, etc. Have to be achievable in a day and 20l fuel.....



1. Lismore as per Paul B recommendation above
2. Loch Etive
3. Loch Shiel
4. Loch Sunart
5. Slate Isles (would this be viable in a day?)
6. Sound of Mull/Tobermory


Suggestions/thoughts?


Cheers,


Paul.

[Phbailey]

Loch Etive is easily doable on a tank of fuel depending on your launch point,
Around Lismore likewise,
Loch Shiel is a stunning fresh water loch which I toured a few years ago, it’s on the wife’s wish list to re visit again,
Loch Sunart / sound of mull / Tobermory more of a trek and probably not doable on a tank, but could refuel at Tobermory, we did this last week but weather was so good it was unbelievably mirror like sea for 2 days

Hopefully the weather will be good, and I will try and keep at least one day free
Cheers
Paul

[mm289]

Thanks Paul, looking at the longe range forecast their is a lot of wind around the weekend we arrive so it may be we end up on some of the inland Lochs.... although I understand some of them can whip up nicely depending on wind direction as well
Cheers,


Paul.