Scottish small isles

kaman · 12 June 2014, 10:55

Just back from 3 days hillwalking and Bothying on Isle of Rhum.
Stunning place!
I am intending a return to the area with the Sib in the coming months with my mate and a fishing rod and camping gear.
Possibly launch from Arisaig or Mallaig and tour around the small isles of Eigg, Muck, Rhum and Canna gor 3 or 4 days.
Has anyone done this on their SIB's and if so any tips/suggestions?

gennaro · 12 June 2014, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaman

Just back from 3 days hillwalking and Bothying on Isle of Rhum.
Stunning place!
I am intending a return to the area with the Sib in the coming months with my mate and a fishing rod and camping gear.
Possibly launch from Arisaig or Mallaig and tour around the small isles of Eigg, Muck, Rhum and Canna gor 3 or 4 days.
Has anyone done this on their SIB's and if so any tips/suggestions?

Check out Gurnards recent posts from around the islands. They are legendary

http://www.rib.net/forum/f16/a-sibbi...ard-62610.html

Maximus · 12 June 2014, 13:45

We all Camped out at Arisiag during our recent trip to Scotland,and it's a very friendly place with a most helpful Harbour Master/ Sailing Club,cheap mooring rates,and a decent Pub!
A great jump off point for the lslands

Should be some Video coming down the Pyke soon too

mick · 12 June 2014, 14:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximus

We all Camped out at Arisiag during our recent trip to Scotland,and it's a very friendly place with a most helpful Harbour Master/ Sailing Club,cheap mooring rates,and a decent Pub!
A great jump off point for the lslands

Should be some Video coming down the Pyke soon too

Jonny had computer issues at the mo but is working on it

The Gurnard · 12 June 2014, 15:35

Hi Kaman.. good advice from one of my brothers articles .. he did it by kayak in February. I have not done it all .. and would be very cautious in a SIB.. ensure the winds look very calm for the duration.. and don't under estimate the swell in that area

"It was the end of February and a rare high pressure system settled over northwest Scotland. It was time for a trip to the Small Isles. I had originally planned this trip last summer but the promised high pressure evaporated as our embarkation day approached and we went shopping instead. At least the work with tidal planning and printing/laminating maps was not wasted. This trip is unusual in that you need to take account of weather, tides, surf heights but also ferry times! I have paddled to the Small Isles from Arisaig and from Glen Brittle but each of those options takes two days (there and back) out of a small weather window.

A much more preferable option is to use the ferries and spend the time paddling between the islands. The Calmac Ferry Time Tablefor the Small Isles is pretty impenetrable as the ferry travels to different combinations of islands each day, a further complication is that the days change in summer! With some planning of wind direction tide times and ferry times it is possible to ensure favourable paddling conditions and yet ensure if weather closes in it will not be too long before the next ferry arrives to return to Mallaig"

I appreciate a SIB is a lot faster than the kayaks so times will be very much less. I guess the advice is route plan ..taking the ferry times into consideration...and your luggage can be carried on and off the ferry..if required.

Do post about some of your journeys.. I for one, would like to hear about this kind of trip.

The Gurnard · 12 June 2014, 16:16

On second thoughts....

Just checked.. my photos of scrambling up the Sgurr of Eigg are rather cloudy looking.
Weather.. mood and time dependant.. I could easily be persuaded into such a journey ?

kaman · 13 June 2014, 08:25

Thanks to all for their inputs.
My plan was to travel from Arisaig or Mallaig to the Isle of Eigg firstly. Circumnavigate the island and spend a night in the tent. Then onto Rhum. Which is much larger. Spend a night at Dibidil bothy or in the tent.
Head onto Kinloch village.
Restock on provisions.
You can arrange with the post office in advance to buy in whatever you need from the main land.
From Kinloch circumnavigate anti clockwise to Guirdil bay and stay a night at the bothy.
Then continue the short distance over to Canna for a nights camping.
Thereafter head down to Muck for another night in the tent then back to mainland.
A bit ambitious and would definitely need an extended period of very calm settled weather to facilitate such a venture.
I know that you can hire kayaks from Mallaig and get them transported free of charge to the Isle of your choice via the Cal Mac ferry.
Just wondering if I could get the sib on to the ferry to transport it across any of the large open sea sections should the weather blow up????
I will make that enquiry.
Won't be able to go until probably beginning of August.
Watch this space and let's hope the weather is kind!

kaman · 13 June 2014, 08:29

Some Rhum snaps.

kaman · 13 June 2014, 08:34

Rhum pictures

kaman · 13 June 2014, 08:40

More Rhum

Barrowboy · 13 June 2014, 09:06

Fabulous pics. Love the roaring fire in the grate and the deer wandering outside. All you needed was more rum, possibly?

kaman · 13 June 2014, 13:17

Funnily Enough I had a bottle of Rum along with a few bottles of ale. Absolutely amazing three days away - looking forward to returning soon!

willk · 13 June 2014, 21:17

I was glad to learn that the Island was originally called Rum, but was renamed during a moment of (in)temperance.

jambo · 13 June 2014, 22:19

Yes Wilk but the name was reinstated so once again it is called by its Gaelic name Rum thank God!!

Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

mick · 13 June 2014, 22:43

We where well impressed by Rum it doesn't look that big from the mainland but when you get close it's an awesome sight

Dan Gurney · 13 June 2014, 23:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

Fabulous pics. Love the roaring fire in the grate and the deer wandering outside. All you needed was more rum, possibly?

That, my friend, is a Scotch landscape. More specifically a Malt landscape.

kaman · 14 June 2014, 01:57

Thot I had posted this picture earlier!
This was the sight that greeted me upon my early morning leg stretch when opening the bothy door!

The Gurnard · 26 June 2014, 09:38

Hi again Kaman

I made the most of the great weather window the west coast had at the start of this week and from Arisaig went deep into Loch Nevis for a wild Camp..then headed out to sea and rounded Eigg for another camp and then Muck before heading back to Arisaig. No problem doing it in a SIB as long as the winds are very light. However..things were not perfect..I had a lot of light rain and mist on the way.. and had to depend on compass bearings to get back to Arisaig from Eigg as the sea mist came down thick.

Going round Rum could be a bit harder as it is more tidal..and if conditions are not very calm..the north west corner can be lumpy with wind against tide.

Park your boat with the bow into the waves with an anchor over the bow, and tie off the stern with another anchor onto shore to keep the SIBs nose into the waves.. there is a lot of swell even in calm conditions.. on the exposed beaches... like here in Bay of Laig on Eigg.. looking across to Rum..lost in cloud.

A trip to remember

Maximus · 26 June 2014, 10:13

Looks like you Nailed it

If the weather IS good enough .....a Decent SIB will do most jobs pretty bloody well,and does have some advantages.

The Gurnard · 26 June 2014, 11:01

Yup..I agree Maximus ..and for me the biggest advantage is I can launch and recover it myself off a trailer..no problem. I just need to keep her floating when I go for a walkabout ..if the tide strands her.. I have to wait for the next tide to refloat her.. just too heavy to haul on my own.

Although the rain and mist hampered my views..at times it created a really moody atmosphere ..but that the beauty of Scotland.. if you don’t like what you see ..just wait a couple of moments and it will change.

Rounding the northern end of Eigg... looking over to the vast wilderness of Knoydart on the Mainland.. and I nail it perfectly in camera