Got a phone call from a transplantee to invite me for coffee!Michael then called the press and hey,presto! we got a photographer down and an article in the Northern Scot.The guys came down to the harbour and i made then tea on the harbour wall,as being in wheelchairs their was no access on the precarious walk down to Svanevit.
Michael, even picked up my crew from the station
>met crew and we had dinner onboard,then out to the Steamboat Inn,where once again we met some colourful
locals and sadly some youth at a wake,the lads dressed in mourning tartan.
We had a nostalgic evening listening to Christopher Plummer singing from the Sound of Music!
Departed at 0245 with Crispin my new crew mate in tow.
Good start along the Moray Firth.(I will return here,I've found a place of warmth and friendship I'll never forget.)
passed by liner going in to Cromarty,then porpoises going past Fort George,our most Northern point being just before that at Burgh Head.
Going along at 6.5 knots close-hauled until Inverness Firth,when suddnely the wind whipped up to a F8 and with the tide against us and only 5-6m under the keel I held my breath for the next hour,as green water washed over us and the gunnels could only just cope with the amount of water we were taking on.Steering was a nightmare as the wind was pushing us back and the tide was meeting it ,so we wallowed every now and again.Memories of other trip along this voyage!
Under Kessock bridge,through kessock Road ,with all it's and shallows ,past Inverness and we were there at the entrance to the Caledonian Canal.
I called on the VHF and as there were three boats already waiting in we went!
Towards the pontoon and the crew from s/y Shantyman came to take our lines,as a hooley had come up,met also by John the lockkeeper who became an instant friend,as he then ferried Crispin to the airport,to get his left jacket, and also collected my gas for me!
Went to local pub,Clachnaharry Inn and met Shantmen,Crispin discovered the skipper was also working for the same shipping company approx. 40 years. ago!Crispin ordered the duck which took so long we think we saw it sleeping on the canal bank earlier!
2/7 departed for the first lock after fueling up.
We were joint by a Norwegian yacht (FRII)and a(patchy) Polish steel ketch (Barovento).What fun we all had in the next few days.The Poles kept us entertained,with their singing and then going aground later in Loch Lochy.Crispin acheived his ambition by having a swim,albeit in Loch Lochy not Ness (which we discovered had an ambient temperature of 5-7C!
In Loch Ness the scenery was imposing and we took a detour to see the newly opened Lifeboat station at Drumnadrochit.We did a sail past and I waved to the mechanic who invited us in but i politely declined as we needed to push on.
On passing Urquhart Castle we had a happening .Sailing close-hauled on port tack picked up a continuous line of fish at 229m,the shape of which formed a giant curve,Nessie!The echo sounder had never picked up fish at this depth before!As we passed the area we saw a number small charter vessels in the vicinity.Ah,ha!me hearties.
Arrived at Fort Augustus met the Danes on Louise,who I'd met before in Blythe,over a month ago.Then a completely eccentric couple on a Swift 18,trailer sailor,he'd sailed up from Fort William,she'd got scared in the blow in Loch Ness and took the bus!
Lock in,lock out,lock up ,lock down,we all helped each other and Patrick was off like a rocket as we locked out,however the Poles were always first.I ranted at a power boat who over took us.The charter boaters don't always know the rules of the road.
As our flotilla raced through Loch Oich the hungover Poles were confused by direction of buoyage and went hard aground on the rocks at a very large red buoy.We bturned around and stood by but i had no chance of pulling off the possible 50tonner yacht.Louise a Nauticat 40'turned about and assissted.the Poles attached their main halyard to her after mooring lines and hauled her over like b,illyo so she could power of.It worked and we all cheered and clapped!
proceeded towrds towards Banavie,where we moored in the pouring rain being eaten alive by midges.
No power as lock keeper had closed for night.
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