Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing - Dolphins in Linn of Lorne

Here is the video I took of the dolphins playing under "Leader" on the final leg of our cruise.

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Fri 29th Aug Day 7

Wet and windy today, we need to set away quickly and get across to Oban by about 1100 as some people have early travel connections to make. Thge wind is on the nose today so we are motoring.
The sound of the engine attracted a school of Bottlenose Dolphins who played about under the bows for about half an hour, a fantastic end to our trip. I have a video file of the dohphins which I will post when I figure out how to do it.

We got into Oban just after 10.00 after a quick hop across from Mull.
Many thanks to Kenny, Donald, Fiona, Alan, Julie, Val, Paul, Si, Michael, Margaretta, Axel, Becky, Ben, Stan, Sam and Cat for your company this week.

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Thursday 28th Aug 2014 Day 6

Thick mist, overcast and raining this morning.

Still feeling stuffed this morning, I don't think I need much breakfast this morning. The plan today is to sail South down the Sound of Mull and into Loch Spelvie. We set off in miserable weather but it's soon starting to improve with a few sunny spells between the showers. The weather is clearing as we pass Duart Castle and into the Linn of Lorne. A cracking sail along to Loch Spelvie, main, mizzen, jib and staysail all set. My sketching today was mainly with water soluble graphite pencils and a wash brush as it's more controllable in the rain. Anchored in Loch Spelvie at 1700 after a great sail, got ashore for a walk and a couple of sketches before dinner. Feeling shattered and sunburnt this evening - nobody seemed to put on suncream because it was raining this morning.

Sketches in the Sound of Mull

Duart Castle

Loch Spelvie

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Wed 27th Aug 2014 Day 5

 Up at 0700 to do a bit of sketching before we get underway today. Another nice bright sunny day but a fresher breeze today. The wind is forecast to get up to gale force later today then die away. We only have a short hop across the Sound of Mull to sail up Loch Sunart for lunch and then back to Loch na Droma Buidhe to get some shelter for an overnight stop in the increasing wind. We got anchored in a nice sheltered spot at the head of the Loch. I got ashore for a walk and a couple of sketches of 'Leader' and a couple of reproduction Bristol Pilot Cutters 'Lizzy May' and 'Freja' that also came into the loch for shelter.

Roast Pork for dinner followed by Bread and Butter Pudding.......bliss.......stuffed.

Loch Sunart Views

'Leader' in Loch na Droma Buidhe

'Lizzie May' and 'Freja'

Stream into Loch na Droma Buidhe

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Tues 26th Aug Day 4

A few photos from the trip so far

Staffa

Leader

Loch na Keal with 'Leader' and 'Freja'

Another nice sunny morning, there is a bit of a breeze but it's dropped a lot since last night. Tobermory is our destination for today. We are having a fry up for breakfast today..great.

Saw Golden Eagles and White Tailed Sea Eagles today soaring above the cliffs and hilltops.

Another good sailing day, arrived Tobermory 1545, dinghy in the water and off for a shower and to the pub ( just looking for a decent wi fi signal honest ) failed... Had to make do with beers in the Mishnish Hotel instead. I did two sketches before the pub to fill my first sketchbook of the trip, luckily I brought a spare sketchbook just in case. I can't see being able to get a decent wi fi signal between here and Oban so the blog will need to wait until I get home to get published.

Remote cottage Loch na Keal

Skye, Muck, Rum and Eigg

Tobermory

Tobermory Handmade Chocolate Shop

Old Boat Shed - Tobermory

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Mon 25th Aug 2014. Day 3

 Porridge for breakfast today with all the trimmings! Honey, jam, strawberries, chopped walnuts. Not too many takers so I had two big bowlfulls to set me up for the day. Weighed anchor 0730 and away, main, mizzen, jib and staysail set, nice force 4 over the beam so great sailing conditions for us today. It will be a long day, should be in Loch na Keal by about 1700 all being well. We need to do a couple of gybed to get us through th Torran Rocks and past Iona. We reduced sail in the strengthening conditions - got rid of jib and staysail, more comfortable sailing again. I can now see the Treshnish Isles, The Dutchmans Cap and Staffa in the distance. We are heading for Staffa for a photo and sketch opportunity.

Approaching Staffa.

Staffa. 

Now passed Staffa we are heading for Ulva and Loch na Keal. Feeling a bit chilled I went to my bunk for a bit of a nap.....it's a hard life.

Awoke to the sound of the anchor going down...we are here. A nice anchorage at the head of Loch na Keal. The wind is quite strong, gusting straight down the loch but we have some shelter so should be OK. The crew will be on anchor watch to ensure we don't drag during the night. No phone signal here so phone call home will have to wait until we get to Tobermory tomorrow. No light pollution here, I spent a pleasant half hour staring at the night sky from the comfort of the dinghy, millions of stars, the Milky Way, a few satellites and two shooting stars...brilliant. The end of a fine days sailing on this magnificent vessel.

Looking West from Loch na Keal

Leaving Loch na Keal looking South

Ulva - Mull from Loch na Keal

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Sun 24th Aug 2014 Day 2

Woke to a nice sunny day - great but very little wind. Breakfast at 0800 and away from the anchorage by 0915, motoring south in flat calm conditions. Lots of birds, a few porpoises and a distant Minke Whale. Went passed Seil Island, Easdale, the Garvellachs, Insh Island with a hut in a cave, Lunga, Scarva and the Gulf of Corrievreckken to Glengarrisdale Bay at the North end of Jura. Anchored in the bay about 1430, dinghy over the side and away to explore Glengarrisdale by 1515. A nice afternoon sketching the bothy and ruins with only a million midges for company....not too much of a nuisance as long as I kept moving. Back on board I had time for a nap before dinner. After dinner we discussed options for our route over the next few days. Tomorrow we are heading for Loch na Keal near Ulva on Mull (Monday),  then Tobermory on Tuesday ( showers and pub... not necessarily in that order), Loch Sunart on Wednesday. The sound of Mull and around the Loch Spelvie on the South Side of Mull on Thursday, leaving us a short hop across the Linn of Lorne back to Oban on Friday morning. That's the plan anyway but is subject to the weather so may be changed as we go along.

Castlebay Kerrera.

Insh Island.

The Paps of Jura

Scarba, Jura and the Gulf of Corryvreckken

Approach to Glengarrisdale.

Bothy and 'Leader' Glengarrisdale

Scottish Cruise - Trinity Sailing Sat 23rd Aug 2014 Day 1

I'm away on a week long cruise on a traditional Brixham Sailing Trawler "Leader" with Trinity Sailing.

I arrived in Oban 1245, dropped off my bag at the boat and went off to leave my camper for the week.

Back on board 1315. All the usual briefings and greetings done we left Oban at 1600 bound for Pulladobhrain just a short sail away, unfortunately there were too many smaller vessels for us to anchor safely. We need quite a large area for swinging on our anchor. We retreated and headed for Castlebay on Kerrera, a quiet sheltered anchorage in the current conditions, a little bit of a swell so the boat rocked and creaked all night. A pretty reasonable nights sleep anyway.

A couple of sketches from day 1 and a pic of our boat.

Leader.

Oban

Castlebay Kerrera

Stuck in the Studio.

Ive been either housebound with a stinky head cold or stuck in the studio during the recent incessant rain. Once I started to feel human again I started work on some pencil drawings from some recent field sketches from Shetland & Fair Isle, the Cairngorms and the Highland Wildlife Park plus one from Loch Tay. They are quite relaxing and fun to do, time will tell if they sell. I've included a few of them below.

Carrbridge.

Cairngorms from Loch Morlich

Cairngorms from Glenmore

Loch Tay

Arches at Furze - Fair Isle

Sheep Craig - Fair Isle

Ruin near Culswick - Shetland.

Snowy Owl Study

Lossiemouth to Chatham Sailing Trip 22nd July to 1st August Summary

8 day trip turned into 11 day trip.

Lossiemouth to Whitehills to refuel, to Holy Island, to Amble for repairs, to Whitby, to Lowestoft for yet more fuel, to Queensborough for more repairs and finally to Chatham.

We missed seeing Bell Rock lighthouse, Bass Rock, Bamburgh Castle and the Farnese Islands due to thick fog and missed Southwold due to fuel issues and time constraints.

No rain but a lot of fog for first 3 days or so then lots and lots of sunshine but unfortunately very little wind.

Mechanical Issues.

     Water pump bearing failure at Amble.

     Impeller failure and subsequent cooling system airlock in the Thames estuary.

Other problems/mishaps.

     Ran aground in harbour entrance at Amble and stuck for a couple of hours waiting for more water.

     Stuck in Amble from late on Friday to Monday afternoon waiting for parts.

     Rearranging new transport plans for getting home, most people had extra costs involved.

Total distance travelled was 501 miles.

All in all quite an interesting adventure sailing trip.

Many thanks to the rest of the crew for your company over the trip namely: Charlie (skipper), Dave and Gwen, Marcus who had to leave in Amble due to time constraints, Jenny, Steve 1, Steve 2 and Jon.

We also need to thank Coquet Yacht Club for their hospitality and for staying open into the early hours to provide food and refreshments for us after we finally got into Amble Marina.

I also have a fish pie recipe courtesy of Gwen to try out on family members next week, if it's half as good as the one Gwen produced during one of our longer passages they will be well impressed.

Some photos from the trip and maybe some paintings based on my sketches will be posted at a later date.

Lossiemouth to Chatham - Day 11 Friday 1st August.

We are tied to a pontoon at Queensborough with a misbehaving engine. The pontoon is usable but not officially reopened after repairs but had little choice in tying up here, hope nobody minds.

Three of the guys had to depart from here to catch early flights and trains. Charlie had another go at clearing the airlocks in the cooling system.....success we have water coming through the cooling system, although there are still three impeller fins still lurking about inside somewhere.

Elite Sailing sent Spitfire, another boat to offer assistance but it was fixed by the time they arrived.

We are motoring the last 10 miles to the Chatham Maritime Marina and the finish of the adventure.

We were tied up in our berth by 1200. Sort and pack our gear, clean the boat, shower and away. Dave and Gwen were away first as they were getting picked up by friends, Charlie the skipper and Jenny, another of the crew, and I went for a bar lunch. We were the last ones off the boat, just got to get a train to Victoria and the Megabus Gold Sleeper and I will be home about 1030 tomorrow morning.

Lossiemouth to Chatham - Day 10 Thursday 31st

Up early and out to do a couple of quick sketches.
Lowestoft South Breakwater

Lowestoft looking south along the esplanade

At the fuelling berth of Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club just after 0800. Refuelled and away by 0845. One final long passage to Chatham on the River Medway, we should be there in the early hours of tomorrow morning all being well. We are on a four hour watch system for this trip. Im on watch 1700 to 2100. Light winds but against us, motor sailing again.
Im on the helm at dinner time, loud noise from the engine.. switched off quickly, switched back on to check all is OK….no water coming out of the exhaust…the impeller had failed. Something must have blocked the intake pipe and allows the impeller to run dry. Charlie the skipper changed the impeller and primed the system but there are some of the fins missing somewhere inside the cooling system, still no water coming through! Our only option now is to sail to a mooring somewhere and try to fix it again. Sailing up the Thames estuary, tacking back and forth across the channel, spotting and avoiding the shipping coming in and out of the Thames takes more than two people on watch. New watch system started with three hours on and 3 hours off. I was on watch until 2200 while we tried to sort out the problem. Now Im back on watch 0000 to 0300 after only 2 hrs rest so feeling a bit cream crackered.
The sailing was great though after all the motoring we've been doing, finally got tied up on the pontoon at Queensborough at 0300. all very tired but a good night sail, tried again to sort the problem but no joy, we will see what daybreak brings, off to bed.

Lossiemouth to Chatham - Day 9 Wednesday 30th.

We are still on passage towards Southwold, very little wind, sails up but motor sailing. On watch 0700 to 1000 and 1600 to 1900. All this motoring rather than sailing means we are starting to get low on fuel. Trying to decide whether to go into Lowestoft for fuel or continue on to Southwold. We have decided on Lowestoft, I bit too low on fuel to risk the Southwold harbour entrance. We got into Lowestoft  at 1830 just a half hour too late to get fuel and continue on to Southwold. Must wait until 0800 in the morning to get fuel.

Walked along to the most easterly point in UK, then cultural bit done its off to the pub.

Lossiemouth to Chatham - Day 8 Tuesday 29th

Still on overnight passage from Amble to Whitby, I'm on watch again 0230 to 0530 so I should be on deck for the approach into Whitby harbour. Lots of stars plus some shooting stars, used my iPhone night sky app to identify a few of them, quite interesting but really sucked the phone battery power.

Through the swing bridge on target at 0500, tied up in the marina with shore power on and all tidied away by 0530. Back to bed for a couple of hours nap before getting out sketching.

Out sketching 0900 to 1500, got a few sketches done but Whitby was very crowded. shower and tidy up. We are trying to get away by 1700 to get a favourable tide south. We got away on time heading for Southwold. This will probably be the longest passage of the trip I think. Still no wind, motoring again. I'm on watch 2330 to 0230, another stray night. Dodging the gas installations all night long, there were lights from dozens of them visible for most of the night.

Here are today's sketches.

Whitby West Pier

The Boathouse

Fortunes Kippers

Whitby East Side