Gigha to Islay in the fog

Preparing Naiad to sail

We woke to a damp, foggy, and windless morning. I watched as Neil prepared Naiad to head north. He came off his mooring at 08:00, to head for Loch Feochan where he keeps her. They disappeared into the fog before even clearing the bay.

Julian picked up the creel he had laid last night. The three crabs inside were too small to eat, so he let them go, then decided to mend the creel which had been damaged when catching a large dogfish last summer. Meanwhile I put on full oilskins before getting in Worm to row ashore for milk.

After a late breakfast of porridge with full cream Gigha milk we decided to head for Islay despite the fog. Mary stayed put until later in the day when she hoped the visibility would be better.

Julian raised the reaching sail, and we sailed off the buoy, (with the engine on in case). Unfortunately I needed the engine in gear to keep steerage way almost immediately. A single handed yachtsman came off his mooring ahead of me and the ferry was ready to leave. I went to full revs to clear the ferry's path while Julian went forward to tack the reaching sail. We tried using it as we headed north, close in to the shore, but did not manage to make it fly again.

The North East coast of Gigha is a wonderful place and was atmospheric in the fog. We stayed inside the outermost skerries, rounding the north end in Gigha inside An Dubh-Sgeir. We then edged into West Tarbert Bay, hoping for a back eddy to help against the tide, which was now against us. No eddy appeared, so we headed along the bay at just under 3 knots. The bay itself was well worth the visit, with a lovely sandy beach at one point, and the mist drifting through some atmospheric rocks.

We then put the tiller pilot to work, laying in a course of 248ºT to take us in a straight line across the foggy Sound to Port Ellen, Islay. There was nothing to aim at, and over 15nm to go.

Gigha faded slowly into the greyness, while Jura and Islay were only occasionally visible. Julian tried flying the reaching sail again, but it moved us forward at less than a knot, so he took it down again. When he came back into the cockpit to sit down he managed to tear the “back” that we use to make the seats comfortable, which meant another half an hour with needle and thread.

We cleaned the cockpit sole and took it up to have a look at the bilges. Robinetta has been pumping more than expected given the flat seas and no stress on the garboards from the mast. The engine muffler box seemed to be leaking, so we will need to have a look at that.

A slight wind came up at about 15:30 so we tried flying the jib, which filled nicely. When we saw a mixed flock of sea birds, gannets and guillemots together, I suggested that we might as well try fishing. Julian got out the mackerel line while I turned the engine off. Blessed peace! We were going at less than a knot, a perfect speed for fishing, and all of a sudden blue sky appeared overhead. Bliss.

Julian ran out the whole line, but unfortunately the end came undone, and the whole lot went overboard. Hopefully the heavy sinker on the end took it straight down to the bottom and kept it there, so it will not damage any wildlife. We headed slowly towards Islay for 15 more minutes, listening to the sea birds calling all around us and followed by an inquisitive guillemot, but then the sun disappeared and the wind faded to nothing. George started wondering which direction to steer us, so it was back on with the engine, and up to 3.5 knots again.

The fog lifted enough for us to see Islay properly as we approached to within 2 miles of the coast. The entrance to Port Ellen is totally obscured by a set off reefs, and I was very glad of the chart plotter to help us navigate in. There was quite a strong current at the entrance to the bay, and however much I told George to steer round nothing happened. Because of that I took the helm.

Julian went forward to stow the reaching sail and bring down the jib. Suddenly the radio started beeping oddly. I snuck down for a look, and it seemed to be changing channels at random, and would not stay on 16, where it should. When I came up again Robinetta had turned herself though 180º and was heading out of the bay again. Julian called back to the cockpit to ask what was going on, and when I told him asked if I had power cycled the radio. NO. He did that and the problem seemed to clear, then 10 minutes later it was doing it again.

Gig practice at Port Ellen

We were glad to get into Port Ellen and tie up on a pontoon at 18:00. With the engine to look at, and the radio to fix we will probably stay put tomorrow. Found the showers with some difficulty, cooked dinner on board for the first time in a while. A walk round the bay along the village street, followed by a dram of local whisky in the pub completed a full day.