Story 2

Preston to Whitehaven
We were all up at seven thirty and made ready for sea. At eight thirty we left Preston and made our way down the Ribble in light S.W. winds. While still in the river we had breakfast and left the river by the South Gut. Every sail we had was then put up and we sailed North past Blackpool. The wind still from the S.W. proved light, so we motor sailed for most of the day. We passed Fleetwood, Morecambe Bay, Barrow and North up The Cumbrian Coast. We stopped a couple of times so Barrie could do some fishing ( 8 Mackerel ). It was early evening when we passed St Bees Head, in very light Westerly winds. On entering Whitehaven we called the Harbour Master on Ch 12. He lowered a bag down to us from the lock control centre, which contained a swipe card for access to the docks, a key for the toilets and berthing instructions. A fellow yachtsman from Preston took our lines and we berthed on to a pontoon.

Following The Good Beer Guide we visited “The John Paul Jones” a lively pub, popular with the younger age group and a live band playing. After a couple of pints we left to try the only other pub in Whitehaven that’s in The Good Beer Guide which is The Anchor Vaults. This was a mistake. The beer ( Jennings ) was fine, but the pub was deserted. We went back to The John Paul Jones, which was open until one in the morning.
Footnote.: John Paul Jones was a Scotsman who became a British Naval officer. After a couple of bust ups with the Admiralty he fled to America where he became an American naval officer and led a raid on Whitehaven in the eighteenth century.

Whitehaven to The Isle of Whithorn (Scotland)
Paying our harbour dues we left Whitehaven in almost flat calm conditions at eleven o’clock. After motoring for about two hours the wind had increased to about ten knots.We motor sailed to The Isle of Whithorn. We dropped anchor in the bay just outside the harbour, which dries at low water. The dinghy was then launched and we went ashore. We had a meal in The Steampacket Inn, which is also in The Good Beer Guide, so a good night was had by all. When the dinghy was checked we thought it had gone, but found it tied to the outside of a fishing boat, It must have been in the fishing boats way. On returning to Classic Wave at twelve thirty the sky was clear and we had a spectacular view of the Milky Way and many thousands of stars.

Isle of Whithorn to Portpatick (Mull of Galloway)
We lifted the anchor at ten thirty the next morning and motored out in a light southwest wind and sunshine. After rounding Burrow Head, we had a gentle sail across Luce Bay with Barrie fishing (5 Mackerel). After tacking twice to get round The Mull of Galloway, we lost the wind. We drifted for twenty minutes going nowhere, then started the engine. We motored the fifteen miles north to Portpatrick. Taking our time as Barrie was again fishing (1 Codling 2 Mackerel). A meal of freshly caught fish was prepared and then consumed on board and then it was off to the pub. Our first port of call was The Crown and then on to The Downshire Hotel (Good Beer Guide). We awoke to find it raining. So we waited to hear The Coastguard's weather Forecast before deciding to leave.

Portpatrick to Cambletown (Mull of Kintyre)
We cast off in the rain, motored out of the harbour and turned north. The wind was from the south and after rounding Black Head, we set course for Cambletown. The tide was running with us at between two and three knots. We raced towards The Mull of Kintyre. The closer we were to The mull and the island of Sanda which is just south of The Mull the rougher the sea became. It was quite a lumpy ride up the Kintyre peninsula to Cambletown..

As we rounded Darvaar island and lighthouse we turned in to Cambletown loch. The wind being funneled between the island and the mainland increased. We heeled over and tore down Cambletown Loch. After rafting up to a catamaran called Ladybird, a meal on board followed and we were soon on the town.Our first stop was the Feathers and then The Commercial (Good Beer Guide). The wind got up overnight but had moderated by the morning. After restocking our provisions or if you prefer, went shopping we prepared to leave.
We motored out of Cambletown Loch and turned south in calm conditions. As we approached The Mull of Kintyre the sails were hoisted. We passed between the island of Sanda and The Mull in light winds and approached South Point lighthouse, which marks where we could turn north. We went through some very strong tidal races, sometimes called overfalls. The engine was started and we pounded through them. Bob got wet when one wave broke over the cockpit. We then sailed north in excellent visibility. We could see Northern Ireland, Rathlin Island, and the islands of Islay, Jura and Gigha. The tide was pushing us north and the wind increased in the afternoon. We were making seven knots over the ground. We arrived at Craighouse on Jura at seven forty five in the evening. Craighouse is a sheltered bay on the east side of the island. After picking up a visitors mooring buoy we had a meal on board,and then spent the rest of the evening in the bar of the Jura Hotel which is next door to The Jura Distillery. On returning to Classic Wave it was raining heavily. We got wet. Once back on board we heard and felt a shudder. We were touching the bottom in the troughs of a slight swell. It was just as well it was low water and the swell was only slight.

We only decided to come here four hours ago. Barrie threw a line to a man on the pier but he seemed unsure what to do with it “put it round a bollard and throw it back” Barrie said. I went up the ladder and tied us on. We had just tied on our last line when the ferry arrived on the other side of the pier. So the crowds were not here to welcome us. Twenty minutes later the pier was deserted except for us. We had a meal on board and then retired to The Colonsay Hotel for the evening. Wednesday night is quiz night, so we took part. Unfortunately it’s a pop quiz, we scored eight out of forty. Obviously not our subject.

Scalasaig to Craigure (Isle of Mull)
We awoke to find an eighteen knot wind blowing us on to the pier. We made the forward spring in to a slip and removed all the other lines, by driving forward The spring acted as a pivot bringing the stern out. We then reversed away from the pier. With the wind at eighteen knots we put a reef in every sail as we hoisted them. As we approached the northern end of Colonsay the wind was from the northwest. So our plans to visit Iona and Fingails cave on Staffa were scrapped and we sailed north east up The Firth of Lorne, to the east of Mull. Over the next four hours we experienced the two extremes of sailing; first as we approached Mull we were becalmed. We started the engine, yet half an hour later with no engine we were rattling along at nearly eight and a half knots in twenty six knots of wind. We put in two reefs before tacking into The Sound of Mull. We tacked in to Craigure and anchored in the bay. After a meal on board and Barrie doing some fishing, we launched the dinghy and went ashore to McGuires Bar and Bistro before moving on to The Craigure Inn.

Craigure to Tobermory (Isle of Mull)
We awoke to find only a slight wind and drizzle. After stowing the dinghy we lifted the anchor and motored the fifteen miles up The Sound of Mull to Tobermory. As it was high water when we got there we took the short cut and entered by Calve Island. After picking up a mooring we launched the dinghy and went in to town. A couple of pints and food in the Mishnish followed and then shopping. On returning to the dinghy it was high and dry. The outboard was removed and everything carried one hundred yards to the waters edge and then relaunched. Once back on Classic Wave a tender came past and a man asked is it an Endurance?. We answered yes, He told us that he had one and pointed it out. He jokingly offered to sell it to us. We had a siesta, then a meal and shower on board and then left for town calling to see the Endurance on the way. The owner of a sixty foot yacht, which was rafted up to the Endurance, invited us aboard. The Endurance certainly needed a great deal of work. The sixty foot yacht was made of Perlyte (resin) and to say that it was spacious was an understatement. In need of modernisation as the Estate Agents say, but well worth it. We went on to The Mishnish for the evening.

Tobermory to Oban & Dunstaffnage
We awoke to find it raining and visibility poor. We slipped our mooring and motored down The Sound of Mull. On leaving the sound and entering The Lynn of Lorne, visibility improved and we sailed the last five miles in to Oban. We rafted up to a fishing trawler. Dave arrived by train, and, once he was on board we left Oban and motored round to Dunstaffnage, where we entered the marina and berthed for the night. We had a meal in The Wide Mouthed Frog where we chatted to the Barman, Phil, who was originally from Fleetwood. Phil was also a coastguard. The steaks were excellent, as they were on our last visit. We returned to the bar, which had become a bit noisy. So once the food area had closed we went to the front bar to escape. The staff gathered and we saw a bottle of Champagne being presented. Curiosity got the better of us and we asked what was going on?. The proprietors told us it was their wedding anniversary. We offered our congratulations.

It’s here that I have to end my log as I had to get back to work. I said my farewells and a taxi took me to the railway station at twelve fifteen.
Kevan

The rest of the cruise, including the return to Preston , is the following story, written by Dave