SV Sancerre: 2023 May 12th, Day 28 Port Ellen to Bag Glean Righ Mor, Loch Tarbert

Sunday, May 14, 2023

2023 May 12th, Day 28 Port Ellen to Bag Glean Righ Mor, Loch Tarbert

The ferry arrived in thicker fog than this, it's fog horn announcing
its presence when over 5 miles away (Measured on AIS). I was
surprised that a French yacht left in the thickest fog (before the fog
horn was heard), fortunately she was AIS equipped so was able to
avoid the ferry by moving into Kilnaughton Bay

I had planned to explore the anchorages along the south coast of Islay and was all set to go at 07:00 but the Mull of Kintyre had disappeared from view 30 minutes earlier and the fog bank appeared to be coming my way so I stayed where I was and sure enough a few minutes later I could not see 50 yards, visibility varied from 50 to 150 yards until is suddenly cleared at 09:45 and I was off.

With the sun out and warm and with a light following wind it was an excellent sail under spinnaker until Ardmore point when the wind disappeared, so on went the engine to head for the Sound of Islay. On arrival the wind set in from the North at 10 - 15 knots and cold, I went from sun bathing to multiple layers of cold weather cloths in about half an hour.

I was half an hour early for the tide and the tide was rather late in turning, not unusual in this part of the world, so I was heading into a knot of so of adverse tide until well into the sound but it did enable me to clear the north end of the Sound before over-falls formed.

With mist and drizzle I went straight for the anchorage to find a French boat, also single handed, in position "A" but there is room for several boats and I slotted in without problem although rather closer to the shallow water than I would have preferred.