Sailing Scotland – the land of islands, lochs, and whiskies

The Hebrides, especially the Inner Hebrides, are ideal for coastal cruising and chartering. The islands and lochs (bays or sea lakes) are spaced close together so short jaunts between harbors are easily made.  There is shelter in marinas and snug harbors, and the navigation is fairly straightforward. The major challenges in sailing these waters are the currents, the weather, and the midges.  Fortunately for us, we picked a year when the weather for the entire month of July was warm, dry and settled, and there were no midges!  All we had to figure out were the tidal currents.  We were on neap tides so the currents were running less strong than they might during spring tides. In places they still topped 10 knots!

With Reed’s Almanac in hand, we were soon arguing about which route to take and what time to leave to catch the favorable current.  In fact, just about every pub we visited had groups of sailors “discussing” the next day’s tides and currents. Get it wrong and you might face a hellish current, whirlpools, or standing waves. Get it right and you’ll have a nice sleigh ride to your next destination.

What I didn’t expect was the diversity of topography and wildlife. Some of the islands are flat and sandy, others are mountainous and volcanic. It’s all very interesting geologically. Add to that wild deer, cattle and goats, along with seals, otters, whales, dolphins and basking sharks, and huge bird populations, and you’ve got a natural environment that never fails to entertain. The waters are pristine, the beaches have no footprints, and the forests offer trails for hiking into the wild. All this interspersed with charming villages, castles and archaeological remains of ancient civilizations. 

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The extent of sea ice in the Bering Sea has dropped lower than it has been since written records began in 1850.

Bering in dire straits - contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2019), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The Bering Strait is a sea passage that separates Russia and Alaska. It is usually covered with sea ice at this time of year – but as this image captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on 7 March 2019 shows, it is virtually ice-free.

The Bering Strait is a narrow passage - around 80 km wide - connecting the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. The few patches of sea ice are shown in light-blue colours.

The extent of sea ice in the Bering Sea has dropped lower than it has been since written records began in 1850, and is most likely because of warm air and water temperatures. On average, the fluctuating sea ice in this region increases until early April, depending on wind and wave movement.

According to the National Snow & Ice Data Center, between 27 January to 3 March 2019, sea-ice extent decreased from 566 000 sq km to 193 000 sq km. Sea ice was also exceptionally low last year, but it has been reported that this March the extent of sea ice is the lowest in the 40-year satellite record.

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The Cruising Association publishes new edition of the Inland Waterways Guide to France & Belgium

The 2019 edition of the Cruising Association's guide Cruising the Inland Waterways of France and Belgium has just been published.

This authoritative 204-page guide, edited by Gordon Knight and Dr Roger Edgar, is now in its 23rd edition and available directly from the CA's online shop at https://www.theca.org.uk/catalog as well as from the Lulu.com bookstore, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

Described as their 'Bible' by regular users and yacht skippers planning routes to and from the Mediterranean, the guide contains a wealth of information on cruising routes, cruising preparations, supplies, equipment, licences and documents, useful addresses, books and websites as well as listing around 250 mooring places throughout France and Belgium. The listings include comments on facilities, depths, prices, closest shops, restaurants and nearby attractions. The latest edition also includes details of fuel locations, either alongside or within easy jerrycan distance.

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Cruising Destinations

Sailing at last! Photo by Chris Gill of Windcheck.

Picking a destination is as easy as it is complex. The first challenge is to answer the question, "Dock, mooring, or anchorage?" The second issue is to master the concept of "Gunkholing." And then there is offshore cruising, ocean passages, and foreign ports...

Gunkholing

"All gunkholes are anchorages, but not all anchorages are gunkholes. There is a subjective quality in the term "gunkhole" that is not present in any anchorage... A gunkhole is that ideal anchorage of which you dream, protected from stronger winds, surrounded by towering trees with seabirds swooping down to catch the jumping bait fish, and with a good bottom for holding the anchor for as long as you care to stay."

Adapted from: Tom Lenfestey, "A Gunkholer's Cruising Guide to Florida's West Coast"

Part of the allure of gunkholes is keeping them a secret to protect their allure. There aren't quite as many gunkholes on LIS as we would like, but we'll tell you about some of our favorite spots without revealing their secrets.

We'll also provide information about the many destinations that are not gunkholes, but rather cruising destinations that offer marinas, anchorages, moorings and other amenities, adding to the collection as time permits. Suggestions, corrections, additions and editorial contributions are welcome.

Just click on a destination on the following pages to view cruising information. If nothing comes up, that means we are working on it and would appreciate your input.

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Cruising Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

A Word of Welcome to Europe’s Most Precious Gem
The Wild West of the Emerald Isle

An essential guide to adventure along the stunning west coast of Ireland

Whether by sea or by land, Cruising the Wild Atlantic Way provides visitors to the west of Ireland with information about what to know before they go and what they will find when they get there. It provides a logical route with suggested stops in picturesque harbours, villages, and islands along the way from Donegal to Cork. It encourages visitors to see the land as it was seen by explorers centuries ago along one of the most unspoiled stretches of coastline in Europe.

Authors Daria and Alex Blackwell share their experience from their years of cruising along the coast and islands, richly illustrating the locations with photography, charts and maps. “We have a unique perspective, having sailed here across the Atlantic then settling here to explore everything the region has to offer. We share insights into what we would have liked to have known as outsiders coming for our first visit as well as insiders who have discovered and explored the hidden gems,” explains Daria.

“I grew up in the environs of Clew Bay, so the West is embedded in my soul,” says Alex, a master mariner and lifetime sailor. “I respect the environment’s changeable and sometimes unforgiving nature, and I revere the unspoilt beauty of the land, the kindness and friendliness of the people, and the richness of the heritage. No matter how far across oceans we have sailed, we have always been drawn home to the wild west. We want to share our passion with those contemplating a visit and encourage them to unleash their adventurous spirit here.”

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Anchoring Basics

A classic yawl enjoying a peaceful anchorage

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all; that’s when a mooring in a crowded anchorage just won’t do. Or what if you arrive somewhere and there are no more guest moorings available? Freedom is being able to drop your hook anywhere you need to without worrying about it letting loose at the worst of moments. We anchor often while we’re away, enjoying the privacy of our chosen locations at least as much as the camaraderie of mooring fields and docks. In all that anchoring, we’ve learned a trick or two we’d like to share.

Most anchorages consist of one of three types of bottoms: mud, sand, or rock, with mud being quite predominant. The cruising guides and harbor charts show you where the best anchorages are and what the bottom composition is likely to be, so there’s not much guesswork. Just bear in mind that how the cruising guides rate an anchorage may have more to do with the anchor they used, than how good or bad the holding actually is.

Usually the anchorages are in the prevailing lee of an island or shore. Depending on the conditions on a given day, different choices may provide the best holding ground in a particular harbor or reasonable access to shore side activities. You’ll have to weigh your options against your plans.

The best anchorage for any particular night depends on the weather conditions predicted. Listen to NOAA weather radio on your VHF first, then choose your spot for maximum protection from the wind and the waves to keep your family snug and comfortable all night long. If a scorcher is predicted, you’ll want to pick a spot where you’ll be able to scoop in some breezy relief.

After countless thousands of miles of cruising and anchoring under many trying conditions, we have settled on a few select anchors onboard. Our primaries have become the Ultra, the Rocna and the Spade, all new generation scoop type anchors. We deploy them off the bow, with all chain rode on the primary and a chain/rope combination on the secondary, and we absolutely need a windlass to manage them. We have been extremely pleased with the performance of each and have rarely had occasion to reset. All have been tested under conditions of more than 50 knots sustained wind and significant chop without incident. All scoop type anchors dig deep as the wind increases, they veer well, and do not pull out with drastic changes in wind and tide.

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