Naughty-Cal Takes The High Road

[Naughty Cal]

Finally we have made it from the East coast to the west coast of Scotland. 

We had a great run to Oban. Mixed sea conditions, mixed weather conditions and stunning scenery. 

We will now be based here in Oban Marina for a few days but we do plan to head out on several day trips in the meantime. 

[nicknorman]

Great pics as always. Just don't imagine Scotland is always this hot! 24C in Aberdeen this afternoon.

[billS]

What have you done to the Corran Ferry? I just read a notice that it is out of action indefinitely.

[Naughty Cal]

20 minutes ago, billS said:

What have you done to the Corran Ferry? I just read a notice that it is out of action indefinitely.

Nothing honestly!

I have taken so many pictures today. Will try and sort some more out in the morning.

Can't believe the change in the weather now. We have brought jackets across from the marina on the ferry.  Don t think we needed them.

[Naughty Cal]

A few pictures from in and around Oban yesterday.

Today looks set to be a nice day so we are looking to go to Seil Island for lunch before heading back to Oban to done spot of fishing.

 

[Naughty Cal]

Today we have been for an explore on Kerrara island and also across to Seil for a spot of lunch. 

Tonight we plan to eat in the bar at the marina but tomorrow we will be having some rib eye steaks from Highland Cows reared on Kerrara where the marina is based.

[rusty69]

14 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

Today we have been for an explore on Kerrara island and also across to Seil for a spot of lunch. 

 

Is that where Porsche make their cars? 

 

Looks nice, im dead jealous 

[Naughty Cal]

2 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Is that where Porsche make their cars? 

 

Looks nice, im dead jealous 

I doubt Porsche even knows this island exists!

Stunning place with a 70 berth marina and workshops, a complimentary ferry to mainland Oban, a bar and restaurant which we will try our tonight and a farm selling their own home reared meats from Highland Cows and some sheep we have not heard of before.

Great place. Only wish we had longer to stay

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

I doubt Porsche even knows this island exists!

Stunning place with a 70 berth marina and workshops, a complimentary ferry to mainland Oban, a bar and restaurant which we will try our tonight and a farm selling their own home reared meats from Highland Cows and some sheep we have not heard of before.

Great place. Only wish we had longer to stay

There was a marina somewhere round there that had a catamaran for sale that i liked the look of. Just off the mainland, mooring fees looked reasonable too. 

Decided i'd got too many boats already. 

[Naughty Cal]

21 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

There was a marina somewhere round there that had a catamaran for sale that i liked the look of. Just off the mainland, mooring fees looked reasonable too. 

Decided i'd got too many boats already. 

Probably the same one. It's only 10 minutes across to Oban on Dirk  the little ferry.

[Tawny75]

Your pictures look like something from a brochure, it looks so stunning and I am insanely jealous!

[Naughty Cal]

It was a tad blowy in Oban Marina last night.  We were up several times in the night to check the ropes. The waves were coming across the bay and hitting us beam on which wasn't nice.

Not much better today. In fact it is due to get worse before it gets better.  So with Naughty-Cal roped up as best we can to reduce the snatching, we have got the ferry across to Oban for the day. 

https://youtu.be/mEVB6pV4vZA

The locals reckon it will die down later and the wind direction will change to smooth it out for us.

1 hour ago, Tawny75 said:

Your pictures look like something from a brochure, it looks so stunning and I am insanely jealous!

It's a bit different today!

[Tawny75]

1 hour ago, Naughty Cal said:

It was a tad blowy in Oban Marina last night.  We were up several times in the night to check the ropes. The waves were coming across the bay and hitting us beam on which wasn't nice.

Not much better today. In fact it is due to get worse before it gets better.  So with Naughty-Cal roped up as best we can to reduce the snatching, we have got the ferry across to Oban for the day. 

https://youtu.be/mEVB6pV4vZA

The locals reckon it will die down later and the wind direction will change to smooth it out for us.

It's a bit different today!

Not so jealous now, I would be sea sick, I get bad crossing the Solent!

[Naughty Cal]

2 minutes ago, Tawny75 said:

Not so jealous now, I would be sea sick, I get bad crossing the Solent!

Thankfully neither of us suffer sickness or I think we would have been last night.

Our main concern was making sure the boat suffered no damage. We eventually managed to get the ropes right to stop her snatching and have set the snubbers before we came across to the mainland and left her to fend for herself!

[Naughty Cal]

All good things must come to an end and today we must head for home.  We are being picked up at 2pm close to where we are currently moored on the island of Kerrera just off Oban. 

Just to make things interesting the wind has picked up again!

[NickF]

How sad, but what an amazing experience!

[billS]

Did you manage a trip to Balamory Tobermory?

[haggis]

Thank you for your photos and reports on your trip. Very enjoyable

haggis

[Naughty Cal]

27 minutes ago, billS said:

Did you manage a trip to Balamory Tobermory?

No. The weather was against us. 

The staff here say it is highly unusual for the wind to blow easterly directly at the marina as it has been doing this past few days.

We have been unlucky I guess. But we have still enjoyed it and we still have a weekend on home waters to enjoy.

[Naughty Cal]

One last walk on Kerrera while waiting for our lift home.

[Guest]

Loved the photos, it looks like you are having a fabulous trip.  We are considering taking our widebeam to Scotland when we retire, is there much cruising for our type of boat up there?  I know Scottish Canals insist you have a mooring but we would want to explore as much as possible as well. 

[Naughty Cal]

3 minutes ago, Meanderingviking said:

Loved the photos, it looks like you are having a fabulous trip.  We are considering taking our widebeam to Scotland when we retire, is there much cruising for our type of boat up there?  I know Scottish Canals insist you have a mooring but we would want to explore as much as possible as well. 

I would get a boat more suited to the waters up here!

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Naughty Cal said:

I would get a boat more suited to the waters up here!

Hmmm I was beginning to think that! Are there any narrowboats/barges up there cruising about? 

[billS]

5 minutes ago, Meanderingviking said:

Loved the photos, it looks like you are having a fabulous trip.  We are considering taking our widebeam to Scotland when we retire, is there much cruising for our type of boat up there?  I know Scottish Canals insist you have a mooring but we would want to explore as much as possible as well. 

That depends on you boat. If your widebeam is a fat narrowboat CE class D, then you will be restricted to the Forth & Clyde and Union canals in central Scotland. If it is a "Dutch" barge style CE class C boat, then you have the West coast, and the Crinan and Caledonian canals to play in as well

[Guest]

Just now, billS said:

That depends on you boat. If your widebeam is a fat narrowboat CE class D, then you will be restricted to the Forth & Clyde and Union canals in central Scotland. If it is a "Dutch" barge style CE class C boat, then you have the West coast, and the Crinan and Caledonian canals to play in as well

It's 10ft wide 58ft long flat bottomed cat D I think. We're certainly going to explore the northern England canals, but wanted to find out more about Scottish waters, I haven't found a huge amount of info on t'Internet!