First trip for 2014

A late start this year with poor March weather delaying outside jobs, but Chico is now smartened up with freshly painted topsides, a new rear canopy, and new upholstery in the saloon.

We started the season with a family day trip to Carrick Castle, with music and games and a good lunch.

Inverary and Loch Fyne

Starting at Inverary, we awoke to an early morning mist like a glacier flowing from upper Loch Fyne.

The sun soon burned through and we set about catching dinner.

Mackerel fillets ready for the smoker.

Followed by a gentle cruise down Loch Fyne past the ruins of old Castle Lachlan, which is undergoing some preservation.

To our overnight anchorage in Loch Gair.

September sun

We had a 2 night cruise to Port Ramsay at the north end of Lismore, and then to the pontoon at Lochaline.
After a bit of drizzle on the first day the sun appeared, and the youngest of our 3 generations on board led the way with an energetic leap off the pontoon.

Not to be shown up, the older generation indulged.

But the oldest generation upstaged them all. Who needs a wetsuit!

Caledonian Canal

We picked up our guests at Corpach Basin, just inside the sea lock, with 5 days to get into Loch Ness and back. The mass of  Ben Nevis dominates the view.

After a short section of canal the first serious ascent is the nine consecutive locks of Neptune's Staircase.

The canal is full of variety, but one of our favourite bits is the picturesque Laggan Avenue.

leading to the shallow Loch Oich, where red and green marks indicate the channel.

From there it is downhill all the way through Cullochy and Kytra locks. Locking down is much easier than locking up, but you still need to keep a careful eye on the warps to control the boat.

The descent to Loch Ness is the flight of 6 locks at Fort Augustus, which doubles as the main street of the town. A little shower didn't put off the spectators.

One night at Foyers in Loch Ness and then it was time to head back. As with Crinan Canal, the friendly efficiency of all the lock-keepers made the passage easy, and all went smoothly thanks to the first mate's directions from the foredeck.

Cruise to Carrick Castle

We had a one night cruise from Greenock so the obvious destination was Loch Goil, more like Alaska than the Firth of Clyde with steep hillsides covered in conifer forest.

We dropped anchor at Carrick Castle to enjoy the peace and quiet but Calum had other ideas.

And it was a perfect setting to listen to the pipes

A family day out to Millport, Isle of Great Cumbrae

We picked up from Largs Bay and cruised around Great Cumbrae to Millport.

Hot enough to swim.....

Andy takes the plunge

Lachie and Max are taken to slightly warmer water off the beach for their swim

Early June

Summer has finally arrived.  Long daylight hours and warm sunshine.

The view north from St Ninian's Bay, west coast of Bute.  Standing stones and the ruins of two chapels here are testament to Bute's early settlement and Christian history.