First trip for 2017

A birthday surprise for one member of the family, who was still in the dark as we walked along the pontoon.  After a few cracks about wetsuits and swimming trunks I think he was quite relieved to board Chico. The weather didn't look too promising early on but the sun came out as we turned up Loch Long on our way up to Loch Goil.

Cruising Scottish style, bobble hats and Champagne. Well, it is April, it could easily have been snowing.

Another piece in the Chico jigsaw

Tracing a boat's history relies on chance and a slice of good luck.  An entry in Lloyds Log or the Registry of Ownership can give some details of names and dates, but old photos and reminiscences fill in the background.

 Out of the blue last year I was emailed by a lady, Joan, who, as a little girl, had spent time on Chico in the 1950's, and was able to tell me something of the owners, Garry and Beth Tennison from Glasgow.  They had spent a lot of time on board in their six years of ownership, and travelled widely.

Joan had recently been in contact with a distant cousin in Tasmania, also related to Garry and Beth, who was able to dig among old family albums and find the following photos.

 Chico at Bowling Basin, near Dumbarton, circa 1954

Bowling Basin 1954 again, but now with the saloon painted white.

Lying at anchor at Crinan, July 1954

Beth and Garry sitting on the locker in front of the wheelhouse

Since then Chico has been in the Baltic, the Med, Bristol, back at Crinan, Aberdeen, the South coast of England, the Thames, France, and who knows where else before we brought her back to the West of Scotland.  

We've anchored at the same spot off Crinan, sat on the same locker, and enjoyed the same feeling as Garry and Beth 63 years ago.  Chico's an old boat now, but in 1954 she was still 22 years old with at least 4 previous owners and 6 years of war.  It just goes to show that with old boats you don't really own them, you just look after them for future owners. 

Thank you, Joan, for googling "Chico" and filling in another piece of that jigsaw.

Loch Goil and Carrick Castle

We had a day out from Greenock to celebrate a recent wedding and cruised to the head of Loch Goil, stopping at Carrick Castle for lunch.

It wasn't the sunniest of days but the afternoon was brightened up by the appearance of PS Waverley on one of her autumn cruises from Glasgow.

It's hard to imagine now that she was nearly scrapped, but all credit to those who preserved her, tapping into the nostalgia market so successfully. Launched in 1947, she is very similar to the previous Waverley that was bombed and sunk in 1940 during the evacuation of Dunkirk.

Taking the long way home

Another season done and dusted but we weren't ready to go straight back to our winter berth in Greenock, so we met up with Peter and Jane Cumberlidge for a trip to Ireland. Peter was looking for material to write a feature on cruising in Ireland for Motor Boat and Yachting and we were only too happy to oblige. Late September tends to be unsettled and we duly had our share of fog, wind and sun. The Antrim coast is spectacular though.

The wide sweep of Red Bay, with views up the Antrim Glens.

Geology for beginners. The clearest example you could see of Limestone bedrock overrun with basalt lava flow about 60 million years ago.

Another highlight was taking Chico into the heart of Belfast to the yacht berth at Abercorn Basin.

Next to the Titanic Centre, the wings of which are represent the actual size of Titanic's bow

More swimmers

This time being ferried ashore to swim from the beach

Then in recovery mode with the help of our fur coats.

Intrepid swimmers

Warm sun, blue sea, let's jump off the boat!

 Well it seemed like a good idea up to this point.

But once you're in it's not so bad

West Highland Yachting Week 2016

We were involved once again in this much loved regatta, a fixture in the Scottish sailing season with a 69 year history. Starting at Craobh Marina, the slack conditions necessitated a follow my leader through the tidal gate of the Sound of Luing before the first start could be set.

Then it was all hands on deck for the racing

With 6 days of racing and passage races to Oban, Tobermory and back to Oban it's a busy week.