News & Events
Jul 28
Redbay Cruise
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Redbay Cruising Club – 2 day trip to Isle of Mull (24th & 25th July, 2010)
Brief report by Charles Stewart
This is the 2nd cruise the Cruising Club have undertaken. 8 Redbay Ribs ranging from 6.5m – 11m signed up for the trip. 2 of the boats, “Gulfstream (9.1m) and Crusader (8.4m)” arrived form Donagadee and Inverkip respectively on the Friday afternoon.
We departed Redbay on Saturday morning at 10.10am. Sea conditions were calm with light winds and threatening sunshine. The first leg of our journey took us across the North Channel and up the Sound of Islay to Port Askaig for coffee at 12.15pm where we met up with “Odyssey (750 cabin)”. We departed Post Askaig at 1pm for Iona. Conditions had deteriorated with mizzley rain and poor visibility (about 1 mile).
Our route to Iona took us North of Colonsay where we were joined by “Jenny Wren (11m Cabin)” and through the tricky torn rocks into the Sound of Iona where we tied up along side the Pier. Some of the crews took the opportunity to visit the famous Abbey on Iona. We departed Iona at 3.45pm. The rain was persistent and the wind had started to pick up creating a large swell. Despite the conditions we decided to visit Staffa to view Fingals Cave (a truly spectacular rock formation, much more impressive than the Giants Causeway).
Due to conditions we were unable to land on the Island. We made our way onto the Island of Ulva where we stopped for refreshments.
We departed Ulva for Tobermory. The poor visibility made the tricky passage through the Sound of Ulva more challenging. We hugged the coast line all the way to Tobermory where we arrived at 6.20pm and moored up for the evening. (We completed 118 N miles by now).
On Sunday morning the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. After refuelling the boats we departed Tobermory at 10.35am heading for Crinan. On our passage down through Easdale Sound the wind had freshened and we were back to poor visibility and rain. We headed to Cuan Sound to be met by the fast flowing rising tide which wasn’t rising quick enough for the strickened yacht which had run aground. After offering assistance which was refused, we carried on to Crinnan.
We arrived at the Picturesque Crinnan Basin at 1.20pm where we stopped to enjoy the sunshine and refreshments. We departed here at 2.05pm and made our way to Gigha arriving at 3.15pm.
We departed Gigha at 3.55pm for the last leg of our trip home to Redbay. After a bumpy crossing we arrived safely in Redbay at 5.20pm. (Total mileage for the Sunday was 122 N miles).
Our 8 boats and 35 crew completed 240 N Miles and visited 5 Scottish Islands. Not bad for a 2 day enjoyable cruise.
Details of the next trip will be posted on the Web soon.
The Redbay
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