29th June 2016 – Day 40 – Lamlash bay, Arran to Campbeltown, Kintyre peninsula

Lamlash bay with Holy Island

The next morning, we got up and took a dinghy ride to the island. Found a couple of shops and paid for the mooring. We walked along the main street for a while and then returned to the boat.  

Pladda Lighthouse

We released the mooring buoy and headed out of the bay using the south channel. Very little wind again today even though the forecast had said SW 4/5 occasionally 6. It didn’t materialize and left us chasing dark spot on the sea surface looking for more wind. 

We motored down to Pladda island with its spectacular lighthouse and continued heading south for another mile to avoid the overfalls before turning west and heading over to Campbeltown.

After a couple of hours, the sun came out and the visibility cleared, we passed Ailsa Craig looking spectacular in the sunlight but then the swell was hitting us side on, rocking the boat from side to side violently. The coast guard gave out an imminent gale warning for Isle of Man in the Irish sea but there were no clues that it was that close.

Many faces of Ailsa Craig – In the mist

In the sun and a paint-by-numbers sea

Loch Campbeltown looking like a channel at first

The land filled in a bit further on

Arran viewed from the south

We found the entrance to Campbeltown Loch and followed the buoys in, it was only then that the wind decided to show up and gusted up to 20 knots just to make our life difficult when tying up the boat. The pontoons have been upgraded in the last year and can now house many boats. The berthing master came out to direct us to an available berth and to give all the information about the pontoons. Another great welcome.

Trawler with its many patiently waiting gulls

We also met Kyla, John and John on a Westerly Fulmar who were heading, very early the next day, to Bangor and then over to Peel for a Westerly convention to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the WOA (Westerlies Owners Association). We shared some whiskey with then and possibly outstayed our welcome leaving them at 11:45pm with them complaining that they had an early start the next day.

Island Davaar lighthouse, entrance to Loch Campbeltown

The next day there was a knock on the hull and we were surprised to see Simon from ‘Kiwi’ standing on the pontoon. When we last saw Simon and Janet in East Tarbert their plan had been to head north through the Crinan canal and yet here they now stood in Campbeltown on the very same day as us. Many cup of tea and glasses of wine later and a new plan was hatched.