Lord Nelson - Western Isles distillery voyage

Passage Making & Island Hopping in SW Scotland

As you travel Northwards the scenery just gets better and better.  You may head straight through the North Channel between Scotland and Northern Ireland, keeping well clear of the overfalls and white horses around the Mull of Kintyre or the strong tides around Rathlin Island. There are a few querky places you could stop at this stage like Sanda Island with its pub for visiting summer yachtsmen and no permenent residents, but Scotland is the main goal.

 This is a great voyage for those wanting to learn some coastal navigation or get some watch keeping experience as there are many fishing boats to avoid and tidal streams to help work ou

Watch Keeping & Day Sailing

This is a great combination of passage making where you will be in a watch rota system and sail during the day and night, and then once amongst the islands most the sailing will be in the long summer daylight hours (as there are not many lit navigation in Scotland).

Sound of Islay or Corrywreckan Whirlpools

For a dramatic introduction to Scottish scenery the narrow sound of Islay takes some beating with its crags, cliffs and caves and famous distilleries. An alternative route is just as impressive along the east side of Jura and past the Gulf of Corrywreckan - famous for whirlpools if you get the tide wrong, and the interesting pilotage up past Luing. Possible anchorages if you go through the Sound of Islay  include Loch Tarbert on Jura or Colonsay or Oronsay islands

Way out West to Iona

If there is time and the weather is settled you could head out NW to Iona and its famous ruined abbey or even Tiree with its white sand beaches before sailing up the Firth of Lorne to Oban - Gateway to the Highlands & Islands.

Sail Nature's Wild Playground....

 Western Scotland is a rich marine ecosystem which offers fantastic seafood and wildlife watching from the Sea Eagles on Mull to the dolphins and Minke Whales that cruise the deep sounds between the islands. Due to the prolific life under the surface and hundreds of miles of remote coastlines, the Western Isles, Inner and Outer Hebrides and mainland lochs are great places to spot seals, otters, minke and larger whales, basking sharks and dolphins.

The mountains provide inacessible eyries for sea eagles, golden eagles, choughs, perigrine falcons and the cliffs are homes to many large breeding colonies of seabirds like gannets and puffins.

Special light conditions & fast changing weather

The weather in Scotland can vary from shimmering heat haze on white sand beaches to dramatic rain storms, sleet and snow in spring or white capped waves and vivd blue skies. It changes ...and it changes fast. Great for photography, and usually plenty of wind for sailing with relatively flat seas due to protecting high ground, it can still be challenging, but then the many moods of Scotland are its main attraction.

 PDF Crew notes for Lord Nelson and Tenacious