June 13 Oban and Jura

We left the canal and headed toward Oban. We had  a dock friend named Joey who told us to visit his wife when we passed by their home which we did. So we anchored at approximately 56.38.1N, 05.18.2W at Joey and Verna's place arriving around noon. We dinghied ashore and Verna showed us the their lovely house which used to be a rail road station. They did a great job decorating it.  We were treated to lunch while we exchanged sailing stories. Joey was headed for Oslo when we saw him last in Kristiansand, Norway docked next to us. There was a big sailing race in Oslo. About 2pm we were on our way to Oban.

Upon approach we heard a SECURITY from a large cruise ship. The town is largely industrial, with a big cruise ship terminal and many city like buildings. The marina that was there has become defunct. We used a mooring ball on offer from a sailing club. It was quite a hike to town but we visited a few places to get a feel for the town. We pulled anchor at 5:45 am to get to Northern Ireland with the best currents and tides. Charles is so good about figuring that out.

Architecture in Oban. A reasonable sized city with  a cruise ship dock, mooring balls for visiting yachts. The town was semi industrial with tourist trends located after exiting the Caledonian Canal. this old building has been re-purposed . Could it have  been a church? 

Tuesday June 14th- Heading toward Port Ellen 

At Verna's we were given a CD that had the entrance details for getting into the single malt scotch distilleries by boat. The charts are very vague so this we needed information.

We left Oban at 5:45 am and headed toward Craig House which is the home town to the distillery of Jura. 

We got a town mooring ball and visited the Jura distillery. it was a quick tour but enough to have us purchase some goods. 

Gorgeous Table at the sampling room 

A map of the Islet area where all these great distilleries are located.

Chart Describing the contrasts a good single malt might have.

Cool clock

After our quick tour and purchase at Jura Distillery we went to the tea room and had scones, clotted cream, butter  and strawberry jam.  

A walk down the road brought us to the Catholic Church which has a great photographic collection of the town's history. It is amazing how hard people worked to make their living and the family connections you could see. 

We topped our evening with a lobster dinner at the Jura Hotel after drinks.

The next morning we headed for the Lagavulin distillery. It is narrow and rock lined and not very detailed on the chart plotter. Verna's charts were to help us.  We cautiously entered and got a mooring ball.  It is very tight in there and we needed to be on a high tide. We were told that the next tour would be tomorrow at 9 am.  So we left. Headed for Port Ellen.

June 13- Neptune's Staircase and out of Caledonia Canal

Neptune's Staircase is intense. It can take over an hour to go through. We went through the seven locks and road bridge and railroad bridge in about 50 minutes.. 

Banavie top basin before Neptune's staircase (7 Corpach and Banavie). lots of floating dock space. It was about 2:15 pm and we were given a time for 4 pm. It takes about an hour to get through Neptune's staircase (9 locks then a swing bridge and Rail Road bridge opening) We went through by ourselves with no other boats as per the lock keepers instructions.

We walked the lock while we waited to take a look. You can see they are nested together and the drop is big. This is the top one.

A walkway over the loch  These open to when the pressure and water level is equal. There were improvements to these lochs as the pistons that control the water flow were newer.  The walls of  the lochs are inspected regularly. Sometimes when you are in a loch that has emptied you see water spouting out from the walls. We need a Dutch boy to hold back the leaks!

The top before the Neptunes staircase. Some of these boats will be here for a long while. 

The railroad bridge. View from Below Neptune's Staircase.

Ariel's overnight spot.

A Great Restaurant and Bar closest to the boat after Neptune's Staircase. Great food.

Ariel is over this hill  on her floating dock for the night.

The Railway station next to the lochs.

A  well deserved beer after a hard day on the canal!

The Garden Next to the bar.

In the morning we did the last portion of the canal. Three lochs brought you out to the sea.

The last stop.

A little rain as we are leaving.

Our last lock keeper who caught our lines on the last dock.

The lighthouse next to the sea. Ariel is tied up here.

A reminder of the large tidal changes in the area. Out into Lock Linnhe.

Oban next

June 12th, 13th Cadeldonia Canal

June 12th at 8:30 am we entered Loch Oich the North East portion of the canal.
At 9:00 am we did the single Kitoa Lock ( number 4), out by 9:20 am

Ariel's overnight resting place. There were showers along the floating dock for those with keys. If you were on the canal a full paying customer you got one set of keys to use the facilities which work at all stations. 

This cruise ship was across from us waiting for the lock to take them the next morning . You can arrange a tour like this without using you own boat.

He was the first boat in the lock in the morning. we went in the opposite direction.

We left Fort Augustus

The next lock is Cullochy Lock ( number 4A)  There was a nice guy there who had worked on the canal for 29 years and is retiring next year. He told us that he had worked the difficult set of locks in St Augustus for seven years. You have to be quite lively to work at those lochs. The lock tender will take your line hand it back then do the stern for all the boats in the lock which could be two on each side. Then they go to the control panel and initiate the locking sequence of closing gates and then allowing the water to drain or rush in.  Hang onto your bowline when that happens as the faster the water comes in the more likely the bow will want to go away from the dock toward the other boats in the lock which in our case makes our dinghy in the davits push toward the sides of the canal- not good.

Cullochy Lock (4A) This guy has worked for 29 years on the canal. He has a good spot.

This building used to be the lock keepers house but it is a B & B now.

I was unhurried and ahle to take a picture of the skipper at work on the stern line.

The swing bridge open upon arrival

At our last lock the lock keeper called ahead to have the swing bridge opened for us. Aberchalder Swing bridge (4A). Time 10 am

Now through Loch Oich- middle portion.

red right  is unusual here. Mostly Green Right Returning.  ( 4 B)

Next Loch Oich- Southwestern Portion (4c)

Laggan Swing Bridge 4 C

Behind us a swing bascule bridge

Next up the Lock Lochy and 3  Laggan Locks  We have 15 miles to go to the end of the canal.

Lovely water falls

Pretty Scenery

Aqueducts leading to the Loch

Cute lighthouse?

Charles talking to the lock keeper to tell when we can go through. It is their lunch time. (Gairlocky and Loch Lochy- Southwestern Portion)

 We can go through in about 15 minutes. The  first lock opened and the second loch was opened already so that was one less to go through because of the water level.

Sights on Lock Lochy- a pretty lake.

Next up- Neptune's Staircase

Friday June 10th & 11th- Enter Caledonia Canal

On Friday June 10th we left the Marina on a rising tide and entered the Caledonian Canal seal lock.  You pay the lock keeper for the canal transit ($375) and that pays for everything you need, the canal employees work the locks and you are provided with a key that lets you into the bathroom facilities on the way.  After the sea lock were two sequential locks and then a stretch of canal to a flight of six locks which were successfully negotiated.  We stopped for the night on a pontoon just beyond the locks.  Going up is a bit tricky because the dock wall is quite high and  you throw your line up to the lock keeper who will attach it to the hook and throw it back to the boat.  Sue on the bow me on the stern.  When the lock is filled the hooks are right next to the boat and easy to disentangle from.  Nevertheless it is quite intense and we were glad to be safely moored on the pontoon.    Our weather has been cold and wet for the most part. I want summer to begin.



You can download the skippers guide to see the details of each lock.

https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/activities/boating/caledonian-canal/

Our First Lock

Our appointment was for 1:15 pm to enter the canal.  The first lock they gave us a polypropylene line to hold  for a 3 meter drop.

First lock- they make it easy for you.

The Office where you buy your ticket at the start of your journey. The hook at the left is the type used through out the canal.

 The second lock was another line they provided for a four meter drop.

For lock three you handed the  attendant your line and the drop was 4 meters. Now you are considered experienced at locks!

Some portions of the canal are a plain bank with vegetation and field animals.

This yellow brush was found a lot in Scotland. It is thorny and covers a thick area with pretty yellow flowers.

This is at the  Doch Garrach Lock. The Doch Garrach Garden has a lovely restaurant alongside it. Unfortunately others can come here by car so we could not get a reservation and had dinner on board. Our floating dock was directly in front of it.

Day Two  Leaving Doch Garrach to Loch Ness

In the morning I made Charles some Kippers on the boat. I saw a great recipe which was easy to do. You line a pot which has a steamer in it with foil. Place the fish in and put butter on it. When it starts to steam time it for ten minutes and they are done. This was his English treat on Ariel.

At 8:25 we left Doch Garrock Lock and we passed a large commercial tour boat the  Jacobite Rebel. We entered the famous Loch Ness at 10:40 am  (Lake Ness). It was a rainy day.

As you are going along there are changes in water depth. You can see the water fall to our port side cascading downward.

Beautiful little cottages along the banks.

another one

The weather pattern for us was COLD and WET with misty rain off and on.  Guess these clouds give it away.

This building is a large hotel that seemed to be  stop for the Jacobite boats on their tour.

This LAKE IS Lock Ness... No monster in sight but plenty of water.

The Depths here are in the 600 range. Obviously some areas are wider than others.  Don't' know why there is such a fuss about the Loch Ness monster but it keeps the tourists coming.

Boundaries are mountainous.

Some fog for you.

Cloud formations

The Loch Ness Bridge coming into Fort Augustus. You need to get  a reservation for the time they will take you going up the lochs. We were told to get some lunch while we waited and keep the VHF on.

All kinds of tours are arranged here to see the Loch Ness area. Not all of them go through the locks but stop at the boundaries of the lake.

A closer look at the Lock Ness bridge and the town of Fort Augustus.  We found every kind of tour bus stopping here off to the right. Tourist City. We arrived around 11:57 pm.  We had a lock reservation for two pm.

One of many floating docks before the next lock. Tie up till you are called for the opening. Fort Augustus- Charles walking the dock to get our schedule.

This building was a center for tourist information. The bus loads of people came here to sign up for things.

Inside a typical lock. the water can swirl pretty intensely when filling up.

Ariel in a  lock

scenery of the town of Fort Augustus. Restaurants, tourist sales of every sort.

hooks for the locks and the railing on top of the lock which people use to cross over until the lock opens and it is parted.

Ariel tied up for a rest after climbing upward in the last set of locks.  He would drive the boat, Sue was walking on land with the bow line and another person was needed to hold the stern line or else it would get caught on the hooks along the bank.  Charles made special wooden fenders for the canal trip.

I would like to mow my lawn in the Scottish flag with loch ness coming out of the ground!

A commemorative plaque of when the queen visited. She got around.

Typical lush green along the waterway after Fort Augustus. 

A walker's view from a bridge along the canal.

Caledonia Canal plaque

Next up second half of the canal.