Garvellachs

April 2007. Launch at Arduaine / Lay-by OS:55 GR:801098

The slip-way was busy with builders cars so we launched from below a lay-by 500m south. While the lay-by a good place to park, the jetty is a better launch spot and we landed here.

The GPS track is incomplete due to a lack of memory in my old GPS. The route we followed was dictated by the tides and was as follows:

Day1: Arduaine, Shuna Point, around the bottom of Luing, then to Ban Rubha where we waited for tide. We went through the Grey Dogs I think in the last half hour of the ebb (against us) half-way between springs and neaps with little wind. Turned north east to Guirasdeal then directly across to Eileach an Naoimh. We explored the rest of the islands the same day.

Day2: Garvellachs to Eilean Dubh Beag (in thick fog with 300m visibility), then tried to get inside Eilean Iosal but was dry at low tide, so we rounded Rubha Fiola, finding a large tidal race on the north end. Tide also produced a wavy route across to Luing. North and rested in the bay Sloc an t-Siomain after Easdale Sound. We camped north of Seil Island.

Day3: Started with a river paddle, down to the ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ on the Clachan Sound. Again, tide was interesting approaching Torsa (hence the GS wobble).

Tidal Information

Check the Imray, check the Admiralty Pilot, check Doug Cooper/George Reid’s book. They do not all agree. Use these figures ONLY as a starting point

Shuna Sound

N stream +0433 / S stream -0205 HW Oban 1 kn springs

Grey Dogs (Bealach a’Choin Ghlais) TIMES VARY DEPENDING UPON STATE OF TIDE

W stream +0450 / E stream -0125 HW Oban 8.5 kn springs

Between Garbh Eileach and Eilean Dubh Beag

N stream +0433 / S stream -0154 HW Oban 2-3 kn springs

There’s a lot of tidal movement off Sgeir nan Gabhar, in the Sound of Luing and (I’m told) around Belnahua

Cuan Sound TIMES VARY DEPENDING UPON STATE OF TIDE

W stream +0450 / E stream -0125 HW Oban 6 kn springs

Clachan Sound