Granny Felicity joined us in Conwy, and stayed for our trip through our first Scottish canal until Oban. Oh, the beauty...After locking in through the first lock, our first experience with a large "sea" lock, we almost squashed a smaller boat beside us. We weren't quite ready when the lock keeper opened up the sluice gates and we got a little sideways. We stayed overnight between locks 10-11 and had a nice dinner at Cairnbaan Hotel, a one mile walk each way, a good stretch of the legs, except for Rosie who rode on my shoulders the entire way home. (Not much more than an air pack weighs (firefighter speak), she's a light weight!)
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| Granny Felicity on the lookout, we're up 65ft already. |
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| I'm not sure we're going to get lost... |
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| Leah ready with a finger in case it starts leaking more! |
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| Two little buddy's. A local man brings them down to the canal in a cat box for grass as he doesn't have a lawn. |
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| Leah decided she needed a Spa Day, Dad can you save your Green Tea bags please? |
Heres a youtube link to the raw video we shot from the Quadcopter at our overnight stay and the exit in Crinan.
https://youtu.be/q8VyGGKPcZ0
Oban
Our arrival in Oban was bittersweet. We had made it through our first canal but it was time to say good bye to Granny as she had to get home to prepare for her next adventure to Alaska. We met Zetty's friend Renee Lindsay (we met through the awesome facebook group 'Women who Sail' - Ed), her husband Guy and their two children Phoebe (8) and Poppy (5) aboard their boat SV Emerald Bay. We had a really fun time playing, eating and making hopefully a life long friendship. The girls were especially thrilled to meet up with some more soon-to-be liveaboard children, though actually at this point, they try to make friends with anyone under 5ft tall, they're so in need of 'playdates'!! We also had the great fortune to arrange a meeting with the legendary Arctic sailor,
Rev Bob Shepton from S/V Dodo's Delight. Bob has transited the NWP twice and has cruised Greenland and the Arctic waters extensively. We had a great day together, I asked a lot of questions and received some very good advice. Bob is a delight, pun intended, and we had a wonderful time. I showed him my Quadcopter and how I managed to justify its existence on the boat, looking for leads in the pack ice of course.;) I think he liked it and I know a group of climbers that might have one next time they're aboard Dodo's Delight!
Say hello to our new crew member, Susie Theis. or SusieTheis.com Susie joined us in Oban and will be with us for the rest of the journey. She's an Oconomowoc native, an avid skier, adventurer and sailor. We're glad to have her aboard! Zetty's cousin Ruth Iliffe also came aboard in Oban and stayed with us through the Caledonian canal to Inverness. Zoe has a 'boatschool' assignment to interview all our crew, visiting and permanent, and these will be posted on the blog once the scribe (somehow I got conned into this - Ed.) types them up!
The Cally - The Caledonian Canal
Corpach - We made it to the Corpach Sea Lock at around 12:30. The lock keeper was nowhere to be found as he was helping another group at the next lock. He showed up around 13:00 and said we had to wait for a few boats to lock out at 13:30. We locked in at 14:00 and that was it for the day. The basin it was for the night. An early start the next day got us up and out to Neptune's Staircase, a flight of back-to-back locks that takes you up 64ft.
Banavie -
Swimming in Loch Oich - The map tells of the Great Glen Water Park located in the middle of Loch Oich. Sounded pretty good for this clan so we thought we'd check it out. Whoa, not a water park like we expected, the "water" was Loch Oich, the park was a small playground for the kids. The "swimming pool" was an oversized hottub, with a 12 person limit. Fun was had anyway and we all needed a bath.
Invergarry Castle - Spent the night at Invergarry Castle, or the ruins of it.
Fort Augustus - Now on our way down, we stopped for the night for the flight of 5 locks going down the next morning. Fish and Chip shop. Best burgers so far from the local butcher shop, D.J. Macdougall. If you get anywhere near here, make sure you visit!
Drumnadrochit - Spending the night here in a small marina in order to visit the Loch Ness Monster Exhibit and the Urquhart Castle, the most visited spot on Loch Ness.
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| Camping picnic and... |
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| complete with marshmallow roasting! |
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