Kerrera to Ardfern 03 June 2024

 

Setting off from Kerrera, heading south towards Kerrera Sound at 06.30 this morning.

We had an early start in order to catch the tide - particularly through the Sound of Luing which is very narrow with very strong currents (bit like The Narrows at the mouth of Strangford Lough). And our journey was not long - just 2.5 hours - so we arrived at Ardfern a few minutes after 09.00 this morning.  Our aim is to position ourselves for the run home, past Machrihanish and the Mull of Kintyre, and on down the Irish Sea.  We need a good day for that and just at the moment the forecast for days ahead is looking grim.

So straight onto the fuel berth to fill up - we need it for the journey but also to avoid refuelling in Bangor where the diesel is about 30p a litre more expensive.  After refuelling we were directed into a lovely berth, very secure and on the main pontoon.  Required a bit of manoeuvring and reversing but very snug once we were in.

It’s obviously the place to be.  Princess Anne’s yacht is a couple of berths up the pontoon - looks very smart, but I know which I would prefer.

After a lunch on board Susie and Gordon went for a cycle to Craignish Point while Mary and I went for a walk to the head of the Loch.  Beautiful weather today, warm though a bit windy.

Looking down Loch Craignish from the head of the loch.

It’s a wonderful time of the year.  Everything is vibrant and lush, in full bloom or luxuriantly declaring its presence.  We stood beside a hawthorn tree while a Whitethroat sang at full pelt just a few feet away - mesmerising and other-worldly - we searched the tree but it was invisible to us.

The Ardfern bird list is not bad at 30 species, but is very special because it includes Common Sandpiper and Spotted Flycatcher.  The latter are a bit like hens teeth these days, so to see one is very special.  The former are special because of their numbers here - there are pairs of Common Sandpipers every couple of hundred yards along the shoreline.  Remarkably I spotted one a couple of times (once when we’re walking out, and then again when we were walking back) on the Ardfern road.  What’s it doing on the road?!  And another Common Sandpiper was standing on top of a road sign (a passing place sign).  Weird.

Susie and Gordon were late back from their cycle.  I was glad to hear that it was because Susie had lost a necklace and they spent hours looking for it - unsuccessfully - and not that they were in hospital because they had fallen off the bikes!

They’re obviously not too worried about the necklace. 

The boat bird list was also pretty good at 33 species, including Goosander and Common Sandpiper, but also a good range of terrestrial birds like Siskin and Robin.

Our route:

































































































































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