14th June Cairnbaan to Dunardry 15th June Dunardry to Crinan

We have traveled through the canal at a very leisurely pace. Apparently it is possible to transit the canal in about 6.5 hours, but the transit licence lasts for 4 nights and 5 days, so we are getting our monies worth. Yesterday morning we had our first encounter with the evil midges. I had been over to the shower in my normal attire of shorts and hoody. On returning to the boat I stopped to talk to Ian who we had come through the Sea lock with. Suddenly I was under attack. These tiny little blighters were swarming around me and nipping away I made a hasty retreat to the boat and dug out the anti midge sprays and long trousers. The sprays seem to work.

When we arrived at the canal on Thursday, the fact that the two of us were passing through single handed seemed to cause concern. Michael was sent through first with another boat that had been in the basin overnight. I waited with the other boat sailed by Ian and his wife Abigail, who hadn’t transited the canal before either. Once the first two boats had been locked through the first three locks the Scottish Canals team emptied the locks and returned to assist us. The canal staff have been amazing, assisting us through the locks all the way.

All three boats stopped at Cairnbaan to avoid the rain. A different team looked after the Cairnbaan locks and it was discussed that all 3 boats should fit in the locks together and once the water levels had been adjusted we would start about 9am. A little later a fishing trawler turned up and moored up as close as he could to the lock and was obviously going in ahead of us. When the canal staff arrived they said it would be easier to get the fishing boat through the 4 locks first. I don’t think any of us were keen on going through with a heavy fishing boat anyway.

We all assisted locking the fishing boat through the first lock, which meant one of the canal team could get ahead to be ready at the next lock to take the lines. Once the fishing boat was clear the remaining canal team member left us to close the gates and empty the lock of water, while he reopened the road bridge and get on to the next lock. By the time the team returned we had our 3 boats in the lock and were just shutting the gates. I think they were a little surprised we had got to that stage unassisted. We progressed up through the 4 locks to the submit and on to the next 2 locks which are the start of the descent. Between locks 10 &11 are two pontoons with a shower and toilet. We stayed there while our new friends continued on towards Crinan. At Dunardry there was only one Scottish Canals person. Once Jeddo was safely on the pontoon, as we had all worked together, I assisted him get Ian and Abigail and their Nicholson 31 through the next 3 locks.

I mentioned on a previous post that my autopilot had packed up just after leaving the Isle of Man. My old Autohelm 2000 assisted me across to Northern Island and the Michael lent me his spare drive.. I ordered a new motor on ebay that was sent home, and when we knew we would be heading for the canal I arranged with the Crinan boat yard to look after it until I arrived. Janet my wife posted it and I cycled from Dunardry to collect it. When back at the boat I soon had the new motor fitted and have a working auto pilot.

Today, Saturday we completed the journey to Crinan, again the Scottish Canals team have been at all the locks to assist us and have been amazing.

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