Scotland & Caledonian Canal
Many thanks to Barbara Stumpf for the great texts and impressions.
Polaris logbook – leg 1: Edinburgh → Arbroath (57 nm)
Good morning from Arbroath!
Yesterday was our first leg: 57 nautical miles from Edinburgh to Arbroath – and it was a tough one. The real wind was a steady 25-30 knots (6 Beaufort), and a strong wave of 3-4 metres was building up outside. The current was so strong in places that we had to use the motor to help us round the cape safely, despite having good sails.
The conditions were challenging – and unfortunately our crew member Petra was caught out: the sea got to her and she had to relieve herself over the railing. Seasickness is sometimes a part of life, even if it is not to be wished on anyone. Petra pulled through bravely.
We arrived safely in Arbroath at around 19:00 – a precision landing, as the locks close at 19:45. The tide started to ebb at around 20:30 and the outer harbour basin quickly began to dry out. The tidal range here is around 3 metres – impressive to experience up close.
We are now lying calmly in the lock basin at a water depth of around 2.5 metres. After mooring, we cooked ourselves a well-earned courgette risotto – simple, but great after such a day at sea.
Today it’s an early start again: we cast off at 09:00 (local time) at the latest, before the locks close again at 09:15. Today’s destination: Stonehaven.
Today we set off on the second leg – 47 nautical miles from Arbroath to Stonehaven. We set off from the lock basin at 09:00 in a steady north-easterly wind. Before casting off, skipper Guido explained the tide calculation to us in detail: as we are currently just before neap tide, we had to calculate the high and low tide times for Stonehaven using the reference data from Dover harbour. An arrival from 15:00 was ‘safe’ with our boat depth, as the high tide was expected around 19:28. For the course planning, there was also a small excursion into the current tables – here, too, the time shifts are decisive.
We then set off under full sail, later in the 1st reef (of three in total) at a stable 7 Beaufort. We initially headed towards the wind farm on sight, where we made a clean tack and then set course for Stonehaven. At 2-3 metres, the waves were much more pleasant today than yesterday – which was fortunate, as the crew were able to change the helm regularly.
A real highlight: Shortly before entering the harbour, we were accompanied by 4-6 dolphins – they swam alongside and seemed to show us the way. A magical moment!
The mooring manoeuvre in Stonehaven went perfectly: alongside the jetty, neatly moored with a fore and aft line and two springs – some guests on the quay looked on appreciatively. This is how a sailing day should end.
As a reward, we had a hearty dinner today: Minced meat with pasta and vegetables. In between, Elke spoilt us with her homemade mango chips, and Petra and Lothar brought a special whiskey from Edinburgh for the jetty – the crowning glory of a great day.
Sunny sailing day along the east coast of Scotland
Today’s destination: Peterhead, past Aberdeen.
Before the start, Axel showed us the WOBBEL control:
W = water: there are two water circuits: the inner and the outer.
The outer circuit is filled with sea water – this filter is tested for impurities and checked for cleanliness.
The inner circuit is filled with cooling water (red liquid) – the level in the cooling water tank is checked here.
O = Oil: Check the engine oil level and transmission oil.
Check the shaft brake.
B = Bilge: Check whether it is dry.
B = Belt: Check the V-belt.
E = Electrics: Check that all cables are visually connected and undamaged.
L = Leak: Check for leaks – whether there are any ‘holes’ anyway.
Our drive: a Volvo Penta D3-150 with 110 kW. Power is supplied by 4 PV panels with a maximum of 400 watts.
Skipper Guido explained the wheel effect to us again: there are left-hand and right-hand screws. Our Polaris has a right-turning propeller, which is not very pronounced, but moves the stern slightly to the left when reversing.
10:45 a.m.: Port abeam Aberdeen, with oil rig and beacon.
11:00 a.m.: A ferry abeam – Edda Frende, equipped with an electric motor by Elin Motoren Weiz.
Lunch: Blitz pizza on board, followed by nibbles.
In the early afternoon, we set the code zero briefly in light winds, but soon caught up with it again and switched to the genoa. We then sailed away from the coast in a hard wind angle (AWA 40°) – sporty and focussed, but with a lot of fun.
14:45: Tack and last beat towards Peterhead, which we headed for unerringly. Despite the ideal sailing conditions, there were no other sailing boats to be seen today – instead we encountered a fishing boat twice and crossed our course.
16:00: Arrival at Peterhead Marina, where we moored alongside on the starboard floating dock – in calm water and clear visibility.
After the safe mooring manoeuvre and a fantastic trip along the Scottish coast, we had well and truly earned our well-earned mooring beer. Co-skipper Alex proved to be a brave sailor and – despite the Nordic temperatures – jumped over the bathing platform into the cool water without further ado. In the evening, we rounded off the day with culinary delights on board: We conjured up a three-course smutje menu in the galley. The starter was melon with sheep’s cheese, followed by spaghetti with tuna sauce as the main course. The final course was a sweet dessert of peaches with yoghurt, cinnamon and sugar – an all-round successful end to the day below deck.
Weather: Cloudless, 13 °C – perfect sailing weather on the Scottish coast.
In between, skipper Guido took the opportunity to test us with his self-created skipper cards – especially on cardinal and lateral marks. Great flashcards, which I can only warmly recommend to all sailors and which can be purchased online or directly from Guido Dwersteg.
Conclusion: A technically interesting leg with good wind, exciting observations and perfect timing. Peterhead welcomes us with a safe berth and marvellous sailing weather.
The fourth leg of our trip was on the programme today: a 56 nautical mile route from Peterhead to Whitehills. We set off at 9.00 a.m. under overcast skies, which gradually cleared over the course of the day and eventually turned into light cloud.
On the way, we were accompanied by curious puffins flitting over the waves. The sea was quite challenging with 2-3 metre waves. Several ‘encounters of the third kind’ with other ships that crossed our course and forced us to take evasive action or abandon course attracted additional attention.
We had Bosna for lunch – despite the swell and rocking galley, we mastered cooking with the oven and hob.
The entrance to Whitehills was challenging: the narrow harbour and a deviation of the actual water depth from the chart data made it necessary to retract the Polaris’ centreboard. Our skipper Guido mastered this passage with complete calm and great aplomb – an impressive manoeuvre in a narrow environment.
We ended the day with a well-earned dinner at the Seafield Arms.
Today was special: we reached Inverness, the northernmost point of our journey!
After a final shopping stop in Whitehills – including free delivery directly to the Polaris – we did a lot of work on board – skipper Guido pumped the bilge empty before we set sail in a fresh 10 degrees and strong north-easterly wind. The exit was full of waves, later we were able to set our code zero and continue sailing with half wind.
Along the way, we motored, marvelled and learned: co-skipper Alex used the calmer seas off Inverness to learn knots on deck. Then the three girls enjoyed the marvellous view from the foredeck.
We mastered the entrance to the marina with its north quadrant and fairway buoys with concentration – and moored alongside.
Culinary delights were again served on the boat: Greek salad, gin and tonic as a sundowner, sausage, cheese and biscuit platter, and in the evening green salad with oranges and smoked salmon on biscuits as well as Djuvec rice with sausages.
What a lovely day’s sailing!
Today we set off from Inverness at 9.30 am – after a short line casting course from skipper Guido, which was immediately put into practice. At 10.00 am we passed through the first lock of the Caledonian Canal and set off towards Loch Ness in the sunshine (even briefly in shorts!).
We covered a total of 15 nautical miles – including four locks:
Clachnaharry Sea Lock, (2) Clachnaharry Works Lock, (3) Muirtown Flight (a group of locks with four consecutive locks) and (4) Dochgarroch Lock. As well as four bridges, including the striking Railway Swing Bridge and the Tomnahurich Swing Bridge.
The Caledonian Canal was a real highlight today: we encountered friendly and good-humoured Scottish lock keepers who were extremely helpful and shouted ‘lovely’ to us when we did a good turn. Passers-by and cyclists generously accepted lines from other boats and watched our Polaris with delight. We also came across other sailing and motor boats as well as rowers livening up the canal.
For refreshment, we had delicious wraps with fresh smoked salmon from Whitehills with vegetables on board.
Off Urquhart Castle, we now anchor directly in Loch Ness at a depth of 24 metres – no problem with 150 metres of chain. Of course, the Hardshall dinghy with its 15 hp outboard engine was made ready to explore the ruins at close quarters. The many tourists there allowed us to enjoy our peaceful Polaris atmosphere even more.
For dinner: home-made and delicious cucumber and potato salad with roast ham – in a light drizzle and a great atmosphere. A magical evening in a fabulous setting with deep conversations late into the night.
Time: 11:00 – 17:00
Weather: Light drizzle, wind force 5, south-westerly wind – ideal sailing weather on Loch Ness
After a hearty breakfast – today we had omelettes – we set sail in comfort at 11.00 am. Despite the occasional drizzle, the conditions were perfect for a sporty day of sailing on the legendary Loch Ness.
The south-westerly wind gave us an ideal opportunity to tack with the cutter jib. We completed a total of 30 tacks, a real sailing pleasure! And then – the highlight: around midday, our echo sounder suddenly showed three parallel lines. A clear sign for us: Nessy was there – or at least very close.
At 2.45 pm, we hoisted the sails and set course for Fort Augustus, where the impressive ‘Fort Augustus Flight’ lock staircase with its five consecutive chambers awaited us. Numerous spectators watched the lock manoeuvre with interest and marvelled not only at our ship Polaris, but also at our crew.
At around 17:00, we moored on the port side in Fort Augustus. We rounded off a successful day’s sailing with a well-earned dinner at the Highland Hideout.
10:30 – 15:30 | 19 nm | Wind gusts up to 40 knots
Today it was ‘cast off’ again in Fort Augustus – in typical Scottish weather that couldn’t make up its mind: sometimes rain, sometimes sunshine, often every minute. The sails stayed safely in the bag in gusts of up to 40 knots (8 Bft) – instead we perfected our lock and line casting technique.
The route took us across Loch Oich and Loch Lochy, past green slopes, bare peaks, the famous Highland cattle and black-faced sheep, which eyed us curiously as we moored at the floating pontoons in Gairlochy. A small family of ducks also waddled calmly past the bow in the morning – presumably for a duck snack.
Today we crossed the highest point of the Caledonian Canal – 32 metres above sea level! From here we had a clear view of the Highlands all the way to the mighty Ben Nevis. Great panorama, great seafaring hearts.
Culinary delights on board:
We had hot noodle soup for lunch – just right for the wind and weather. In the evening, we cooked up: Chicken Sweet & Sour with rice – our cook surpasses himself every day!
Locks today: Cullochy, Laggan and Gairlochy Locks – all mastered cleanly. Plus three swing bridges – everything under control, even when pushing from astern.
Tomorrow we continue towards Fort William – new shores, new stories!
11:30-18:00 | 10 nm | 12 locks | 3 bridges
Today it was time to cast off for the last time on the Caledonian Canal. With a constant interplay of rain and sun, we set course for Fort William. As soon as we left Gairlochy, it was straight off with locks and bridges – a total of 12 chambers and 3 movable crossings were on the programme today.
The undisputed highlight: Neptune’s Staircase – eight locks in a row that took us down to 19.5 metres. Timing deluxe: the legendary Hogwarts Express steamed past just as we were in the lock staircase – a nostalgic locomotive straight out of a film, accompanied by the enthusiastic waving of spectators.
Speaking of spectators: our Polaris was once again the number one topic of conversation. Whether at the locks or on the jetties – curious looks and interested questions everywhere. Particularly entertaining: the harbour cinema in front of the first lock – Le Boat charter boats with the slogan ‘no licence and no experience needed’ caused a lot of confusion. Radio message? Not a thing. Traffic rules? Left-hand traffic like on the road. For us, this included a sporty evasive manoeuvre.
At the edge of the canal, we spotted a white, abandoned fender – and lo and behold: a few locks later, this very fender was suddenly hanging from the stern of a Polish boat. Maritime treasure hunting in Polish?
After 32 metres downhill, we moored alongside in Fort William – with a view of the majestic Ben Nevis. The end of our canal journey, but certainly not the end of our stories.
Culinary delights on board:
Breakfast: special edition – soft-boiled eggs in Highland beef egg cups, lovingly served by the skipper.
Dinner: a worthy finale at Sonás – delicious, fresh and highly recommended.
Weather: 9 °C, alternating sun and rain – typical Scotland.
The lines are finally tied up. A new chapter begins tomorrow – but this was a worthy end to our Caledonian adventure!
After days in the fresh water of the Caledonian Canal, it was finally time to set sail in salt water again today! We cast off at 10 o’clock sharp in Fort William, cast off alongside and headed south – out onto Loch Linnhe. With a full 4-5 Beaufort from the south-west, we headed for Kentallen Bay in an upwind manoeuvre. The wind was on our noses, but the ship was running cleanly on the wind – cutter jib and main playing with the gusts.
We had to cross an active submarine training area on the way – cleared according to the map, but we still had a queasy feeling. In addition, there were lots of fish farms and free-swimming buoys – the crew was fully challenged. The helmsman changed regularly, everyone took over the helm and operated the boat in different roles – real teamwork at sea.
After 17 nautical miles, the anchor dropped at 1 pm – safely held in Kentallen Bay. Lunch on board: tzatziki with potatoes, outside the sun alternates with rain showers. Later, we got the dinghy ready and headed out towards Loch Leven fjord. What a natural spectacle! Grey seals peered curiously out of the water, grey herons perched on the banks, Canada geese circling. Bladderwrack lines the shores, marsh irises glow between the rocks – a wild, rugged stretch of land.
Suddenly rain from above, spray from ahead – course change towards the next island. Landing in the slippery weather, anchoring the dinghy, wading through wet bladderwrack. Our destination: the historic Isle of Discussion – once a place where clan chiefs met to discuss conflicts before taking up arms. Today it is a quiet, mystical place – perfect for a shore excursion with depth. Sometimes sunny, sometimes rainy – just Scotland.
Now we’re back on board. The wind has calmed down, the Highlands are reflected in the water. Silence, space, a glass of wine in hand. This is what freedom feels like.
10:00 Anchor up – 15:00 moored alongside?
The finale of our trip: Today we sailed out of the mystical Kentallen Bay – with the wind directly on our nose, we opted for the motor instead of an elaborate approach. This allowed us to navigate relaxed through narrow passages between small groups of islands – with a lookout around the clock, as sailors, ferries and fishing boats regularly crossed our course?ﾸﾏ
The route was anything but boring: we passed several castle ruins and palaces – many of them well-known from the thriller ‘Celtic Ring’. A particular highlight: the mystical Kerrera Island with its obelisk, which towers over the bay from afar like a silent sentinel?
The closer we got to Oban, the heavier the shipping traffic became – so harbour manoeuvres in offshore winds were no joke. But our skipper and the crew also mastered the last mooring manoeuvre with flying colours: fore and aft lines were secured in record time, thrown cleanly and stapled quickly.
Weather: typically Scottish – between rain showers, the sun shone again and again?ﾸﾏ?ﾸﾏ
Catering on board:
Breakfast: home-baked spelt bread with crispy fried bacon – the Smutje in top form
Lunch: tuna spaghetti Tuna spaghetti – the supplies on board perfectly utilised
Evening programme: whisky tasting with real rarities, including the Abhainn X Dearg – a one-man distillery from the Hebrides, honest and full of character in the glass?
Dinner: in style at the Kaina restaurant – a worthy culinary finale
Now we are all sitting on the deck of our Polaris on the last evening, with a view of the lights of Oban, glasses in hand, hearts full of memories. Eleven legs, countless experiences, one crew.
