Part two Pre-cruise events
A glimpse of royalty
The Mate, Skipper and Tar went to Tighnabruaich on Saturday afternoon, June 2, with more of our gear. There were heavy showers and a gale force westerly wind but they got aboard dry and the Mate got down to organising and sewing blankets, pillows, mattresses etc, and clearing up in the forecastle and cabins.
It cleared up in the evening and after watching Trojan Maid being launched (a boat with reverse sheer which worried the Mate), they went ashore and in this lovely but cold evening, with a clear sky and a dropping wind, went the ‘Round Ardlamont’ run after a visit to the hotel bar where they met Archie Bannatyne in a ‘certain condition’.
It rained heavily during the night and the wind got up again, so they lay abed till after ten then spent the day tidying up and sitting in the dog-house while the Tar had a very long spell on the semi-rotary which was leaking badly. St Roma came alongside (they had to fend off our bowsprit) for a call and the Trojan Maid sailed and a gaff cutter (Rose Marie?) and a schooner, Charm, passed west – otherwise nothing was moving.
At about four they went ashore after a dull but quite pleasant wee break. The blue bells all the way were magnificent – never anywhere at any time have we seen anything approaching two big slopes of them just north of Luss.
The Bosun and three of his classmates went off in Fulmar on Thursday, June 14. They were in Glen Caladh, Tarbert, Crinan, Loch Melfort, Dunstaffnage, Loch Aline, Tobermory, Dunstaffnage again, and Puilladobhrain (where they went on the mud when trying to turn round in light weather at dead low water), Shuna (North end), MacNevan, Tarbert, and Rothesay, and back to Tighnabruaich on Wednesday, June 27. They had no disaster but had some fog and at least twice walked about five miles each way to go to dances – to Easdale from Puilladobhrain and to Oban from Dunstaffnage. We were most disappointed to hear that the engine was still up to its old tricks – still ran perfectly for an hour or so then stopped. It was suggested that it might be the condenser and we fitted a new one but, as was proved later, with no success.
The Bosun left the Fulmar at Tighnabruaich and went to Port Bannatyne to race round Ailsa Craig in St Roma and the Mate, Purser (with a terrible cold), Tar, Major,
The dog-eared but fascinating 1956 log book.
Skipper, and Alec Biggar, joined her later on Friday, June 29. It was a poor but dry evening and they did not sail that night but were early away on Saturday under engine to Rothesay for the Royal Clyde Centenary Regatta (attended by the Duke of Edinburgh in the Britannia).
The engine went beautifully to the church in the East Kyle then stopped in its old way and main and jib went up in a hurry to a strong south wind. They had one or two tacks then got a fine leg across Port Bannatyne Bay to Ardyne in a big sea and ‘going like a bomb’.
They saw the start of the races, including a spectacular one of 39 dragons, then passed astern of Britannia and anchored off the ‘Gay
Queen’ jetty where the Bosun joined them, being fetched off by the Purser who had but lately turned out after a long lie in an effort to kill her cold. The same two, taking the Major with them, went off to collect the Bosun’s luggage at the pier.
It was a cold dull day with occasional spits of rain and blowing quite stiffly so the races were soon over and the anchorages (small craft at Craigmore, big ones astern of us in two lines, the very big ones out in the bay near the Britannia’s attendant destroyer) soon filled up and made a very fine sight.
They dressed Fulmar overall to be upsides with many others then sat about watching the scene after Biggar, the Purser and Bosun had visited Hamish Lawrence in his new Seewolf.
Unfortunately the evening set in with heavy rain and the Skipper turned in early but the others waited up to see the illuminations and Biggar and the Bosun went to Port Bannatyne to visit Harold Hagman in his new motor boat. The Purser’s cold was improving but she turned in feeling not too good and was very sick during the night for no accountable reason. The Fulmar was one of the few yachts that got down the ‘dress ship’ flags, her ensign, and her burgee, with ‘Colours’ sounded off by Britannia. The Bosun hoisted the riding light just before dark as they were the nearest boat to the pier. Nysa was anchored close inshore from them, Tunnag to seaward, and Tai-mo-shan astern.
The Skipper was up early for ‘Colours’ and again Fulmar was one of the few boats who carried out the correct procedure. Some yachts had left their ensigns and “Dress Ship” flags up overnight. It was a dull cold morning with a light south-easterly breeze and rain not far off.
Before breakfast Alec and the Tar took the Major ashore for this run and gave Hunter of Nysa a lift off to his boat.
They got the sails up