Campbeltown

In midsummer with long warm days and (mostly) light winds it is easy to forget how hostile these waters can be. The picture shows a memorial in Portpatrick commemorating the loss of the Princess Victoria off this coast on a stormy January night in 1953. 

The Princess Victoria was a car ferry sailing to Northern Ireland. She set out in a gale and the waves broke open the rear doors to the car deck causing her to take on water and sink. 

There were difficulties in organising the rescue attempts, partly because the rescue ships were unable to find her. Many passengers and crew died in the shipwreck.

Today was much more peaceful and we mostly motored from Portpatrick across the Firth of Clyde to Campbeltown. We had light head winds which later faded away. Head winds have been a feature of this trip so far: we have had head winds or no wind all the way from Lands End to the Clyde. Maybe things might get better soon.

The picture shows the lighthouse at the entrance to Campbeltown Loch. The small marina was quite crowded but eventually we managed to raft up alongside another boat.

Most of the other gaffers that were here have moved on, but Indian Runner is still here and we had a pleasant evening enjoying a drink aboard with Roger and Chris Hardman and their crew. Chris writes a blog of Indian Runners adventures which is always worth reading.