Kalessin has been through a lot of locks in her time. In 2008, going through the French canals, we did 315 locks in 30 days. But it's all new to Alex and David, so it seemed a good idea to take things gently. Scottish Canals are very helpful, so every lock is operated for you, with a lock-keeper who takes your lines, but you need to know what to do with the rope when they chuck it back to you, how to adjust the fenders, and when to pull and when not to pull.
Before all of that we had time for a quick exploration of the area around the Seaport Marina. I had somehow managed to lose my new Sealskinz gloves, bought in Dundee, having only worn them a few times. I think they must have fallen out of my pocket while cycling back to Whitehills. But behold! A Go Outdoors branch is less than 10 minutes' walk from the marina, which sells the same gloves. So I headed up the canal for a short run, got to Go Outdoors just as they opened, found the gloves (and a midge hood, but no cycle chain oil), got back, paid the marina £5 for electric hookup (one night at the marina is included in the £261 canal fee) and had a shower, before heading off to the Muirhead flight of locks at 1100. I also had time to work out that code flag M would do service as a saltire courtesy flag, find it and hoist it.
On a fairly warm and almost windless morning, we were in convoy with Olivia, a Norwegian boat Sophia V, and a small but sturdy Scottish boat called Lara. Olivia was heading for a Loch Ness anchorage, Sophia V gave up after the locks and didn't even make it to the next bridge, but Lara was fresh from a 41-hour passage from Port Edgar and keen to get to Fort Augustus. Apparently her normal berth is on the west coast but her owner works at Port Edgar and had taken her back there for repairs to be completed. Anyway we had lunch while waiting for the Torvean swing bridge, passed through the Dochgarroch lock and tied up just astern of Olivia, who had decided agains Loch Ness after all. As we arrived the rain started. The crew got the cockpit tent up in no time flat and we are all snug, safe and remarkably warm.
Distance run: 4 miles, two bridges and five locks
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| Alex doing ropes |
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| David helming |
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