Irene McLachlin
toad
assumed she was a figure of the distant past maybe the 60's era. In
fact, according to Libby Purves' "One Summer's Grace", she was still
there in '88 and it seems as late as '91.
Any UKRSers actually meet her? What was she like?
Dennis Pogson
Sure, I met Irene sevral times during the 80's. You couldn't visit Ardnamir
without meeting her! An oddball lady, with a very butch appearance and
dominant temperament, particularly with regard to navigating into HER
anchorage. She would bellow at the top of her very considerable voice if you
deviated by as much as 1 metre (sorry, yard) from the approved transit,
which is scary enough without the vocal accompaniment.
Once anchored safely in a position required by Irene herself, you made the
obligatory pilgrimage to her house, where you were assailed by a huge
collection of visitor's books, seemingly going back to the twenties, and
obliged Irene by signing in yourself and your crew, admiring her cats, and
being generally friendly!
Her domineering personality masked a soft interior, and she was really a
pussycat herself. Lonely, particularly in the winter months, rumour has it
that the local populace treated her with great respect, and she had many
friends, despite her somewhat isolated domicile.
She never failed to recommend that visiting yachtspeople would take the walk
across the island to the Buttery, to enjoy a meal, had a great way of
singling out the more dominant personalities in your crew and engaging them
in nautical conversation, and by the mid-eighties had become so famous that
no Clyde Cruising Club publication for the area would fail to mention her.
Regrettably, as with all of us, age caught up with Irene, and although I
lost contact with The Lady of Ardnamir in the late eighties, in a recent
conversation with a sailing friend, he implied that she was last known to be
a patient in an old peoples' home on one of the adjoining islands, possibly
Shuna or Seill, and may probably have died there.
Others, and particularly long-term members of the CCC, will have more
detailed information as to the truth of these ramblings, but surely we shall
miss such an unusual and incredible character.
Ardnamir is not the same without Irene, beautiful anchorage though it still
is.
Dennis.
toad
wrote:
> toad wrote:
> She would bellow at the top of her very considerable voice if you
> deviated by as much as 1 metre (sorry, yard) from the approved transit,
> which is scary enough without the vocal accompaniment.
I could have done with that when I went there! (we got too close to
the Perches IMHO.)
> Once anchored safely in a position required by Irene herself,
Makes the Salen port authority look positively easy going!
[snip the rest]
Ta for that, really interesting. I hope her visitors books are safe
somewhere.
Tony of Judicious
> On 19 Apr, 09:37, "Dennis Pogson" <dennis_nospampog...@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
SNIPPED
I met her, must have beena getting on for 20 years ago. Interesting
person <g>.
> > Once anchored safely in a position required by Irene herself,
>
> Makes the Salen port authority look positively easy going!
>
Agreed.
Ian Johnston
I went into Ardanmir once (bloody horrible anchorage in a southwesterly
(*)) in - I think - 1990 or 1991, and made the obligatory trip to the
cottage. At first I thought I'd gone to the wrong place, because there
was only an old man there - then she spoke. Whoops.
She knew everyone and yes (other post) she recommended the buttery.
Ian
* Because, as I think I posted before, the tide sets through very
strongly NW - SE, and a varying SW wind meant we change between wind and
tide rode every ten minutes, breaking out the anchor each time and
zigzagging slowly across the anchorage. We had to reanchor something like
8 times, and every time we did there were other yachts doing precisely
the same. Perhaps something cunning could have been done with two
anchors, but a busy anchorage on a dark night was no place to try it!
Alisdair
"Dennis Pogson" <dennis_no...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:kTFVh.4355$kb4...@newsfe1-win.ntli.net...
> toad wrote:
>> The name of the Ardinamir character crops up a fair bit but I'd always
>> assumed she was a figure of the distant past maybe the 60's era. In
>> fact, according to Libby Purves' "One Summer's Grace", she was still
>> there in '88 and it seems as late as '91.
>>
>> Any UKRSers actually meet her? What was she like?
>
> Sure, I met Irene sevral times during the 80's. You couldn't visit
> Ardnamir
> without meeting her! An oddball lady, with a very butch appearance and
> dominant temperament, particularly with regard to navigating into HER
> anchorage. She would bellow at the top of her very considerable voice if
> you
> deviated by as much as 1 metre (sorry, yard) from the approved transit,
> which is scary enough without the vocal accompaniment.
>
Unless it's been replaced in the last couple of weeks, the anchorage is even
trickier now that one of the perches is missing.
Alisdair
toad
> "Dennis Pogson" <dennis_nospampog...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
Are the pilot books a bit optimistic about the depth across the
entrance? I went in at low tide and found it a bit shallow but I
wondered if I was a bit _too_ close to the perches.
Dennis Pogson
My 1963 Blue Book (which is maroon!) says you should aim for a gravel patch
on the west shore, marked by a white stone, and pass "very close" to the
southernmost rock. As this would presumeably be written before the perches
were erected, I would take "very close" to mean about the length of a
boathook.
If, as you say, one of the perches is missing, you should sell your latest
CCC Sailing Directions, and buy a Blue Book, far and away the handiest of
all CCC publications. I could let you have mine for around £300!
Dennis.
toad
wrote:
> My 1963 Blue Book (which is maroon!) says you should aim for a gravel patch
> on the west shore, marked by a white stone, and pass "very close" to the
> southernmost rock. As this would presumeably be written before the perches
> were erected, I would take "very close" to mean about the length of a
> boathook.
I remember the entrance well. Go in on a bearing on a paler patch of
Gravel. I don't recal the white stone.
The water was clear and rocks clealy visible right down to the bottom
despite quite a chop so we were as near to the perches/rocks as we
could get which was about a boat hook length. At the time I put the
shallowness down to being too close to the rocks and it shoaling up a
bit. It seems we got it right and either it is a little shallower that
the books claim or our echo sounder was fibbing.
> you should sell your latest
> CCC Sailing Directions, and buy a Blue Book, far and away the handiest of
> all CCC publications. I could let you have mine for around £300!
You're pusing against an open door. I have a blue book from the early
70's - an excellent pilot guide even today. The detail is far beyond
modern pilot books. It didn't cost me £300 though and it is blue!
Norman Lynagh
<dennis_no...@ntlworld.com> writes
I've also got the maroon edition and two different editions of the Blue
Book. All absolutely priceless! Definitely to be used in conjunction
with the current versions.
I first met Irene in the early 1970's when I was told in no uncertain
terms that I had anchored too far south. I think they probably heard her
in Glasgow! I seem to recall that she ended up in a home in Oban but my
memory may not be correct.
Norman
(delete "thisbit" twice to e-mail)
--
Norman Lynagh Weather Consultancy
Alisdair
I've had a 1974 edition of the blue book since new, but thanks for the offer
anyway.
However, I've rarely used mine ever since I planned to anchor behind Craobh
Island (on the same page) only to arrive and find someone was building a &^%
marina there :(
Alisdair
toad
F**king hell, you would completely do your nut if you got hold of a
copy of Frank Cowper's 1892 "Sailing Tours"!
Alisdair
"toad" <toad_of...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1177098249....@n76g2000hsh.googlegroups.com.....
> >
> > I've had a 1974 edition of the blue book since new, but thanks for the
> > offer
> > anyway.
> > However, I've rarely used mine ever since I planned to anchor behind
> > Craobh
> > Island (on the same page) only to arrive and find someone was building a
> > &^%
> > marina there :(
>
> F**king hell, you would completely do your nut if you got hold of a
> copy of Frank Cowper's 1892 "Sailing Tours"!
I don't doubt it! Indeed, I must admit to some angst travelling through
France while reading a copy RLS's Inland Voyage ca. 1876 ;)
Alisdair
Ian Johnston
> On 20 Apr, 20:07, "Alisdair" <n...@agurney.com> wrote:
>> "Dennis Pogson" <dennis_nospampog...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>> I've had a 1974 edition of the blue book since new, but thanks for the
>> offer anyway.
>> However, I've rarely used mine ever since I planned to anchor behind
>> Craobh Island (on the same page) only to arrive and find someone was
>> building a &^% marina there :(
>
> F**king hell, you would completely do your nut if you got hold of a copy
> of Frank Cowper's 1892 "Sailing Tours"!
I've got one of them too. Not on board, though - I use a 1936 CCC book
when I'm afloat. It's a nice handy size!
Ian
PS Several people asked me about 2nd hand CCC guides following my earlier
offer. The stock is spread over several places, folks, and as soon as I
can work out what's spare I'll be in touch. I think I have enough for
everyone who asked.
Justin C
Ian Johnston <ian.g...@btinternet.com> wrote:
Out of interest, what is CCC?
In my usual NGs it's the Camping and Caravanning Club, but I'm *sure*
it's not right here.... I think it'd take some rudder to stop a caravan
from heading leeward...though it'd probably float if you kept the door
shut... and, as for my tent, well, it almost turned into a kite the last
time we pitched, it was only down to the consideration of someone else
(I know not who - though my wife and I are very grateful) that our tent,
sleeping bags, roll mats, and clothes didn't end up the far end of
Langdale attempting to scale Scafell, and take a subsequent bathe in
Waswater.... maybe it thinks it's a spinnaker - it does (when pitching,
at least) appear designed to catch the wind.
Ian
> Out of interest, what is CCC?
Clyde Cruising Club, publishers of the CCC Sailing Directions.
Ian
Paul Cooper
<justi...@purestblue.com> wrote:
>
>Out of interest, what is CCC?
>
>
Clyde Cruising Club, which is the usual usage on this NG!
Paul