SAILING DESTINATIONS
By Charlie Nobles
Photos courtesy of VisitScotland at www.ToScotland.com
I
f you are searching for something both more exotic
and challenging than the usual tropical destinations
For more information on Scotland’s
for your next sailing vacation, consider Scotland.
waterways, visit www.scottishcanals.co.uk;
for more on sailing in Scotland, go to
What Scotland lacks in palm trees and sand, it more
than makes up for with its unique offering of lochs,
ASA’s sailing resources page at
canals with locks, castles, historic marinas and hundreds www.ASA.com
of small islands to explore.
You will probably need to do a bit more research than for
your usual vacation to decide both where and how best
to enjoy sailing in Scotland. Options range from a
skippered charter “Classic Malts Cruise” in which one
sails to each of the major malt producing regions, to
bareboat charters navigating the lochs (and locks) of
inland Scotland or the rough beauty of the Outer
Hebrides Islands.
Legends and mystique shroud Scotland’s breathtaking
seascapes. Local life, from bustling pubs to the serenity
of its remote communities, is at once both unique and
diverse. Plentiful wildlife from rare bird species to
facilities have different hours each season and may
porpoises and whales add drama to the haunting
require very specific times of passage (due to local
archaeological remains that pepper the landscape.
commuter traffic on bridges or tidal height restrictions).
First-time skippers to these waters will have a lot of local
Although (third party) pilotage through the locks is not
navigation information with which they should become
typically required, those lacking sufficient experience
familiar. Tides do matter in Scotland, and currents may
using the Scottish lock system will certainly want to
be strong. In addition to area charts, you will also need
request some hands-on aid. The lock keepers who
local navigational publications such as canal guides.
operate these are usually very knowledgeable and used to
helping less experienced skippers. Pay attention to their
Lock and Bridge Operations, whose personnel control the
advice … particularly if you are someone who is
raising of bridges and use of canal locks, play a major
unfamiliar with terms like “cill marker” and “lock
role in exploring Scotland’s inner waterways. These
gangway.”
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