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TAYVALLICH
FOR VISITING YACHTS
Tayvallich
Bay has always been one of the best natural anchorages on The West Coast
of Scotland. It was well known to the raiders on Long Ships from Norway
1,000 years ago as a place of shelter and plenty, and was a safe haven
to trading ships up to the 19th century. Now Tayvallich Bay
is best known as a safe and picturesque anchorage for visiting yachts
and motor cruisers from The Clyde, The North of Scotland, Europe,
Scandinavia and Beyond.
Tayvallich
Bay (56°01.45"N and 5°37.3"W) is at the head of Loch Sween
and is sheltered from the North, West and South with only 1.5
miles of fetch from the East. The passage from Tayvallich to the mouth
of Loch Sween, which opens out onto The Sound of Jura and the four
MacCormaig
Islands, is some 7
nautical miles. Yachts on passage North round The Mull of Kintyre
from The Clyde or from Ireland will pass the mouth of Loch Sween, some 12
nautical miles South of Crinan,
and should certainly consider a stopover at Tayvallich. Visiting yachts
should be aware that there is a strong tidal effect at the mouth of Loch
Sween and that the tide can run at 3 knots in The Sound of Jura (and up
to 4 knots at Springs) so that tidal planning is certainly helpful. As a
general guide the North-going stream at the mouth of Loch Sween starts
at HW Oban plus 4.50 hours and the South-going stream at HW Oban minus
1.10 hours. The relevant Admiralty
Chart is 2397.
Tayvallich
is about 17 nautical miles from
Craighouse on the Isle of Jura, 22
nautical miles from Ardminish Bay on The
Isle of Gigha, 34 nautical miles from
Port Ellen on Islay, 67 nautical miles
from Campbeltown, and some 40
nautical miles from Oban to the North.
When you
visit Tayvallich Bay by yacht or motor cruiser there are many moorings
but all are privately owned and organised by The Tayvallich Mooring
Owners Association (TMOA). Have a
look at the chartlet below to see the three areas where visiting yachts
are most welcome to anchor. Please do not pick up private moorings on
arrival.
Another
delightful anchorage very close-by, is at The Fairy Islands, only some 2
miles from Tayvallich and while almost
everyone will love this magic place, many will prefer it for a secluded
lunchtime picnic and a leisurely exploration by dinghy, followed by a
stopover in Tayvallich as the Fairy Islands provide no man-made
facilities whatever.
In
1998 The
Tayvallich Harbour Committee (a non-profit making body) greatly improved the concrete jetty adjacent to the public slipway at
the old “Post Office Pier” and in 2000 they funded the laying of a
pontoon from the new jetty. Please note that
the new pontoon may only be used by boats (resident or visitor) for a
maximum of one hour at a time and that crew must be in attendance at all
times. There is a separate facility for dinghies at the concrete pier. A
fresh water supply at the pontoon was installed in May 2001. Meanwhile a water tap is
available at the very well stocked Village Shop.
Donations from visiting yachts using these facilities would be greatly
appreciated and may be given at The Village Shop or at The Tayvallich
Inn.
Until
these recent upgrades at the “Post Office Pier” the only facility
that allowed a yacht to lie by the shore, was at The Carrick Pier. This
is still available for local and visiting boats but at high tide can be
difficult of access and as it is largely used by fishing boats, you
should be aware that your vessel may be “rafted out” even after a
brief layover. The same restrictions that apply to the new pontoon apply
to Carrick Pier.
Most
types of bottled gas can be purchased at Leachive Caravans next to the
Tayvallich Inn but the nearest facilities for diesel, a water hose and
for chandlery is at Crinan Boatyard. (See
Links Page) The nearest Marinas are Ardfern and Croabh Haven to the North.
If on
passage on The Sound of Jura you are tempted to visit Tayvallich but
have time constraints on your sailing holiday you
might consider a night stop at Carsaig
Bay (the same Admiralty Chart 2397 as for Tayvallich) which is some
15 nautical miles from Tayvallich by sea, but only one
mile from The Tayvallich Inn by road. A stopover at Carsaig is less well
known than Tayvallich itself but is an interesting alternative to lying
in Crinan Basin, only 5 nautical miles to
the North. There are three valid anchorage’s at Carsaig. The first is
in the inner South Bay (about ¾ miles from the shore) and well
sheltered from the prevailing SW wind. The second is the outer South Bay
but this is not appropriate
if you want to visit the fleshpots of Tayvallich. The third is in the
North Bay inside of Carsaig Island. Good shelter is provided in one or
the other and you will also see the other side of the Magic of the
Tayvallich Experience which is the outlook to Jura from Carsaig Bay.
Tayvallich also has a coffee shop, together with toilets, and a shower for visiting
yachtsmen and women. Click here
for details.
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