Erica Revie has been shortlisted for the RYA Scotland Annual Awards for female endeavours in sailing.
She has been nominated for her Boat/Bike Charity exploits last year. A report is reproduced below.
Erica’s Boat and Bike Challenge
With slight trepidation I set off for my first single-handed adventure on 22nd June, bound for the West coast islands
with my Sadler 25, Auk, and my bike. The plan was to sail to as many islands as possible, then cycle round them,
raising money for my two chosen charities, the RNLI and Maggies Centres. Preparation for this included a day of
single-handed mooring, anchoring and pontoon practice, and a night alone at anchor off the north end of Cumbrae.
Other practical issues to be checked were the ability to get my bike into and out of the dinghy, and to row with it
on board. I’d decided to take my shiny new cyclocross bike (a cross between a road bike and a regular bike)
because of its light weight and its a capacity to cope with slightly rugged terrain. With only myself on board the bike
fitted snugly down below without having to be dismantled, a major plus. After a few other safety preparations, I was
ready to go. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s advice at the beginning of my Clipper race in 2007 was in my mind: “One
hand for yourself, one hand for the ship”. I tried not to think about the possibility of accidentally falling overboard
and watching Auk sailing away from me.
Departure day was cloudy with a light southwesterly breeze. After a lovely send-off from Largs I set sail for Port
Bannatyne. Some porpoises provided cheer when the rain started, and other than a close encounter with Toward
Bank buoy when the wind died unexpectedly, the sail was uneventful. By the following morning the rain had cleared
and blue sky and blazing sunshine provided the backdrop for my first island cycle. Bute did not disappoint, with the
grounds of Mount Stuart being a particular highlight. 32 miles down it was time to get sailing again, and after a
gentle drift up the East Kyle, I picked up a mooring in Colintraive for the night. An early start the next day offered
yet further lovely sailing conditions and after a blast down the West Kyle and up Loch Fyne, came across the Scottish
Series fleet wallowing in a hole with racing postponed. I snuck into Tarbert early to get some chores done before an
evening of socialising and fundraising. The early start the next morning was a little painful, but with help arranged at
Ardrishaig to get through the canal I had a deadline to meet. The perils of single-handed sailing became clear when
I failed to see a logging ship approaching from behind as I neared Ardrishaig. To my considerable surprise it suddenly
appeared next to me at close quarters, forcing me to take avoiding action in the narrow buoyed area. Safely into the
canal and with help on board, we set off on a very slow passage in the company of two other boats. Many hands, it
seems, does not necessarily make light work! We got as far as lock 11 and were stopped for the night. My help
departed, but the canal staff were excellent and promised assistance with the final bit the next day. As dusk fell,
the sky turned black with clouds of midgies, all hungry and eyeing up dinner on a little red boat.
Having made it through the night unscathed, the rest of the passage through the canal was uneventful and in flat seas
and little wind I sailed through the Dorus Mor and then motored up to Ardinamir on Luing. The entrance to the bay was
a little unnerving, but nowhere near as much as when I left at low tide the next day! A cracking cycle on Luing the
following day was followed by some equally great cycling on Seil and Easedale. I met some wonderful and generous
people, including the delightful owners of the boatyard at Balvicar who invited me in to their house for a cup of tea.
Soaked to the skin by an unexpected downpour that evening, and with a muddy bike to deal with in the cockpit, it
seemed only right that the balance should be re-dressed after such an otherwise excellent day.
Passage through the Cuan Sound the next day provided some navigational interest. In contrast to when I was a child
when I just wanted to see how fast we could go with the tide, responsibility brought a whole new objective: to make it
through in one piece! Mildly anxious about the description of the potential to be swept sideways on to the Cleit rock,
and knowing Auk’s limited ability to motor herself out of trouble, I timed the passage for slack water. The passage
between Easedale and Seil at LW Springs was also interesting, with kelp extending a worrying distance out from each
shore. However, the passage was uneventful, and after a lovely sail, I arrived at Kerrera in the late afternoon.
Single-handed sailing has the potential to be a bit lonely. At Oban marina I deliberately chose a free pontoon next to a
boat where people were sitting in the cockpit enjoying the sunshine. Before my lines were even fully secured, the offer
to join them for a drink had been made. Bingo! Two glasses of prosecco later I remembered I had another island to ‘bag’
on my bike before any early start the next day, so declined a third and headed off in the early evening sunshine.
On reflection, I could have, and probably should have, left this ride until another time as I certainly came back to
Kerrera later in the trip. The track around Kerrera is best described as rough, and after rain is very boggy in places.
On a mountain bike it would have been great fun. On my bike however, it was hard work and a little dangerous at
times. After one bad fall I realised the remoteness of my situation as I was out of phone reception and hadn’t seen
anyone on the track all evening. Fortunately damage to both myself and the bike was minimal and I made it back
to the marina safely before dark. Exhausted there was no time to rest as the bike had to be cleaned and stowed
before my 0530hrs departure the next morning.
The following day I set out for the south-west corner of Mull. I had arranged a rendezvous with Mum and Dad on
Ellen Vannin to take delivery of my new mainsail cover, and suggested Ardalanish as I had never been there before.
Clearly this is somewhere to only go in settled weather, but the forecast was promising. It was a grey flat day, with
little wind and lots of motor sailing. The approach to Ardalanish is interesting, with the entrance really only opening
up at the last minute. The beautiful white sand and turquoise sea provided a tempting setting in which to dive under
Auk to clear some weed firmly stuck around her propeller, however the water temperature was far from tropical!
Another problem that had emerged was with transmission from my VHF radio. With further settled weather forecast
I was very keen to visit some of the islands on the west coast of Mull, but felt vulnerable with only a handheld VHF
in this remote area. Mum and Dad kindly agreed to cruise with me, accompanying me back to the safety of Tobermory
a couple of days later. In this time we called in at Erraid, had a stunning sail to Lunga (with a quick trip ashore to see
the puffins), and a night at Gometra Harbour. The track on Gometra was very rough and reminiscent of Kerrera and
after carrying my bike along quite a lot of it, decided to abandon the idea of cycling Ulva. We headed for Loch Sunart
and a favourite anchorage in a narrow gut near Carna. The following day was the windiest so far, requiring me to have
go at single-handed reefing. The autohelm did not cope well with the gusty conditions and I eventually just had to
abandon the helm during this process. Fortunately with plenty of sea room this was not a problem, and once
appropriately reefed I had a comfortable sail across to Tobermory. Here I was able to acquire a new VHF, undertook
a gruelling 7 hour cycle around the north of Mull in the rain, and had a night out on the Tobermory lifeboat on their
training evening. I also took advantage of Auk’s twin keels (and Mum and Dad being around), and dried her out for
the first time in an attempt to stop the prop shaft anode rattling. This was an ongoing problem that was not fixed
first time round and required a second go at Lismore a few days later. From Tobermory I had an exhilarating sail
down to Loch Aline, and then on to Port Ramsay on Lismore. Lismore was a sheer delight to cycle, Port Ramsay
an excellent anchorage, and the weather stunning throughout. From there I headed down to Puilladobhrain on Seil.
This is one of my favourite anchorages, with its thick black mud that holds brilliantly, interesting islands to row
around on a calm evening, and plenty of wildlife to see. With strong SE winds forecast I nipped back up to Kerrera
the following day. As the wind and chop picked up at the pontoons it became clear that it was not going to be a
quiet night, and when the boat pitched around so violently that an unstowed box of cereal fell over, I realised I
might have been better staying where I was. I headed back to Puilladobhrain early the next day for a rest!
With limited time left on my trip and ongoing SE winds it became clear that I was not going to make it to Jura
and Islay as I had hoped. I started planning my return to the Clyde, and left early the next morning for the Cuan
Sound. I dropped anchor in the bay at the north end of Shuna around 0830hrs and after a short nap and a second
breakfast, looked into the possibilities for cycling the island. There was a rough track marked on the OS map but
there was no good option for landing without going about a mile in the dinghy with my bike in a strengthening wind.
Common sense prevailed and I headed across to Croabh Haven instead to source a new rubber joint for my tiller
extension that was about to fail. With no luck in the chandlery there, I set off on my bike for Ardfern where I had
more success. I decided to take Auk there the next day, and with help from the chandlery staff and their drill, my
tiller extension was fixed. With no particular rush to get to Crinan the next day, I spend a very pleasant morning
short-tacking down Loch Craignish in a lovely light breeze. In the first hour I made only a mile of progress down
the loch, but was rewarded by first hearing and then seeing some sea eagles. The following day I made my way
through the Crinan canal with company and then headed for Tarbert. Like others who had shown such generosity
along the way, and in recognition of my fundraising for the RNLI, my mooring fees were waived by the THA and I
was welcomed in at the pontoons. From Tarbert I retraced my steps round the Kyles to Wreck Bay in perfect
sailing conditions, encountering the Round Bute Race fleet on the way. It was an incredibly hot day and I arrived
to find members of Fairlie Yacht Club at anchor, soaking up the sunshine. After an excellent muster ashore I snuck
away early the next morning, headed for Cumbrae for my final island of the trip. I was joined by friends for this cycle
and after a very pleasant day, made the short hop back to Largs where I received a wonderful warm welcome.
Reflecting on the trip, I learned a lot. I learned a lot about single-handed sailing, such as the need to be organised
and prepare in advance. I developed little rituals, like keeping the autohelm outside on windy nights at anchor in
case of dragging. I also learned to factor in much longer than anticipated for any given task. Arriving and leaving
marinas was particularly time-consuming and anchoring or picking up a mooring preferable for a quick getaway in
the morning. I kept passages short, never more than eight hours and often less, and found that the time flew by
whilst at sea. Evenings were filled with sorting the boat out, cooking, passage planning and then sleep. Having
taken several books to read I managed only three pages in three weeks! I also learned a lot about islands that I
have visited many times before when growing up, but never really strayed far from the shore. The bike was a
fantastic way to explore these islands further and to discover new places. And being by myself gave me
opportunity to meet so many interesting people. Some were locals, some were visitors too, all were universally
generous with their support and encouragement. Fundraising for Maggies Centres, many people opened up and
told me about their own personal cancer experiences, which was both touching and humbling.
During my trip I was very lucky with the weather and this contributed enormously to the success of my
single-handed adventure. Auk was brilliant, keeping me safe and making life easy for me. I know better
than to think I have cracked it, but I am inspired to do more next summer…
You can watch a short video I made of my adventure by following this link:
http://youtu.be/S_DL9YQ4lco
She has been nominated for her Boat/Bike Charity exploits last year. A report is reproduced below.
Erica’s Boat and Bike Challenge
With slight trepidation I set off for my first single-handed adventure on 22nd June, bound for the West coast islands
with my Sadler 25, Auk, and my bike. The plan was to sail to as many islands as possible, then cycle round them,
raising money for my two chosen charities, the RNLI and Maggies Centres. Preparation for this included a day of
single-handed mooring, anchoring and pontoon practice, and a night alone at anchor off the north end of Cumbrae.
Other practical issues to be checked were the ability to get my bike into and out of the dinghy, and to row with it
on board. I’d decided to take my shiny new cyclocross bike (a cross between a road bike and a regular bike)
because of its light weight and its a capacity to cope with slightly rugged terrain. With only myself on board the bike
fitted snugly down below without having to be dismantled, a major plus. After a few other safety preparations, I was
ready to go. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s advice at the beginning of my Clipper race in 2007 was in my mind: “One
hand for yourself, one hand for the ship”. I tried not to think about the possibility of accidentally falling overboard
and watching Auk sailing away from me.
Departure day was cloudy with a light southwesterly breeze. After a lovely send-off from Largs I set sail for Port
Bannatyne. Some porpoises provided cheer when the rain started, and other than a close encounter with Toward
Bank buoy when the wind died unexpectedly, the sail was uneventful. By the following morning the rain had cleared
and blue sky and blazing sunshine provided the backdrop for my first island cycle. Bute did not disappoint, with the
grounds of Mount Stuart being a particular highlight. 32 miles down it was time to get sailing again, and after a
gentle drift up the East Kyle, I picked up a mooring in Colintraive for the night. An early start the next day offered
yet further lovely sailing conditions and after a blast down the West Kyle and up Loch Fyne, came across the Scottish
Series fleet wallowing in a hole with racing postponed. I snuck into Tarbert early to get some chores done before an
evening of socialising and fundraising. The early start the next morning was a little painful, but with help arranged at
Ardrishaig to get through the canal I had a deadline to meet. The perils of single-handed sailing became clear when
I failed to see a logging ship approaching from behind as I neared Ardrishaig. To my considerable surprise it suddenly
appeared next to me at close quarters, forcing me to take avoiding action in the narrow buoyed area. Safely into the
canal and with help on board, we set off on a very slow passage in the company of two other boats. Many hands, it
seems, does not necessarily make light work! We got as far as lock 11 and were stopped for the night. My help
departed, but the canal staff were excellent and promised assistance with the final bit the next day. As dusk fell,
the sky turned black with clouds of midgies, all hungry and eyeing up dinner on a little red boat.
Having made it through the night unscathed, the rest of the passage through the canal was uneventful and in flat seas
and little wind I sailed through the Dorus Mor and then motored up to Ardinamir on Luing. The entrance to the bay was
a little unnerving, but nowhere near as much as when I left at low tide the next day! A cracking cycle on Luing the
following day was followed by some equally great cycling on Seil and Easedale. I met some wonderful and generous
people, including the delightful owners of the boatyard at Balvicar who invited me in to their house for a cup of tea.
Soaked to the skin by an unexpected downpour that evening, and with a muddy bike to deal with in the cockpit, it
seemed only right that the balance should be re-dressed after such an otherwise excellent day.
Passage through the Cuan Sound the next day provided some navigational interest. In contrast to when I was a child
when I just wanted to see how fast we could go with the tide, responsibility brought a whole new objective: to make it
through in one piece! Mildly anxious about the description of the potential to be swept sideways on to the Cleit rock,
and knowing Auk’s limited ability to motor herself out of trouble, I timed the passage for slack water. The passage
between Easedale and Seil at LW Springs was also interesting, with kelp extending a worrying distance out from each
shore. However, the passage was uneventful, and after a lovely sail, I arrived at Kerrera in the late afternoon.
Single-handed sailing has the potential to be a bit lonely. At Oban marina I deliberately chose a free pontoon next to a
boat where people were sitting in the cockpit enjoying the sunshine. Before my lines were even fully secured, the offer
to join them for a drink had been made. Bingo! Two glasses of prosecco later I remembered I had another island to ‘bag’
on my bike before any early start the next day, so declined a third and headed off in the early evening sunshine.
On reflection, I could have, and probably should have, left this ride until another time as I certainly came back to
Kerrera later in the trip. The track around Kerrera is best described as rough, and after rain is very boggy in places.
On a mountain bike it would have been great fun. On my bike however, it was hard work and a little dangerous at
times. After one bad fall I realised the remoteness of my situation as I was out of phone reception and hadn’t seen
anyone on the track all evening. Fortunately damage to both myself and the bike was minimal and I made it back
to the marina safely before dark. Exhausted there was no time to rest as the bike had to be cleaned and stowed
before my 0530hrs departure the next morning.
The following day I set out for the south-west corner of Mull. I had arranged a rendezvous with Mum and Dad on
Ellen Vannin to take delivery of my new mainsail cover, and suggested Ardalanish as I had never been there before.
Clearly this is somewhere to only go in settled weather, but the forecast was promising. It was a grey flat day, with
little wind and lots of motor sailing. The approach to Ardalanish is interesting, with the entrance really only opening
up at the last minute. The beautiful white sand and turquoise sea provided a tempting setting in which to dive under
Auk to clear some weed firmly stuck around her propeller, however the water temperature was far from tropical!
Another problem that had emerged was with transmission from my VHF radio. With further settled weather forecast
I was very keen to visit some of the islands on the west coast of Mull, but felt vulnerable with only a handheld VHF
in this remote area. Mum and Dad kindly agreed to cruise with me, accompanying me back to the safety of Tobermory
a couple of days later. In this time we called in at Erraid, had a stunning sail to Lunga (with a quick trip ashore to see
the puffins), and a night at Gometra Harbour. The track on Gometra was very rough and reminiscent of Kerrera and
after carrying my bike along quite a lot of it, decided to abandon the idea of cycling Ulva. We headed for Loch Sunart
and a favourite anchorage in a narrow gut near Carna. The following day was the windiest so far, requiring me to have
go at single-handed reefing. The autohelm did not cope well with the gusty conditions and I eventually just had to
abandon the helm during this process. Fortunately with plenty of sea room this was not a problem, and once
appropriately reefed I had a comfortable sail across to Tobermory. Here I was able to acquire a new VHF, undertook
a gruelling 7 hour cycle around the north of Mull in the rain, and had a night out on the Tobermory lifeboat on their
training evening. I also took advantage of Auk’s twin keels (and Mum and Dad being around), and dried her out for
the first time in an attempt to stop the prop shaft anode rattling. This was an ongoing problem that was not fixed
first time round and required a second go at Lismore a few days later. From Tobermory I had an exhilarating sail
down to Loch Aline, and then on to Port Ramsay on Lismore. Lismore was a sheer delight to cycle, Port Ramsay
an excellent anchorage, and the weather stunning throughout. From there I headed down to Puilladobhrain on Seil.
This is one of my favourite anchorages, with its thick black mud that holds brilliantly, interesting islands to row
around on a calm evening, and plenty of wildlife to see. With strong SE winds forecast I nipped back up to Kerrera
the following day. As the wind and chop picked up at the pontoons it became clear that it was not going to be a
quiet night, and when the boat pitched around so violently that an unstowed box of cereal fell over, I realised I
might have been better staying where I was. I headed back to Puilladobhrain early the next day for a rest!
With limited time left on my trip and ongoing SE winds it became clear that I was not going to make it to Jura
and Islay as I had hoped. I started planning my return to the Clyde, and left early the next morning for the Cuan
Sound. I dropped anchor in the bay at the north end of Shuna around 0830hrs and after a short nap and a second
breakfast, looked into the possibilities for cycling the island. There was a rough track marked on the OS map but
there was no good option for landing without going about a mile in the dinghy with my bike in a strengthening wind.
Common sense prevailed and I headed across to Croabh Haven instead to source a new rubber joint for my tiller
extension that was about to fail. With no luck in the chandlery there, I set off on my bike for Ardfern where I had
more success. I decided to take Auk there the next day, and with help from the chandlery staff and their drill, my
tiller extension was fixed. With no particular rush to get to Crinan the next day, I spend a very pleasant morning
short-tacking down Loch Craignish in a lovely light breeze. In the first hour I made only a mile of progress down
the loch, but was rewarded by first hearing and then seeing some sea eagles. The following day I made my way
through the Crinan canal with company and then headed for Tarbert. Like others who had shown such generosity
along the way, and in recognition of my fundraising for the RNLI, my mooring fees were waived by the THA and I
was welcomed in at the pontoons. From Tarbert I retraced my steps round the Kyles to Wreck Bay in perfect
sailing conditions, encountering the Round Bute Race fleet on the way. It was an incredibly hot day and I arrived
to find members of Fairlie Yacht Club at anchor, soaking up the sunshine. After an excellent muster ashore I snuck
away early the next morning, headed for Cumbrae for my final island of the trip. I was joined by friends for this cycle
and after a very pleasant day, made the short hop back to Largs where I received a wonderful warm welcome.
Reflecting on the trip, I learned a lot. I learned a lot about single-handed sailing, such as the need to be organised
and prepare in advance. I developed little rituals, like keeping the autohelm outside on windy nights at anchor in
case of dragging. I also learned to factor in much longer than anticipated for any given task. Arriving and leaving
marinas was particularly time-consuming and anchoring or picking up a mooring preferable for a quick getaway in
the morning. I kept passages short, never more than eight hours and often less, and found that the time flew by
whilst at sea. Evenings were filled with sorting the boat out, cooking, passage planning and then sleep. Having
taken several books to read I managed only three pages in three weeks! I also learned a lot about islands that I
have visited many times before when growing up, but never really strayed far from the shore. The bike was a
fantastic way to explore these islands further and to discover new places. And being by myself gave me
opportunity to meet so many interesting people. Some were locals, some were visitors too, all were universally
generous with their support and encouragement. Fundraising for Maggies Centres, many people opened up and
told me about their own personal cancer experiences, which was both touching and humbling.
During my trip I was very lucky with the weather and this contributed enormously to the success of my
single-handed adventure. Auk was brilliant, keeping me safe and making life easy for me. I know better
than to think I have cracked it, but I am inspired to do more next summer…
You can watch a short video I made of my adventure by following this link:
http://youtu.be/S_DL9YQ4lco
