Tides squirt through small gaps at quite a rate and Corran Narrows was only a few miles away where we predicted the tide would need to be with us to stand any chance of passing through. This “tidal gate” was due to be open in the morning only until 10.30 so an early start was called for provided the wind and weather were appropriate. At 4.30 am conditions were decidedly foul so I snuggled back into my sleeping bag without waking the others, as arranged. By 8.30 however the weather front had passed so we packed up swiftly and set off hoping we might make sufficiently fast progress to sneak through the narrows on the last of the flood. Frustratingly the wind died to almost nothing just when we needed it most but we doggedly continued enjoying distant views of Glencoe with it’s inevitable mist and cloud. A better wind did return before too long though and we ploughed on hoping at least to get near the narrows before a probable wait for the tide to turn again in our favour. As we approached the channel and its navigation buoys it became obvious that the tide had indeed turned but the wind chose that particular time to be at its most helpful. We enjoyed a riveting broad reach against the 1 or 2 knots of tide to clear the narrows and continue a few hundred yards more before pulling in to a handy little beach for an early lunch. We felt elated at having “stolen” a tide and the weather was also very kind during the afternoon’s sail up to Fort William where we treated ourselves to a shower and some supplies.
The tide through the Annat Narrows near Corpach was due to be favourable around tea-time onwards so we set out from Fort Bill hoping for an easy ride. It was not to be quite that easy though as we were now heading west, beating into the wind rather than running or reaching. Nevertheless it was intriguing sailing, with the current but against the wind, past Corpach’s industrial sites before being spat out into Loch Eil where the wind-against-tide chop was most noticeable. Ground is obviously hardest-won when beating into the wind and it is also colder and more demanding than reaching or running so we gained just a few more miles before landing amongst extremely thick seaweed to pitch camp having travelled 20 miles that day.