Boat tour company based in the village of Strachur, Loch Fyne, Scotland. Tours commencing spring 2024
It was the Cowal Charity Road Run today, we caught sight of the cars and tractors gathering at the Holy Loch Marina, but couldn't get any pictures. We were a bit late to the party at the Strachur end. But these three were still there, it was a ford Dexta tractor engine that powered the Oneforty back in the day! And the old Austin always reminds us of Danny Champion of the Word....
Before our Skipper was even a twinkle in his father's eye, a mid seventies afternoon fishing for lobsters, using old style inkwell pots. Skipper's Father, brother and sister watching expectantly for some giomaich to come over the gunnel..
So it's in, the easy part is over, now to plumb it in and rebuild the deck over it. This is going to take a substantial amount of time, unfortunately this means we won't be in a position to run any tours this season, which is really frustrating for us but here's to a better 2025 season.
A mystery monolith has arrived in Strachur, will the local apes start using bones as weapons? Will it spark a world wide search for the people behind it? Or is it TJ's new fuel tank.....
2005ish a wee trip out on the Lucarowan, don't know what our Skipper's hat is about, free with a pack of Fosters probably. Also on board, Chantal Jarem our favourite Australian and her brother in law Lars Brunner, star of 999 with Michael Burke and Landward with Sarah Mack... If you need to know about seaweed he's your man!
One of our favourite parts of Loch Fyne, the rocky outcrop at Kenmore, on the opposite side of the Loch to Strachur, once a thriving herring fishing village in the 1800's, Kenmore is just a hamlet of 4 or 5 houses now. At high tide, the rounded sandpaper textured rocks and trees down to the water's edge make it feel like you're in the Finnish archipelago.
Right in the heart of Strachur beside the Clachan Bar, you'll find Strachur Smiddy. It's a great little museum run by volunteers, it's open at weekends over the summer and has blacksmith demonstrations throughout the day. An absolute must do if you're visiting the village!
Following on from last week's boat tender special, we have our skipper indulging his father's oddly shaped dingy build, in reverse order the finished product, painting a thing, and looking glaekit while wearing a reversed flat cap as per Samuel L Jackson. This was in the front room, which doubled as an artists studio and boat yard....
Bits are starting to arrive for our diesel system refresh while we wait for our tank to be completed. Slow progress, but progress none the less.
Well the weather has broken and it's wet and windy again, spare a thought for this poor lobster, eaten by animals or animal unknown and discarded on the shore. Something got a feed of high value west coast seafood!
Taking the catch ashore, 2007 Vs 1997, the former was a converted tug lifeboat, seen with a middling catch of prawns, and the latter was another home built special, carrying a very poor week's catch of brown crabs....
Lovely few days of weather here in Argyll, let's hope it sticks around!
Not a great deal to report this week, our fuel tank should start being built at the end of next week so still a bit of a wait on that, some minibus bits and bobs over the last 7 days including final fit and calibration of our Tachograph.
An amazing night on Easdale Island, not sure of year or season but a reminder of good times with Mr McSweeny, who has helped with advice and practical help with TJ..
Taking the bus this morning, The number 486 run by West Coast Motors, whisks you from Dunoon to Inveraray, passing through Strachur and St Catherine's on the way, while it may not be the Trans Siberian Express you still get to see some of Cowal's best scenery from a local service bus!
Up in Oban yesterday getting a new Tachograph fitted to RJ the minibus, the Clipper round the world race is visiting the town, adding a splash of colour to the marina, even the wee guillemots were having a gander......
A blustery summers day aboard the Channel Hound 2006/7, heading down the Firth of Lorne.
A wee sneak peek at the new fuel tank we are having built at Henderson plastics LTD, be a few weeks before it's ready, so carrying on with some wee jobs we missed over winter.
Miss Cowal Cruises getting her first fishing lesson of the rocks on Loch Seaforth, back to old clothes and porridge again this week though......
A self portrait of our Skipper's father as a young man, possibly late 60's....... Absolutely terrifying
Taking a short break in the Hebrides just now, not much to report, other than our skipper has sun burnt his feet again!
Dunoon Presents continue to put Cowal on the map, a September weekend of Trad music headlined by Heron Valley, who are named after our very own village of Strachur!
2006/7 taking the Trader Lady from Rhu to Ardrishaig with the late Bruce Pettie, the Trader Lady was a bit of a step up from the Channel Hound on all fronts , 45ft with twin CAT 380hp and acres of hardwood. It was a good if stressful opportunity to try something a bit different for a day!
If you go down to West Bay in Dunoon, there's an interesting trail of information boards put up called the West Bay Wonder. They cover various aspects of local history and include this frame capturing the view down the Clyde estuary. Well worth a look if you're in the town.
Inveraray looking lovely tonight, don't forget Inveraray Jail has opened a new Escape room, family friendly and a great way to spend an hour, even Taskmaster contestant Phil Wang gave it a go!
2003/4 our skipper's brother looking particularly rugged and handsome here, still persevering with the Grundens of Sweden oilskins, these tended to rot from the leg bottom up, leaving you with bright orange clown trousers...
It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it, the tank successfully removed, now to get a new one or a pair perhaps......
TJ was lifted out at Holy Loch Marina this week, the tank was emptied of Diesel and given a look over, it's looking like it's a tank out job, highly probable a new tank, so we're not sure when we will be back on the water. But we will keep you updated on progress on Facebook and Instagram!
Our skipper and the ever elusive Mrs Cowal Cruises (yes they are married), about 2006/7 on a wee outing on the Lucarowan, seen here at the Garvellachs before a run over to the Bay of Pigs....on Jura, not Cuba
Dunoon is lucky enough to have it's own wee cinema, it might not be a huge multiplex but it shows the latest movies and has friendly staff, so if you're staying on Cowal and need a rainy day activity with the kids it's ideal.
Strachur
Cairndow
PA278DF
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Tracy Jane's Arrival in Strachur
We aren't getting to visit many of Cowal's attractions just now, but we are making progress with Tracy, a wee video of replacing one of her shaft bearings, one more to do and the shaft can go back in!
Ewan Harrison Tunes @ewanharrisontunes
#ThrowbackThursday A wee video from about 5 years ago, a seal enjoying a twilight dinner of Skate Sushi in Strachur bay, again apologies for it being filmed terribly!
Delivery to Cowal!
#ThrowbackThursday Another video this week, our Skipper Duncan, Big Jack from Argyll Sea Tours and ewanharrisontunes went to Liverpool to look at a boat in February, who needs a radio! Probably shouldn't have bothered with the stop at Fleetwood on the way back, but Jack got a nice fire grate!
#ThrowbackThursday A wee video from back in the early naughties when we fished from the Isle of Seil, the future Mrs Cowal Cruises getting her first interaction with Bottle Nosed Dolphins, the Channel Hound looking pretty scabby and in need of a makeover!
Another wee glimpse of a summer night in Argyll! The band is seen playing here as part of the Argyll Ceilidh Trail, which takes talented young musicians from the local area and takes them on a tour of Argyll through the summer months.
Our Skipper has been doing some more work in Oban, before a week's holiday on the Isle of Seil, here is a wee vid of the first night on Seil, there's a dance on at Easdale hall and the sun is setting! Kids playing football in the gloaming, proper westcoasting.
