Irvine, Ardrossan, Hunterston, Fairlie
Harbours 86 to 89....this post is just for the really keen followers of this story!
As we go north into the Clyde the Harbour Masters and Harbours get more difficult to define. Technically the HM of the whole of the upper Clyde (north of Irvine) is based in Liverpool! When you talk on the VHF radio, to Clyde Estuary (channel 12 for info!) you are more likely to speak to someone with a Scouse accent than a Scottish accent which is a bit bizarre..
These four Ayrshire ports are still in operation but have no HM:.
Irvine is owned by a property development company, which I read, has big plans to develop another marina...the 7th on this stretch of coast.... which reflects what a popular sailing area it is.
Ardrossan is a very busy Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac) ferry port transporting nearly One Million passengers across to Arran each year. The local story is that their ferries made in Poland have the Scottish lion facing the wrong way! There is also a large marina and I met the very friendly manager and discussed housing Good Dog there for the winter.
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Hunterston is a former coal and steel port and has a nuclear power station shut down for safety reasons. Not very inviting to a yachtsman!
Fairlie was the home of the famous yacht builder William Fife during the heyday of British America's Cup challenges pre WW1. It is now a huge undercover yacht storage facility.
So.... onwards north and into one of the best sailing areas I have ever been to....and on the look out for our first submarine.....all in the Scottish September sun!
As we go north into the Clyde the Harbour Masters and Harbours get more difficult to define. Technically the HM of the whole of the upper Clyde (north of Irvine) is based in Liverpool! When you talk on the VHF radio, to Clyde Estuary (channel 12 for info!) you are more likely to speak to someone with a Scouse accent than a Scottish accent which is a bit bizarre..
These four Ayrshire ports are still in operation but have no HM:.
Irvine is owned by a property development company, which I read, has big plans to develop another marina...the 7th on this stretch of coast.... which reflects what a popular sailing area it is.
Ardrossan is a very busy Caledonian MacBrayne (Calmac) ferry port transporting nearly One Million passengers across to Arran each year. The local story is that their ferries made in Poland have the Scottish lion facing the wrong way! There is also a large marina and I met the very friendly manager and discussed housing Good Dog there for the winter.
.
Hunterston is a former coal and steel port and has a nuclear power station shut down for safety reasons. Not very inviting to a yachtsman!
Fairlie was the home of the famous yacht builder William Fife during the heyday of British America's Cup challenges pre WW1. It is now a huge undercover yacht storage facility.
So.... onwards north and into one of the best sailing areas I have ever been to....and on the look out for our first submarine.....all in the Scottish September sun!