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Fantasy cruising grounds

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Graham W:
Anyone with a trailer sailer must dream of places that they would like to cruise with their boat, even if it is unlikely that they will ever get around to visiting most of them. Here's my list, in no particular order, together with reasons why:

Stockholm Archipelago - from what I've read and to a lesser extent seen, a remarkable cruising area which is particularly worth visiting during the mad midsummer festivities.

Lake Siljan - a large and very beautiful lake far to the NW of Stockholm, with excellent wildlife. I've visited in the depths of winter (photo below) and would like to see it in summer, when it isn't frozen over, the bears are out of hibernation and the wolves can be heard howling at midnight in broad daylight. There doesn't seem to be much sailing done up there but quite a lot of motor boating. The fishing is supposed to be good.

Dutch inland waterways - tailor-made for boats like ours and well-travelled by the Dutch Drascombe Association and the Dorestad Raid

Shannon waterways - partly covered by the Irish Raid in 2012 and as seen only last week in a lyrical TV programme about the wildlife of the central area through the seasons

North Devon coast, including Lundy Island, based from Watermouth or Ilfracombe Harbours. Childhood holidays in fishing dinghies and old paddle steamers. Lundy is an ambitious offshore cruise which is occasionally undertaken by the Dinghy Cruising Association

Dee Estuary, NW England - virtually on my doorstep and often cruised by the DCA. Seems to be similar to Dutch estuary cruises (drying out in sandy creeks) and definitely needs local knowledge.

Scillies (boat shipped out on the Scillonian). Probably needs a land base, such as a cottage on Tresco, with day trips out from a sheltered anchorage

Rio Miño, Spain/Portugal border. From what I've read, a bit like the estuaries and drowned valleys of South Cornwall but much more exotic.

Venetian Lagoon - I'll do the Venice Raid one day.

Southern Ionian Islands, Greece. I've sailed around here in a friend's yacht and there are some (probably over-ambitious) cruising grounds that I would like to revisit very early one summer. The nearly extinct Monk Seal can be found off NE Cephalonia (Fiskardo).

Llŷn Peninsula, Anglesey, Bardsey Island, North Wales. Something incorporating all of these would be quite ambitious and would need good weather, not to mention attention to local pilots and the tide tables. I've visited Bardsey from Pwllheli with a young son in a Norfolk Gypsy and we were kept awake all night by the Manx Shearwaters and then Grey Seals at dawn. Likely to see four species of Dolphin, catch more Mackerel than you can possibly eat and maybe even see a Basking Shark or two.

The East Coast of Tasmania - as covered by the Tawe Nunnugah Raid and finishing with the lively Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. The only way that this would be possible is if an Aussie Swallow Boater needed crew/ballast.

The Kimberley Coast, NW Australia - I think you might need to have a death wish to do this one in a small boat - spectacular wilderness but shared with Saltwater Crocodiles, Irukandji jellyfish, Bull Sharks, etc etc.

What other areas do forum members dream about sailing in their Swallow Boats and why? The more obscure and exotic, the better.

Julian Swindell:
I would add Clew Bay in the West of Ireland. I kept A Drascombe Dabber there for thirteen years. The weather is generally awful, but when it is good, sailing amongst the 365 islands (one for each day of the year) is fabulous. The Guinness back at Westport helps make up for the weather.

Andy Dingle:

That certainly stimulates the grey matter into thinking of the possibilities Graham.
Of course the list is endless and everyone will have their own particular favourites and suggestions - but I noticed the East Coast Rivers are not on your list. Easy for most of us to get to, very well documented, excellent facilities for launching, over nighting etc, sheltered waters so we can sail in virtually any conditions. I have sailed fairly extensively down there and wholeheartedly recommend it. Next years 'Swallow Boats' gathering perhaps? Just a suggestion.

I read with some interest your suggestion of the Shannon. I have already started 'planning' (read dreaming) of a cruise from Eniskillen right down to the Shannon Estuary, maybe within the next couple of years and love to hear from anyone who fancies that trip? It would take a little organisation in terms of vehicles and trailers but eminently possible - does the Irish Raid still take place? Does anyone know? The trip could be planned to coincide with that.

Again I have sailed quite a bit in the Dutch 'inland' waterways and it really should be on your 'must do' list.

How about the Clyde estuary? Does anyone sail a Swallow Boat there?  Having done a lot of diving up there I often look at the charts whilst doing some armchair planning. Lots of interesting potential there?


Andy

Graham W:

--- Quote from: Andy Dingle on 20 Jul 2015, 12:45 ---
does the Irish Raid still take place?


--- End quote ---
Organiser Albacore's business model relies on public sector subsidies to raise the sailing area's profile and these rarely last for more than one year.  There's mention on Albacore's website of a raid in Northern Europe in 2014 and somewhere more exotic this year.  No sign of either so far and certainly no sign of another Irish one.

Graham W:

--- Quote from: Julian Swindell on 20 Jul 2015, 12:38 ---I would add Clew Bay in the West of Ireland.

--- End quote ---

I had to look that one up - it looks a bit like a mini Stockholm Archipelago but with tides.

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