Dorus Mor Doddle

What was I making a fuss about?

The Dorus Mor, Gaelic for "Great Door" has a deservedly fearsome reputation. Tide moves at 8knts spings, so the day after spring tide, and a forecasted Force 6 wind against it, we expected quite a ride.

I'm sorry I can't get one of the many photos taken on the water onto this blog - there's a data card conflict, so the picture shows the overnight resting place of our P&H Cetus and LV Quest behind our hotel.

We designed the day to be close to the channel early, watch for slack water, then go through when it was fast enough to be exciting yet manageable for me. According to the Imray, slack would be at 10.50 but the tide was still ebbing. The skipper of our camera boat, Sea Leopard reckoned it would turn nearer 11.20. He was right, but the wind was in the N.East and hardly moving the surface.

We went through. Flat. Boring pictures. Back out and try again later. About 12.20, an hour and a half after slack by our calculations, things were moving enought to give a little bounce with some interesting eddy lines.

We only had the boat for half a day, so through we went. Got the shots, loaded the boats back on board, and headed back to Crinan.

A little more recording at the Inn of the Trousers where we discovered the well-kent tale of it being the place where Jacobites changed from kilts (which were banned) to highland trousers, was demolished. Seems they had t take off their trousers to cross the ford, as there was no "Bridge over the Atlantic" then. So it just looked like they were changing. And possible a trouser-maker lived in the house. So many tales from history. It's great to get among them and explore - I hope they make the final edit.