Dirona through Scotland's Crinan Canal (MV Dirona Channel)

This video with audio commentary shows Nordhavn 52 Dirona making a three-night pass through Scotland’s 15-lock Crinan Canal system.

The Crinan Canal is a 9-mile, 15-lock passage between the villages of Ardrishaig and Crinan. The canal came online in 1801 largely serving commercial traffic and allowing them to avoid the longer run around Kintyre Peninsula and the exposed and current-swept Mull of Kintyre. Today the lock system is used by recreational boaters either avoiding that same long run around the Mull of Kintyre or just wanting to experience the beauty of the canal.

On Dirona, we have in the past transited large lock systems including the Columbia and Snake river locks (http://www.mvdirona.com/Trips/Columbi...) but what makes the Crinan Canal special is the intimacy of the trip. It’s barely bigger than the boat, the Scottish countryside is beautiful, and the locks are all operated by hand. Boaters have to run the locks themselves including providing the “horsepower” to open and close the large wooden gates and actuate the sluice gates. It makes for a really fun trip and, with only two people on the boat, it’s surprisingly busy.

As is often the case in Scotland, we had driving rain, bright sun, still conditions, and wind gusts to 30 kts. The rain and wind made things more challenging with Jennifer on shore operating the locks and James on the boat moving in and out of the locks and tending the lines.

For context and additional photos, see http://mvdirona.com/trips/britishisle....