Inverness to Fort William – Day 2 - 5.6 nm

We leave the marina and head out into the still morning waters of Beauly Firth.

With the Kessock Bridge in the distance we turn back on ourselves and into the sea lock at Clachnaharry.

It’s the first time in a lock and we see how high the rope has to be thrown to the lock keepers.

We only miss him once and are soon ready for the gates to close and the water level rise for the first time. Once inside the skippers have to fill in forms and complete some admin and it is about an hour before we are let through.

Our target is to moor further down the canal that afternoon, but immediately we come to the Clachnaharry swing-bridge and lock, then motor to the swing bridge at Muirtown before we have to pass through the four Muirtown locks. Later we arrive at Tomnahurich swing-bridge and we motor on. After passing though the lock at Dochgarroch we moor up for the evening near the head of Loch Ness now 16m above sea level. We eat on board and turn in.