Findhorn Bay is great and very beautiful but you need to be sure to know way in over bar-leave alone in bad weather.
Several pretty harbours(avoch) in vicinity of Fortrose,Moray Firth-they do dry but if you are too late to lock in to Caledonian Canal-also a brand new all tide marina at Inverness Harbour but unsure when it opens.
Once in to Canal Muirtown Basin where you will find The British Waterways Office nice overnighter and just next to coop supermarket/or Caley Marina above the locks.Heading down Loch Ness nice at Foyers nr.hydro station.Also in Glenurquhart Bay below castle on a good sandy bottom-couple of secure mooring buoys but beware of little harbour in so much as it gets full of hire boats who are not particularly bothered about fenders!
Likewise watch out for them in the Locks-some are often the worse for wear.
Fort Augustus very pretty with good selection of pubs,several shops,bank etc.
Speaking of locks get a couple of those round buoys/fenders about 2 ft. diameter minimum to protect bow which can often swing in against lock wall when water filling locks catches stern.
One of the prettiest places on Great Glen is the south end of Loch Oich-a pontoon jetty nr, Spar off licence at Well of Seven Heads-note the live aboard with flowers climbing the mast or opposite restaurant at Great Glen Water Park.
At South Laggan Locks check out the Eagle Barge pub and restaurant.
Nice pontoon moorings at south end of Loch Lochy and various places along canal to Neptunes staircase-The Moorings Hotel at foot of staircase.
Aim to Lock out on high/falling tide so as to reach Corran Narrows with tide with you.
Oh and remember canal staff most of whom are seasonal take an hours lunch break all at same time -British Waterways are too tight to employ extra staff.
Phil(Loch Ness)
