We slept well throughout the night and I awoke at 7am when my 2nd anchor alarm went off. We hadn’t moved I had just set it with the scope too narrow deliberately as we were close to the shore on the West side at full stretch and I wanted it to alert me if the wind went eastern and risked us getting close to the shoal. We were about 3m off it with the anchor chain taught so I went back to bed for an hour. 

I run a different scenario where, instead of going to Carsaig or Crinan on Friday and the Lagoon on Saturday, we would sail out through the Sound of Islay to West Loch Tarbert Friday and to Craobh Haven (which so failing, the lagoon) on Saturday. When Linda did wake up she was happy with this plan. It gives us ore sailing although we are ‘retracing our steps’ to some extent.

Linda didn’t fancy getting up so I offered to take us out the Bay and let her rest but by the time I had the anchor retrieved she was up and dressed and by the time we left the Bay she was up in the cockpit with me.

The breeze seemed to have calmed again but we rigged up and were making about 5kn southbound past Tayvallich. The first 18mph gust made me think about a reef so I immediately took in one reef on the main as we approached the northern most rock in the loch.

We made a great sail all the way down the loch but just before the McCormaig islands and the reefs at the bottom of the Loch the wind became unreliable, disappearing and gusting at right angles so we stuck the motor on and motored south of the McCormaig Islands.

Once they were behind us we quenched the engine and sailed, mostly a tight reach across the Sound. It was very pleasant. The sky was dark and pretty and the breeze was a solid 12 knots and gusting up to 18 knots. It was a very pleasant crossing and we must have averaged over 6 knots in the crossing.

As we approached the base of the Sound, I made us a brunch of team and coffee and bacon sandwiches. Just as I brought out the sandwiches, a little seabird on our port side caught my attention for a moment. I urged Linda to look and we sat watching as a puffin spotted us watching him, got shy and took off towards Gigha. It was quite excellent munching bacon sandwiches washed down with hot drinks as we cruised past Brosdale Island and Black Rocks up into the Sound.

By the time we were past Black Rock Buoy we were sailing at over 9 knots with the wind behind us and we went from seaboard run, to goose winged, to port run. Passing Port Asking we were doing 11-12 knots and we didn’t drop below 8 knots all the way round into West Loch Tarbert.

The wind increased again as we came out of the Sound and I brought a double reef in on the RR Genny and we were still doing 8 knots, clipping eastwards into West Loch Tarbert. The Loch was pretty choppy with white horses although we were only 100m off the lee shore.

We dropped sail about a quarter mile off and motored into Glenbatrick Bay West anchoring in 3m and putting 15m chain out. It held fast and we settled ourselves inside but not before we watched an otter on Sgier Ageanne running along the ridge and down towards the water. We could hear occasional squeals from the rocks and I imagined the Otters warning us of the horrific gusts that can roll through the hills. 

Of course, no soon we were settled I felt something strange and noted to Linda I thought she was dragging. Minutes later the anchor alarm rang and we popped out to find 30 mph wind and big white horses with Misha pointing east and obviously dragging quickly. 

We recovered the anchor to find the biggest single piece of Kelp I have ever seen; boulder and all. It was so big I couldn’t lift it out the anchor and had to spend ten minutes pulling bits off to get rid of it.

We decided to motor into the inner loch where we knew it would be much calmer and passed at least six seals sitting on rocks looking at us. Every one of them thinking to themselves, ‘could have told them they would have been better in the Inner Loch’.

We turned right into the Inner Loch and anchored in the first southern anchorage (where I spent my Birthday last year); Cairidh Mhor.  Misha was very happy about tis and said it was were she wanted to be all along!

All tidied up, we settled indoors again and I have to admit, Misha is right, it Is far more comfortable here. But of course, no reception so Linda doesn’t get a Masterchef fix tonight!

Tonight’s dinner is left over chicken casserole and brussel sprouts which was all very tasty. We had some crappy television downloaded on the iPad and watched a couple of hours before our eyelids got too heavy and demanded horizontalness.

Both of us slept very well and I awoke about 7am rested and comfortable all except my right shoulder which is whinging again after the incident with the kelp in the anchor. I let Linda sleep (it wasn’t truly my decision). However by 09:30 loneliness got the better of me, I slipped out of bed and made tea before returning with the hot beverage. It still didn’t wake her, so I actually raised the courage to deliberately wake her up. 

Breakfast was toast, muesli and yoghurt. I ran the engine for the toaster and the hoover to tidy up the saloon from the crumbs and drain the bilge etc. Then we sat around rejig until it was time to set off around 13:30.

44 miles in 6 hours; Saillog Entry.

The sky was heavy. There was a small blue fishing boat lifting lobster pots about 100m outside the bay and I awoke to his winch rattling around 7am. There wasn’t a whole load of wind in the bay and there was no wash so it had been a very comfortable night and the only movement we noted was the odd boat passing through the sound sending wake into our bay.

We rigged up and headed north. After our encounter with Finlaggan yesterday when I saw Hebredean Isles would be crossing our path I radioed him to confirm we would pass by his stern. That was the only item of note as we sailed all the way up to the McCormaig Isles. 

We cut through them and north further into Loch Sween, passing by the castle and getting some good photos as we went. Hebridean Princess was heading out the Loch and we passed about half way up, just about the top reef. 

At that point Linda noticed a yacht turn out of Tayvallach northbound and guessed they were going for the Fairy Isles, our destination. I offered Linda a trip into Tayvallach, specifically as she had scoured the boat for wine and found narry a bottle on board but she assured me she just wanted to get to the anchorage.

As we turned into the Fairy Isles, sure enough the yacht; Wind Lass, was anchored right in the middle of the entrance. But there was also a small fishing boat anchored in the southern bay and a rubber dinghy motoring about with a fisherman in it. 

We headed for the Northern bay and surveyed it a bit. There was a seal sitting on a rock with his head and his flippers up, just as I remember a young one doing the last time we were here about twenty years ago. The Navinics charts show a spit crossing right across east to west of the northern anchorage as a drying spit. However there we no sign of that on the Antares charts or in the water. We dropped in 5m and tested a good hold then made tea. The fisherman wandered about us, the little fishing boat lifted their anchor almost as we finished dropping ours, and I made the decision to move just as the fisherman ran his dinghy up into the northern inlet.

We pulled in the chain and when the anchor was on the bottom with the chain vertical we could feel the bow of the boat dip but the anchor wouldn’t lift at all. It has been years since I had this previously and I was at the point of thinking I might stop using the tripping line. But of course as soon as I tugged the tripping line up, the anchor tripped and started ascending perfectly. Just to show why I always use a tripping line despite the grief of it.

We motored well around the yacht anchored and I noted he was right in the middle of the entrance. We travelled to the South Bay, and did a survey around the 4m contour. Then dropped in 4m right in the middle of the bay. We did a full anchor check, got the ball up, the anchor alarm set and Linda went below to make tea while I sat on deck looking at the shoreline, the geese and the seal.

After ten minutes I was certain that Wind Lass had moved position and I called Linda up to look but she was certain the yacht was where it had been previously. Another ten minutes passed and she as sitting ‘wrongly’. I couldn’t describe it, just ‘wrongly’. Then I noticed that while we  were moving back and forth in the breeze she was only sitting with her port bow into the wind. At that moment, we saw the fisherman in the rubber dingy rive back and jump on board. We radioed him to offer help but he didn’t answer. He very quickly lifted his hook; there wasn’t much chain out at all, and revved her hard. She bounced off the rock she was on and headed our of the Bay. She looked none the worse for her adventure. I hope he and his yacht are ok.

We double checked our anchor, set an extra anchor alarm and settled inside. I made chicken casserole and G&Ts and we had a lovely night. Linda got to watch Masterchef, I read planned tomorrow and then we watch crappy TV till out 9pm Bedtime.

20 miles in 4 hours; Saillog Entry.

Craobh to Keills

With a weekend free, we slipped the ropes and sailed south down the Sound of Jura. The weather was beautiful blue sky with good breeze from the NW Force 3, gusts of 6. Full sail set and Misha made good speed south towards the Corryvreckan heading south.

We had initially planned to head out the Corry and over to Oronsay but on approach to the Corry, we realised that the wind over tide we were fearful of in the Sound of Jura was unlikely to present any problems as the conditions were so placid. We made the decision to press south down he Sound of Jura and made 6kn past the Corry. We altered course to track towards Keills.

The weather swept in from the Firth of Lorn and over Scarba with one snow storm and then a hail storm before a little rain, more sunshine and then a final snow shower. It was the definition of Scottish Spring Sailing!

We spotted a white-tailed eagle (Sea Eagle) soaring high overhead but it was otherwise an uneventful voyage and around 6pm we approached the south of Keills Bay, engaged the engine and motored up into the very north corner of the Bay anchoring in 6m just SE of the moorings and the Jetty.

By 18:30 we were safely anchored in very think mud. I had been preparing and cooking a chicken and vegetable pasta bake while we were sailing so as soon as we were settled we served dinner and fired up the heater. The temperature had started to drop about 17:00 and now it was positively chilly so the heater was well required. We did note that it seemed to take a long time to heat up but it (and cooking) got the saloon nice and comfortable and we enjoyed a tasty dinner and then watched some crappy telly on the iPad before an early night.

Keills to Ardminish

It was an excellently protected anchorage with fantastic 4G on EE & O2 and we had a very comfortable night. The only noise which we noted overnight was the passing of geese overhead. The morning was fine weather but hardly any breeze and what there was (all 2-4mph of it) was on the nose as we headed south.

We motored south out of the Bay and through the McCormaig Islands after a breakfast of bacon sandwiches. Again it was a peaceful and easy journey. Visibility remained clear and it was warmer than the sail down to Keills although there remained not a puff of wind for the duration.

As we approached Gigha we spotted MV Finlaggan rounding the top of the island coming in from Port Ellen to Kennacraig. As we rounded the top of the island ourselves it was clear that the fish farm in the NE of the island had grown somewhat since we were last there and we had to do more avoidance than we used to.

Approaching Ardminish I was convinced that the pontoons would be in at Ardminish, so I rigged the mooring ropes and the fenders but as we turned into the Bay we could see the pontoons moored to the visitor moorings on the south side of the Bay. The good news was that we were certain the Boathouse was opened. So after anchoring in the southern anchor spot in 2m we blew up our new dingy and headed in.

Ardminish

Lattes on the deck and we were smiling already in the arming sunshine. Just then I stopped a well ken’t face. James, who used to run the Boathouse until 2019 with his wife Sharon, was walking in. The last time we had met was at Jura Music Festival in Sep 2019. It was great to see him and meet his mates.

Linda and I went to a stroll up to the Post Office for cake. We bought a Jam Rolly Polly! We headed out towards the Gardens via the craft shop where Linda found some bangles and I bought some tablet. On the way out towards the Gardens we spotted a Raptor being mobbed by crows before we bumped into the local Chickens who were intent on making sure we visited the book shop.

The Gardens were still in ‘spring’ mode but there were some beautiful flowers and all the new paths look great. We decided to bring the bikes back and explore them thoroughly.

Returning to the Boathouse via Vie’s Beach and the new paths we ordered up Gin and Tonics and sat reading our books all afternoon before dinner in the Boathouse which was as good as ever.

Gigha to Craobh

We had a peaceful night at anchor in the Bay. One other boat had come in and initially anchored by us before moving to the moorings as the evening progressed. Our lobster dinners were out of this world, as always, and its good to see that despite changes in management over the last couple of years the Boathouse have managed to keep up the standard of service and food as much as they have. It is well recommended for a visit.

We had a good long-lie in the morning as there was no reason to leave early and in fact a departure around 9am was perfect and we ran the tide all the way home. The other yacht trailed out behind us as we departed and was tracking our progress as we went north throughout the day.

Over the weekend we did a total of 74 nm and 13 hours of travelling. There was a fair chunk of motoring and a lot of heater diesel used.

The trip had to come to an end as I had calls to be on Friday morning which would be best handled from the office. Linda lifted the anchor at Ardencaple Bay early and navigated us back to Craobh. Linda did all the sailing and navigation flawlessly, having already planned her tides through Cuan. I spent the time tidying up and getting Misha ready to dock (reason for no photography).

Linda took Misha through Cuan perfectly. She wanted me on deck, but I was a spare part, watching her take the boat through the rushing tide at the shoulder of the Springs. It was quite something to watch.

I only took the helm again, as we entered through the marina breakwater. There was a lovely little crabber on the diesel dock who kindly moved up to allow us to tie up alongside. We filled up the diesel and the water ready for the next trip, hopefully next weekend.

13 miles in 2 hours.

After a very peaceful, restful and relaxing night in Loch Druimbuidhe we awoke bright and early to another blue sky day. Misha was ready to go but there wasn’t a puff of wind as Linda lifted the anchor and then motored us out of the Loch.

It wasn’t long till there was some wind on the beam coming from the south so we hoisted some sail and exited Loch Sunart under canvas and a blue sky.

The reach along the Loch went well and the wind was moving ever closer to the nose going from a broad reach, to a reach, to a close hauled beat. As we turned south into the Sound of Mull the wind was solidly on the nose. There was a tug hauling six fish farm pod slowly down the Sound and the air was cold, only a few degrees Celsius before the wind chill.

We made the decision not to beat into the wind, it would have been tough to avoid the fish farm making its way south as it was, and start up the engine. We motored all the way down to Duart Castle.

It was very chilly and we happed up well, but the views of Mull in the crisp morning air were breathtaking.

As we approached the Yule Rocks in the south of the Sound, there was a small fishing boat laying creels. As we neared I spotted activity in the water and shortly afterwards we were greeted by two very friendly short nose common dolphins who spent about ten minutes with us bow riding, jumping and swimming alongside Misha.

Turning into the Firth of Lorn we were able to get on the sails again and slowly sail SE towards our destination. The winds were light and getting lighter and eventually I had to give in and stow the sails again relying further on diesel. I have rarely seen the Firth of Lorn so calm. By the time we arrived at the coats of Seil it was mirror calm. We watched a big make seal catch a pollack, and slowly eat it, ripping into it at the surface.

Initially we anchored in the pool at Puiladobhrain and sat reading our books in the warming afternoon sunlight before moving round into Ardencaple Bay and settling there for the night. There was lots of geese arriving and departing and keeping us amused at their arguments and conversations throughout the afternoon.

We slept like logs overnight and I felt too rested and refreshed when I awoke this morning. The anchorage was a bit gusty during the early part of the night, but it didn’t disturb us in the slightest. Dinner was steak pie and roast potatoes, and I may have enjoyed a bit too much but again, it made me sleep.

The morning was bright and blue and windless. The hills were reflected in the water and there wasn’t even a ripple as we made morning coffee. Linda raised the anchor and did a grand job of it. We motored off westwards down the loch.

After the first corner there was a touch of wind, so we unfurled the foresail and stopped the engine. We were sailing! By the time we were abeam Salen we were shifting between 7.5 and 8.5 knots in 15+ knots of wind with gusts up over 20. We sailed quickly all the way down the loch past the north of Rigsa and made our way to Oronsay. 

At Oronsay we managed to get all the way to the entrance to Loch Drumbuidh before the wind was on the nose, we stowed the foresail and motored into the Loch. The entrance is quite spectacular with rocky shorelines on either side and a surface rock on the SE of the entrance. Past there it was clear water all the way to the east-end of the Loch. We sussed out the NE anchorage and the SE anchorage and stayed in the SE anchorage. We dropped the hook at 13:30 and spent the afternoon watching the view, reading our books, and relaxing in the March sunshine. It was 18C in the boat when I started cooking and 20+C when I served.

Dinner was venison stew. The venison we bought at Salen along with fresh veggies that went in too. It was washed down with a nice St Emilion and crappy television. It’s as good as it gets. 

25.3 miles in 3 hours

Overnight it was a crystal clear night with the stars shining like diamonds on black velvet. The village was bright across the bay and the commercial pontoon ended up busy with four big boats tied up on it.

This morning we woke early to the sound of big diesels as one after another they headed out of the Bay. Once they were gone we went back to sleep for a short while then had a relaxed time and started the morning with a good long shower in the harbour offices. Back on Misha I was getting everything sorted for the day when I spotted the Harbour Master towing in a motor boat that had suffered battery issues while out on the mooring. I lent a hand to catch ropes and get it tied up safe.

There was a gentle SSE breeze as we prepared Misha for departure. We wanted to top up the water tank and there was no water on the leisure pontoons, only on the commercial pontoon, so we needed to jump over to it and fill up. The good news was, that all the big boat had left and it was an easy task to tie up and fill the tank.

All filled up, we motored out of the Bay and raised full sail. We had a cracking reach across the top of the Sound of Mull to the entrance to Loch Sunart. As expected, the wind dropped and died as we came into the lee of Morvern. We spotted a seal surface swimming and a few minutes later an otter came to check on us, then ten minutes later we had a sea eagle (white tailed eagle) flying alongside us for a few minutes.

We motored past Loch Drumbuie and onwards past Carna onwards to Salen. Motoring into Salen we went onto the outer pontoon and went up to the cafe. A quick call with the jetty owners confirmed we could stay overnight if we wanted to, they offered to turn on the power and the water for us. But we wanted to head on so we stayed only for a short stay.

The Jetty Cafe and Shop served us a delightful lunch of locally produced chicken and ham pie with a side salad followed by lemon and lime drizzle cake. The shop was so well stocked with local produce we decided to have an extra shop and bought venison for tomorrow along with local veggies to make a casserole. Tonight we planned the steak pie we bought in Tobermory.

We headed off and continued east along Loch Sunart. I left Linda on the helm and stitched and wrapped the port reefing line and Linda took us through the first set of rock-dodging. We passed a large country house with deer in the front garden and a boathouse with pontoon and visitors moorings. Then went through the next narrows.

At Port a’Chalhuin we checked out our fall-back anchorage. It was quite deep at 10m (plus 4m tide) but it was good enough as a fall-back for us. We motored onwards past Strontium to the very head of the loch and then did a quick survey. We noted that the drying area had extended further than charted but we still had loads of room to anchor in 5m (plus 4m tide). We let out 38m of chain and got ourselves settled comfortably.

At anchor we had good 4G connection and were able to update out weather forecasts and phone the ancestors and let them know what we were up to. Linda sat out enjoying the spring sunshine and I disassembled the AIS finding the arial cable faulty and also stitched and wrapped the starboard reefing line. I did it far better then the port one I did earlier but managed to pull the thread through my left middle finger and also put the sailmakers needle right through my thumb. Once finished I cleared up the blood!

Now, at five to six, we are sitting inside with the oven cooking pie, potatoes and stuffed mushrooms for dinner and raising the saloon temperature incidentally. Its really cold outside now, the air temp has dropped to circa 5c already but we are planning on staying nice and ‘womfy’ inside with the heating going on once the oven stops warming us.

Another cracking day!

Overnight the clear skies sucked all the heat out of the world and the temperature dropped low. Inside it dropped as low as 7c, outside it went down as low as 2C and they were warning of frost and ice on untreated roads.

When I awoke at 06:20 a pastel coloured sunrise was blessing the eastern sky above Oban. A soft orange faded to yellow and transformed to a sapphire blue while the western sky still sheltered frosty stars.

The only sound this morning were the geese flying overhead before the ferries started traversing out of Oban Bay to the north of us.

I enjoyed a breakfast of toast (burned) and leftover sausage casserole from last night (waste not, want not) and Linda had mueslis and yoghurt. There was, of course, lashings of tea and coffee.

I spent a fair chunk of the morning before we set off arguing with myself about the optimal sail configuration for the day. Half of me was wanting to get the main up. But the sensible side of me was saying, with the wind almost wholly behind us all day, fore-running was the obvious choice. The sensible side won again.

We had dropped all the anchor chain as it was going to be blowy overnight so we had over 40m to pick up and when the chain went vertical those 40kn gusts had dug the anchor in deep. It took a few minutes for it to come up and when it did it brought a huge chunk of mud and shale with it.

Linda brought her out of the bay and out into the Firth of Lorn. I got the foresail well trimmed and we were doing 7-8kn across towards Lady Rock and Lismore Lighthouse. We had Lord of the Isles and then Isle of Mull pass to the north of us as we went through the dancing water at the lighthouses.

From there, we turned more northerly and went through the north passage at Glas Eileanan. Gybing the foresail on tot he starboard side we then ran all the way north west along the sound all the way past Salem Bay before we gybed again.

Lord of the Isles passed us again heading out towards Coll and Tiree as we approached Tobermory. With the low tide and high pressure we didn’t dare risk going in via Aros Bay so headed for the main entrance.

The gusts were getting quite strong as we turned into the Bay and I had already reefed the foresail to about half its size and we were still doing over 7kn as we entered the bay. We got her furled away, radioed in, and berthed up nose in on the NW of the main pontoon.

All tied up, we paid and headed towards the CoOp. We were however way-laid when the manager of the Distillery Shop recognised us. He had to give us a taste of a couple of their special bottling and it would have been rude not to! I ended up with a bottle of 23yr old with a Manzilla finish that is just perfectly genteel and full of sweet caramel notes.

Linda treated us to dinner in McGochans and then I dragged us to the Mish’ for a nightcap as we planned our exploration of Loch Sunart .