Sunday saw us returning to Craobh after a three day weekend visiting firstly Tobermory and then Kerrera Marina. Throughout the weather has been chilly but crisp and frosty adding to the whole experience. Truly Linda hasn’t done much in the way of Winter sailing often preferring to send me off on my own to enjoy the experience. However on this occasion it was me who debated it and Linda who urged me to jump at the last minute opportunity that availed itself to get away from a few days.
After yesterday’s Christmas Craft Faire at Kerrera Marine, we awoke early and made coffee and tea before casting off at the first light of dawn. There was barely a puff of wind and I had to realise that I would be spending the morning on motor and with not much time to spare to get to Cuan before the current turned against us.
Motoring down the Sound the vistas were stunning. Thick frosts gripped the land and the sun rose slowly in the East. There were sleepy seabirds sitting on posts and buoys and we travelled down at 6 knots keeping as quiet as a diesel allows to avoid breaking the peace of the Sunday morning.
There was only the Kerrera ferry moving around us and the odd car driving on the mainland shore. As the sun peeked over the hills and lit the place up, it was very beautiful and the scale of the horizon as we came out from the Sound into the Lynne of Lorne took our breaths away. As did the cold, air temps of -3C.
A fishing boat was heading north from Easdale as we headed south and the lens effect was causing the Garbhellachs to float on the horizon. We could see for miles, right over the horizon! We could see Colonsay and the west end of Mull, the Torran Rocks. The Sound of Mull was crystal clear as were the lighthouses. That crisp clear ‘CAVOK’ visibility, plus lens effect at the surface gave us that unique high pressure winter experience.
Turning towards Cuan and heading in we ended up with some current urging us on and we managed 9 knots through the narrows with plenty of seabirds around to keep us company. Turning into Seil Sound there were two White Tailed Sea Eagles who were initially disturbed by our proximity before settling on an outcrop and posing for photos as we passed.
Arriving in Craobh it was even colder than it had been at Kerrera with an air temp on Misha showing -4C as we arrived at the Marina. The other yachts on our pontoon still had thick frost on their decks but it dispersed quickly as the sun hit.
We had an amazing winter weekend, I think the bester ever for the two of us. Misha is safely tied up now and we hope to be back on board not long after Christmas for the last and first sails of 2022 and 2023 respectively!
19.6 miles, 2.8 hours all under motor.
