Our second attempt at crossing to Islay was different – instead of too
much wind we had too little and had to motorsail. Unfortunately, steady
rain started at Port Ellen so none of us ventured ashore. Ann left on
the ferry to Kennacraig the next morning and the three of us left
shortly thereafter, ghosting through the Ardmore Islands inside passage
and catching a good haul of mackerel before picking up a fair wind for
Craighouse, Jura. From there we had a cracking sail up the Sound of Jura
to Ardfern, where we anchored and went ashore for a drink in the Galley
of Lorne inn. After a peaceful night we got away to catch the flood tide
through the Dorus Mor and Sound of Luing, turning west for a first visit
to the Black Islands, where we lunched in the good anchorage. A planned
landing on the Garvellachs was abandoned when we found the Garbh Eileach
anchorage to be tiny with no swinging room, so we made on to Oban, where
we moored as usual on a vacant mooring just off the esplanade. A trip
ashore saw us restocked for the final week of cruising, with lift-out
booked at Dumbarton for Thursday 4 September.