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Wed 16 July 2008
Its a Drag!...
......but not if our anchor had been this size! With the intention of starting an anticlockwise sail round Mull we anchored in Loch Aline, but sat out the next day in really dreich conditions. That night the wind shifted right round and blew up strongly, and at 0245 we were wakened by a horn sounding and searchlight flashing - a nearby yacht had seen that we had started to drag into the shallows. In darkness, we got the anchor up and motored out to re-anchor in good holding. The Mate sat up on anchor watch until daylight, while the Skipper got his head down again. The morning saw a steady force 6 and breaking waves charging up the Sound of Mull, so plans were quickly changed and we ran with the weather back up to Duart Point and down into Loch Spelve. Today we crossed back from Mull, down through Cuan Sound to Loch Shuna, and into Craobh Haven where laundrette, showers, shop, chandlery, fuel and water are all to hand. Everything is fine except the weather, which is showery - where have the sunny days of May and June gone?
Posted by skipper at 10:43 PM | Comments (4)
Sun 13 July 2008
Around Oban and Mull
We met more and more yachts as we passed through the Sound of Mull again, with the holiday season now in full swing. Picking up a mooring at Craignure, the ferry port for Mull, we went ashore in hot sunshine for a walk to Torosay Castle, with its mile of miniature steam railway (photo). During the evening the northerly breeze, to which we were exposed, freshened making the anchorage uncomfortable, so we made a late move across to Bernera, off the west coast of Lismore, which was sheltered. With Dunstaffnage Marina full for the weekend with Classic Malt Cruisers we had to use Oban to pick up Pat and Stan for the weekend, but managed to secure a mooring close inshore off the esplanade - handy for the short transfer from the slipway. With a Force 6 on the nose on Saturday we abandoned the planned visit to Tobermory (the first for Pat and Stan) after going as far as Craignure, then turned about for a comfortable sail down to Loch Spelve, where we spent the rest of the day. On Sunday we sailed over to Puilladobhrain for a short stay, then up through the Sound of Kerrera back to Oban for a late lunch and farewell to Pat and Stan. Then off again to Loch Aline, where we arrived as a dreich drizzle set in for the rest of the evening.
Posted by skipper at 09:41 PM | Comments (1)
Tue 8 July 2008
Good Sailing
On leaving the Crowlin anchorage we set full sail in a light breeze, but it suddenly blew up to a near gale, forcing us to double reef for an exhilarating sail down to the Skye Bridge. From there it was motorsailing against a light southerly through Kylerhea and down to Loch Nevis, where we anchored at Glas Choille. The same weather pattern was repeated next day, giving us a superb broad reach right across to Loch Scresort, Rum where we had the bay to ourselves. We visited Stroma and David at their flat in Kinloch Castle with irrepressible two year old son, new baby daughter and visiting grannie, Irene. The castle, now run by Scottish Natural Heritage as a hostel, bistro and bar, is almost entirely in its century old original condition with resplendent Victorian contents - including fully working automatic 'orchestrium', built-in with beautiful brass, chrome, carpentry and mechanical linkages. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria but never installed after her death, allowing Lord Bullough to acquire it.
Posted by skipper at 12:31 PM | Comments (0)
Sun 6 July 2008
Lewis to Skye
After saying farewell to Stornoway, we sat out 36 hours of strong southerlies at Lemrevay, Loch Shell and had to motor the anchor out as it was so well dug in. After a night at Scalpay North Harbour we crossed the Minch in a flat calm to Acarseid Mor on Rona, a popular anchorage which we shared with three other yachts - that is crowded by our standards! Then to Portree where we waited at the pier for two hours for diesel as, due to staff shortage, one harbourmaster is covering both Uig and Portree. The next day the Mate bussed round the Totternish peninsula while the Skipper climbed a couple of the Red Cuillins. We moved on in the evening to the Crowlin Islands where we were fortunate to meet Seanachan and Ilona on Sonas, and had a drink and a blether with them. It was a beautiful evening and the photo was taken after 11pm.
Posted by skipper at 01:15 PM | Comments (0)
Wed 2 July 2008
Sailing Again
Our travels in Arctica have resumed after some ten days at home. With hindsight, we timed the trip perfectly - at the end of the long spell of very fine weather. Highlight of the break was an outing in Seol na Mara with Peter, Iain and Barbara to view the classic yachts mustered on the Clyde for the Fife Regatta (yacht designer, not county). We were at the start as these beautiful craft with enormous sail plans set off to race from Rhu to Rothesay - a truly spectacular sight. Then Barbara cooked up not only fresh scones - her specialty - but also strawberry jam to go with them! It was a wonderful day out in great company. The following day Iain and the Skipper bussed to Glencoe and climbed a couple of Grahams (2000ft hills) getting soaked to the skin in the process. Luckily catching a bus immediately on descent to Ballachulish, we changed into dry clothes at the back of the bus, which was fortunately far from busy. On our return to Stornoway (where the Lewis Chessman lives) we were amazed to see a Great Northern Diver swimming in the Harbour, not 20 metres from the pontoon.
Posted by skipper at 09:08 PM | Comments (1)