At Rum, we had hoped to see David and Stroma (and young Jamie) who are the island managers for Scottish Natural Heritage, but they were away on holiday. We walked in to the centre of the island but did not have time for the extra six miles required for a visit to the old village of Kilmory. Kinloch Castle, at the head of Loch Scresort, built at the turn of the century by Sir George Bullough, whose father made the family fortune designing milling machinery, is an extravagant monument to Edwardian opulence. Turtles and alligators were kept in heated tanks, a pure white Arab stallion was imported to improve the stock of native ponies, and two Albion cars were used to transport guests. Today, in faded grandeur, it provides B&B and hostel accommodation and hosts a few weddings. We had a grand sail from Rum down to Ardnamurchan point and up the Sound of Mull to Loch Aline – wind and tide with us all the way. Now in Oban, we will restock and prepare for guests joining us for the weekend.
Rum to Oban
Skye
For the trip down to Portree we had a glassy calm sea – ideal for spotting cetaceans – and we saw porpoises and dolphins but no whales. Showers rolled round and over the mainland hills but, despite the skies greying over, we reached Portree before the rain started. The next morning we sailed with the tide down to Kyleakin, berthing for the afternoon at the visitors’ pontoon. Again, the rain started just after our arrival but later we were able to get a short walk ashore. When the tide turned in our favour again we passed down through Kyle Rhea to Isle Ornsay, and anchored in time for a meal before the light faded. Strong winds overnight and all the following day saw us (and a few other yachts) waiting for better conditions – which did arrive today. A light southerly breeze has us motorsailing down the Sound of Sleat, making for Loch Scresort, Rum.
The North West
It was a day for seeing hills as we moved south – Quinag, Suilven, Coigach hills, Inverlael group, Fannichs, An Teallach and the Carnmore hills, including a’Mhaighdean the remotest of the Munros. Reminders of how little exercise is taken on an extended cruise. Mist rolled on and off the hills, but it was clear at sea except during a single short, sharp downpour. The afternoon brightened and we entered Loch Ewe – always a disappointment seen from landward but much more attractive from seaward. The loch was an assembly area for Atlantic convoys during the war, and numerous concrete gun emplacements still stand today. Aultbea is still a NATO fuel depot. The photo shows the peaks of An Teallach behind the Coastguard vessel at anchor off the Isle of Ewe.
Orkney and South
Due to adverse weather, we lay over in Kirkwall for three days after seeing Fin And J (photo) off on their return journey to London. Strong westerlies prevailed – with white horses even inside the inner harbour! At the first opportunity we moved round to Stromness, then made the long crossing south-west round Cape Wrath. It was a good passage in fine weather – rough only for a mile or so as the tide turned against us short of the Cape Wrath Light. Once round, the wind died and we motored through a still evening to the anchorage in Loch a’Chad-Fi, off Loch Laxford. This is where John Ridgway has his adventure school, and his ocean-going yacht was hauled out on the slipway, and well tethered down. At present we are southbound on the West Coast, having just passed the bird reserve isle of Handa.
Fair Isle – again
After visiting Balta Sound (Unst), Vidlin and the anchorage at Lingness we returned to Lerwick where Mike and Anne left and Fin and J joined us. The temporary loss of J’s baggage on the flight from London and near gale force northerlies kept us there for three days, but at last we got away for Fair Isle. We enjoyed beautiful weather on our day there – the skipper walking right round the coast, and Fin and J covering much of the island on photo-shoot. It’s one of these once-seen-never-forgotten places. The sail down to Orkney took much longer than usual due to adverse winds and tide, so we missed the flood tide through the sounds to Kirkwall – running into strong tidal ‘roosts’ which all but stopped progress. We switched to Plan B and spent the night tied up at Backaland pier at the south end of Eday, completing the trip this morning. It is now raining, and with gale force southerlies forecast for at least the next two days we are happy to be snug in the marina.