Day 67 and 68

 Day 67 was our change over day.  Chris left for home on the South Coast and Jim and Andy rejoined.

The major feature of today was the blistering sunshine that warmed the country almost everywhere except Oban and the West Coast of Scotland.  Even Glasgow was glorious, but half way on the train to Oban the temperature plummeted by at least 6 degrees and fog descended.  Welcome to a traditional Scottish summer.

Day 68 was a continuation of fog, grey skies and occasional rain.  We departed at 10am for the island of Ghigha.  Last year we arrived here in beautiful warm sunny weather.  This year we plugged through the dreich cold day.  We did however make good time with Wind Singer exceeding 10 knots at one point arriving in Ardminish at 19.10. 48 miles run.

Lovely morning

Our one bit of sunshine for 20 mins fog on horizon

Fladda Lighthouse

Nearly 10…..

Day 66

Tobermory to Oban

25 nm. 8:45 to 13:45. 5 hrs sailing on jib alone. Downwind F5 W gusting 6.

Max 30 knots of wind.

Very poor visibility when we set off but it improved enough to see the ferries, sailing boats, fishing boats, military shipping, rocks, lighthouses  etc.
It is the end of the English woman’s journey and blog.

Signing off and handing the blog back to the Scotsman.

Today’s Track

Day 65

Rhum to Tobermory

32 miles. 6:40 to 12:50. F3/4 WNW

Rolling waves and choppy seas as we went between Eigg and Rhum,  Dark wind shadows from Rhum.

Sun out as we approached Tobermory, although heavy rain followed.  Busy now the tourist season has started.

Great meal at the Tobermory hotel, including a hit of limoncello.

Day 64

 Weather bound in Rhum

Got up early to check the forecasts with our erratic and poor 4 G signal.  F6-7 most of the day.  It will mean rough seas as well.  Gets better during the night and tomorrow.

Decided to stay put and wait it out, catch up on sleep and reading.

Just the dingy to dry out and put away.

Day 63

Canna to Rhum

F4/5 W. Left at 8:50 and arrived 11:25. 14 miles.

Wind hit us when we were out of the shelter of Canna. Went down to Jib only.

Engine on to charge batteries. Rough rolling seas.

Manx shearwaters flew behind us, banking and shearing like tiny aircraft.

Confusing fish farm (mussel farm when we got nearer) looked like a rock. Ferry came in and out with no AIS. Strong squally winds coming down the valley.

Picked up a mooring buoy. Looking at Kinloch Castle in the trees. Poor phone signal.

Took the dingy (with engine due to the wind) to explore the various landing options. Ladders down from a small harbour wall with seaweed covered steps, but the stones were sharp and covered in small sharp limpets. Went along to a newer concrete slipway and managed to climb out, tying the ropes to a ring.

Visited the outside of the sandstone Kinloch Castle. Closed but could peer in some of the stained glass windows to see the Japanese artefacts delivered by the Emperor of Japan. Paul walked towards Kilmory and we took the trail to the otter hide via woods and an abandoned village. (Chris saw an otter in the evening at Loch Boisdale). Low lying rocks in a sheltered bay are where they hang out but we didn’t see any.

Met up again at the castle, then retrieved the dingy and motored back with wind behind us.

Day 62

LRest Day in Canna

Rain cleared about 11 so we packed sandwiches and rowed back over to the slipway.  Paul went off to run round the island.  We set off for St Edward church. Sheep shearing at the farm so followed the shore road and crossed the bridge to the small island of Sanday.

Could see out to the rocks and Hyskeir lighthouse.

Explored the beach to see the medieval castle on top of the rock.

Had booked an inside early table at the Canna Cafe.  Enjoyed excellent crab tart and fish and chips.  Just managed to row back before the rain started again.

5** for the cafe and the mooring. Could stay longer.

St Edwards Church with Rhum behind

Wind Singer in Canna Harbour

The bridge to Sanday and shore path

Medieval cast

Day 61

Loch Boisdale Marina to Canna

30 miles. 5 hrs 40 mins.

S 2 to 4 mostly F3.  Good sailing.  Crossed from S Uist to the small Isles.  Rhum and Canna in the distance.  Flat seas.  Had the cruising Shute out.  At its upper limit sailing 60 degrees off the wind.  Up to 7 knots at times.

Had a fishing boat trawling that we had to negotiate.  Ferry left Loch Boisdale just after us on a collision course.  Fortunately he changed course by 4 degrees and passed us at 15 knots with half a mile to spare.

Difficult to pick out Canna with the high peaks of Rhum behind it. Passed a medieval castle that looked like a lava plug on the way in.

Avoided a boat on the rocks on the way in

From the Small Isles CCC Sailing Directions and anchorages it says ....

Keep to the Southern half of the entrance to avoid the rock South West of the slipway. This can be avoided by keeping a conspicuous cottage on the hillside, open south west of the SW end of a pair of cottages on the shore....

We were 2 hrs off low tide and he did eventually refloat.

Went ashore in the dingy and found the Canna Cafe and community store. Had beers and Canna beef pie. A sheltered and interesting place with lots of greylag geese and rare black guillemots and divers.

Lava plug

The Canna Cafe

Black Guillimot