Progress northwards

Since our last blog post we have been making progress northwards in shortish hops. The weather has been lovely, though not much use for sailing. Generally there is a bit of wind in the morning wherever we have anchored, which dies off as soon as we leave the anchorage and hoist the main sail. We then motor through flat seas and glorious sunshine until the sea-breeze appears from either NW or N, always bang on the nose. For the last few days we’ve managed to use it to sail gently down the loch we’ve decided to visit.

Tobermory in the sunshine

After a night at Oban to stock up on food, water, diesel and even for Sue to have a hair cut, we carried on up the Sound of Mull. We spent a night in Tobermory, where we met up with Alistair and Carol on Seol Mara. Tobermory was definitely in holiday mode in the sunshine, and the pontoon was pretty empty when we arrived so moored next to Seol Mara for easy socialising and dinner together in the Mishnish.

No visit to the distillery this time, but we did make time for the chocolate shop. 

 

 From Tobermory we sailed peacefully past Ardnamurchan Point then hacked our way up the Sound of Sleat. After passing Kyle of Lochalsh the following day, we intended to carry on north but sea-breeze decided to be a northerly so we changed our minds and ran down into Plockton instead.

The next hop was to Loch Gairloch, and then to Loch Ewe where we are doing some sightseeing before moving on. Usefully we have an unusually good mobile signal and can get Wifi from the anchorage.

Yesterday we took a tour of the Isle of Ewe Distillery, which is a very small scale (legal) “illicit still” and the only one of its kind. We were shown the process by the owner, then instructed in the art of whisky tasting with a selection of his “Spirits of Loch Ewe”.  Very nice though not ideal before relaunching the dinghy and heading back to the boat!

Inverewe walled garden with Southern Cross in the loch

Today we have been to the Inverewe Gardens, which conveniently have a jetty for visitors. It is not, however, the one mentioned the Almanac told us to anchor near but no longer exists. The gardens were lovely, and obviously the view was enhanced by a little red yacht anchored in the bay. 

Tomorrow we plan to head to the Summer Isles and expect to be back in a Wifi-free zone. 




And now a couple of gratuitous pictures of Scottish scenery for Sam.....

The Paps of Jura

Loch Gairloch