Once in open water, we hoisted the sails and headed for Ardnamurchan point, the most Western point of the UK mainland. Rounding this point entitles the boat to sport a bunch of heather on the pulpit (normally for boats heading North to show they are not hostile!)- not practical on our boat as it would be removed by the jib on the next tack but nice to know we could if we wanted to.
Ardnamurchan point in 25kts of wind against tide was rather interesting: the sea was still fairly flat, but the wave pattern was decidedly confused and it was hard work keeping the boat sailing. We saw several boats furl their sails and motor but we are now even more resolute in the plan to sail, not motor, around the UK.
We had clearly been too smug about the weather in Knoydart - we were about to be put back in our place: A huge squall greeted our arrival in Tobermory. We struggled to see the pontoons through the driving rain! Anyway, all ended well - we found the last space on the pontoon, put up our boom tent (to keep the rain out of the boat) and plugged in the dehumidifier.
Tobermory is the setting for a Children's TV programme and you can see why: even in the rain it looked very picture-postcard. The seafront buildings are all painted in different bright colours, and it forms a small but perfect natural harbour.
From our point of view, the town had a Whisky Distillery within 100 metres of our pontoon - a small sample was purchased, and also had a chandlery and co-op nearby. We chatted to a passing fisherman, and he gave us about 5kg of prawns that didn't make the Restaurant Grade - dinner sorted, for several days! The shower block had been recently refurbished - the place was perfect: Sprigs was ready to settle down for weeks.
I prized him out of Tobermory after two nights and we set off down the fairly narrow Sound of Mull towards Oban Marina on Kerrera Island.
It rained!
We had not realised that it could rain so hard outside of a Monsoon. Fortunately it didn't last more than an hour, we now fully understand why there are so many streams and bogs here.
We arrived at Kerrera Island, Oban Marina at about 1600 to find no room at the inn! Back on the swinging mooring, dinghy pumped up. Then noticed someone leaving - made a mad dash for the pontoon and secured a place. It turned out that our visit coincided with the Malt Tour, and there were 35 boats of visiting Whisky Drinkers in the Marina.
View of the Lynn of Lorne, looking North East from Kerrera Island.
We went for a walk along a well marked Scottish Path to check out the view towards Mull
Mull can be seen across the Firth of Lorne, and a fish farm is visible in the foreground.
We needed to visit another Distillery - there is a free water taxi from Oban Marina to Oban town on the mainland so off we went.
We also walked up to McCaig's Tower on the hill above the town. In 1895 John Stuart McCaig observed that there were several unemployed stone masons on the island so decided to employ them to build him a folly. He continued employing them on various projects until his death in 1902 at which point his surviving family allegedly decided he had spent enough on good deeds, and it was time to keep the money in the family.
We took the water taxi back to the Marina to find that the organiser of the Malts Tour wanted our spot on the Pontoon, so we were evicted. What it must be to wield such power.
Next stop: Craobh Haven (pronounced 'Cruve', we're told)
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