Miss Victoria of Oban

Sunday

Our sailing holiday aboard Miss Victoria, a Jeannneau Sun Odyssey 409 boat

with Andy and Lynda and Clive and Rosie

began at Dunstaffnage Marina, which is situated just three miles from the centre of Oban, Scotland.
One of the most surprising sensations to me still after a couple of sailing trips is the moment the ropes are first slipped from their moorings and your home is suddenly drifting off somewhere entirely new.

We motored north east up Loch |Linnhe for about ten miles to Appin where we climbed aboard the dingy to go ashore for a seafood dinner at The Pier House Hotel.  Delicious.

Monday

We left our mooring at 09.10 and sailed to Loch Aline for lunch.  Gorgeous spot where the shores are steep and thickly wooded.  The fairytale Ardtornish Castle sits at the head of the loch.

After lunch we headed for the temptingly named Loch Drambuie and anchored in the SW Corner.

Most picturesque and attractive anchorage but lots of midges.

Caught mackeral at dusk

which we all ate for breakfast.

They were so fresh the boat didn't smell of fish at all.  Delicious.

Very calm overnight.

Tuesday

We left Drambuie at 09.30

and sailed pass Ardnamurchan Pt. Lighthouse to Muck

where we dropped anchor twice due to the ferry arriving and us being too close.

Muck is an attractive island to visit with a cafe ashore that serves wonderful fresh crab sandwiches.

At 15.00 hrs we set off again and sailed to Rhum

passing Eigg, the most easterly of the Small Isles.

Just off Whispering Sands, Eigg, half a dozen common dolphins came to play.

Miss Victoria sailed on amid the school of dolphins as they swam alongside the boat displaying their acrobatic skills.  The most engaging wildlife spectacle.

We sailed on to Rhum and as you approach the rugged mountains set a dramatic stage.

We anchored in Loch Scresort at 18.15 hrs., an inlet more than a mile long on the east side of Rhum.

Overlooking Loch Scresort sits the reddish form of Kinloch (means 'at the head of the loch') Castle, an extravagant Edwardian dream, commissioned by wealthy industrialist George Bullough in 1897.  The stone was shipped over in his yacht from Annan in Dumfriesshire and it is said that he paid the workmen extra to wear kilts and smoke pipes (midges).

Dinner at Castle Bistro.

Quite a swell during the night.

Wednesday

Didn't leave Rhum until 15.10 hours so time to stretch the legs and enjoy walking on Rhum.

The largest of the Small Isles, Rhum is spectacularly mountainous.  Magnificent scenery with excellent walks and outstanding views.

Phil climbed to the top of one of the Trolls

whilst I sat and enjoyed the view!

Also did a tour of Kinloch Castle which was very interesting.

Over the Sea to Skye.

Dominating the skyline for miles is the Island of Skye with the mighty Cullin Ridge and the Red Cullins forming the mountainous backbone of the Island.

The weather was hot today so let's celebrate

Clive seeking a mahogany tan

and as we passed Point of Sleat, a beautiful beach, Andy promised a picnic there the next day.

Approaching Inverie we passed a white plastic monumental statue of Madonna at the southeast point of Rubha Raonuill.  A copy of a marble one they had ordered but which was too heavy for a boat to deliver.

Picked up a mooring buoy at Loch Nevis and had dinner at pub, the Old Forge, the most remote pub in UK (good showers too).  Quite calm night.  Woke to dingy knocking us awake.

Thursday

The weather forecast was grim: rain followed by showers, then showers followed by rain.  So with the weather threatening storms Andy decided we should head for the shelter of Tobermory.  (Sadly no picnic at Sleat).  We left the mooring at 09.10 and then at 10.15  with motor off and full sail raised the incredible moment when all is silence bar the waves and the wind, a few seabirds - and somehow this boat is zipping through the water, sucked on by the strange magic ( or aerodynamics as the guys explained) of the sail.  Even, perhaps particularly, with overcast skies the panoramas were something else: clouds rolling over clifftops with forested slopes and ruined castles (for Clive) to port and starboard as we sailed.  At 13.50 we dropped anchor at Sanna Bay.  A delightful sandy bay

One and a half miles northeast of Ardnamurchan lighthouse.  We all went ashore

and Clive and Andy went for a swim (Brr....)

Water temp. 12 degrees

007?!

We then motored to Tobermory, arriving at 17.50 and picked up the buoy on the third attempt. (Whoops!)

Dinner on board.  Venison sausages - Andy is a wonderful chef.

Very rough overnight

Friday

The brightly painted harbour of Tobermory is an attractive town with a reasonable selection of shops and pubs and the setting for a children's programme.  "What's the story in Balamory".

We climbed aboard the dingy for a rough ride but were rewarded with good showers, shopping and coffee.  Left Tobermory at 13.30 and sailed all the way to Loch Aline.

2nd reef, half gen. 1 degree Excellent.

At Lochaline, just off the Sound of Mull, we stopped at the new pontoon and a short walk past the old sand mine took us to a delicious dinner at Lochaline Hotel.

Saturday
Left Loch Aline marina at 09.10.  "Buoy overboard" but Phil and Andy quickly retrieved it.
The weather forecast report was currently five, going to six, then seven.  BIG SEAS.
We were glad of the foul weather gear.  The sea was very rough and rough seas means water everywhere.

Good spirits though and no-one ill.  We motored to Lochbernary, Lismore and dropped anchor at 12.50 to shelter in Bernera Bay and have lunch.  Clive enjoyed looking at Achadun Castle ruins
just a short distance away.

At 16.10 we left for the last dash home and arrived, wet but happy and relieved at 18.10.

Only another 500 miles and we will be home!

A great holiday with good friends.