Yacht Albatross: Oban to Orkney

26th March

We sadly said "Goodbye" to David in Oban and planned the next stage of our epic adventure (i.e. had a day off from sailing).

27th March

To Tobermory

Tobermory does, we understand, have baronial connections with a viking by the name of Uncle Bulgarius.
It is a nice place with easy pontoons, gas, water, diesel, food and alcohol. I had a shower.
We had 2 knots of tide up the Sound of Mull and sailed most of the way the bright sunshine (while the rest of you - Dear Readers - shivered).

Tobermory is pretty

Jean likes sailing in the winter

28th March

To Mallaig

Originally we had planned that, having passed by the terrors of Ardnamurchan point, we would overnight in Arisaig. However, a nice chap in Tobermory said that Mallaig was now a "very nice place" with a new marina and there was no longer any risk of yachts being crushed by mightly whaling vessels full of vikings whilst visiting.
It was yet another lovely sunny day, with flat sea etc., so we went for it.
Mallaig was indeed entirely as promised. Friendly, easy ... and with a Co-op.

Mallaig .. we like Mallaig

29th March

Today (for the astronomically minded reader) was Equinoctal Springs. This has nothing to do with horse jumping after dusk and something to do with being the highest tide of the year. Obviously a very good day to navigate through Kyle Rhea (not a Scottish bowel complaint, more a Scottish water feature). All went so swimmingly that we decided not to stop at the Kyle of Lochalsh but to wizz on (yes, in bright Spring sunshine) under the bridge to Skye and on to the town of Plocton.
We anchored on Plocton under the stars and slept well.
There may have been a little frost on the top of our duvet by sunrise.

30th March

This was getting silly. It was another beautiful sunny day. Flat seas and a breeze on the beam. We sped on to Loch Gairloch and having established that the "yatching pontoon" at Flowerdale was
1. full
2. too shallow
3. inaccesible
opted to anchor (under the stars) in Loch Sheidaig.

N.B. For those who don't entirely remember the exact geography of the West Coast of Scotland and The Isles, try not to worry, neither do I, but we do have a great supply of out of date charts under a mattress somewhere and a clever little plotter that knows where we are. In addition, I have Jean, who as you all know, is wonderful. In general Jean knows not only, where we are, but where we have been, whilst I specialise more in knowing where we would like to be if we knew where we were starting from. Navigation is a complex matter.

Loch Gairloch, where we eventually anchored

Loch Gairloch sunset

Easter Day.
Summer time starts today.
Yes, it was sunny, the sea was flat, there was a pleasant easterly breeze. Truly, not a cloud in the sky.
We pressed on towards Ullapool, decided to miss it out, on towards Lochiver, but didn't stop there either.

An old man

Eventually arrived in Kinlochbervie.

KLB -Ice plant

Kinlockbervie is the last place on the left hand side of Scotland before you get to Cape Wrath.
KLB is a pleasant fishing port. We berthed in the marina next to the Ice Plant.
Everyone is so friendly and helpful up here.
We discussed "the rounding of Cape Wrath" with a helpful local sailor who pointed ou that if single-handed fishermen in open dinghies could check their lobster pots up there in winter without any bother, there was obviously nothing to worry about when we did it in our mighty-white-french-plastic-boat-with-a-keel).
We went out to supper and listened to a 6 foot 6, shaven-headed salor with an earring describing (in a mixture of anglo-saxon and norse) his experiences of the weather off Cape Wrath. I hadn't previously been aware of quite how many expletives there are in our combined languages for the accurate description of weather. Judging by his appearance, I thought his chap may have been from Burgess Hill ... but I didn't ask.