From Mallaig to R(h)um, Eigg and Kilchoan.

Loyal reader(s) will remember that Albatross has been mysteriously off line for several days  ....

Mallaig has everything a yacht might need: beautiful walks, lovely food, great company and absolutely no need to go sailing ... but after our third night in port (aware and concerned for our reader(s)' anxiety), we both felt it was time go sailing again.

Going sailing again.

To Rum (previously Rhum), one of the "small islands". Rum is the biggest of these islands and has semi-derelict palace built in 1897 for someone to have parties in. 

The palace

As we weren't invited, we walked most of the way across the island towards a village called "Harris" from which we could see the Outer Hebrides. Rum doesn't have much of an Internet connection. I expect this might have been a problem from party-goers long ago, as they'd have to made conversation rather than playing with their phones. Two night on Rum, then off to Eigg.

The mountain 

We anchored in South Bay, Eigg. The heat wave had started. We climbed the  mountain and generally had a nice time.

The top.

Intrepid Jean.

Our anchorage from the mountain. 

After climbing the mountain We had a beer. This was good. Very good.

Today we went sailing again; to find out whither, see tomorrow's entry.

Exploring the Small Isles?

Dear Reader(s),

I wanted to respond to your concerns, so eloquently listed below, with regard to the absence of recent updates. 

As you noted, this might have been due to a number of factors:

"The electricity is off in Scotland...

You have run out of coins for the meter...

You didn't have a long enough cable to connect to the socket....

The computer has fallen over board...

You have fallen over board...

You are having too much fun to write....

Too many celebratory red wines...

The dog ate the computer....

You've been eaten by seagulls...."

I will let you know in due course.

A day off in Mallaig

We went for a "run". This was mainly at walking pace. We got lost and it wasn't entirely my fault. 

Jean thought we should clean the boat today, so I spent 5 minutes bashing a rug and another 40 talking to people on the pontoon, while she did the washing and cleaned things. 

The laundrette has  a cunning plan for making money: when your cycle has finished, the machine locks itself and demands extra money to let you get your clean washing out.

We like Mallaig with its friendly people and great facilities. 

Great news!  A fellow sailor from SG will be joining us for the trip down from Oban. We might even call in at The Isle of Man.

Plockton to Loch Torridon to Mallaig and something about the weather

Refreshed by a night moored at Plockton, we set off for Loch Torridon ...."Diabaig", actually. 

XC Weather forecast F1-3, but The Met Office  said up to F6.

We got F7.

It is often said that in Scotland you can get four seasons in a day. We got just the one, winter.

Torridon looked wet and cold

Torridon.. 

We decided to anchor in a pretty little loch just a little way up Torridon. 

Loch Diabaig.

Our anchorage.

Being without Internet, we could only speculate about the impending weather (well, if guesswork is good enough for....  etc).

Anyway, we decided that although Ullapool had been our target destination, even though we could probably get there in a couple of days, getting back might have been a problem, and anyway, who needs hypothermia. And my socks were wet.

We would head back to civilisation...  Mallaig.

Fully dressed  for winter gales, we motored quietly back to Mallaig. Wind F0-2. No rain. Quite pleasant. 

We even hit 13 knots down Kyle Rea.

13 knots.

It's  a lovely day in Mallaig and we are now safely berthed and drinking tea.

Tobermory to Mallaig to Plockton

Mist turned to rain, then it got windy and cold.

Dreich.

Mallaig however, is very nice, and when the wind dropped and the sun came out we were happy and warm again.

Mallaig harbour marina, next day.

So, off to Plockton. Up the Sound of Sleat, into Kyle Rea, whizzing through with 4 knots of tide, down Loch Alsh, under the Skye Bridge, along a rocky coast,  and into Plockton. 

A nice calm sunny day. 

Sailing surrounded by mountains. 

Plockton has a stately home...

.... and some moorings. But not a lot else...  apart from stupendous mountain views and flat, calm sheltered water.

Tobermory

Tobermory is as nice as ever.

We walked to the lighthouse and had Genoa cake for tea.

Tobermory marina

Dunollie Castle, Oban

A nice day off, sightseeing in Oban

Tobermory tomorrow 

A day off in Oban

Shopping and a walk up to McCaig's Tower

Looking out over Oban Bay towards Mull from McCaig's Tower

Craighouse to Oban

Passage planning, like many of the joys in life, is often different. Today's passage plan had several objectives of varying importance:

1. Not leaving before dawn

2. Not going against the tide

3. Avoiding the Corryvreckan Whirlpool of Death

4. Not getting cold and/or wet

5. Not getting wind over tide up the Sound of Luing

6. Agreeing on the correct pronunciation of "Luing"

7. Ditto "Dorus Mor"

8. Deciding the best route past the 7 knot overfalls past Pladda

9. Choosing the best moment for lunch

10. And so on

In the event, we decided that the best time to leave Craighouse was "definitely 0530", "definitely 0730", but possibly "later this week ".

We left at 0600.

And arrived at Oban at 1200, where we ate our sandwiches and went back to bed.

We like Oban.

Oban, from the excellent "Transit Marina "

Craighouse, Scotland

A foggy day till we arrived.

Moored at Craighouse on Jura outside a distillery.  Warm and sunny now.

Some pictures

Jean at the helm

Alisa Craig

The cliff coast of Islandmagee

Ardglass to Glenarm

This time we set off late enough to get the tides right and early enough to arrive before dark.

Everyone loves Glenarm; its friendly charm, excellent facilities and free washing machine. And of course the Black guillemots. 

Today, we stayed put. Jean did the washing and I watched the guillemots. 

Glenarm

Ducks

Ardglass

We love Ardglass.

..... and to Ardglass

We definitely weren't doing another long day, but Greystones wasn't far enough,  Dun Laoghaire didn't appeal, Hoath might be shallow and full, so we motored the 91 miles to Ardglass.

 It was really very pleasant until the favourable tide ran out and we realised that we would be arriving after dark. But the weather was kind with only a few drops of rain, whilst meanwhile. Devon was being flooded.

Ardglass is a gem of a little harbour although easier to enter in daylight.

We rafted alongside a Hallberg Rassy crewed by a sleepy-looking man in a fluffy bathrobe.

Dale (Wales) to Arklow (Ireland) to Ardglass (NI)

Up at dawn. Our route inside Skomer and outside South Bishop; motoring with the tide was easy enough till it turned and we had 2.5 knots against us for the last 3 hours.

Arrived in Arklow, pretty tired, but  having avoided the plethora of fishing pots outside the harbour. 

It was reassuring to be greeted by the ever helpful, friendly and welcoming man in charge of the marina and visitors'  pontoon. 

Cash Only  35 Euros a night, and a trip in his car to buy some fuel.

Strangely reassuring as well to see that little had changed since last year: the hole in the pontoon made by a fellow sailor jumping off his boat, the local engineering works and the sewage in the river. 

Back to the boat

Up at 0529. Hire car back to Wales. 

Albatross was fine and had been well looked after at Rudders Boatyard. 

Lunch, then motored the 8 or 9 miles up to Dale. Anchored.  

A brief sleep, then enjoyed the lovely evening sunshine. 

Meanwhile in London, a man in a hat had sat on a chair.