Cruise 4 - 11 June

4 June 2022

BB Oban, as crew finalise plans for early departure....

View from McCaig's tower

Sunset 10pm Oban 

Beautiful Oban

Oban at 2300 

And another one! 

5 June 2022

Leaving Oban

Another perfect day. Leaving south out of Oban. Heading to Tinkers Hole... 

Steady 10 kts 

360 degree view !!!! 

South side of Ross of Mull 

Perfect day in paradise!! 14 kts beautiful run along South Coast of Mull 

Loch Buie 

Prep for morning tea! 

New cruising chute being hoisted for the first time 

Wonder and awe !! 

Very little wind but making sacrifices to bring it on!!!! 

Just about to gybe to get better course, but fun goose-winged 

Distant hills of Mull on a summer's day 

Is this the Med, or Brittany, Corsica - No it's Mull in Scotland 

5 June 2022

Perfect anchorage at Tinker's Hole

Venturing ashore from Tinkers Hole anchorage 

Paul and Graham. Working their way through prickly bracken and slippery slopes to a great view - Island of Erraid. Extraordinary conditions in an amazing setting.... so very beautiful 

Returning to BB to the aromas of supper.... Greek Lamb Orzo..... and then cheeseboard, well chosen wine and a dram... 

Monday 6 June 2022

Monday. Raised anchor at Tinkers Hole. Motored through sound of Iona. Hoisted sails in 10 kts, heading to Ulva via Staffa. Circumnavigated Staffa. Puffins, gannets, seals, guillemots, gulls. With wind available, what to do? But sail.... . Sailed through and round Treshnish Isles. David's navigation safely managing tides, currents, eddies, wind. Skip keeping crew occupied with tacks, sail trimming and second fly of the cruising chute

0400 Monday

Motoring up Sound of Iona 

Beautiful light and clear waters.... 

Sailing. Happy skip. 

Flying easier today. Struck genoa as well as staysail this time.... learned a lot yesterday. Not too daunting now. Smooth sock / snuffer 

Tuesday 7 June 2022

Relaxed sailing

Fingals Cave 

Iona Abbey 

From the afternoon Staffa to lhs. Bac Mor, aka Dutchmans Cap, to rhs of pic 

Too relaxed .... get that cruising chute up!! 

Blow.... 

Flying with cruising chute and main. 7 kts wind. 5 kts boat speed, 4.4 over the ground. Happy !! 

Inside out batten 

Chilled crew 

And good enough for a swim - lunch stop at Coll 

Responding to the challenge.... 

Loch Breachacha 

Decided not to go for that mooring... at anchor 

At anchor Arinagour, Isle of Coll 

2300 

8 June 2022

All change. Winds rising, grey rainy day.....leaving Coll for Ardnamurchan and Eigg.. 25 kts..

Now for proper Scottish sailing!! David on the helm, Muck in the background 

The distinctive escarpment of Eigg 

Ok sure, another tack Skip. No problem 🙄 down the channel between Muck and Eigg 

All fun !! 

Good day for an admin nav job !!! 

Keep the crew moving... 

And a beautiful evening emerges 

2245.... so light! 

9 June 2022

Fantastic sailing - topping 10kts boat speed at times with 2 reefs in the main

Dropping anchor in Loch Moidart 

Pootling down Loch Moidart towards Inner Loch Moidart to view Castle Tioram 

Heading to Arisaig 

Assessing the mooring in Arisaig Harbour 

Tucked up in Airsaig Harbour, expecting 7 - gale force 8 

10 June 2022

0530 start. Off mooring 0620. Out of Arisaig heading to Mallaig. Genoa and Mizzen. 9kts boat speed. A lot of wind!!

30 gusting 35+ kts wind, boat speed 11+ 

Safely back in Mallaig