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Welcome to the News Page Thank you for clicking on 'News'. This page is updated in the summer between cruises by Melville, the skipper and at regular intervals during the winter - last up-dated on Tuesday 24 January. Next up-date will be on Tuesday 14 February. |
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The Recent Storms |
| On Thursday 8th. December, Scotland was hit by severe weather with winds recorded gusting over 100 mph. Emmaus survived this storm, other than damage to the shore power cable. |
| The next storm which hit central Scotland on Tuesday 3rd. January caused widespread damage and failure of power supplies for days. The only minor effect on Emmaus was that 3 plastic cable ties which hold on a spray dodger had snapped. |
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Visiting the yacht on Monday 9th January, it was such a lovely day with a force 3 NW wind, that one wished the yacht was not laid up for the winter. |
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Moody 38CC yacht is for sale |
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The Moody 38 (centre cockpit) was supremely well built in 1994 and still looks like new. The quality of the gel coat is superb. Over the years, many items have been replaced to maintain a high standard - sails, rigging, instruments, VHF radio, chart plotter, cooker, sprayhood, dodgers, cockpit tent, alternator, bilge pumps, toilets, etc. The yacht is equipped with spinnaker and gear and has a built-in diesel generator. |
The sale is being handled by Craobh Haven Marina where it is based. A full specification and inventory is available from melville@discoverycruising.co.uk or from Jim Berry at craobhmarina@talk21.com. It features on the web site http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/
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Assisting Churches |
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Now that the cruising element of the work of Christian Discovery Trust comes to an end, the Trustees have agreed that Melville can continue to assist Churches who are keen to set up a projection system capable of showing the words of hymns, Bible readings and the screening of DVDs. |
On Wednesday 18th. January, Melville drove north to Lochcarron to look at the possibility of equipping the Church with projector, screen laptop and necessary software. Lochcarron lies on the north side of Loch Carron. For many years, a ferry plied between South Strome and North Strome providing a connection between Kyle of Lochalsh and the north. A road was built alongside the railway on the south side of the loch so the ferry ceased to operate. On several occasions, the road has closed due to landslips, the most recent being just before Christmas. It is anticipated that the road will remain closed for at least a further month. It was necessary to take a long detour via Drumnadrochit, Beauly and Achnasheen - a total of 135 miles. However, having got there, one was pleased to find that a temporary arrangement had been made to bring into service the old Ballachulish Ferry which plies in the summer between Glenelg and Skye. One had to visit the Golf Course to be issued with a free admission ticket and then drive to the slipway at North Strome. The ferry takes 6 cars and with its powerful engine crossed the narrow gap in just a few minutes.
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Some statistics for 29 years of cruising We used the yacht "Trebizond" for 6 seasons and covered 14,929 miles with 476 days at sea. Our new Moody 38 "Emmaus" followed for 18 seasons covering 55,455 miles with 1,584 days at sea and a total of 1,409 crew over the years. Income from fees over 24 years came to £3,034,230. |
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The final Cruise 12 - for Stephen Hutchison & Friends The final "Closing Down" Sail |
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Stephen had over the past 11 years enjoyed 3 cruises with the
Minister and friends from the Hilton Church in Inverness. He
persuaded his wife Ingrid to come on this final cruise along with his cousin
Iain Wright and son David, and also Alasdair Munro who had shared in the 3
previous cruises. Sandy Falconer returned as mate for this
final cruise. The crew were due to arrive at mid day on Saturday 17th. September to set sail that afternoon. but the weather had other plans. The remains of hurricane Kaiti were heading for Scotland with threats of severe storms, structural damage and ferry sailing cancelled. To avoid spending 3 days on the mooring at Bishop's Bay being buffeted by the storm, we chose plan B - head 45 miles by road to spend 3 days in a family home at Roshven, Lochailort and view the storm through a picture window. We made ourselves comfortable in time for dinner with corn on the cob, sirloin steaks and strawberries and Pavlova followed by cafetiere coffee and After 8s. It was a leisurely 3 days with time to relax, cycle, walk and a bit of reading. On Monday when conditions were to be at the worst with many ferry sailings cancelled, we seemed to escape the brunt of the wind, although it did rain very heavily. The worst of the weather was on Tuesday morning. In the afternoon, we packed up, headed for Onich and boarded the yacht in time for our evening meal. Day 4: We were up at 07.00 and after the customary full breakfast ready to leave Bishop's Bay at 10.28 by which time the spring tide and dropped sufficient to give us headroom under the Ballachulish Bridge. The wind was WNW 4 to 5 later becoming NW 5 to 6. After using the engine for an hour, we hoisted about 80% of the Genoa and had a brisk sail down the east side of Lismore. To await a favourable tide for Easdale Harbour and Cuan Sound we had to delay for 2 hours so we deviated from our route and picked up a mooring in Oban which allowed us to have lunch on an even keel. We left Oban at 16.16 having to use the engine in the Sound of Kerrera as the wind was very patchy. Once back out into open water, we had a brisk and lively sail southwards, passed through Easdale Harbour. We then reached the Cuan Sound with a faavourable ebb tide and managed to go through under sail which involved gybing twice. The wind remained NW but died away at 19.05 so we had to use the engine to reach Craobh Marina. We were too late to fillk up with diesel so we berthed on the inside of the fuel berth at 19.45. Good use was made of the excellent shower facilities before we settled down to our evening meal. We covered 40 miles today. Day 2: We had a leisurely start to await suitable tides. A full breakfast of fruit juice, porridge, bacon, sausage, Stornoway black pudding and scrambled egg was interrupted when a member of the marina staff arrived to fill up our fuel tank. We left the marina at 11.36 under engine and full mainsail and motor sailed southwards in a SSE2 wind to pass through the Gulf of Corryvreckan at slack water when it looked quite docile. From there we headed to anchor at the Garvelloch Islands to enjoy our lunch arriving there at 14.00. We left just over an hour later in calm conditions and motored to Loch Spelve anchoring in the NE corner at 17.35 to enjoy a peaceful night. Just 27 miles today. Day 3: The forecast promised a SE wind of force 4 to 5 increasing to 6 with heavy thundery showers in the afternoon. We left Loch Spelve at 10.30 with the engine and 1 reef in the mainsail and headed out of the loch. Once clear of the entrance, we hoisted 1/2 of the genoa. It was not an ideal sailing wind ESE 4 gusty and changing frequently in direction. With wind against tide, the sease were rough until we reached the south end of Lismore. When the wind became E2, we had to drop the genoa and resort to the engine. This made it easier to serve up lunch. At Port Appin, the wind became SE4 and we hoisted full sail to round Shuna Island and head up Loch Linnhe. Itt remained dry. As we approached the Ballachulish Bridge the wind swung more to the east and gusted to force 5, so we dropped sail and motored the final short distance to pick up our mooring in Bishop's Bay at 16.15 having covered 30 miles in just under 6 hours. Our 3 days on board gave us a variety of sailing conditions when we clocked up 98 miles with use of the engine for 10 hours. Comments in the Visitors' Book included - "The finest closing down sail." "Another fantastic sailing holiday. The wonder of God's creation on show again." |
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And so ends 29 years of sailing under the banner of Discover Cruising. |
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This Year's Cruises |
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Cruise 3 - The Focus Crew Cruise 3: For many years, Girvan MacCorkell and John Jenkins have run a week's cruise for a men's group from the High Kirk in Ballymena using the Focus Trust Moody 38 yacht. Having sold the yacht 3 years ago, this is now their third cruise on Emmaus. With numbers down, Melville agreed to join them and enjoy sailing on his own yacht with a very experienced crew. It turned out to be another week with very strong winds and rough sea conditions. With gale warnings in force and SW winds of force 5 to 7 in Loch Linnhe, the yacht had to spend the first 2 days on its mooring in Bishop's Bay. The crew boarded on the afternoon of Friday 27 May and managed to dodge most of the showers in getting kit on board. Being impossible to go anywhere by sea on Saturday, we climbed into Girvan's Land Rover and headed out to Roshven, Arisaig and Mallaig admiring the wild conditions from the shore. Sunday was even worse, so the crew visited the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven and went for a walk. Day 3: Hurrah - the wind moderated so we left Bishop's Bay under engine at 07.50 and headed down Loch Linnhe against a light SSW wind of only force 2 or 3. We had hoped for a sail in the Sound of Mull, but the wind direction changed and continued to be 'on the nose'. We berthed at the pontoon in Tobermory at 13.20 in time for lunch. 34.5 miles today. There was time for a walk in the afternoon. Day 4: A strong wind forecast, but leaving Tobermory at 08.45, we motored all the way to Loch Spelve for lunch with virtually no wind. Over lunch the wind became established as SW 3 to 4. We left at 15.00 and sailed all the way to Craobh Haven Marina by way of the Sound of Luing rather than the Cuan Sound. Berthing at the fuel pontoon at 19.10, we took on 57 litres and moved to an overnight berth. 46.1 miles today. Day 5: A leisurely start today waiting for a favourable tide at the Cuan Sound - time to enjoy the excellent shower facilities at the marina. With a forecast of SW 5/7, we left Craobh at 11.40 with one reef in the mainsail and about 20% of the genoa. Once through Easdale Harbour, we rolled out the full Genoa and headed north to Duart Point in Mull in disturbed seas. At Duart Point at 14.35, the wind had freshened and swung to the west, so it was time for the second reef in the mainsail and headed for Grey Island in the Sound of Mull. It was time to drop the genoa and motor sail is rough seas with wind against tide. For a full 20 minutes, the wind held steady at force 7 with very rough seas. 2 yachts i front of us turned back and entered Loch Aline, but we pressed on. We passed Green Island at 16.00 with the wind at WSW 6. Off went the engine and we rolled out about 40% of the genoa and had a very brisk sail in heavy rain north to Auliston Point at 17.00 and then NE into Loch Sunart. We were pleased to enter Salen Mor anchorage on the north side of Oronsay Island at 17.40 and have it to ourselves for the night. The wind was just force 4 here so we had a peaceful night. 39.8 miles today. Day 6: Strong winds forecast - so it was a good day to sail up Loch Sunart to Strontian - a good navigation exercise in following all the transit lines. Leaving at 10.45, we picked up a mooring at the head of Loch Sunart at 13.28 in time for lunch. We ate lots of cheese this week and used up all the fresh rolls bought in Tobermory. We slipped the mooring at 14.45 and sailed gently west. Being against the tide and swinging on to the line of the wind, we motor sailed for about half the passage back to Tobermory arriving there at 18.10. Just 19.8 miles today but an interesting day in navigation. Day7: Our final day and 4th. time in the Sound of Mull. It was a dry sunny day. Despite a good forecast, we had no wind at all in the sound of Mull. Leaving Tobermory at 10.28, we entered Loch Linnhe at 12.56. Slowly the wind came from nowhere to become SSE 4 and later SSW 4. Off went the engine and with full mainsail and spinnaker, we had a magnificent run up Loch Linnhe amidst beautiful scenery. We snuffed the spinnaker just before reaching the Ballachulish Bridge and picked up our mooring in Bishop's Bay at 17.4 covering 38.9 miles bringing the total for the week to 191.1 with use of the engine for 24 hoursw. |
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Cruise 4 - arranged by Robin Downie for a group who attended Westerton Crusaders in the 1970s. Day 1: The crew arrived at Onich by lunchtime on Saturday 11 June. We loaded up and set sail at 13.18. 2 hours later we switched off the engine and made good progress down Loch Linnhe under full sail. We entered the Sound of Mull at 16.45. With the NW wind and tide against us, we lowered the Genoa and motor sailed to pick up a mooring at Kilchoan and 20.10 in time for a late dinner. We enjoyed a calm and peaceful night. 41 miles today. Day 2: We were up early to slip the mooring at 08.42. With winds just force 2, we had to resort to using the engine until 12.45 when the wind became ENE force 3 increasing to 4. We made good progress across the Sea of the Hebrides and picked up a mooring in Castlebay, Barra at 16.45. This was 'Steak Pie' night. 49 miles today. Day 3: The next morning was very wet and the winds strong so we spent the morning ashore. Conditions improved at lunchtime so we slipped the mooring at 13.10 and set off north under full sail. The NW wind freshened so within an hour we took the first reef in the mainsail and 20 minutes later reduced the Genoa by 20% - and we went faster! We entered Loch Skipport in South Uist and at 19.00, anchored in the Kettle Pool having it to ourselves. 32 miles today. Day 4: The wind veered to WSW force 3 - just right for heading further north. We weighed anchor at 09.17 and set off under full sail. At 10.20, we prepared to hoist the spinnaker but the wind dropped. By 11.30 it became S force 3, so we got the spinnaker up until we reached the entrance to the Stanton Channel in the Sound of Harris. A change of bearing dictated a change to the Genoa. The Stanton Channel is a test in sailing transit lines, but has been made easier by the addition of one red buoy and 2 green buoys. Half way through we lost the wind and had to switch on the engine. At 16.55, we anchored off the glorious sandy beach at Taransay Island and 4 crew went ashore in the dinghy. The wind swung to the south and freshened to force 4 so it was not the place to spend the night. Reluctantly we weighed anchor at 18.10 and sailed into West Loch Tarbert and found a delightful sheltered sea loch on the north shore where we enjoyed a peaceful night. 47 miles today. Day 5: With 3 sailing days left to reach our changeover destination of Portree, it seemed too ambitious to venture up the west side of Harris and Lewis and round the Butt of Lewis so we chose to return through the Sound of Harris. With rain, poor visibility and an adverse tide, we waited until 12.33 to weigh anchor and head back through the Sound of Harris. We motored sailed until entering the Sound of Harris and then preceded under full sail. We reached Renish Point at 15.45. With the SW wind reaching force 5, we took the first reef in the mainsail and headed east for the north end of Skye. It was glorious weather with a fast and impressive crossing of the Minch. We rounded the north end of Skye at 18.44 and headed further east for Gairloch. The wind lessened so we reverted to full mainsail. An hour later with less wind, we had to switch on the engine, but when we entered Loch Gairloch, it was possible to sail once again in a beautiful evening with the backdrop of the Torridon Mountains ahead. We dropped anchor in Loch Shieldaig, Gairloch at 22.05 having covered 63 miles over the ground but only 58 through he water, having made good use of the tides. Day 6: Having been very late the night before, we had a leisurely breakfast and weighed anchor at 10.05 to motor to the pier at Flowerdale to take on water and diesel and deposit 4 bags of rubbish. We left at 11.03 but with variable winds of force 1 or 2, we had to use the engine for our passage south to Loch Torridon. At 14.05 we anchored off Shieldaig village and went ashore to enjoy some ice-cream. At 15.50, we motored into Upper Loch Torridon for another peaceful anchorage - just 20 miles today. Day 7: With an easterly wind of force 3, we had a pleasant passage out of Loch Torridon setting off at 09.35 We sailed goose-winged through Caol Rona with the tide in our favour. Alas there was no wind in the Sound of Raasay, to our final passage to Portree was under engine where we picked up a visitor's mooring on the east side of the bay at 14.10. 25 miles today. After lunch, we went ashore and in the evening dined out at the Sea Breezes fish restaurant, the crew treating the skipper as it happened to be his Birthday. Day 8: We were up at 06.15 so that 3 of the crew could catch the 07.45 bus with the other 3 opting for the later bus at 10.15. We unloaded at the yacht pontoon and filled up the water tank. It was a fantastic week - good weather - 277 miles - calm and peaceful anchorages - great scenery - and some of the crew went swimming in water at 12 degrees. Each evening, the crew took it in turns to look back some 35 years to the impact on their lives of the time spent in Westerton Crusaders. |
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Cruise 6 - Reunion for 3 Friends |
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This was a short cruise lasting two and a half days but we
experienced great weather. In 1993, the last year that we used the yacht Trebizond, 3 friends were part of the crew - Christoph Weaver, Daniel Hulls and Maurice Houston. Although now living far apart in London, Cambridge and Melrose, they try to meet up for a weekend once a year and climb a few 'Munros'. This year they chose to meet up on Emmaus. They travelled north on the evening of Wednesday 29 June and arrived in Onich just after 10.00 pm. We boarded the yacht, enjoyed something to eat and turned into bed after midnight. Day 1: After breakfast, we went up on deck for safety drill and a look at the equipment on deck. It rained heavily and the skipper's old oilskin jacket leaked so badly that he had to change down to the skin. The forecast wind was W to NW force 3 to 4 - ideal for a trip down Loch Linnhe. We intended to head for Loch Melfort for the night. We left Bishop's Bay at 09.30 in the rain with no wind using the engine but with the mainsail hoisted. A little wind came from almost every direction and then at 11.27 it became WSW. 15 minutes later it came from the west and freshened in a squall to force 5, gusting 6 so we had to reef the mainsail. At 12.40 it obligingly became WNW 3 so off went the engine, out came the reef in the mainsail and up went the full Genoa sail. 45 minutes later the wind died and for a time became ESE. We decided to motor to the Garvelloch Islands, anchor for an hour and then pass through the Gulf of Corryvreckan with the tide and find a sheltered anchorage fo the night. When west of Easdale Island, we encountered very rough seas for no apparent reason. The yacht pitched so badly that diesel came out of the tank through the air vent on to the floor of the cockpit. The current wind direction was no longer suitable for anchoring at the Garvellochs, so we did an about turn and headed for Loch Spelve in Mull with the wind becoming WNW 4 so we were able to sail again. Alas, within 10 minutes it became NNW 2 so on went the engine. After half an hour of such a light wind, we opted for Plan C and headed SE towards the Sound of Luing. When we reached the lighthouse at Pladda the wind freshened to W 4 and we were able to sail once again, albeit with the seas still disturbed. We made good headway against the last of the flood tide. Once into the Sound of Luing, the sea became calm, the sun came out and sailing was what it should be - idyllic. At 17.45 we dropped sail and anchored in a bay at the north end of Shuna Island and enjoyed a very pleasant evening having covered 52 miles through the water but just 49 miles 'over the ground'. Later that evening, it became so cold that we switched on the cabin heating - 30th. June! Day 2: Having covered 50 miles yesterday, we opted for a more leisurely day - fresh grapefruit for breakfast along with bacon, Stornoway Black Pudding and scrambled egg for breakfast. At 10.00, we weighed anchor and motored the short distance to Craobh Haven Marina to top up with water and diesel and use the most excellent shower facilities. At 11.05 with virtually no wind, we left the Marina and motor sailed through Cuan Sound and just got through Easdale Harbour with the tide very low at 12.17. The wind picked up to WSW 3, so we hoisted the Genoa and switched off the engine. We sailed all the way across to Mull and anchored in Loch Spelve in the NE corner at 14.15 and enjoyed a late lunch. Later in the afternoon, the lure of the hills was too much for 2 of the crew so they went ashore in the rubber dinghy and climbed the ridge between Loch Spelve and the Sound of Mull. Returning to the yacht about 20.30, we all went swimming round the yacht and then tucked into our 3 course dinner including the Drymen Butcher Steak Pie, seated in the cockpit enjoying a pleasant summer evening. A pleasant day covering just 18 miles. Day 3: With 2 of the crew due to fly back to London from Edinburgh in the evening, we were up at 06.30 and away at 07.50 for the 29 miles back to Bishop's Bay. It was a glorious warm sunny day but devoid of wind so we had to use the engine for the 5 hour passage. The timing was such that we were against the tide all the way, so in fact we covered an extra 4 miles through the water. We were back int he bay by 12.35 and the crew were on their way home by 14.15.
No wind! Although a very short cruise, it was most enjoyable. Over the ground, we clocked up 96 miles but it was 103 through the water. |
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Cruise 5 for the Jamieson Family In 1983, Robert and Helen Jamieson were amongst the first crew members when Melville started cruises on the west coast. Eldest son James came on a Scripture Union cruise in July 2000, and Andrew started in July 1999 and has been on the yacht every year since with the exception of 2010 laterally helping as a mate. Sandy Falconer also joined us to help get ready for the cruise and keep the skipper supplied with frequent rounds of cafetiere coffee. Day 1: Having arrived by bus on Monday 20 June, we set off on the Tuesday morning at 09.30 under engine and full mainsail heading north with the wind NE force 2 to 3 freshening to 4. At 10.50 with the wind veered to E4, a reef was taken in the mainsail and the engine switched off. Towards the north end of Skye, the wind dropped and the engine was used for about an hour, until we entered the Minch and sailed west heading for Loch Eport in North Uist. It was a beautiful day and we alternated between sailing broad reach and goose-winged. the wind freshened to force 5 so we made excellent progress to enter Loch Eport at 17.40 and anchored in Acairsaid Lee on the north side of the loch having covered 52 miles on our first day. Day 2: We left Loch Eport under full sail at 10.40 to sail south against the tide in a wind which was NNE 4 freshening to force 5 and then 6 - although the forecast was for force 3 to 4. At 14.57 we lowered the Genoa and entered Lochboisdale to view a projected scheme to provide pontoons and breakwaters in which James was involved in the design and planning. ~We left Lochboisdale about half an hour later with the wind at force 6 and sailed further south pat Eriskay, Barra and Vatersay to enter a delightful bay on the NE corner of Sandray Island at 18.53 - another 52 miles.
Sandray Island Day 3: Having come to the Outer Isles and with good weather, we had hoped to spend another day in the area, but with SE winds forecast to arrive earlier than previously predicted it seemed prudent to head back to the mainland. We weighted anchor at 08.58 and sailed south to Mingulay under full sail and dropped anchor at 10.15. It was beautiful and we could have spent the whole day exploring the island and viewing the puffins. We managed an hour ashore and the skipper went for a swim on the magnificent beach.
Mingulay Island At 12.00, we reluctantly left the island under engine at full mainsail with the wind NNW 3. At 15.45 the wind increased to force 4 and we switched off the engine and hoisted the spinnaker for the next 20 miles. Approaching the Gunna Sound between Coll and Tiree we were blessed with a fine display of dolphins on either side of the yacht. Passing through the Gunna Sound with a favourable tide, we had to pull well over to Starboard to allow the Calmac "Clansman" to over take us at the green buoy in the narrow channel. We set course for Iona but at 19.10. the spinnaker broke free from the halyard, landed in the water ahead of the yacht and then swept down the port side and fortunately did not go underneath and round the keel. It acted like a sea anchor, so we had to turn head to wind to be able to drag it on deck - undamaged. We motor sailed for the rest of the day across to Iona, through the Sound of Iona and anchored in David Balfour's Bay east of Erraid island. 64 miles today. Day 4: We hoisted Andrew to the top of the mast to recover the spinnaker halyard. Today's wind was WSW 2, so it was engine all the way to the Gulf of Corryvreckan with 4 knots of tide to sweep us through. At 14.40 we entered Craobh Haven Marina, topped up the fuel tank and berthed at 'A' pontoon for the night. During the previous week we discovered that we had lost the masthead navigation lamp which must have got blown off in the severe storm 4 weeks ago. Having 'phoned the marina in advance to order one, 2 of the marina staff kindly fitted it for us. We made good use of the excellent shower facilities - in fact one of the crew took the spinnaker snuffing sock into the shower cubicle to wash off all the salt water. We laid the spinnaker along the pontoon and hosed down both sides to get rid of salt. With bungees round it, we hung it up to dry whilst we had dinner. 31 miles today. Day 5: We had a long lie in bed and enjoyed Stornoway Black Pudding and scrambled egg for breakfast. The day started off damp, low cloud and poor visibility. We left the marina at 10.57 and got the last of the flood tide through the Cuan Sound and Easdale Harbour. With lighter winds than forecast we motor sailed all the way to Loch Spelve and anchored at 13.25 in time for a late lunch. It turned out to be a warm sunny afternoon and evening with the skipper and several of the crew in swimming. Just 16 miles today. Day 6: It started off very wet with low cloud and very poor visibility. Leaving Loch Spelve at 09.10, we had to use the radar to ensure that we avoided Calmac Ferries heading to and from Oban as we motor sailed north. Although the wind was behind us, it was not strong enough to switch off the engine. We arrived back in Bishop's Bay at 13.33 and sat round the table for a 3 course lunch as the crew opted to travel home later in the day and not wait for the evening meal. 30 miles today. It was an excellent week. We were joined by dolphins on 4 occasions and spotted whales several times. We covered 244 miles during the week.
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Cruise 8 for Adrian Lowe, Family & Friends When Adrian Lowe and his wife booked this cruise about 9 months ago, their goal was to visit St. Kilda. To achieve this, 3 conditions have to be met - the right weather to get there, the right weather to stay there and get ashore, and the right weather to come back. On this occasion, it was marginal and with their 12-year old son on board and a friend who had never cruised before, we opted to explore the Outer Hebrides instead. Day 1: The crew were on board by 10.30 and within an hour. we set off down Loch Linnhe in light winds and against the tide, so we had to resort to using the engine for the 40 miles to anchor at the island of Oronsay in Loch Sunart for a calm and peaceful night. Day 2: We were up early and away before 09.00 still hoping that St. Kilda would be possible. Winds were light from the SE, so we hoisted the mainsail and motored round Ardnamurchan Point heading for Loch Skipport in South Uist. At 14.05, halfway across the Minch, the wind veered to SSW4, so to avoid using the engine, we altered course for Eriskay. A fine drizzle set in so on reaching the approach to Eriskay at 17.00, it took some time to find the leading line beacons to enter the harbour. We were fortunate to pick up one of the 2 visitor moorings and spent a peaceful night, having covered 55 miles. We celebrated the crossing if the Minch by having the Drymen Butcher's steak pie for dinner. Day 3: To await the south going tide, we had a later start at 09.50 and headed south under full sail to enter Castlebay with a NNW4 wind. We tacked all the way into the harbour and picked up one of the visitor moorings. Having had lunch under way, the crew went ashore for a visit to the Swimming Pool and the chance of a hot shower. At 16.05, we left the mooring under reefed sail and enjoyed an interesting passage in to Vatersay Bay with its magnificent sandy beach, dropping anchor at 17.45 - just 22 miles today. Day 4: With settled sunny weather it was too good a chance not to bypass the island of Mingulay. With light winds, we departed Vatersay at 09.00 and motored the ten and half miles to anchor off the beach at 10.40. There is always a swell here which makes landing on the beach in a rubber dinghy an interesting exercise. The greater problem in the surf is leaving the beach without swamping the dinghy. To avoid trouble, we landed and retrieved the crew in a little rocky creek at one end of the bay. Whilst the crew were ashore, the skipper enjoyed swimming round the yacht. He found a build up of barnacles under the stern up to 3" thick. These were easily removed with a wooden spoon. With the crew back on board by 13.05, we weighed anchor and motored north with the tide to enter Loch Skipport in South Uist and anchor at 18.45 in the idyllic setting of the Kettle Pool - almost land locked and well sheltered. We covered 49 miles today. Day 5: It would have been good to spend a further day in the Outer Isles with a possible visit to the Shiant Isles, but with east winds predicted, it was time to get back across to the mainland. Winds were still light so it was another day to use the engine for all but one hour in our passage round the north end of Skye to Gairloch. We went alongside the pier at Flowerdale at 19.20 and took on water and diesel. By 20.15 we were anchored in a SE corner of the bay in time for a late dinner. This was our longest passage of the week - 61 miles. Day 6: The forecast this morning was for SE winds, force 4 to 5 - ideal for a passage to Portree. We set off at 10.40 under full sail, but soon had to take the first reef in the mainsail as the wind swung to the south and strengthened. At 11.50 when half way across to the north end of the island of South Rona, we reefed the Genoa as the wind became SSW5. With hindsight, this may have been a mistake as we slammed into heavy seas and the boat speed dropped by about 2 knots. We decided to stow the Genoa and motor sail with the reefed mainsail, but the motion became very uncomfortable, so we cut short our passage and anchored in a sheltered bay between the islands of Raasay and Fladday at 14.45. The crew spent the afternoon playing Scrabble. Day 7: Our final day. We left at 10.08 under full sail but by 11.20 the wind dropped and we had to motor the remaining distance to Portree. At 12.08 we picked up on the the visitor moorings on the east side of the bay. After lunch the crew went ashore to shop and visit the local swimming pool. The next moorning, we took the yacht across the bay to the pontoon at the pier so that the crew could disembark and catch the 1015 bus back to Onich where the cars wee parked. Our mileage for the week was 260 miles with the engine used for 34 hours - about 50% more than usual. Here are a few of the comments in the Visitors' Book. "Thank you so much for a brilliant trip. We have enjoyed the sailing, the food and all the stories." "'Melville, it has been a privilege to sail with you for over 23 years! Thank you for introducing me to such a passion in my life. God bless."
Cruise 9 - the magic marathon to Orkney and back home covering 444 miles and one night passage with winds of force 6 gusting to 7. Day 1: This cruise started at Portree on Wednesday 3rd. August with the ambition of getting to Orkney having failed to do so on 4 previous attempts over a 4 year period. This involves 4 days of sailing at least 75 miles in exposed waters so favourable winds and sea conditions are essential - looked as though it was going to work out this time. All 4 crew - 2 students and 2 young graduates had all sailed on Emmaus on numerous occasions so were well experienced to cope with demanding conditions. By 17.30 all crew members had arrived by bus and boarded the yacht so no time was wasted in dropping the mooring at 18.08 and motoring the 9 miles to anchor for the night back at the creek between Raasay and Fladday islands - light winds from the NNE. Day 2: The forecast this morning gave winds to be Cyclonic becoming W3/4 becoming 5/6 later. We were up at 06.00 and away by 07.35. Alas, the winds were just force 1 to 2 all day from a variety of directions, so we had to motor the 68 miles all the way to Weaver's Bay in Loch Laxford arriving there at 17.45 for a calm and peaceful night with the exciting prospect of making it to Orkney tomorrow. Day 3: Up at 06.00 and weigh anchor at 07.50. Leave Weaver's Bay under engine and mainsail with one reef. One hour later when clear of the loch, roll out 3/4 of the Genoa and switch off the engine with the wind WNW4. An hour later with 6 miles to go to Cape Wrath, employ the full Genoa. At 10.30, we round Cape Wrath and hoist the pole on the Genoa to head for Orkney goose-winged with the wind now W5/6. We encounter heavy rolling seas and run the engine at low revs to make it easier to steer. 3 of the 4 crew succumb to sea-sickness and we debate whether to abort the passage to Orkney nad head for Loch Eriboll on the north coast. At 11.59, the wind swings to WNW6 so we gybe the Genoa to sail on a broad reach. The sun comes out, the engine is switched and the crew unanimously vote to continue to Orkney. At 14.00, the island of Hoy is sighted which makes it easier to steer our course. At 16.00, we return to sailing goose-winged to take us nearer to "The Old Man of Hoy" for a photoshoot. We spot the ferry having left Stromness to head for Scrabster. It sails very close to the main island shore in the Sound of Hoy so we decide to adopt the same approach. At 17.17 we enter the Sound of Hoy close to the main island shore. The wind is W5 behind us and the tide is 6 knots against us. We alter course too soon to be able to sail goose-winged and within minutes became engulfed in the most horrendous sea conditions known as overfalls caused by the wind against tide. The yacht is tossed around like a cork, so we gradually worked close to the shore and followed the 6 metre contour to find calmer seas. Once through the Sound, we prepared to enter Stromness Harbour. We found it impossible to roll away the Genoa as the furling line was jammed in the drum, so we had to drop the sail on to the foredeck and lash it down in force 5 winds. It is with some relief that we tie up to the pontoons in the Stromness Marina at 18.30. Facilities are excellent and the staff extremely helpful. We celebrate by having our Drymen Butcher Steak Pie for dinner. Day 4: We had planned to stay for 2 days, but a forward forecast points to some very strong NW winds which would make us stormbound. We spend the morning ashore, enjoy the shower facilities and do a bit of shopping and at 13.20 leave the Marina to enjoy sailing in Scapa Flow. Winds dropped to force 2 so in four and a half hours, we were able to sail for just 2 hours. We poicked up a mooring for the night of the village of Burray being in the SE of Scapa Flow and adjacent to one of the Churchill Barriers - very sheltered. Day 5: Tides in the Pentland Firth are not to be ignored, so we were up at 04.30, had breakfast and slipped the mooring at 06.00. A N4 wind was forecast - just right for the passage back to Cape Wrath with 6 to 8 knot tides sweeping us westwards. We had every direction of wind ENE, E, N and NNW but only force 2, so we reluctantly had to use the engine for the 68 miles to Cape Wrath which we rounded at 15.52. The wind then became WNW 4 rising to 5, so we dispensed with the engine and set off for Loch Laxford under full sail. We reached the entrance to Loch Laxford at 18.32 in dense drizzle with extremely poor visibility. Using the Chart Plotter and Radar, we rolled away the Genoa and crept into the loch. Weaver's Bay was no longer sheltered so we chose a loch on the north side where John Ridgeway has his Outdoor Centre dropping the anchor at 19.20. It was not ideal as due to the topography, there were eddies in the winds and we swung around all night with 'slopping' noises on the hull. Having been up for over 19 hours, a good night's sleep would have been welcome. Day 6: Winds forecast were N to NW, force 6 to 7. The temptation was to decide that we were stormbound - but time was running out - we had to get south again with 4 headlands to round back to Bishop's Bay where conditions can be very severe. Up at 05.00, we weighed anchor at 06.40 and set out under engine and mainsail with one reef. Sea conditions outside the loch were very confused with the wind NNW6 rising to 7. We rolled out half the Genoa and switched of the engine and started a roller coaster passage to the SW. We safely rounded Stoerhead, Rubha Coighach and Rubha Reidh. We continued our practice of 30 minute turns on the wheel as it required a lot of concentration to cope with the sea conditions. Once round Rubha Reidh we had to alter course to sail due south. Being too rough to goose-wing, we wound away the Genoa and continued with the mainsail with 2 reefs and well tethered by a gybe preventer rope to combat the rolling seas. It was with some relief that at 14.30 we entered the sheltered waters of Loch Gairloch. An hour later, we berthed at the Flowerdale Pier, took on diesel and water and at 16.25 picked up a mooring in Loch Shieldaig. We enjoyed a pasta meal and headed early for bed. Day 7: This cruise was originally planned to end at Portree where it was hoped a new crew would arrive to take the yacht back to Bishop's Bay. For various reasons, this didn't work out. Of the 4 crew on board, 3 had to leave the next day to return home with one being available for a further 2 days with 120 miles to get back to Bishop's Bay. We set off at 09.53 with WNW3 winds. By 13.00 the wind dropped so on went the engine to enable us to reach the pontoon at Kyle of Lochalsh at 15.30 where 3 crew disembarked after helping to top up the water tank. We cast off at 16.15 to catch the first of the tide at Kyle Rhea - the naroow Sound between Skye and the mainland. We were able to sail until 19.00 when the wind dropped to a mere force 2. We dined in style under way with smoked salmon, mince, potato and veg and some apple tart.. We held the south going tide to reach Ardnamurchan Point at 22.09 just as it was getting dark. Our first plan was to reach Tobermory my midnight but forecasts indicated some very nasty weather with torrential rain and very strong E or NE winds - all wrong for the Sound of Mull and Loch Linnhe - so we made Loch Aline our next target. On reach the entrance, visibility was very poor so we didn't relish the thought of creeping into the Loch and finding a spot to anchor clear of other yachts. We chose to keep going greatly assisted by using the Radar and the Chart Plotter. At 02.25 in Loch Linnhe we picked up a SSW4 wind and enjoyed switching off the engine, but within half an hour the wind dropped and we had to motor sail with the mainsail all the way back to Onich. Just after 05.00, it began to get light and we were able to dodge all the lobster pot floats to enter Loch Leven and with some relief pick up our mooring in Bishop's Bay at 05.40. We quickly tidied up, had a bowl of cornflakes and headed for bed sleeping soundly until 13.00. We missed out breakfast and sat down to our main meal of the day with more smoked salmon and mince and veg. By now there was steady unrelenting rainfall so we packed, tidied the yacht and ferried everything including a little left over food ashore. In some 7 days, we had covered 444 miles, our longest passage being 120 miles. For 2 days, we enjoyed exhilerating sailing in force 5 to 7 winds, but for 3 days, we had to use the engine to clock up a total of 44 hours. We made our objective, but one would like to return to Orkney some day to explore the many attractive islands and harbours. Comments from the Visitor's Book - "Many thanks for 10 years of great memories." "Had a fantastic cruise - many thanks for the experiences over the last four years." "Many happy memories on Emmaus of the years. Fantastic cruise getting to Orkney although a couple of rough days, but worth it. Usual high standard of food. The legend of Emmaus and Melville will live on through many photographs and happy memories." "A great week and a lot of miles to add to the yacht's total. Thanks for this and all the time spent on board. Emmaus will be missed!" |
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Cruise 11 for Stuart McAra & Friends Stuart first came on a Scripture Union Cruise, continued coming on Student Cruises and then helped as a mate on many cruises. For several years, he organised weekend cruises in October for friends from Carrubbers Church in Edinburgh with the yacht based at Kip Marina on the Clyde. The crew arrived on the evening of Saturday 10th. August, boarded the yacht and sat down to the conventional 3-course dinner. Day 1: We were up at 07.00 and after the customary full breakfast ready to leave Bishop's Bay at 08.56. With virtually no wind and poor visibility caused by dense drizzle, we had to resort to the engine. By 13.02, the wind picked up and swung to WSW3 so we hoisted the mainsail and continue to motor sail. Half an hour later, we were able to switch off the engine and sail through Easdale Harbour. We then reached the Cuan Sound with the last of the ebb tide and managed to go through under sail which involved gybing twice. The wind became W4 and we had a really good sail to reach Craobh Marina. At 15.30 we were alongside the fuel berth for 91 litres of diesel and then transferred to our overnight berth on 'C' pontoon. Good use was made of the excellent shower facilities. We covered 39 miles today. Day 2: Despite a good forecast, there was little wind at the start of the day. We had to await the start of the ebb tide to proceed south in the Sound of Jura. Before leaving, we connected the fresh water hose to the generator to flush out its cooling system. We left the Marina at 10.37 and made good use of the tide. We stopped at 14.45 at Craighouse to await the start of the flood time in the Sound of Islay. There were 2 periods in the Sound of Jura where the wind freshened and allowed us to forge southwards under full sail. By now the wind was light and variable soo the engine was used all the way through the Sound of Islay and into Loch Tarbert on the west side of Jura where we tucked into Steak Pie for dinner and admired a beautiful sunset. 49 miles today. Day 3: The forecast promised a SE wind of force 3 to 4 increasing to 5. We left Loch Tarbert at 09.05 with the engine and full mainsail and headed to the north end of Colonsay. Initially the wind was just SE2 and being behind us, was too light to sail. Twice the wind freshened and we prepared to hoist the spinnaker, but alas it dropped off again so it was engine all the way to the Torren Rocks at the SW corner of Mull. The wind now picked up to force 4 so off went the engine and up went the genoa. We sped up the Sound of Iona on a beam reach and then headed north to Staffa with the wind now a steady force 5 gusting 6. It was too rough to contemplate stopping at Staffa so photographs were taken as we whizzed by. We had planned to stop at Gometra island for the night, but so good were the sailing conditions, that we continued north to Ardnamurchan and into Sanna Bay for the night - anchoring off Portuark at 17.50. With the wind off shore, it was calm and well sheltered for a peaceful night. If there is any west in the wind, this is not the place to spend a night. This was our longest passage at 58 miles. Day 4: More SE wind forecast today at force 3 to4. When we left Sanna at 09.35, the wind was force 4 gusting 5 so we set off with the full genoa and one reef in the mainsail. By noon, the wind had eased so we shook out the reef in the mainsail after passing the entrance to Arisaig marked by a blob of white paint on the rock. At 13/20 we entered Loch Nevis and with the wind now ESE, we embarked on our first opportunity to tack. At 14.20 we picked up one of the moorings provided by "The Old Forge" off Inverie. We sat in the cockpit and enjoyed lunch - cup-a-soups, and rolls filled with a variety of cold meats, cheese and salad, crisps, yogurts and mouse and fresh fruit. It was time to go ashore and visit "The Old Forge" described as the remotest pub in Britain with no access by road. Just 28 miles today. The wind died away so it was a very peaceful place to spend the night. Day 5: "Variable 3 or less" the coastguard announced this morning. Indeed it was as we left Inverie in bright sunshine under engine and mainsail at 08.52. We entered Mallaig and tied up at the new pontoon complex at 09.50. This excellent facility can accommodate up to 50 yachts. It was not yet complete so one used if 'free' at one's own risk. The pontoons were well equipped with power and water - even the power was free - but no sign of free diesel! We filled up with water, got ride of 3 bags of rubbish and enjoyed coffee and freshly baked scones in the Garden Restaurant. At 11/30, we left Mallaig under engine and mainsail but with the wind a mere SSW1. We had about 0.5 knot tide against us all the way to Ardnamurchan An hour and a half later the wind became SSE3 so hoisting the Genoa added 0.5 knot to our boat speed. At Ardnamurchan at 15.09, the wind became NW 2 and then WNW3. We reached Tobermory area at 16.26 when the wind suddenly changed to SE4. By now, the tide should have been in our favour but it was still against us. We waited until 17.13 for the tide to change, switched off the engine and started tacking down the Sound of Mull heading for Loch Aline. As we approached Loch Aline, the wind fell away to force 1, so we dropped sail and motored into Loch Aline. Rather than pay £25 at the new pontoon complex, we chose to anchor further up the loch at 19.35. Although the evening meal was ready, the skipper and 3 of the crew chose first to swim round the yacht - temperature at 14.9 degrees C. 52 miles today - mainly under engine thanks to the "variable 3 or less".
Day 6: Our final day and guess what - "Variable 3 or less" so we had to use the engine for the 28 miles back to Bishop's Bay. This was despite a 'deep low' in the North Sea producing gale force winds elsewhere in Britain. At 12.10, we anchored at Port Ramsay at the north end of Lismore island, another swim and then lunch in the cockpit. By 15.30 we were back on our mooring in Bishop's Bay and experienced the first rain of the week. During the week we sailed 252 miles through the water, but just 245 over the ground. The engine was used for 28 hours - rather more than average thanks to the "variable 3 or less". |
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Here are a few of the comments in the Visitors' Book. "Fabulous week, spectacular scenery. Thank you so much," "Cracking scenery, lovely anchorages, great sailing when the wind allowed." "A great week, despite too much "variable 3 or less", a really enjoyable relaxing fun way to say goodbye to Emmaus." |
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Cruise 10 for Wallace Cuthbertson and Grandson This was a brief extra cruise fitted in for Wallace Cuthbertson, one of our Trustees to let his 18 year-old grandson, Bruce have 2 days on a cruising yacht prior to spending 6 months in Australia on a large sail training yacht as a trainee. We boarded the yacht on Friday 2 September. After lunch at Bishop's Bay we set off with the engine and 2 reefs in the mainsail against a SSW wind of force 5 to 6 to motor sail down Loch Linnhe in the rain! At 17.00, we picked up a mooring in Loch a Choire on the west side of Loch Linnhe and sat round the table to the usual 3 course dinner. The next morning, conditions were much improved and we were able to sail back all the way to Bishop's Bay in a SSW 4 to 5 wind - with no rain! We covered a total of 28 miles having used the engine for 3 hours. |
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Cruise 1 - Peebles For around 15 years, Malcolm Lumsden from Peebles has organised weekend cruises on the yacht for groups in early May or October. On Friday 6 May, 6 enthusiastic crew members turned up in time for an evening meal on board. Weather forecasts were not good - strong SE winds of force 5 to 7 and heavy showers. With two 12-year old boys and 2 men who had not sailed before, one could not be too ambitious. On Saturday morning we left Bishop's Bay at 10.05. Despite the forecast, there was hardly any wind, so we motored under the bridge and into Loch Linnhe. The wind came from every direction but only force 1 or 2. Twice it picked up to force 4 and we were able to switch off the engine and sail for 25 minutes and 17 minutes. At 13.02, we anchored in Port Ramsay, a bay to the NW of Lismore Island. The sun came out and we sat enjoying lunch in the cockpit. It looked very gloomy of the island of Mull and we heard later that there had been thunder and lightning, torrential rain and hail and very strong winds. Possibly, we were sitting at the centre of the depression. At 15.02, when the tide had turned in our favour, we weighed anchor and set off again under engine to return to Bishop's Bay where we knew that we would be comfortable and secure for the night. We got hit by one or two squalls, but the wind direction was not suitable to switch off the engine and sail. At 17.20 we arrived back in Bishop's Bay in very heavy rain which continued all night. The main course in our 3 course dinner was the famous steak pie from the butcher in Drymen - a perfect end to a really good day. Sunday morning: The forecast was still SE force 5 to 7. We considered a day sail up Loch Leven, but set off once more to sail south in Loch Linnhe. The rain went off, the wind freshened and we had a marvellous sail south to Shuna island. Lunch beckoned, so we changed course and sailed west into Loch a' Choire, a small loch on the west side of Loch Linnhe. Some enterprising person has set up a restaurant and laid 6 moorings for visiting yachts. We took up one of these moorings to enjoy a lunch break. At 13.57, we cast off, motored the short distance back into Loch Linnhe and then had a superb sail back to Bishop's Bay with a fresh and favourable wind. At 15.30, the sun came out, the scenery was spectacular and the sailing exciting under full sail with the odd strong gust to add to the excitement. We sat down to our evening meal at 16.30, washed up, packed and went ashore at 19.15 for the crew to drive back home to Peebles. Since buying the Moody 38 yacht in 1994, we are now into our third Visitors' Book. As always, the comments indicated a high level of crew satisfaction. Cruise 2 for Tillicoultry Baptist Church Cruise 2 - a group from Tillicoultry Baptist Church with Sandy Falconer as Mate. For 7 years Sandy brought men's groups from Churches in Carlisle and Annan. Now living in Dollar, he put together a group from the Baptist Church in Tillicoultry. 3 of the crew had Day Skipper Certificates so there was a fair degree of experience and expertise on board. The crew arrived on the afternoon of Friday 13 May. We were fortunate to get a dry spell to get crew and kit safely aboard in time for an evening meal. Heavy rain followed all night. Day 1: After the usual safety drill, we went to start the engine to find the batteries were almost flat. The day prior to the start of the cruise, we found that although the on board diesel generator ran well, it no longer churched out electricity. By coupling up all the batteries on board, the engine started which in turn recharged the batteries. Without the availability of the generator, we visited 3 marinas during the week where we could couple to shore power, keep batteries charged and have the use of toaster, microwave and hot water. We left the bay at 09.40 under full mainsail engine which we kept running for over an hour to charge the batteries. The wind was WNW force 4 freshening to force 5 required a reef in the mainsail. At 11.00 after a round of cafetiere coffee, we switched off the engine and sailed south past Shuna Island and down the east side of Lismore Island. The wind eased at the Appin Green buoy so out came the reef, but by 13.00 we had 2 reefs in the mainsail with the wind at force 5. Our planned destination was Loch Tarbert on the west side of Jura but with the wind angle, it would have been a long hard passage of 57 miles with disturbed seas west of Corryvreckan. We opted to change course and head for Loch Spelve on the east side of Mull where we were anchored in sheltered waters by 14.45. Day 2: For the duration of the cruise, the winds were forecast as force 5 to 7 every day with gale warnings in place from time to time. The wind direction for the whole week varied between W and SW so we had few options for destinations without venturing out past Ardnamurchan. We left Loch Spelve at 10.18. Despite the forecast, we had little wind for 3 hours and had to use the engine as we headed past Duart Point and into the Sound of Mull. Once past the entrance to Loch Aline, the wind freshened and we were able to sail most of the way to Tobermory where we opted for a pontoon berth at £25 as opposed to a swinging mooring at £14. The crew took advantage of the excellent toilet and shower facilities and we made the first visit to the Co-op to top up supplies. Day 3: Winds still forecast up to force 7, it seemed strange, but the best opportunity for some exhilarating sailing was to sail back down the Sound of Mull. To await a favourable tide for the latter part of the passage, we put into Loch Aline and picked up a mooring to enjoy lunch round the cabin table as the rain tumbled down outside. Whilst having lunch, the screen on the Chart Plotter - our primary navigation aid - went blank and came on again second later - but we had lost all our satellite readings. The aerial was checked and found to be OK. As with computers, it seemed a good idea to switch it off and on again. It went off all right but refused to come back on despite all our efforts. A multimeter showed that it was receiving a good 12 volt supply so the fault was internal. For the rest of the cruise, it was back to basic navigation instead of relying on modern technology. We slipped the mooring at 14.30 and motored back out into the Sound of Mull, hoisted the Genoa and switched off the engine. An hour later off Duart Point, we lost the wind and had to resort to the engine for 40 minutes. The wind picked up to W force 4 so up went the Genoa and the engine switched off. Within 40 minutes the wind reached force 5 requiring a reef in the mainsail. With wind against tide we had a bumpy crossing to Inch Island, closed hauled but able to hold the heading we wanted. At 16.25 we shot through Easdale Harbour with force 5 behind us and 20 minutes later sailed right through Cuan Sound with a strong tide pushing our speed over the ground to 10 knots. From there we sailed at over 7 knots and at 18.25 we tied up to the fuel berth at Craobh Haven Marina, filled up and 20 minutes later tied up at our berth for the night. With shore power, we were able to use the microwave to cook part of our evening meal for which we had developed a healthy appetite. Our berth was sheltered so we enjoyed a peaceful night. Some of the crew enjoyed the free shower facilities both night and morning and in the morning we made good use of the tumble dryer.
Drying the Oilskins at Craobh Haven - the rain had stopped Day 4: You'll not believe this, but the only prospect of some really good sailing with winds still at W 5/7, was to head back up the Sound of Mull. To wait for a favourable tide through the Cuan Sound, we had a leisurely breakfast with Stornoway black pudding and scrambled egg and left the Marina at 11.30. Despite the forecast of 5/7, we has SSW 3 so much of the initial passage required the full mainsail and the engine. It wasn't until we reached the Avon red buoy in the Sound of Mull that the wind veered and increased allowing to sail well without the engine. On this occasion, we passed Tobermory and entered Loch Sunart choosing to anchor in Salen Mhor on the north side of Oronsay Island. We shared the bay with one other yacht and laid out 40 metres of anchor chain with the prospect of a stormy night. We were anchored by 17.35 in time to tuck into our usual 3 course dinner and enjoy a bit of reading. A gale warning was in force but we had a comfortable night. Day 5: A dreadful forecast - gale, heavy rain, thunder and hailstones but we were not for lying in bed all day as did the crew on the neighbouring yacht who didn't put up their ensign. What to do? We decided to seek the shelter and facilities once again of Tobermory for the night but start with a sail up Loch Sunart. With the wind behind us, we unrolled most of the Genoa and left the anchorage at 09.35. Without the benefit of the Chart Plotter, it was eyeball navigation and following transit lines to avoid the rocks in Loch Sunart. After an hour with heavy rain and a steady force 6 with gusts of force 7 and stronger winds threatened, we wound away the Genoa, switched on the engine and turn round to motor westwards to Tobermory. With wind against tide, the sea conditions in Loch Sunart were quite impressive and at times our boat speed was down to 4.5 knots. We were pleased to find a new south cardinal buoy marking the location of the "Stirk Rocks" which have to be avoided when crossing from Auliston Point to Tobermory. On reaching the pontoons, the yachts already there had chose to take the berths facing west into the wind. We went round the other side where there were no yacht and tied up facing east. To our delight, we found that because of the high ground around the bay, there was an eddy and we were actually facing into the wind. Tied up by 12.30, the mate was despatched to the local Bakery to come back with a selection of fresh rolls for lunch. After lunch, there was yet another visit to the Co-op to add to the supplies on board to match the crews' appetite. A wild night followed with heavy rain. Day 6: Guess where we went today? Down the Sound of Mull - on this occasion we had to being our final day with the need to get back to base. Once out of the bay, the engine went off and we sailed all the way home. At noon once back in Loch Linnhe, the W5 wind eased and we prepared to hoist the spinnaker. Before we got it up, the wind swung to S2, so we settled for lunch to see what the wind would do next. It spent the rest of the swinging from W to SSW, and strengthening to force 6. With the full Genoa poled out, we made great speed up Loch Linnhe and once under the Ballachulish Bridge dropped sail and picked up our mooring at 15.50. We tucked into afternoon tea with biscuits and cheese, had a leisurely afternoon and at 19.00 started our evening meal with smoked salmon. It rained heavily all night, but we were fortunate to get a dry spell the next morning to get crew and kit safely ashore. Despite the weather and being unable to visit Jura and Gigha, we experienced some very good sailing conditions, albeit we transited the Sound of Mull 4 times.
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