Canna - .. most beautiful

We departed Ardrossan in May - with Mac and Juzzy for crew. We passed through the Crinan Canal without incident and said farewell to the crew at Ardfern. After exploring a little of the Sound of Jura (Gigha and Loch Sween) we headed north through the fearsome Dorus Mor and Sound of Luing to Loch Spelvie and on to Oban to pick up Nick.  With Nick we rounded Mull anti-clockwise, sighting a Minke whale off Bunessan, before dropping him at Oban. We returned to Tobermory and kept going to Canna - our most northerly point and the most beautiful. The return to Oban was marked by a basking shark off R(h)um and a very fast passage to Tobermory.  Here forecast weather delayed our excursion to Colinsay. Three days  later we motored to and from Colinsay in flat calm.  

After a 60th birthday break (neither of us) we returned in mid July to the boat in Oban. We visited Fort William with Mac and hosted the Davies for a very wet weekend off Mull. Reinforced with cousin Alistair we returned to Ardrossan via Gigha, Rathlin, Campbeltown, Loch Ranza and Tarbet East.  

Another break, this for a wedding, before enjoying the Beattie’s company on a brief excursion to Lamlash and with Charla (a drama-therapist colleague of Jinti’s) and Luke to the Kyles of Bute. Then it was off to Dublin via Campbeltown (and a brief dolphin escort), Bangor (and Brenda), Ardglass, Strangford Loch, Carlingford Loch, and Howth (Dublin). We could only spare a day before starting home - in the event we made it back to Bangor in a oner - 90 miles. With the gained day we took an open bus ride through the sectarian hot spots. We then lost a day as we hit fog en route to Glenarm and diverted to Carrickfergus.  We made Glenarm the following day.  Thence to Campbeltown and Ardrossan.  Jinti then took a week for her day skipper course out of Largs.  To celebrate her success we went for our last sail of the season to the Holy Loch - outbound glorious - the return into a gale - the toughest event of the year. We put into Largs for the night and continued to Ardrossan the next day - arriving as the storm gates closed behind us.

Through the Crinan Canal

A very wet weekend - Perkins on drying duty

Season’s End