Mooring to Oban - 18th July

A late start to the weeks sailing due to the forecasted weather...which never came!! Got to the mooring late Monday afternoon to be met by glorious sun and very little wind.  Motor sailed down to Oban.  Entering Oban bay an odd site met us a big fishing boat in the middle and a RNLI boat.  I've been into Oban many times, but for some reason i got it in to my head  there were only 2 cardinal ( in fact there is 3) as that is all i could see!! The idea being buoys  2, 3 you can pass between as it is a shallow patch and a rock near the 3rd buoy.  Any way i head to wards what i though was the 2nd of 2! to leave it to my port.  Mean while i was getting distracted by the RNLI boat and the stationary fishing boat.  As i got to the buoy i suddenly realised it was a northern buoy which I should be leaving to be starboard side!  I suddenly remembered there was  3 buoys  but the fishing boat , which i now realised was aground (which was why it wasn't moving ) was block my view of the 3rd. Any way it was nearly high tide and i had 6 meters of water under me so i carried on over. But collected a friendly slapped wrist from the lifeboat for my efforts.

June 3rd - The local neighbour hood & Engine concerns

 

Walk about

Chilling at the Boathouse

Grania

Escaped early on the Friday once Owen was done with Driving lesson. Got up to boat about 5.30pm, still lovely and sunny.  Had some engine concerns as exhaust alarm went off!  Checked EVERY thing all seemed ok so fired her up again and monitored all, but temperature was fine, so disconnected the alarm!   Northerly winds were foretasted so decided to nip down to Appin which gives better protection than the mooring.  Went to the pub, and was let off the mooring charge!  Next morning a Northerly F6 was blowing with a few wavelets!   With that and the concern on the engine, decide to stay put, then eventually decided to nip over to Loch Corrie, where the sun came out. Went for a walk and finished off at the boathouse restaurant balcony in the sun, with drinks ( and eventually got sun burnt) .  Met up with a Dutch couple who were cruising the west coast Scotland.   He popped over later that night for drinks – turned out he was a civil engineer, he took Owens details as he had a friend looking for folk – lets see what happens?  Leisurely start next day got back to mooring after lunch so we could get back to sooner to sort front room out.

The Big view !

30th April Shake down sail.

Got to the boat on the 28th April and spent half a day fitting my new present to the boat..... a solar panel .. brill.. then we nipped over to loch corrie to the boat house restaurant  for a very nice meal. Lazy next morning then headed down the west side of Lismore towards Puilladobhrain ( pool of the otter) none of those were to be seen. Sail was brill if not a bit windy 36knots was hit. Pam not to happy!!. Puilladobhrain was fantastic beautiful afternoon of sun shine, walked over the hill to Clachan pub ( bridge over the Atlantic!) .. had a pint,, then back for a curry on boat ! As it was a shake down cruise front toilet needed a service ! .. then another speedy sail around kerrea to oban, in another sunny windy day. Lazy pm in Oban, shower playing up so another hour sorting that out.. good thing Owen was along, to get to those places I couldn't. Headed into town got some mussels. To cook on the boat..another sunny lazy day....

2011 Season Kicks off. 8th April

Another seasons starts with a great weekend. Dave (mate) lent me his spare van, which meant I was able to load ALL up for the boat and Gordon and Pete my generous crew, volunteered for another weekend of scrubbing painting, and abuse from me ( if they are to be believed :-) ) Considering I'd not been to the boat for months, our first day was brill all the big jobs done, including rigging boat sails etc.. Next day sun still out and we started on my 'list' ..sea cock lubrication ..exciting or what .. several hours later after cutting the boat up to reach a 'bugger' of a seacock that sheered off and had to be replaced and my arms being so bruised from working in a 10inch square hole that i'd looked like I had been abused! We rewarded ourselves with a Guinness at the wide-mouth frog pub. Next day we launched to be met with 36knots of wind and rain...Scotland for you !! And my boat now sits on mooring ready to go! Cheers G & P

Sept 25th - Linne to Puilladobhrain

Up the friday night with Gordon & Pete for a planned early start. But sun was out and wind was little so left later than planned,  in next to no wind. But got a opportunity to fly the cruising sail for the first time. Piece of cake, and great fun. As you can see plenty of blue sky, but with a northerly wind, a tad cool. Drifted around fishing off the end of Kerrera where I caught a couple of very small mackerel.  Anchored at Puilladobhrain. lovely sunny evening.  friend Dave Punton and his crew were at anchor there as well, and joined us for dinner. Head off next day back to the mooring