Loch Aline - 30 June 2006 (day 41)

Yacht Gothik

At Anchor

Loch Aline

Highland

30 June 2006

Click here to see a map.

Logged distance: 13.5M

Chart distance: 13M

Time under way: 3h50m

Friday 30 June 2006

Since we had such a short sail planned for today it was back to Oban on the ferry this morning for yet more victualling. Once again we loaded ourselves with all we could carry - this time with tinned foods, beer and wine. I couldn't resist another stop at the delicatessen - more cheeses, meats and olives.

We eventually cast off mid afternoon and began to make our way out of the harbour. As we rounded the corner and got our first look out to sea, what should be steaming toward us but a very large ferry. Ok then, we'll wait! The entrance not really being big enough for both it and anything else. It eventually passed us and we begun to move on once again, a quick look all around - another ferry, this time steaming from behind us. I really don't remember it being quite this busy yesterday - maybe it's a rush for the weekend?

After a delayed start, up went the sails, off went the engine. We were sailing close hauled on a port tack but managed to make our mark, rounding a navigation buoy and into the Sound of Mull. There were certainly a lot of yachts around. This seems to be a popular area. I thought after our experience from the previous few days that we'd left most people in the Clyde. Oban reinforced that feeling since the marina was so small and full of boats 'in transit'. It wasn't like other marinas - few static boats, many Scandinavian boats - all preparing for a long trip.

In the sound the wind veered and veered until we were running goosewinged with main sail to one side and the genoa to the other. As the apparent speed of the wind dropped, the temperature rose, shirts came off, shorts went on and what seemed the first time for a while I began to feel warm. Soon the wind died completely and we sat drifting with limp sails but on a favourable tide when - what do you know - another ferry was coming up from behind. We had to put the engine on to move away.

The wind did eventually come back and gave us such a speed that we decided to skip Loch Aline and continue onwards to Tobermory - until, that was, the entrance to Loch Aline was abeam... with its mouth open. The landscape beyond beckoned, our empty stomachs called, and all of a sudden a thirst came on. All hands, prepare for anchor...

Ben flaked out the chain on deck so fast he had time to take a picture of his handy work.

Keith, with nothing to do, took a picture of Ardtornish house.

As soon as the engine was off I took a picture of the beer.

It was a splendid summer evening (although I wouldn't have said it was shirt off weather as this picture suggests). Ben cooked up a stir fry and made another one of his raspberry and marscapone cheese cakes. We put on a CD of sea shanties (given to us by Phil) and sang away (in between bouts of laughter) in the cockpit. Ha ha.