Loch Aline: West Coast Wonders

Loch Aline: West Coast Wonders, Wonderful Welcomes, and a Tobermory Triumph!

Our alarm, or rather, Pepper's internal clock, chirped us awake at 6:30 am. After a restless night due to yesterday’s shenanigans, we scrambled to cook up some sausages for journey sandwiches and slipped our lines. The familiar embrace of saltwater enveloped Halcyon Sea once more, a stark contrast to the relative calm of the canal. It felt like an age since we'd been passage planning and sailing on the open sea, but the excitement was palpable. Our destination: Loch Aline (pronounced Loch Allan), where we planned a luxurious five-night stay. This extended break was a much-needed respite for us, and especially for Pepper, allowing us to truly celebrate this significant milestone in our journey. Adding to the excitement, our friends Damon and Elaine were joining us, and we had a coveted invitation to a Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC) muster!

Our first stop was Oban, a necessary detour to restock the boat. Larger shops there promised better prices than the smaller community stores we'd find in Loch Aline. The morning was misty, with an occasional whisper of drizzle. The Polish and German boats that had shared the sea lock with us also emerged, trailing behind. We glided through the majestic Loch Linhe, passing the imposing silhouette of Fort William, then navigated the tight embrace of the Corran Narrows, cut through just past Shuna Island, and finally entered the expansive Firth of Lorn. We passed the entrance to Dunstaffnage and, thanks to an AIS alert signaling a potential collision course, recognized Blue Orchid, a boat belonging to an old acquaintance – a friendly wave exchanged as we passed. We then made our way into Oban Bay, tying up in Oban Marina for a few hours, just enough time to complete our shopping mission. This slight delay proved fortuitous, as it meant we would be entering Loch Aline on a rising tide, neatly avoiding its shallow entrance. We had strategically worked out that if we headed straight into a berth, without the usual turning manoeuvre, we would capture any available sun in the cockpit. Fortuitously, a perfect, sun-kissed berth seemed to have our name written all over it!

Loch Aline's Tranquil Beauty and RHYC Revelry

The next afternoon, the marina burst into life with the arrival of Damon and Elaine, swiftly followed by a delightful flotilla of boats gathering for the RHYC muster. After heartfelt catch-ups, we gathered our BBQ meat and headed to the designated BBQ area. There, amidst the sizzle and laughter, we cooked our dinner, enjoyed refreshing drinks, and had the pleasure of meeting some of the RHYC's Flag Officers. This weekend was clearly destined to be a fun-filled one! It had been a while since we'd been able to socialise on this scale, and while our friends from FSMBC were off on their own rally to Warsash (and we missed being with them!), this was undoubtedly the next best thing.

Friday dawned in a blaze of sunshine – absolutely glorious! For the first time in what felt like an age, we walked out without needing a coat. The Loch itself was a picture of serenity, its peace only occasionally punctuated by the distant hum of the Silica sand mine close by.

The Lochaline Silica Sand Mine is a unique and fascinating operation, being Europe's only underground silica sand mine. Located on the remote Morvern Peninsula, it has been in continuous production since 1940. Its origins are deeply tied to World War II, when the UK urgently needed a source of high-quality silica for optical glass used in periscopes and gun sights, as traditional imports were cut off. The mine extracts exceptionally pure, white silica sand (99.8% quartz) from a five-meter-thick seam, which is then processed on-site. Unlike surface quarries, its underground operation minimizes environmental impact, preserving the stunning Highland landscape. The processed sand is primarily shipped directly from a dedicated pier on Loch Aline, playing a vital, yet often unseen, role in industries from high-quality glass manufacturing (producing about one-third of all UK window glass) to ceramics and even movie sets.

There were beautiful woodland walks to take Pepper on, which kept her in the shade, and Tracey enjoyed the tranquillity of strolling through nature with a gentle breeze and the soft, rhythmic lapping of water against the shoreline.

Saturday, the main event day, arrived with a festive buzz. A magnificent hog roast, generously provided by the club, was laid out for all attending members and guests. Many more boats arrived, swelling the numbers to a lively 40-50 vessels. Some boats were "dressed ship" with flags flying, and we enthusiastically joined in, even if our colours weren't in the perfectly correct order – it's the taking part that counts! The club had catered for an impressive 150 people, with wine flowing freely alongside the delicious food. Each attendee received a badge bearing their name and boat name, making it incredibly easy to strike up conversations. We chatted with a wonderful array of people; some already knew about our journey and planned to be at a rally we're attending in August, while others were ex-military and shared mutual acquaintances with Nick. It was an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable evening. We had a nightcap with Damon and Elaine, then headed back to Halcyon Sea. No sooner had Tracey slipped into her pyjamas than an invitation arrived from the Rear Commodore, whose boat was berthed next to ours! Tracey, apologising for her attire, quickly joined the impromptu gathering. We spent the next few hours laughing, "spinning dits" (telling sea stories), and sharing truly terrible jokes until about 1:30 am. It was a perfect, convivial ending to a fantastic few days.

Tobermory Beckons: Sunshine, Stunning Scenery, and a Dream Realised

Sunday brought with it even more glorious sunshine. Damon, ever the adventurer, suggested we make the leap for Tobermory today. So, we packed up the boat and made our way out, through the beautiful Sound of Mull, and into the vibrant harbour of Tobermory. The heat was delightful (absolutely no complaints here!), and the scenery, once again, was breathtakingly stunning. We had to pinch ourselves – we really had made it! Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would be sailing these iconic Scottish waters on our own boat. We felt incredibly lucky, living a dream we once only imagined.Lue lisää