Ten Days of Sailing, Storms, and Changes of Plan

Catching Up… Ten Days of Sailing, Storms, and Sudden Changes of Plan

We’ve been a little lazy with the blog — mostly because we’ve really enjoyed following April Evening and White Mistress on their adventures — but it’s time to catch up on what we’ve been up to over the last ten days.

We left Lochaline on Monday 18th May and headed for Tobermory, a firm favourite of ours. It’s where we met 12 years ago during West Highland Week, so it always feels a bit like coming home. We had a beautiful sail — yes, an actual sail — up the Sound of Mull. Turning into the bay, we were surprised to find plenty of berths free. We tied up, Tracey took Pepper for her usual walk, and on her return Nick pointed out a few familiar boats: some from the Royal Highland Yacht Club, one from Lochaline, and our friends Stuart and Emma on Evolene. We invited them over for a drink that evening, and as always it was great to catch up and hear where everyone was heading next.

Tuesday was spent giving the boat a good clean, doing the mundane shopping run, and finding a replacement nav light for the one we lost during our little “incident” in Loch Spelve.

Deciding where to go next was tricky — partly because of the weather, partly because of Tracey’s anchoring nerves. So we decided to anchor right there in Tobermory Bay. If anything went wrong, at least help was nearby. And it was a good chance to build Tracey’s confidence for the adventures ahead.

On Wednesday morning we slipped our berth and headed into the corner of the bay. We dropped anchor in 19 metres of water — a lot deeper than we’re used to — and let out 76 metres of chain. It felt like it took forever. Once secure, we each took our transits, agreed we weren’t moving, and set the anchor alarm. Then came the dinghy: hoisted off the bow, and off we went to get Pepper ashore.

It was so peaceful. Just wind, trees, birds, and the occasional heron fishing in the rocky outcrops. We tied the dinghy to the new pontoon (installed in 2023) and walked through Aros Park. It was beautiful — wooded paths, waterfalls, and then Nick decided to go “slightly off the beaten track”, which meant climbing through the forest while Pepper had the time of her life. We eventually popped out onto the road and looped back to the dinghy.

At the start of the walk we’d noticed strange metal structures and signs warning of “flying discs”. Turns out the woods host a disc golf course. Who knew?

That evening we jumped back in the dinghy and headed to the marina for a drink with our friends on April Evening, whom we’d met in Craobh. They’ve sailed Scotland far longer than we have, and their knowledge was invaluable.

Thursday was much the same — another walk in Aros Park — and we planned to head to Loch Sunart on Friday after topping up with water. But Friday had other ideas. The wind picked up and didn’t look like it was going to ease. Plans changed again and we stayed in Tobermory for a couple more days, this time on the pontoons. We visited the chocolate shop for coffee and cake and found a postcard of the coloured houses to send to our granddaughter, who loves Balamory.

Tina Louise, another boat we’d met in Lochaline, came in. They left the next day — clearly braver than us — but soon messaged to say they’d turned back and ducked into Loch na Droma Buidhe. The winds were exactly as strong as forecast. April Evening also left and also turned back, heading into Lochaline. We’d made the right decision for us.

Heading Home… Slowly

On Sunday we finally left, though we didn’t plan to go far. While England basked in sunshine, the forecasts up here still showed rain and strong gusts for the coming week. We needed to be home by 2nd June for furniture deliveries, a doctor’s appointment, and a visit from Nick’s brother and sister‑in‑law. We’d hoped to go around the top of Mull and down the west side, but the anchorages we looked at weren’t suitable for the predicted winds. So we retraced our steps.

We headed back towards Oban, thinking we might stop in Lochaline or pick up a mooring buoy in Kerrera. But then we saw a Facebook post saying a couple of RHYC members were in Lochaline having a BBQ — “the more the merrier”. Decision made. We ventured in.

What a night. Completely unplanned, completely brilliant. One too many sherberts, lots of laughs, and a very late finish.

Pepper Decides the Next Stop

On Tuesday we planned to anchor in Carsaig Bay (one of the many Carsaigs — it gets confusing up here). But Pepper was in a state. She wouldn’t settle, pacing around the cockpit table instead of curling up in her bed. We decided to head into Craobh, which was closer and also meant we could meet up with our friends Damon and Elaine. We had a lovely evening, and Pepper became the star of the marina’s new owner’s Instagram page — a photo to advertise that dogs are welcome.

Wednesday we headed for Gigha, our last stop before rounding the Mull of Kintyre and heading home. Unfortunately, the wind swung to the east and our night was… not comfortable. The boat rocked and rolled, and we barely slept before the alarm went off at 3am. We planned to slip the mooring at 3:30am to catch the tide around the Mull. It was freezing, we were exhausted, and neither of us wanted to go — but the forecast was worsening, and staying risked being stuck in even worse conditions.

We watched a gorgeous sunrise, and a seal popped up to say good morning. We rounded the Mull without issue, but the sea state worsened afterwards — lumpy, wind over tide, and thoroughly miserable. We could have ducked into Campbeltown, but that would mean sailing again the next day, and Tracey was not up for that. So we kept going.

Coming around the bottom of Arran was a relief. We could see Ardrossan in the distance. We were both nodding off, so took turns keeping watch. Finally, we spotted the leading light into the harbour. We waited for the Caledonian Isles ferry to leave before being given permission to enter.

Pepper hadn’t been to the toilet since 9pm the night before. She was desperate. We tied up, got her ashore, and all three of us breathed a huge sigh of relief. After a walk, we grabbed an hour’s nap before packing up the boat and driving home. It had been a very long 12 hours.

Time to Recharge

We’re home for a few weeks now before heading back to the water. Time to refresh and recharge. We’re so thankful for all the advice we’ve been given, the friends — old and new — we’ve met, and for being able to explore this stunning place at our own pace.

We didn’t get as far as we’d hoped, but we’ve learned to respect the elements. Safety first. Caution isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. And the sea will still be there when we return.

(Photos to follow)Read more