With stores embarked, and Hektor's work up the mast complete, we departed Tobermorey to motor South West around Mull towards Lunga. After a slightly rolly night at anchor in Calgary Bay, we weighed early the following morning and were pleasantly surprised to find a gentle breeze, enough to waft us out towards the huge puffin colony on Lunga. Given the excellent weather, we expected to be joined by a lot of tour boats so were pleased to get ashore early.
Hektor had been very enthusiastic to re-visit the puffins after his experience in the Spring, and Lunga did not disappoint. With better weather (and probably a bit more confidence in our anchor) we were able to stay a little longer this time and explore more of the island. As well as a lot of puffins and pufflings, (see pictures) there were a large number of nesting shags with their (near-fledgling) young. A walk along the length of the island passed the abandoned settlement (Lunga was inhabited until the 1850s), the high point of the island and dramatic rock formations on the West side.
Dinner time
Adult shag keeping a close eye on us near the youngsters
A circus of puffins
Still fluffy baby shag
Very exciting spotting of a puffling (yes, that is the technical name) outside the nest
Exploring the coastline of Lunga
From Lunga we motored South towards Staffa, of Fingal's Cave fame. As we approached we were pleased to see that the unusually calm conditions made getting ashore practical. However, the somewhat tenuous anchorage meant Marcus stayed behind leaving Hazel to embark on the rather epic dinghy driving required to get ashore. The slightest swell breaks alarmingly on the rocky shore making the landing somewhat entertaining - it's not somewhere we would brave landing our tiny dinghy in anything other than mirror calm conditions. Hektor and Henry were blithely unaware of the challenges and the geology was sufficiently dramatic to capture their attention for the short walk along the coast and into the cave - an incredible sight.
Seabird feeding frenzy off Staffa
Intimidating boat landing on Staffa
Fingal's Cave
From Staffa we continued South to anchor off the North coast of Iona, close to an impossibly beautiful beach, Traigh an t-Suidhe. Again, we benefited from the very settled, calm weather which enabled more adventurous overnight anchoring options.
Hektor persuaded us that a late night adventure ashore would be a good use of time so we had a fun time practicing dinghy surf drills to get ashore and explore in the late evening light. The beach promised much fun the following day and Hektor was full of plans for further exploration (and more digging).
Sadly overnight Henry got sick with an unknown stomach bug which rather knocked him out of action but he was incredibly stoic in coming ashore to get some sleep on the beach. Hektor pressed on with swimming, instructing Hazel on the right way to build a large sandcastle (then modifying it to look like it had been involved in a siege) and dam building. Anchored nearby was a (very) small french sailing boat (really a large dinghy); the couple onboard had sailed from La Rochelle and were exploring the West Coast for a few months.
Contour anchored off Iona
Evening stroll on Iona
We walked ashore into the settlement at Iona, the site of a famous Christian community, before inviting our French neighbours onboard for supper and extensive boat-related chatter! Their boat was designed for racing across the atlantic single handed; the space and facilities are accordingly limited. Whilst Hazel and I are both very happy to go without extensive luxuries, the spartan nature of their adventure and cramped accommodation was a lesson in what is really possible when you fully commit! Hazel is firm that crapping in a bucket for five months is unlikely to ever feature in our life plans....
Looks like the Bahamas, feels like 12 degrees
With more excellent weather the following morning further beach-related entertainment took place and Hazel ran round most of the island (whilst Dan and Marcus caught up on engine servicing). We weighed anchor in the afternoon to make the most of a decent breeze developing that would take us South East further around Mull towards Pullodobhrain. The Scottish weather reminded us it still had a few tricks up its' sleeve, with a torrential downpour and lightning storm keeping us on our toes.
The path wasn't quite as clear as it looked on the map....
Columba's Bay
As we approached Pullodobhrain around sunset, we realised the wind direction would enable us to anchor in the small sound between Clachan and Easdale Island, one of the Slate islands and renowned as the site of the annual stone-skimming world championships (I think it is usually on Sky Sports......!). Even better, there was a visitor mooring available so we had a quiet evening tucked in this sheltered spot.
Looking past Easdale Island up the sound towards Mull
Exploring the streets of Ellenabeich
Henry and Hektor
Electronic entertainment
Having explored the island thoroughly, Hektor and Henry got into the spirit of stone-skimming, for which the huge flooded slate quarries are ideally suited. We enjoyed a great lunch in the island cafe and returned to Contour. Moored next to us was a large French cruising catamaran which, in terms of speed, luxury, and space was as far removed from Contour as we had been from the racing dinghy anchored next to us on the beach. The owners blithely talked about cruising at 10 knots in 8 knots of wind, how their induction electric hob used a lot of solar power, and the difficulties of finding space in marinas......Boat technology has certainly moved on a long way, if you can afford it! I'm not sure it's a direction we'll be going any time soon, both from an aesthetic and financial point of view.
Henry helming on a brisk reach
For our last night we anchored off Pullodobhrain, a popular spot about 7 miles South of Oban. With Henry fully recovered, a good meal ashore next to the 'Bridge over the Atlantic' was followed the next morning by extensive dinghy driving / exploring by Hektor and Henry, who interpreted the 'stay in sight' guidance somewhat loosely but did a great job of getting themselves ashore and back without drowning.
From Pullodobhrain we enjoyed a gentle sail North to return to Kerrera, Contour's new base for the next few years and the last sailing passage of our sabbatical. Dan skilfully helmed up the sound on a tricky reach with all sails set, and we found the usual amazingly warm Kerrera welcome from Gill, Tim, and their team. Hazel had been co-opted by Hektor to take him South, whilst Marcus cracked on with a month's worth of laundry and boat cleaning as we started to think about the logistics of the end of our adventure, travelling back South, moving house and going back to work......
After a 24 hour reset, and with a gale forecast to pass through, we returned to Loch Spelve and set our main and second anchor (an incredibly light yet effective "Fortress"). Whilst the shelter wasn't terrible, we expected the Southerly gusts to roll down the adjacent hills - which they duly did at 40+knots.
With a successful rendezvous with the cousins complete, and after exploring the shores around the loch, we bagged a sack of mussels from the adjacent mussel farm and returned to sit out the gale overnight, feasting on the very tasty shellfish and settling our two new crew members in.
With the aim of getting down to the South West of the Island, and a good weather forecast for most of the week, we gritted our teeth and sailed out from the sheltered loch into what we anticipated would be a less than settled sea state to head along the South Coast of Mull. We were aiming for the Isle of Erraid and the well - known 'Tinker's Hole' anchorage - sheltered, and with the promise of wildlife and good adventures ashore (also providing inspiration for some really quite inventive jokes from Hektor!).
Loch Spelve in the early morning light
The passage started well and we'd made good progress before the children woke up thanks to a very early start. However, as we made ground South West we started to feel the awkward results of the previous night's gale which, alongside the prevailing breeze, resulted in an uncomfortable twisting roll. Results for our younger crew members were predictable, and it was an inauspicious start to their week onboard - driving rain and seasickness! Even Hektor, who seems to have inherited Marcus's ridiculously tough stomach, suffered and was forced to take a much despised Kwells tablet. A number of technicolour yawns resulted, although morale improved with the weather later in the day.
Exhilarating sailing.....
The entrance to Tinker's hole appears unlikely seen from seaward, however, as you progress between the shoals and slightly unnerving off-lying rocks, the shelter and beauty of this famous anchorage becomes apparent. We anchored at the North end of the small cove then, as there is little space to swing, took lines ashore (again utilising a bit of child labour to assist with the task) - one to a ring fitted there by the Clyde Cruising Club and another to a large boulder. Nicely triangulated, and having confirmed (ahem) the location of a slightly shallower patch during the approach to our anchorage, we launched the tender to explore.
Entrance to Tinker's Hole
Tinker's Hole
Anchor and lines ashore
With a tender bursting with small people, the objective was to find a landing point amongst the rocks to enable the short walk to the beach at Treig Gheal, to make the most of the bright sunshine (and make up for what had been a difficult morning). The experience very much lived up to expectations - with curious seals swimming close (a benefit of the electric outboard is we disturb the wildlife much less), and a successful landing, the pristine white sand of the small embayed beach offered an idyllic scene. There was also the opportunity for some ambitious damn building and it was all we could do to get back to the boat at a reasonable time.
Dam building on the beach
Grey seal apparently waiting for the tide to rise
The next day's objective was puffins; we left early to clear South West of the Ross of Mull and head past Staffa (of Fingal's Cave fame) towards Lunga, where we planned a lunch-time anchorage and, if conditions allowed, an expedition ashore to view the very large puffin colony.
The consistent South Easterly wind enabled a fast sail around the West of Iona, and we made good ground towards Staffa, with the famous cave clearly visible from several miles off. The impressive Basalt columns were easy to discern as we reached past, and when abeam of Staffa we saw our first puffins - a small group in the water scurrying away as we sailed past.
The island of Staffa
We gybed around towards Lunga, enjoying another smooth and fast sail, and then felt our way carefully into a confined anchorage, close to the puffin colony. Since Hazel is mostly in charge of all route planning decisions, we often seem to find ourselves in more 'interesting' places since ease of navigation into anchorages is not ranked especially highly on her list of priorities and is certainly well below proximity to puffins. Whilst not suitable to stay overnight, and open to the South East, it was fine to enable us to land, albeit the 'beach' (expanse of broken rocks with gentle breakers) was a little tricky. We managed to get the crew ashore safely to explore the island and see the puffins up close.
Contour in the distance - not a terrible location!
Having been persuaded by Hazel to walk up a big hill, Hektor did admit the view was pretty spectacular
Puffin-bothering complete (and surpassing all expectations), we reluctantly weighed anchor and joined the strong tide Northerly up towards our sheltered anchorage for the evening. It is tempting to make great claims for our passage planning and tide-reading skills, however this tide was much more fair than we forecast and the result was another fast sail to the isolated and very sheltered Loch Mingary on NW Mull, and only about 10 miles short of Tobermorey, our destination for Thursday (time to return children to parents).
Intense Bananagram activity
Clear skies, stars, and a gentle (if very cold) breeze made our short stay in Mingary a pleasure, and we made a leisurely start towards Tobermorey the following day - the crew's skill levels were on the up and they were starting to make a real contribution towards sail handling and helming. Tobermorey lives up to its' reputation as an attractive (and colourful) town, all the more fun for the music festival that was just getting underway as we arrived. We returned the two (mostly-intact) cousins to their parents, enjoyed some good food and spent much of the following day walking out to Rubha Nan Gall lighthouse and back, before starting back towards Oban and completing our circumnavigation of Mull. Hektor's final evening onboard was spent enjoying Pizza and Mocktails in the warm sunshine on deck at anchor off the South of Kerrera (the small island off Oban) and preparing for his travel back to Bristol with Marcus via a flight from Glasgow. Marcus' return via Glasgow would enable some materials to be collected to support some of the projects onboard to progress in a weather window during our planned stop in the wonderful Kerrera Marina (when it comes to maintenance, owning a boat has many similarities to the Forth Bridge).
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