Sunday 6 June Islay to Jura

Today just a short hop between islands.
We picked up a visitor buoy just off the distillery all ready for the Monday morning taisting.
We wind picked up during the afternoon comming down in savage vertical gusts of 30+ kns, so it was stay on board. At 23:00 itwas almost a if a switch had been turned , within minutes the wind had dropped and it was mirror calm , but too late for a trip ashore.

Saturday 5 June Port Ellen

Sun today !! even though the forecast is for showers.
A leisurly stroll off towards Ardbeg distillery since the others are not open today.On approaching Lagavulin distillery after 2 miles a lotorist stopped and asked if we were heading for Ardbeg as they had had a flood and the place was closed so we ventured on to Dunyvaig Castle (ruins ) the home of the Macdonalds

Friday 4 June Campbeltown to Port Ellen (Islay)

The alarm went off at 5:30 for the 6:10 start with 20kns of wind whistling through the rigging , but the forecast was for it to drop with fog patches and showers. So it was once again wrap up and get ready to be wet and cold. An hour out the wind dropped and we had to motor to the Mull of Kintyre, before we had a steady F4 behind us and the sun came out but still cool in the wind. As we approached the entrance to Port Ellen ( a narrow rocky channel) a cruise ship at anchor decided to get under way , deciding not to insist on our right we hove to to let him out of the bay.
The Marina in the port is a charity run be the locals to encourage visitng yachts but the showers are at a local B&B costing £3.
The island has 6 distillery's and4 are within 3 miles from the town so tomorrow its a walk or bike hire for some tastings. I guess the trip back will be interesting.

Thursday 3 June off round the Mull of Kintyre

Hurrah at last we have sun. The plan , but we dont often follow plans is Campbeltown today and round the Mull tomorrow stopping at Port Ellen and seeing Islay.

Well we arrived ok in Campbeltown , a plan worked . At the entrance to Campbeltown we saw many porpoises and stopped to take photos as they swam under the boat but as usual they did not want their photos taken ,and arrived in time to visit a butcher we used last time . The fridge is now full of steak and haggis . The weather was a little misty with no wind so we motored over which allowed the fridge to make ice, so I am now sitting here on deck in my shorts drinking iced G & T thinking of the peppered steak we are having for supper. Tomorrow off round the Mull with a 6:00 start .
See if you can spot the porpoise



Its to the left underwater

Thursday 27 May to Wednesday 2 June

A short hop down the coast in yet more old weather . The boat was left at Troon for a week While we returned home for a week. Me to attend a dinghy meeting at Southwold, (10th out of 28 not bad for how unfit I am) and for Peter to be there for his wedding anniversary.
We are all refueled food stores re filled and ready for stage 2. I hope the weather will be better from now on.

Wednesday 26 May around the isle of Bute

Lunch stop at the top of the Kyle

The narrows at the head of the Kyle and the view from down below

Tuesday 25 May Lamlsash to Millport

Another cold but sunny morning and a gentle sail to the Little village of Millport on the isle of Cumbrae. The rocks surrounding the bay were covered with seals sunning them selves. Cumbrae is about 3.5 miles long and a mile wide with all the houses around the bay but everybody had a car and must catch a ferry to the mainland.




The houses were built for the customs men who stopped the traffic up the Clyde,and then the island changed into a holiday resort for the residents of Glasgow.
The island has many churches and the smallest cathedral in Britain