Our 2nd night in the peaceful anchorage, was disturbed mid evening by the Oban Lifeboat going south at 22kts ….. they do kick up a fair wake, we saw them return just over an hour later with some unfortunate yacht in tow. We later found out they’d had engine failure down near Coll and after issuing a Pan Pan had sailed up to the Kerrera Sound to meet the lifeboat.
After lifting the anchor, Ruth needed to helm whilst Barry removed the extensive amounts of seaweed around the chain and thick mud from the anchor, she then helmed SW all the way through Oban Harbour
and out through the small boat north channel, Which means keeping the wrong side of the large channel markers ……. closely followed by the big Isle of Mull CalMac ferry, which caused a little angst, although they did give us plenty of room once clear of the channel!
With next to no wind we set the autopilot for Lismore Lighthouse
and relaxed, an hour or so later we passed the lighthouse and went through very disturbed seas
that made the autopilot struggle to maintain course! Back up through the Sound of Mull once again we passed lots of other yachts heading in the other direction and eventually turned to starboard into Loch Aline.
We’d contacted the marina 20mins before and could take our pick of available berths, so went for the straight drive in option …… easy to berth and leave, but also it meant the forecasted 35+kts and rain would be on the nose/30degrees on our stbd bow! There were already 2 other Moody boats berthed either side of us, also got in early ahead of forecasted bad weather!
After a spot of lunch, we launched 1350 and headed off to get some beef sausages from the ‘estate’, disappointed that they didn’t have any this time, but we did get their last packet of Venison & Whisky sausages! Back on board we got laundry done and went for a walk to the village, joining the social club for 50p each and having a couple of ‘cold ones’ before returning to SW. After dinner Hamish & Dot from Loose Cannon and Leo & Marilyn from Katy II came aboard for evening drinks.
After they left it was time to put up the re-stitched cockpit enclosure ahead of the forecasted high winds and rain in the early hours! Barry did have to move at 4am to quieten the port aft warp …… that was squeaking with every wind surge, however, once sorted he was quickly back asleep and remained so until after 9am, despite the best efforts of the weather to wake the dead!
Summer Wine Sailing 