We took the ferry over to Lismore, an island in the Firth of Lorne, across from Port Appin

We had arranged hired bikes for the day. We picked the bikes up from the ferry waiting room after calling a woman called Mary on Lismore the night before. She said to pay the ferryman for the bikes which were £12 each. When I told the ferryman I was hiring the bikes he laughed, which should have given me some clue as what to expect.

Gordon’s bike had a flat back tyre and mine had a dodgy saddle that kept sliding down. Anyway, we managed to borrow a pump from some man a couple of miles down the road and it all turned out fine. We managed to get to the end of Lismore and back without any mishaps.

 

We visited a museum of life on the island in the past. Hardy people!

  

Editors Note : I don’t know that bed looks better than my bunk

We cycled all the way to the South of the island with views up and across the Sound of Mull.

  

I made a wee friend on the way back, perhaps he could smell the lamb chops we had had for dinner the night before. That’s me off lamb forever.

  

Gordon trying to be “Arty”

Pictures from the inside of the wee ferry on the return journey , obviously he has been annoying me in someway

 

We were thinking of heading up to Loch Sunart, however, every time we have been up this way we have always bypassed Loch Linnhe. So, with that in mind we decided to head up there to see what it was like.

 

We made for Port Appin and moored up on a swinging mooring in front of the Pierhouse Hotel which won an award for being the most romantic hotel in Scotland. I must admit it does have a lovely setting and we had more than one visit there for the odd glass of wine.

    

Maybe Gordon will bring me here for my Birthday (hint hint).

Andy Taylor, renowned Yachtmaster and our friend that I have just been talking about gave a practical demonstration of neaps as he and his crew sailed by Lismore with his troosers at his ankles, mooning for our benefit. Tut Tut Andy!

    

Views and sunsets from the back of the boat

  

Still the weather held  for some more walking and exploring

 

and then back to hotel before rowing back to the boat

We were meeting up with our friend Andy who keeps his boat in the Crinan Canal; he was heading for the Caledonian Canal with his two friends George and Mike.

They arrived at Kerrera the day after us and as the last time we saw Andy, he had us to dinner on his boat, so it was my turn to return the complement. We had pre dinner drinks at Andy’s after a bit of confusion as to where he actually was,and then dinner at ours.

 

The guys had all got similar“Tartan” shirts for their cruise in the hope of scaring some local maidens into dancing with them. Bloody Southerners, well actually Northerners. As usual it was a great laugh when Andy is about.

 

Gordon and I had one more lazy day at Kerrera as it was another lovely sunny day. The weather has been great so far, long may it last.

  

Views over to Kerrera

 

Views over to Marina from behind Oban YC

 

In a couple of years well have one of these benches named after us , lol

My friend Leigh was staying at a hotel on the Kintyre Peninsular just across from Gigha.

We tried to meet up, however, between bad phone signals and us having to sail where and when the wind and moreover tide dictates, we didn’t quite manage.

She arrived on the Ferry from Tayinloan to Gigha just as we set sail for Ardfern further north!

Affectionately known as the Galley of Porn, Ardfern

It’s now Monday 10^th June and we arrived in Ardfern about 7pm. I have taken the chance to start this while I have shore power since this is the first time we have had it since leaving Largs. I will try to update it every day or so and if you find you have nothing else to do you might want to see what we are up to. However, at this minute, I’m off to bed, so good night for now.

Spent a couple of days in Ardfern, nothing much happening there , maybe that’s why HRH Princess Anne used to keep her Rustler 36 here.

We had our usual walk along to the Galley of Lorne, the local hotel , which now has a large extension dining room with great views down the loch

Thar she blows.

We stayed here two nights, during which time Gordon wanted to investigate the old speed log on the hull which had an annoying rattle. So off he went and donned the wetsuit before taking the plunge. It’s deceiving, although the water looks gorgeous, it’s still blinking cold. I can tell you that, I dipped my fingers in it.

After getting accustomed to the temperature he managed to swim underneath and tie it up so as to stop the rattle. Just as well there were no sharks around; they would have thought it was their lucky day when the biggest seal had come to town for a swim.

Editor’s Note –  I know I have the wetsuit on back to front ! It was just easier that way. It seems to have shrunk over the years and this was the best method of squeezing into it,lol.

    

We went  a walk out past the golf course and headed for the North of the island.

 

It was a beautiful summers day and so hot I had to borrow Gordon’s Tilley hat that he bought in Oban last year and hasn’t,t worn !

  

Views across to Jura

 

and the mainland on the other side, with a nutter in the foreground

 

Staring contest                                                          

 

Arrival at last

 

Interested calves on the way back

A beautiful wee

cottage , might have been the Manse ?

Next day we set off Round the Mull. Well, you hear horror stories about this area, but fortunately we can’t add to them. The conditions were lovely, even at the bits where it can get a bit hairy; it was a walk in the park.

    

We headed for Gigha next. This is another place we’ve not been to and takes a bit of navigating on approach, even more so when you hit a fog bank.

  

All I can say is it was worth it, what a beautiful place, but then again, most places in Scotland when the sun shines are beautiful.

 

 

We went ashore in the dingy that night for a walk to make the best of the great weather we are having.

If you go there, eat in the Boathouse, you have a choice of there or the Gigha Hotel, the former is much nicer.

 

     

Next day we made our way to Campbeltown.

Sailing down the West side of Arran is a first for us in Camira. The weather was lovely again, so all looking good for going round the Mull of Kintyre, which we have been trying to do for ages now, but the weather was never with us.

     

All was quiet on the Kilbrannan Sound so Gordon took a moment for a bit of male grooming.

Honestly, could he not have done all that before we left?

On arrival at Campbeltown, we couldn’t get onto the pontoon and were offered a swinging mooring by the Yacht Club, so out with the dinghy to go ashore for provisions and refreshments. We went to the Black Sheep which is part of the Royal Hotel, very nice if you are ever out that way.

Our main trip started five days ago on the 6^th June 2013. We gave up our berth at Largs. So much so that before we had even left, the new owner of G12 (our berth) came up to have a look around. “Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry” eh?

Anyway, the weather was great, blue sky and sunshine and more to the point, the same was forecast for a good few days, so off round the Mull of Kintyre was our plan.

 

Leaving Largs Yacht Haven & the Cumbraes in the distance.

We headed for Lochranza on Arran and unlike last year we did manage to get a mooring so had a lovely night there watching the sunset.

  

  

Diane had booked a holiday weekend at the Tarbet Hotel. She  thought it was Tarbert  Loch Lomond when in fact it was Loch Fyne, miles apart !

So we decided to have another wee shake down sail up  to Tarbert  about 25 miles from Largs and  to  have them on board for a couple of days

We sailed between Portavadie , Otter Spit and Tarbert .

It was very enjoyable , but next time Diane, please don’t bring your red trolley dolly case, it’ll give us a bad name.

        

We had a couple of shakedown sails.

One with our friend Iain to Port Bannatyne and the Kyles of Bute.

This is the 1st time Iain has been back on a boat since our  first outing on a flotilla in Greece over 15 years ago ago.

Its taken him that length of time to recover!

Incidentally also during that trip I have a video clip of Louise saying she had enjoyed the holiday but wouldn’t be a sailor! Funny how things turn out

    

                                                                                      Just to calm his nerves