Day 2 - Ardrishaig to Oban via the Crinan Canal

Day 2 of the odyssey dawned bright and sunny, and the Good Ship headed off into the first lock in the company of First By Farr (Last by Miles, ahem) who were on their way to race against Griff Rhys Jones, Rory McGrath and Dara O Briain in Tennents West Highland Yacht racing week. The canal, described by many as 'the most beautiful short-cut in the world' cuts across Kintyre peninsula very close to the ancient hill-top fort of Dunadd, capital of the Kingdom of Dalriada, the first Kingdom of Scotland. It was built to allow small ships to avoid the treacherous passage round the Mull of Kintyre, and like the Mull it even has it's own song sung here by some poor fella who ain't no Paul McCartney (although it does sound a bit like Mull of Kintyre...hmmmm) 

 

It was a cracking day and a quick passage through the canal, punctuated by frankly awesome scrambled duck eggs on toast (with eggs provided by Emma MacNair), with Seamen Finnigan and Janus doing sterling work handling the lines whilst the Skipper tried not to skewer people in the locks with the bowsprit. The canal really is one of the most beautiful wonders of Scotland - where else can you motor through a forest, with waterside pubs and wildlife everywhere you look? 

Finnigin sillygrin

First lock

Cairbaan Summit

Stopping the boats from bouncing off each other

Just before the duck eggs arrived...

Crazy Artist's house...he swims in the canal every morning

Crinan basin

Lovely Crinan

Twat with camera

Puffer getting up steam

 Following a quick stop at the Crinan chandlery for supplies, we left Seaman Farago to drive himself up to our rendevous point in Oban. A decent South-westerly breeze had arrived, the sun was shining and the sea was very, very blue as we locked out of the canal and into the waters of Loch Crinan, bound for the dangersous Dorus Mor tidal race at the entrance to the Sound of Luing.

Heading for Dorus Mor

 It was champagne sailing as we shot through the gap, and picked up the tide on the other side for an express ride up the Sound of Luing. Passing Easdale island (home to the world skipping stone championships every year) the breeze freshened and the Good Ship came alive, 10 tons of yacht powering her way through the seas in bright sunshine and clear skies. Soon Kerrera was abeam, and hardening up onto the wind slightly we squeezed the boat up the shore of the island before bearing away towards Oban town. IT wasn't long before we had chosen a mooring right next to the pontoons at Oban Sailing Club, and the Skipper was on the case with the evening's meal.

It was shortly after this that the shananigans started...First came the artsy drunken poses sitting on the boom under a beautiful sunset

 

Then someone started throwing fire around the place...

And then the natical disco, or 'nauti-disco' (I'll get my coat) began...

The high point of the night though was watching the moon rise directly above McCaig's Folly...stunning

At an undisclosed hour the crew finally collapsed, bellies full of rum and the memories of a cracking day of sailing seeping into the Skipper's dreams as the water lapped gently against the side of the the boat, the crew snoring contentedly and the world onboard feeling like a great place to live...