Day 5: Oban to Tobermory

Day 5 dawned a little grey and overcast, but with a building sea breeze to look forwards to. After a sterling breakfast cooked up by Seaman Wagstaff, a quick run ashore was made in the dinghy to collect some supplies. Motoring north out of Oban bay, past Dunollie Castle and Maiden Island, the stiffening breeze spoke of tougher conditions to come. As we set sail off the north end of Kerrera and across the Firth of Lorne, we began a long beat against the wind which was funneling down the Sound of Mull.

Duart Castle, South East corner of Mull

 On a long tack over to Duart Castle, the wind continued to build, and with the boat overpowered the Skipper made the call to drop the main (the reefing lines were incorrectly lead, a silly mistake that should have been checked before we set off..) and we carried on under reefed foresails up into the Sound. After a couple of hours of hard beating, we decided to stop for lunch in the shelter provided by Ardtornish Bay on the Morvern shore. This was a delightful spot, and as we sat in the calm waters, watching the white horses creaming past the point some distance away, the sun came out and summer seemed to return.

Ardtornish Bay

Following a quick slap-up lunch, and with the breeze moderating, the Good Ship pointed her prow back out into the Sound and full sail was set in sparkling sunshine. The remainder of the trip to Tobermory was made in champagne sailing conditions, a good breeze (though still on the nose) and long tacks up the Sound. The 'greenhorn' crew settled into their tasks admirably, learning both to handle the sheets in tacking and also getting a masterclass from the skipper in how to work the boat to windward efficiently. One of the tacks took us into Salen bay, a beautiful place where we had spent an eerie night the following season, but in the bright sunshine the mood was transformed. The shore of Morvern is steep-to for the most part, and many of our tacks took place mere yards from the wooded, rocky shoreline, with a variety of wildlife looking on. The sun was setting in a sea of reds and yellows as we approched Calve Island at the mouth of Tobermory Bay, and it was a serene sail to the pontoons where we were to tie up for the night, aside from some minor tense moments trying to reverse the Good Ship into her berth (long keel boats just don't steer in reverse...). The day finished with a trip to the legendary Mishnish, where the bar-folk spoke fondly of the visit a couple of weeks previously by the HitchHop duo of Brian Ferguson and Jim Campbell, esteemed adventurers and friends of the Good Ship.