Jura to Loch Aline

Sorry, it's been a few days since our last post.  This is in part due to poor Internet access and part because we had a visit from our good friends Chris and Vicky.  So we had been busy scouting the area and cleaning Bathia for visitors.

Bathia at anchor off Oronsay

Since leaving Jura last Friday we passed through the Sound of Islay (a strip of water separating Islay from Jura) and onto a small anchorage off Oronsay (a small island to the south of Colonsay).  We took the dinghy ashore to walk on empty white beaches (apart from grazing sheep).  We spent the night there which was a little uncomfortable when the tide turned and a small swell caused Bathia to sway.

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The next day began quite well, an improvement on the forecast, but by late afternoon the rain started and put us off the next planned anchorage stop and we decided to push on to Oban in search of a fixed pontoon and hot shower. Unfortunately we arrived at the start of the West Highlands Yachting Week and Oban was full - another 90 minutes motoring in the rain led us to Dunstaffnage Marina where we spent a few days catching up on laundry and dodging the showers. Monday was a very wet day, we took the bus into Oban, peeped out from under our hoods and stocked up at the supermarket - this was the first real road traffic and proper shops we had seen for a few weeks.

Our guests arrived on Thursday evening, Friday we set sail for Kingairloch, a large estate against a Loch with wild Deer and a small restaurant specialising in seafood and venison.  It was a fantastic setting and a great meal - a real treat.  We were the only boat in the Loch there were seals swimming nearby and at dusk several large stags made an appearance (almost made us feel guilty for our venison supper).

Kingairloch Mooring

G&T's

Boathouse Restaurant

We then sailed to Port Appin for another fine meal at the Pierhouse Hotel followed by a damp misty night before dropping Chris and Vicky back to Dunstaffnage on Sunday afternoon to collect their hire car and head back for their return flight South. We took on fresh water, re-filled the diesel tank and headed up the Sound of Mull. Tonight we are in Loch Aline, which has a great new visitor pontoon and fast free wifi, tomorrow we're heading for Tobermory.