Hebridean Spring..

Islay & Jura

Next onboard in early May were our lovely honeymoon couple from Tennesse, who joined us for five nights. Their mission was to arrive at their favourite whisky’s distille ry, Lagavullin on Islay, by boat! But first we fitted in a stop the slate island of Easdale before spending the first night anchored in Jura’s West Loch Tarbert.

The following morning we achieved their mission with a rather wild ride down to Lagavullin at the south end of Islay and they went straight ashore for an afternoon of tasting sensations!

While we gave the wind a chance to die down we explored Loch Ant-Sailein off Ardbeg and checked out the wildlife….

That evening we headed across to the Sound of Gigha for a night at anchor and the next day sailed up to Tayvallich – where the sun came bursting out just in time for a lunch stop and explore ashore. We spent that night in a very idyllic, peaceful anchorage – at the aptly named Fairy Isles.

After a visit to Crinan, we completed their tour of these lovely islands with a sail across the Firth of Lorn with our guests helping to hoist the sails.

Our final gorgeous evening was in Loch Spelve where bluebells were still covering the hillsides.

Mull

With just a day in between we were onto our fourth cruise of the season with another five nighter! Still in Oban we welcomed Kevin, Georgina, Michael and Glynn onboard for what turned out to be one of the most magical weeks we have spent in the Western Islands – the sun shone and the sky and sea were vivid blue all week!

This trip was a counterclockwise cruise around Mull. For our first night however, we cruised up to Loch Aline and the group went ashore for a short pre dinner stroll. We then took in colourful Tobermory – with a brief shopping expedition to buy some shorts to make the most of the suunny days! Back across to the mainland and Loch Drumbuie for our second night and then around the north coast of Mull and down to the Treshnish Islands.

Perhaps one of the highlights of this trip was time spent on Lunga communing with the colourful and vocal puffins! That night was spent in intimate Gometra harbour, with time to enjoy apperitifs on the ‘poopdeck’.

The next day was another classic – across to Staffa and a visit into Fingal’s cave, followed by lunch anchored in the Sound of Iona and an afternoon ashore exploring – and another shopping opportunity! We spent that night in the Sound of Erraid – another idyllic, anchorage complete with white sand beaches.

The return trip along the south coast of Mull included an eagle spotting and ended in Loch Spelve with a pre-dinner walk ashore. After dinner, still enjoying the evening sun on the aft deck we spotted some wild deer and another eagle! Our final morning started in a rather muted way with grey skies having returned – however, this was no anti – climax but a prelude to the most thrilling sail up the Firth of Lorn in the company of several pods of frisky dolphins! No one could have asked for a better end to the cruise