Sunset over Duart Castle

What's the Story in Tobermory?

..............a spot of shopping, a bit of potential property development (the public loos on the sea front are for sale!), rounded off by a wee drink in the Mishnish (and the Rev Colin I M Jolly's lunchtime sermon).

Idyllic Iona

Guests spent a morning on Iona, visiting the Abbey and enjoying the gentle pace of island life. Landing on the white sandy beach at Baile Mor (Gaelic for big town!), the crystal clear waters are breathtakingly beautiful and it didn't take long before all shoes were off for a paddle!

Iona is the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. St Columba sailed from his home in Ireland  and arrived on the island in his coracle in 563AD. He founded the monastery that was to become the heart of the Scottish church in it's early years.

With a resident population of 125, the island is 3 miles long and a mile and a half wide and as well as being home to the medieval abbey and ruined ancient nunnery, it is the resting place of 48 Scottish Kings.

The Garvellachs

Guests enjoyed a lunchtime stop at the Garvellachs, a chain of four small islands at the entrance to the Firth of Lorne. 

Translating from the Gaelic as Isles of the Sea or "rough islands", Eileach an  Naoimh (Isle of the Saints) is the most southerly of the group. The island is home to the remains of an ancient Celtic Monastery believed to have been founded by St Brendan the Navigator in 542 AD. Though ruinous, the bee hive corbelled stone cells are well preserved. 



The islands are uninhabited, with steep angled sides and bountiful wild flowers nestle amongst the pink quartz and limestone boulders. 

St Columba's mother is said to be buried on the hillside overlooking the anchorage - a simple headstone marks her grave.

Summer arrives on the West Coast

Summer is finally here, with temperatures soaring to 28 degrees - hotter than Madrid, Nairobi and Rio de Janiero!  So it was on with the shorts and t shirts to lap up some of the gorgeous sunshine we were enjoying.


The somewhat cooler water temperature did not deter our friend Richard, who had joined us aboard Moonshadow for the week, from continuing his swim training schedule.  Richard likes a challenge and the latest adventure he is about to embark on is to travel from Edinburgh to Inverary, by kayaking, cycling, running over land, and swimming across both Loch Lomond and Loch Fyne. 


Our first overnight anchorage on this trip was Lunga (one of the Slate Islands which lie south of Oban) and Richard had already planned the route for his morning swim. With a helping hand from the skipper to zip up his wetsuit he was off into the sparkling waters of Camas a Mhor-Fhir (Bay of the Giant) with the lure of a hot shower on the stern when he returned. 

Winter returns

Last night was spent in Loch a' Choire and it certainly lived up to it's name of "the cauldron" as we clocked up 22 miles on the anchor overnight! The good old Rocna held fast, however, and we had a peaceful night nevertheless. We woke this morning to snow on the hills.......this just isn't right for May!

Castle Stalker, Appin

Jets overhead

Snow capped peaks above Port Appin

Tanker waiting to berth at Glensanda

Sunset over Loch Drumbuie

We were treated to a spectacular sunset in Loch Drumbuie this evening, with western skies a blaze of changing colours as the sun dipped below the horizon. Also known as Loch na Droma Buidhe or Loch of the Yellow Hill, the loch has a narrow entrance (Caolas nan Conn, Strait of the Dogs) which opens out to reveal the quiet all-weather anchorage.

Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Photo courtesy of J Newbury

A wee dram in the hills

Fresh from Moonshadow's Galley

Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Scallops from Willie-Fish in Oban served with a slice of Charles MacLeod's famous Stornoway Black Pudding .................delicious! www.williefishoban.co.uk; www.charlesmacleod.co.uk

Loch Moidart 2012

Entering Loch Moidart. Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Loch Moidart South Channel . Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Castle Tioram.  Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Loch Moidart anchorage.  Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Moonshadow, Loch Moidart. Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Shore Leave, Loch Moidart.  Photo courtesy of W Newbury

Castle Tioram.  Photo courtesy of W Newbury