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).

Visit Scotland Press Trip

The EU funded Sail West Initiative is the result of a collaboration of over 20 partners from the West of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Its aim is to encourage the development of marine and cultural tourism across the entire region. As part of an extensive marketing campaign to promote the north coast of Ireland and the west coast of Scotland as important sailing destinations, Visit Scotland, with the assistance of Sail Scotland, organised a Scottish sailing weekend for a group of European travel writers.

Following their arrival in Oban on the Friday afternoon, the journalists enjoyed what was the start of an action packed weekend with a tour of the distillery and a meal at the Waypoint Grill on Kerrera, before settling down in their bunks for the night. Saturday morning saw us heading up the Sound of Mull to Lochaline and the new pontoons. A delightful lunch was provided at the Whitehouse Restaurant, then it was on to Tobermory for a seafood dinner at Cafe Fish. The evening continued with visits to the Mishnish and McGeochans, where we were all welcomed to a 21st birthday party which was already in full swing! After a hearty breakfast on Sunday morning, it was back down to Oban with lunch for the 15 party members on board Moonshadow before the afternoon train to Glasgow departed. 


For reviews of the weekend see the following articles in the Guardian and on Green Traveller:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/sep/09/sailing-holiday-scotland-oban
http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/blog/sailing-scotlands-west-coast

Gordounston International Summer School Cruise 2011

Another West Coast Summer School comes to an end and as usual we are left with many happy memories of shared adventures with friends old and new. Our international crews enjoyed a month of fantastic weather and no encouragement was needed for daily swimming off the yachts and some very enthusiastic water fights under sail. Staff had their hands full with a fleet of 11 boats and over 80 foreign students sailing in company during the final week.  

We explored a variety of islands and anchorages during this year's cruise, including the slate quarries on Easdale, the beehive cells on Eileach an Naoimh, the main island of the Garvellachs, Craighouse, Jura and Tayvallich at the head of Loch Sween. On Lunga, the students were entertained by Kyle who played a selection of pipe tunes as the sun set over the anchorage. A visit to Tobermory and the Mull Highland Games was rounded off with a BBQ and games evening at Aros Park. Mussels were enjoyed in Loch Spelve and trips through Corryvreckan and the Grey Dogs kept everyone on their toes.  

During the final week, with the sun shining and the wind still light, we even manoeuvred the fleet into a Sunflower in Loch Craignish. The views from the top of Moonshadow's mast were amazing!

Three Men (Stuck) in a Boat

This summer, the 3 Men - Griff Rhys-Jones, Rory McGrath and Dara O'Briain, headed to the Hebrides for another adventure afloat.  On this voyage, they used the 16th century travels of dictionary writer Dr Johnson and his biographer James Boswell as their inspiration. 
 

Having taken part in  West Highland Week, racing from Crinan to Oban onboard "Truant", the 3 Men headed north. 


We captured part of their exploits on film while they were aboard the 1904 Bristol Pilot Cutter, Mascotte, having entangled themselves in a lobster pot as they were leaving Tobermory harbour.