Far and Away: Oban and Environs

I need to backtrack and cover a period of time before the blow, which wasn’t an issue. Our anchor was dug in deep, and the winds in our protected spot didn’t get over thirty.

After our delightful visit to Iona we rounded the dramatic southern tip of Mull and headed to the town of Oban for three reasons. 1) I had to pop into a clinic to get antibiotics for Lyme disease 2) We needed to be near a transportation center so Nico could go to Ardrossan to pick up a crate of supplies that was sent in February and held hostage by customs and bureaucracy until now, and best of all, 3) Phoebe, Zac and his family were going to arrive on the 23rd! We had a delightful dinner with all of them in town, had coffee with Phoebe and Zac the next day before they went off to Mull and Staffa, and we met up with everyone later at a whiskey bar.

A beautiful day of sailing along the southern shore of Mull. The picture doesn’t give a sense of the height of the cliffs. We spent the night in Loch Spelve which I will always remember for the lone red British telephone box by the edge of the water ( no town and just a couple of houses) and an entire herd of cattle running single file on their own down the road. Who knows what was going on in their heads.

We spent a night in Oban getting the antibiotics, fish and dealing with the crate business. We then went to a nearby bay which was a bit rolly but had a great beach.

Everywhere you go in Scotland you see evidence of deserted homes. If it wasn’t the potato famine or crash of the kelp market it was the lairds kicking people off so they could raise more profitable cattle or sheep. Most of the population went to the Canadian maritime provinces or US.

Another interesting anchorage was north of Oban in Loch A’Choire. It had towering mountains surrounding it and we had to pick up a mooring because the water was so deep. All the land was part of the Kingairloch Estate. They rent out the various outbuildings, have a restaurant, a huge kitchen garden, a power station, a timber lot, sheep and cows. This is an example of what is happening to the former great shooting lodges of the English.

The boathouse restaurant

The walled kitchen garden from the time of the great shooting lodge ( around 1900) was a thing of beauty. It now supplies the restaurant.

Then it was back to Oban - Phoebe and Zac time! The Wheelers had an ambitious trip, seeing an amazing amount of the country in just ten days. What fun to be able to meet up.

Lastly, Nico headed off to Ardrossan to pick up the well- traveled package filled with spare parts, cruising guides and much needed boat gear. I got my hair cut and went horseback riding! We good food, water and fuel and are ready for the next adventure.