The Rest of the Malts Cruise

Out of Tobermory to Loch Sunart

In my last posting I mentioned that we had a group dinner Monday evening, July 11, in Tobermory. The next day boats would go their own way until Friday when another rendezvous was planned. The dinner was at the Western Isles Hotel and it was FABULOUS. It was a buffet of local seafood and nothing was spared. There were crabs, langoustines, and salmon, to mention only a few of the delicacies. A piper welcomed us to the hotel and later piped us into the buffet. We were offered a welcoming dram of the Tobermory Distillery’s best actually 2 different whiskies, both excellent but hard to find outside of Scotland we are told. We enjoyed our evening and met more of the interesting people who are on this cruise.

Tuesday, July 12. We were scheduled for a morning tour of the Tobermory Distillery. We needed to do a bit of shopping so it was past lunch time when we got back to the boat. We decided to go only as far as Loch Sunart which was just across the Sound of Mull for the evening as there was virtually no wind. The next day we would have to go around Ardnamurchan Point which has a notorious reputation so we wanted to take it easy after our busy morning. We went into a picturesque bay named Drumbuie where we spent the night. About 8 boats were there.

Wednesday, July 13. The next morning we set out in a light wind and flat seas making our rounding of Ardnamurchan Point completely without drama. Eventually, the wind picked up and we had a glorious sail around the isle of Muck then the wind died. We were planning to visit Loch Moidart that evening which is said to be one of the loveliest anchorages on the western coast. But with no wind at about 2 PM we decided rather than motor for several hours to get there we would anchor on the southeast coast of Eigg. We found a deep pool in an area without boats. The next morning we pulled out the jib and coasted all the way to our next destination, the island of Rum.

RUM
Thursday, July 14. Rum is the largest of the Inner Hebrides and is quite mountainous. We arrived in Loch Scresort a day earlier than the cruise schedule so that we could get off the boat and hike a bit. Wednesday afternoon we took a rather easy walk up a glen in “persistent” rain. Then we called into the only café where about 11 cruisers were having their afternoon cuppa and swapping stories. Only one set was from the Malts Cruise. About 6 boats were in the Loch that evening.

Friday, July 15. We got off the boat early and made a rigorous hike up to a caldera where we had a spectacular view of the boats in the bay. We had a tour scheduled for the afternoon.

Rum is owned by the National Conservancy of Scotland and is primarily a nature preserve. But there is the 19th Kinloch Castle on the island built facing Loch Scresort. It is the most complete example of an Edwardian furnished stately home in the UK. We toured the house which was a conservator’s nightmare. Then we headed for a lecture about Rum by the island’s only ranger/interpreter. The evening barbecue was held in the tiny village hall and it was excellent. It was catered by 2 young women who did the serving of the local venison delicacies from outside the hall in force 7 winds and heavy rain with only the fly of a large tent covering them. Again there was a bit of bagpipe playing to close the evening.

RESCUE US

Back Story: We began our trip out of Port Medoc by helping a new acquaintance bail his sinking wooden boat after it was put into the water. It had been on land for bottom work for a couple of weeks and it was so hot and dry in France, that the planks of the hull dried out enough that when launched, and by the time he got the boat over to his slip it was taking on water so seriously that his pump could not keep up with it and it was sinking. His was the last boat launched before lunch so no help was to be found at the travel lift to get him back out of the water. His wife drove around to ask us to help which we did by RXC using a hand pump in the cockpit while the owner used a battery powered pump inside the boat to keep her afloat. The wife finally found someone who could contact the dock workers. For emergencies, the French will come back to work from lunch so the boat was re-hauled and left to be worked on another day.

Back to Rum: RXC and I are walking back to the harbor after dinner (earlier than most folks but probably about 10 PM) and we look out to see a boat lumbering on the shoreline among the rocks. She was behind Petillant and remember I said it is blowing stink and pouring rain which were perfect conditions for anchor failure. At the opening talk for the Malts Cruise, it was recommended that we leave keys in the ignition in case of an emergency. We took off for the wayward boat and I hopped on board and yes there are the keys and the engine starts! RXC ties up the dingy, gets on board and oh happy day the windless controls are there too. We get the anchor up which is covered with weed and a metal crab cage. We got the boat off the rocks and called to a group coming back to their boat to help us and get the owners who were still partying at the hall, which they did.

The village hall was quite a far distance from the harbor so we milled about for 45 minutes until the owners arrived. I have never been so wet in my life as the boat had no bimini. We got back to Petillant and needed to dry off and warm up. This boat had dragged completely across the loch but luckily damaged no boats along the way. Later that night we were making one final check outside and there was yet another boat back of us in nearly the same position the boat we rescued. We had our fill of rescuing boats and hoped that there were people on board who would figure out they were on the rocks.

Saturday, July 19. By morning the storm had passed although bad weather was predicted for the next few days. We had hoped to go on an eagle walk but that had to be cancelled because of poor visibility. So about 11 am, we pulled out our jib again and sailed to the Isle of Canna.

CANNA
Canna is owned by the National Trust of Scotland. Its climate is generally better than its neighbors as we can attest. We anchored in Canna Harbor where there was only one small fishing boat. We were basking in sunshine as we watched the gray clouds and rain envelope Rum only a few miles away. There were Highland Cattle grazing close to shore, lovely stone buildings surrounding the bay, and seals popping their heads up begging for treats.

Spray of Wight a classic gaff-rigged catch and the Malts Cruise “Head Boat” glided into the harbor, so now we were two. We walked a bit around the island which had a completely different feel from the others we had visited. More flat but utterly green bathed in the afternoon sunlight, one could imagine staying at anchor here for another week at least.

Spray of Wight organized and hosted the whisky nosing and tastings, so that evening we had our chance to taste and discuss whisky with the expert from Diageo. We brought goose and duck foie to share and discuss what whisky to pair with them. We learned quite a bit felt very lucky to have had such a personalized tasting.

Sunday, July 20. Predictions were for the weather to deteriorate and there was a gale warning for Mallin our destination area. Spray was going to Coll and we were thinking of going to Gometre or Ulva. Both could be achieved by sailing downwind in force 7 winds without distress. We headed out for Gometre at about 11 AM in light winds and sunshine. But true to forecast once we left Canna we had strong winds and the seas were kicking up. At one point we clocked winds at Force 8, make that gale Force 8. It rained, we were cold, visibility was not great, the cats were very unhappy, but the jib was fully out and we surfed down to Gometre sometimes at 11 knots. We got in the tiny harbor to find one boat there already but sensibly placed to permit another boat to anchor. We dropped the hook in Force 7 winds plus heavy rain and had one heck of a ride that night.

Monday, July 21. By morning all was calm, the sun was out, the seas were flat, and weather predictions were still for strong winds and gales. But not right now. We once again pulled out the jib and headed towards the south coast of Mull to Ardalanish a tiny inlet on the Ross of Mull. No “bigger than a bread box” we dropped anchor in a walled cove in sunshine and little wind. By evening the Highland cows came down to the edge of the cliffs to graze. The cove can safely hold only one boat and about 6 PM another boat tried to anchor less that a boat length away from us. We told them there was an identical cove around the corner where they could anchor but they said no. We warned them that they were too close but they persisted. Finally the winds swung us close enough that they did go to the next inlet over, perfectly lovely and about the same size and protection. We had sunshine but later force 7 winds kicked up so it was a good thing they left.

Tuesday, July 19. Our next destination was Loch Tarbet on Jura for another rendezvous and picnic. Once again we could pull out the jib and sail downwind for a great day of sailing. Malts Cruise boats were streaming into the Loch and we were able to sail all the way into the anchorage. We found a beautiful, large bay which reminded of us Shaw Bay. We anchored and got ready to go ashore for the 5 PM dram and canapés that were selected to go with the various malts on offer. At 6 PM a barbeque was catered by the gentleman we bought our fresh seafood from back in Oban.
Loch Tarbet is the most remote loch in the isles as there is no road there. So our chef sailed in with the mussels, venison steaks, and homemade shortbread dessert, not to mention the pots, pans, and charcoal. The food was delicious enhanced by the setting and camaraderie. Two pipers played that evening as well.

Wednesday, July 20. We did not read the program schedule thoroughly and we thought we could sail to Gigha for the evening and then to Port Ellen for the final day of activities which in our minds were 2 days away. We did not get up early after the party ashore and it was very foggy that morning so we did not even open the companion way doors to look outside. After tea and breakfast, when we did look out the 30 or 40 boats in the anchorage were gone. As it turned out we needed to get to Port Ellen today because we had signed up for a 9 AM tour of Islay the next day. Tides and current were such that the boats left early to catch the push to get them down the Sound of Islay. So in dense fog and no wind we left Loch Tarbet wishing we had one more day of sailing before the rally ended. We were still out enough to get a good push from the current, so we got through the Sound of Islay before it ran against us. The sun came out as we coasted along Islay toward Port Ellen passing one distillery after another: Caol Ila, Ardberg, Laphhroaig, Lagavulin….

When we got to Port Ellen all of pontoons and moorings were taken so we anchored quite far from the marina pier for the evening.

Thursday, July 21. Our wrap up. At 9 AM we were on the bus taking a half day tour of Islay. We went to an archaeological site where the first seat of government was established for the island. The “Lords of the Isles” ruled this area for centuries until James II broke their power and demolished their communities. There were the ruins of a church, great hall, and early stone carvings including a cross set in a remote and haunting location.

Next we went on to a great house with a magnificent garden where in order to maintain it they community has put into use for those who want to come and harvest your own fruit and vegetables as a modest cost. We bought lettuce, parsley, and a yellow courgette. Also in this village was the island’s only brewery. The beer is distinguished by the fact that they used the peated malt which the island is famous for. The beers were like nothing we had ever tasted. Of course, we bought a selection of the darker brews. Good thing we were on a bus and had a very long dingy ride back to the boat or there would have been more purchased.

Our last stop was in the town of Bowmore where we bought venison steak at t
he local butcher and stocked up on yogurt and plants of fresh herbs from the grocery shop. In the afternoon we toured the Lagavulin Distillery where we had to wait for an hour for our tour as we were waiting for some Belgian cyclists to join us. They plied us with many drams to ease our wait. We bought an amazing whisky available only at the distillery and feel here at the end of it all we have an impressive selection of island whiskies to get us through the year!

Our final gathering began with a dram and canapés on the shore again with pipers. Since boats had been following their own whims it was a time to catch up and swap stories of where they had been and their adventures. This was followed by a seafood buffet and a final ceilidh. Most boats were planning to leave early in the morning, many folks bemoaning the fact they had to be back to work on Monday.

Friday, July 22, 2011. Today is our final day in Scotland. I am hoping that I can find wifi ashore someplace and I can get this narrative posted. Photos on the Flickr account will take much more powerful internet connection than I suspect is here in Islay. We want to find haggis for lunch somewhere and walk around town. Tomorrow we head for Ireland as we begin to make our way back towards France. This should take 4-5 weeks. Thankfully, we do not have to be back to work on Monday!