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Altair shortly after launching this May. Altair is the larger boat on the left. she's of steel construction. Sadly, shortly after her launch, her drive coupling failed.

After a 'deoch an doras' in the club we left Glasson at midnight on May 19th and made the tidal gates as far as Carnlough in N. Ireland where we waited for a tide to get around the Mull of Kintyre. A small harbour with good shelter but a deceptive entrance. I discovered that the Kingfisher twins had been in there the previous week.

The following day we got our first gale warning off Jura so put in to Craighouses. Tied-up to the fishing pier but the wind changed in early a.m. so we had to move to a H&I mooring which we eventually managed to pick-up. We sat out a F7/8 for six hours and was glad that I had spliced a metre of chain in the middle of a nylon warp to stop chafing from the mooring ring. Later that day we went for a walk and by chance came across the gardens at Jura House. There is a 4 mile walk on cliff tops, foreshore, ravines and walled gardens with a marvellous display, thanks to the Gulf Stream, of cultivated and wild meadow flowers, shrubs and vegetables; you could even pick globe artichokes at 40p each.

Next stop was Craobh Haven, an expensive marina! Surprised that the staff there are not allowed to give advice or make any comments about the passage from there between Luing and Seil. (Public liability legislation? - Michael) Went through it on slack water at 0400, quite straightforward if you hug Torsa. We carried the tide through Sound of Mull and by noon found the painted rock showing the otherwise hidden entrance to Arisaig; safe and picturesque anchorage. En route passed a pair of Kingfishers beating down the Firth of Lorne but failed to raise them on VHF.

I had hoped to go through Sound of Sleat, around Skye and on to Harris but weather became miserable. Instead went to Loch Slapin and on to Eigg and Rhum before starting to head south again, albeit in a roundabout way.

Highlights were Salem in Loch Sunart, Puiladobhrain on Seil (with a walk to the 'Bridge over the Atlantic'); an exciting spinnaker run down to Scalasaig on Colonsay with a large minke whale surfacing less than 100m from us; planing at 10 knots through the Sound of Islay with tide and F7 behind us - too rough to pick-up mooring at Port Ellen but there is enough room and water to tie-up at the elbow on the ferry pier with reasonable shelter. Forecast for storm force 10 so following advice from fishermen left for Rathlin Island. After a good sail in F 5/6 reached Church Bay on Rathlin and found a near perfect storm hole in recently renovated small harbour within a new breakwater outside it: there is no mention of this in any almanac. Lovely island, teeming with birdlife. Storm warnings repeated for 2 days but did not materialise. I decided to head for home; going through Rhu Point race before slack we carried the tide all the way to Portpatrick where we waited for 3 hrs and took a favourable tide past Galloway and Pt of Ayre to tie-up in Glasson 30 hours after leaving Rathlin.

The Western Isles had storm force 10 with 80 mph winds the following day!

The Highland & Islands Board seem to be passing on most of their moorings to local authorities and harbour associations, who take pleasure in charging a tenner a night but are not offering any extra facilities. Tobermorey has gone downhill since I was last there about 20 years ago. Despite paying £10 mooring fee there is nowhere you can get a shower; even the once hospitable Mishnish Hotel has become commercialised and unfriendly.

With the exception of Oban, (free visitor moorings currently available near Boro boats) fresh food is very limited. Had a crew change there and stayed an extra night just to pay a second visit to the Waterfront Restaurant (near Ferry Pier) which is one of the best seafood restaurants in N. Scotland and fairly reasonable too.

Tried on occasion to catch our supper without a lot of success, but we got a present of a bag of about 30 undersized scallops from a dredger in Jura and bought some huge hand picked scallops from divers in Collonsay for 75p each: hogged out on both occasions, my favourite fish, but won't be able to repeat the experience until I'm next in Scotland or West of Ireland. I managed to wear shorts and t-shirt on 2 days, the rest of the time was logged as to the number of layers of clothing needed e.g, a three layer day or a five layer night... at least there were no midges.

Overall a great trip, Altair behaved well and at times, alongside some of the rougher piers, I was glad that she is steel. The rock dodging keeps you focused on what you should be doing and it is essential to use the tides, particularly in the sounds. I certainly hope to return in the near future, marvellous cruising ground....pity about the weather!

Will O'Donovan, Altair, 2000 06 22

Altair being towed out to her mooring by Humbug. Altair's dinghy had broken free and here Humbug is recovering it. The next day we towed Altair into the dock where Will was able to fit a new coupling in time to leave on their adventure.