Day 28: Oban to Loch Tarbet, Jura

Saturday 5th May
ETD1300, CTS South, 40nm

Morning chores in the charming Oban Marina, provisions from Oban by water taxi, laundering etc, with filling the fresh water and passage planning to Port Ellen, Islay, for me.

Our wish was to visit Fingal's Cave on Staffa along with Iona on the SW tip of Mull. We hoped to loop round West of Mull yesterday but the weather turned against that plan. Visiting Iona seemed a nice completion on the west coast in the light of our visit to Holy Island, Lindisfarne. It was from Iona that Holy Island was born. Today the Abbey is home to a contemporary celtic community of international renown and which has done much to inspire the spirituality and worship of the church across Britain whilst challenging the lifestyles taken so much for granted; the leader regularly contributes to Thought for the Day on Radio 4!

But, with the west of Mull gazumped I planned our sailing to Islay with an anchorage stop over on Jura.

We departed the lively and dynamic Oban at 1300 heading down Kerrara Sound and 5 miles on to the small enclosed loch and anchorage at Clachan Sound. One on the most popular anchorages on the west coast, we saw 3 other boats but in the summer 30 yachts can be jostling for position with anchor rage in plentiful supply. A shore party landed by tender for the walk over a hill to the Bridge of Clachan, otherwise known as The Bridge Over The Atllantic. From the 1780's it is a spectacular build, a high arch and covered in purple flowers; small and rare Fairy Foxgloves. Back to the anchorage and gently off with lunch underway. Sails up and away south, sea breezes built and we sailed at a comfortable 7kts. Down the Sound of Insh, towards the waters between the Garbellachs (W) and Lunga, Scarba and Jura (E).

Should we attempt the infamous Gulf of Corryvreckan between Scarba and Jura? On the chart it reads Dangerous Tidal Streams, these are disturbed by submerged pinnacle stack and 200m ravine in the midst of the narrows making the best whirlpools around Britain. To pass through we'd have a 15 min tidal gate at 1536. It would have been an anxious race to get there without our lunch stop, with it there was no chance. We'd have gone east of Scarba and in missing it headed south along the Sound of Jura. On the east side of the sound is Tayvallich which is sponsored for my voyage towards the CofE Climate Justice Fund by David and Gill S.

We contented ourselves with passing though the western stream of the Corryvreckan called The Great Race, and stormed along the W coast of Jura at 9kts on the sea breeze. The sea breeze was westerly whilst the prevailing winds were NE! Banking on the wind stopping at about 2000 we headed for the shelter of the most remote from habitation and roads Loch Tarbet.

For the last part of entering our chosen spot there were three tight transits to follow well marked by white painted stones. A Z shaped entry saw us avoid the rocks and reach a tranquil bay for the night. Laid anchor at 2100 at Cuan Mor, Loch Tarbet. A good meal and sleep before weighing anchor at 0700 to complete our journey to Port Ellen.