Mallaig
Bliss
Sun 26 Jun 2016 05:17
We dropped Tracey and Rodney back at the Kyle of Lochalsh early on Wednesday. We've loved having them aboard and we've laughed and chatted lots, they were very easy guests in our rather confined space.
It's time to start heading south, the midges will be arriving any time now, but it's hard to leave, there's still so much to see and it's such a long way from home, who knows when we'll be back. Anyway, having dropped the Wellers we began our southward journey, carefully timed to avoid the 8 knot spring tides which flow through the Kyle of Rhea, we arrived at Mallaig, a pretty town, with new marina facilities and shops.
Somewhere between leaving Lochalsh and arriving at Mallaig our plan changed. Forecast shows winds dropping this evening. Our overnight stay in Mallaig changed to a quick restock, refuel, laundry and off.....North!
Except that nothing is that straightforward, and having left Chris sorting diesel, I set off do do washing and shopping, we seem to have conformed to stereotype when it comes to chores! I returned half an hour later to find him about to depart Mallaig in an air ambulance.....don't worry, he's fine! An 69 year old French man, cruising Scotland with his wife had collapsed at the wheel having just slipped their mooring, he cut his head, and started fitting, as their yacht continued it's track towards the rocks! Wife shocked and screaming, husband wedged under the wheel, she, amazingly managed to get control of boat, get it back to jetty and get a line ashore. Meanwhile Chris and another guy both aboard their own boats had witnessed this bizarre scenario without understanding the situation, and initially thought she was doing seagull impressions!! Moments later they were on it, boat secured, wheel removed to access casualty, get him in recovery position and ambulance called.
Chris eventually declined the ride in the air ambulance, the man had stabilised, regained consciousness and the practicalities of getting back to Mallaig swayed his decision.