We left the boat on the Oban Marina mooring last Monday and enjoyed the road trip to Edinburgh, where we spent a day with Granny Watson before I flew south for the Round the Island Race and Julie stayed in Edinburgh to earn some money...

The race was more exciting than planned with winds gusting towards 40 knots south of the Island.  For Jackaroo, that was all fine, reaching speeds in excess of 17 knots under white sails until the rudder decided to jump ship... causing us to drift around in 4m seas off Ventnor for a couple of hours until the excellent Sandown and Shanklin Inshore Lifeboat tried to take us in tow.  We made it to Seaview eventually, but J80s don’t like being towed without a rudder...  Tom and I managed to requisition a Pacific 22 on Sunday morning and got her home without further incident.  Spent the day sorting her out and the Monday getting her into the repair loop at Desty Marine at Hamble Point.

 

So it was with some relief that I flew back to Edinburgh on Tuesday and Julie and I drove back to Oban!

Glorious drive and then THE most efficient deployment of a rubber dinghy from the back of a car that you’ve ever seen.  20 minutes after arriving, we were underway across the Sound of Kerrera towards Escapade in splendid evening sunshine.  Took stock, started the fridges and then went ashore again for the Tesco's raid.  

Tobermory beckons...