(In which our storm-bound travellers try the island bus, eat experience fine seafood and fail to experience Celtic Punk Rock.)
No significant change in the weather report or the wind and showers in Port Ellen.  There is a bus which links all the small towns on the island, with a quirky timetable which differs from day to day through the week, school days and non-school days, weekends and the daily ferry from Jura.  We set out on the 1225 to Bowmore, with some previous knowledge, since in 2007 Cate, David and Mark Clough and Benj did the same trip and remember an excellent lunch at the only hotel, and visited the distillery (the only one of the seven on Islay that malts its own barley). The 20 minute journey is mostly a dead straight 8 mile road across peat bog with scattered sheep, passing the tiny airport.  We headed straight to the Schooner Bar in the Harbour Inn for their pub food, and each ate six oysters from Loch Gruinart in the north of the island which were probably the best we had ever tasted, followed by a bowl of delicious seafood bouillabaisse with chunks of lobster and juicy mussels.  Cate explored the shops (there are about four if you don't count the Islay Whisky Shop) while Benj had another pint of 80/- ale and read his book. Benj bought a bottle of Kilchoran malt and one of The Botanist - the Islay gin flavoured with 22 local botanicals - then walked up the long straight hill which is the main street to the pretty white painted Round Church, built that way so the devil can't hide in any corners.  We met up at the Co-op for essential provisions, and caught the 1550 bus back 'home' to Port Ellen.  Benj returned to the White Hart to catch the second half of SA vs England, a thrilling half with the right rfesult (Boks 37 England25). That evening there was music advertised in the village hall with NiteWorks, a band from Skye billed as electric Celtic Rock.  It wasn't due to start until 10pm, so we cooked a chilli con carne aboard and later made  our way there, stopping at the 'whisky pub' for a last sample (Caol Ila was their Malt of the Month) and then moved on to the hall.  However, because of the storms the band had not been able to get the ferry and had only just arrived at 1030 and were setting up.  We went back to the White Hart and passed the time there and returned at intervals to check.  By 1130 they were actually playing, but we took one listen and decided that Electronic Celtic Neo-Punk was not our bag, and retired to bed.  At least there was a promise of better weather for Sunday, so we  retired happy.