055:58.150 N
005:58.571 W

Loch Tarbert, Jura

There was much deliberation at 0500 today as we discussed what to do, all weather forecasts said we should be experiencing 9 knots of wind which would remain all morning. However, outside there wasn’t a zephyr, an oily swell from the south was making TC roll but there was not a breath of wind.

Eventually it was decided to trust the weather forecasts, otherwise there is no point in using them; Bol made the decision to go. We’d start by motoring in the hope that the wind would pick up, we really didn’t want to motor for 40 miles.

Fortunately for us, the forecasts were correct, eventually, and around 0900 we were sailing with everything up and could turn the engine off, such a relief. It turned into a stunning day of sailing, flattish water with gorgeous views all round; Mull, Colonsay, Jura and Islay and an ideal 15 knots over the deck, Tiree had slipped away from view by noon.

TC flew and we munched up the miles and after all that worry at the start of the day, it was particularly satisfying in the end to be able to sail right into the anchorage here in Jura.

So we are anchored in stunning Loch Tarbert. It is totally peaceful (no signal so this will have to go in the morning) Gannets, Terns and Oystercatchers all round, a Seal at the entrance, a handful of other yachts and a view across to a lunar landscape; rocky mountains some 700+m high. Patches of terminal moraine dotted about the hillsides make it feel a world away from Tiree, whose highest point was 45m.  The sun is now setting and the hills across are glowing golden red, really so beautiful despite being desolate and wild.  There is one house on the shoreline but even through binoculars we cannot see any roads, access seems only via the water.

A walk ashore ended abruptly with horse flies helping themselves to bare legs so we sat in the cockpit with a mosquito coil wafting over us and have since been OK. It was warm enough to swim back to the boat and unbelievably (and finally) hot enough to dry off in the sun.

As we’re now deep in whisky distillery country, we’re just about to sit in the cockpit and have a wee dram. We do have another early start but it seems too good an opportunity to miss.

Photos to follow in tomorrow’s blog.