Port Ellen to Craobh Haven Jura and 1984 04 August 2023

 


Our planned departure was for 12.00 noon, and so there was time for a short walk (after a leisurely surfacing and breakfast) out to the Port Ellen maltings.  We were surprised to see the scale of investment in yet another distillery - Port Ellen distillery, still in the building phase, and due to have its first mash at the beginning of December this year.

The new Port Ellen distillery - still in the making.

As noon approached the wind became a little lighter, as forecast, and so we left as planned.  Though not exactly - it was a rather ignominious departure.  Self inflicted.  The least said the better.

Anyway, our trip up the Sound of Jura was stunning.  Much calmer and sunnier and warmer and more relaxing than we expected. The Paps were radiant!   However, wildlife was a little bit thin on the ground.  We did see Gannets, auks (Guillemots, Razorbills and Black Guillemots), Common Terns, Kittiwakes and a few Harbour Porpoises near the top end of the Sound.  But altogether not as much and as many as we might have expected.

The Paps of Jura

No sign of George Orwell as we passed Barnhill at the north end of Jura, where he wrote 1984.  Maybe next time. George described Barnhill as “an extremely un-get-atable place”. He wasn’t wrong. 

The tidal currents were fantastic as we were going between the small islands at the top end of the Sound of Jura - after all, the Corryvreckan was right beside us (it is between Jura and the next island, called Scarba. Corryvreckan, from the Gaelic Coire Bhreacain, means ‘cauldron of the speckled seas’ and is wild!).  The autopilot had us going all over the place, but actually worked extremely well.

Arrived in Craobh Haven at 17.30 in time for a wee pint in the Lord of the Isles before dinner aboard (nothing special this evening - burgers done on a George Foreman).  

The boat bird list was just 20 species.

Our route:









































































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