Oban to Linnhe Marina 21 May 2024

 

The Waverley arrived in Oban yesterday evening with hundreds of passengers which it disgorged onto the main pier.  It left this morning at 09.00 with fewer passengers heading out to Armadale, Loch Duich, the Kyle Rhea narrows, and Kyle of Lochaline.  The Waverley is described as the last seagoing paddle steamer, is 80(ish) years old and is registered on The National Historic Fleet.  It looks a fantastic ship, very well maintained, and according to it’s website a very busy one.

Another fantastic, well maintained ship at its berth in a very warm calm Oban.

Our view of Oban from the flybridge as we have lunch.  
McCaig’s Tower standing proud at the top of the hill.

After lunch we left Oban, after having to hang back to allow two Caledonian MacBrayne ferries come through the exit channel, and cruised the short hop (1.5 hours) to Loch Linnhe and Linnhe Marina.  We weaved our way through the moored boats and got a spot on the pontoon.  Pontoons that have seen better days, and have the weirdest posts for tying up to.

Linnhe Marina pontoons have seen better days - rather rusty, and not entirely straight or level.  To be fair they are being, in part, refurbished.  Also the pillars for tying to are weird and removable - they give the impression that they could easily pop out of their slots.

Dinner booked in The Old Inn just beside Castle Stalker. 


And what a treat!  Anna and Tim, up this way in order to attend Tim’s sister’s upcoming wedding, were able to join us.  A brilliant evening.

Happy days.

Stalker Castle looking well at the end of the evening.


The boat bird list for the day was a modest 22 species.

Our route today:











































































































Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hebridean Adventure 2025 15 May 2025

Image
  Our anchorage among the Ardmore Islands on the SE corner of the Island of Islay Come with us on holiday amongst the Inner and Outer Hebrides on the west coast of Scotland.  Three weeks (ish) of pockling about, guided by the weather, tides and our whims.  What could be better?!  And if day one is anything to go by, it’s going to be a belter?! After 3 or 4 weeks of brilliant weather we can’t really believe that it’s still fabulous, and that it’s forecast to last for another week.  We left Bangor at 12.00 midday, and headed north.  A little bit breezy for the first couple of hours, but then it became calmer and calmer, until it was glassy calm at 18.00 as we arrived at the south corner of Islay. Blackhead lighthouse at we passed at about 13.00 A string of Gannets pass with Islay on the left in the distance and the Paps of Jura on the right. We’ve pulled into an anchorage amongst a group of very small islands on the south east corner of Islay.  Normally ...
Read more

Wildlife, Whisky and Wonderment Ardmore Isles to Oronsay 16 May 25

Image
  A portly Harbour Seal (along with it’s many family and friends) kept us company all morning at our sheltered anchorage amongst the Ardmore Isles. The time of the tide north through the Sound of Islay (between Islay and Jura) meant that we did not have to leave our anchorage until midday - thus a wonderful morning surrounded by the beauty and wildlife of the Ardmore Islands.  Common and Arctic Terns foraging and calling, Red-breasted Mergansers in courtship flights, Harbour Seals loafing and playing (one youngster did a circuit of the bay leaping right out of the water 20+ times - ooh to be so full of life!), a Sea Eagle upset all the other birds as it cruised past, and Great Northern Divers hunted near the boat.  Red Deer along the shoreline and Cuckoos singing to left and right.  Idyllic. Great Northern Divers hunted near the boat. A Sea Eagle cruised past then settled on the rocks at the entrance to the anchorage. Meanwhile we had a long breakfast quickly followe...
Read more

Better than the Caribbean! Oronsay to Tobermory 17 May 2025

Image
  Entering David Balfour Bay - it’s been on Susie’s to-do list for a long time.  And for good reason.  It was stunning, better than the Caribbean! Oronsay was as lovely as yesterday, though there was more of a breeze than forecast and it was cool enough.  However that didn’t stop the Great Northern Divers diving all around us, and a family of Shelducks with 9 tiny young feeding along the waters edge, a Bonxie flew over, and the Lapwings displayed above the nearby fields.  As we lifted the anchor at 08.30 a herd of cattle crossed the field knowingly heading for the tastiest grazing. The sun was shining. We headed north up past Colonsay and an hour and a half beyond to the southwest corner of Mull, to visit David Balfour Bay.  Susie has long wanted to visit it, so a coffee stop seemed a good excuse.  It is named after the main character in Robert Louis Stevenson’s book ‘Kidnapped’ which was partially filmed here.   This panorama only marginally port...
Read more