Dunstaffnage to Tobermory (Isle of Mull)

 OK, for the UK readers with small children, we will get all the “What’s the story…” and TV show references and jokes out of the way now please. OK, got those out of your systems?? Good, then we can continue (for the non UK readers, if intrigued have a look at Balamory WIKI)

We didn’t head for Tobermory until Tuesday morning, despite our intent to do so on Monday. Why? Well, Monday was way windier than forecast and very wet early on. We needed to leave promptly to take the tide with us and four things tempted us to stay in Dunstaffnage another night: The wind, the rain, the undoubted delay in returning the key-fob to the office when they finally opened about 8:30 and general sloth. The former were just inconveniences we know. It was the last one that sealed things. Actually it allowed us to get very up to date with washing and to clean all the grime off the boat from the last couple of weeks. However, with water hose pressure that rivalled Corpach, that proved a tricky and long-winded activity.

Tuesday was sunny and calmer with a nice easterly 4 to 5. Heading towards the Sound of Mull, the Oban Calmac ferry joined us. As this was our first trip to the Island, it seemed appropriate to be chased by “The Isle of Mull” somehow:

Entering the sound, you can cut between Lismore Island and an outlying rock. That gave us a huge 9.5 knots over the ground (even though it was a neap tide) at our normal 6.2 knots speed through the water. The southern end of Lismore has the regulation lighthouse and as we have treated you to several lighthouse pictures, here is one more for your collection:

Duart Castle on Mull is quoted as a “picture postcard” place. Not that photogenic today though – kind of grey against grey with a few green bits around it:

The rest of the trip, passing Loch Aline and Salen was quiet. Wind from astern, tide from the same direction so pretty flat. We had one exciting moment when the crew spotted another Nordhavn in the distance, heading for us. It was a 55 foot job, called Trisheen of Bute and looked well polished. (We had seen her under prior ownership when she was called Lady Rosario and was not as well fettled). The “Nordhavn owner wave” was duly completed as we passed each other. We still like the 55, maybe not all the cleaning that comes with one though. See what you think:

The crew had called the Tobermory harbour master who said that there might be a pontoon spot free, if not the single 50 ton capacity buoy was empty. When we got closer, he told us to use the buoy. First job was to dodge the other Calmac ferry heading purposefully down the sound:

Then after entering the harbour area, we had to find said buoy. There was nothing obvious about any of the free buoys that screamed “I can hold 50 tons of boat on a blowy day”. We ended up picking up the one that looked the chunkiest and then calling the harbour master again. Of course, it was the wrong one… He kindly came out and showed us the one to use (looked in a different position to the harbour plan we had picked up on-line a while ago) so we moved to the correct location.

Each time the crew was both lucky and skilful. Lucky because the pick-up line was all rope, not chain. She had to tackle chain in Kilmelford last year and it nearly killed her. Imagine having to heave about 7 metres of heavy duty chain out of the water up to the height of our foredeck. Not amusing at all. Skilful because she hooked it first go despite the windy conditions. Suitably secured, we celebrated with tea and Waitrose bikkies that came from Guernsey with us. We still know how to live.

Tobermory is the picture postcard town with the famous coloured houses along the waterfront. Here is the view from our mooring buoy: