We haven’t covered many miles over the last couple of days, but are starting to experience the more remote parts of Scotland. On Sunday morning we set of from the anchorage Loch Na Droma Buidhe not far from Tobermory. We sailed out past the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point into the waters of North West Scotland. Our eyes were peeled looking all around us as the day before Killer Whales had been sighted off the West Coast of Mull. Unfortunately they never appeared anywhere near us.
We were heading for the smallest inhabited island in the group of islands known as the Small Isles. Muck is just 2 miles long and 1 mile wide. It has two anchorages, one in the South at Port Mor the main inhabited part of the Island that one of the guide books said had a population of 38 people. The other anchorage is in the North of the Island. As the wind was blowing from the Southwest that was our destination. On the way we heard Stornaway Coastguard dealing with a Pan Pan and Malaig Lifeboat were tasked.
As we got close to the Island I could see on AIS that the lifeboat was very close to the anchorage we were heading to at Baghaguall Anaich.
As we got to the North West corner we went around an Island that is accessible on foot at LW across a rocky spit. The Island is inhabited by Puffins. As we were passing as close as we could safely I had been looking out for the brightly coloured beaks on the cliff. Then directly in front of the boat was a flock of about 20 or more Puffins on the water. Its not the first time I have seen Puffins on the water on this trip and again they did their normal trick of diving underwater as the boat approaches and any chance of a photo has gone.
Once clear of the Island the lifeboat was nowhere to be seen, but high and dry on a reef at the edge of the anchorage was a fin keel yacht lying on its side. It was so high up we did wonder how it was ever going to come off. We continued on and entered the unmarked narrow entrance to the anchorage. It was near LW and a low lying rocky island that is hidden at HW was just off our starboard side. We couldn’t see what was lurking to port other than the jagged rocks a bit further on that the seals were lying on, and of course the marooned yacht. How did boats access places like this before electronic chart plotters? I would guess there were a lot more scrapes and wrecks. We got to the shoreward end of the bay and found suitable spots to anchor.
The bay is well sheltered from all directions apart from the North. Not long after arriving the sun came out and the water was a perfect blue. The beach was covered in near white sand. It was very much a desert Island island scene apart from the sheep bleating like mad as they were separated from their lambs whilst in the farm buildings being sheared.
It seems when sailing in this area, you keep seeing the same boats from stop to stop. We first saw a Westerly Fulmar similar to mine in Lamlash carrying two sit on kayaks. We saw the same boat again in Millport and at the Kyles of Bute. Each time never seeing the occupants to talk to. Our next encounter was at the Crinan Canal when on the 2nd day they joined us in the lock and we traveled down the flight of locks together. Creakalong is sailed by two ladies from the Solent area. After our trip around Jura we met them again at Tobermory and again Creakalong was anchored in Muck when we arrived. Not long after us arriving the two ladies returned to their boat on their kayaks and told us about watching the stranding of the yacht on the rocks, watching from the headland overlooking the bay. They had then walked through to Port Mor and the lifeboat was there waiting for the tide to return to recover the yacht from the rocks. The coffee shop at Port Mor should have been closed on Sunday as no tourist trip boats visit on a Sunday, but opened up to refresh the lifeboat crew. The lifeboat did return together with the rescued occupants whilst we had walked out on the headland. It seem the lifeboat arrived in time before the tide had fully gone and managed to get a very large fender under the boat for it to dry out on. Once the boat started bobbing on the swell the lifeboat eased it off the rocks and it remained floating upright. The LB crew could be seen checking the boat over and eventually the yacht went off under its own power. The lifeboat hung around for a while presumably waiting in case of any problem developing.
The lifeboat then set of for its home port of Malaig after a long day waiting for the tide to return.
Monday morning we walked across the Island to Port Mor to find the casualty boat bouncing around in the harbour on its anchor and not looking any worse for ware after its close call with being wrecked.
Monday afternoon we set off for Rum. A straightforward trip of about 12 miles heading up past Eigg to Loch Scresort on the East side of Rum. It is a well sheltered anchorage, but very busy and all the visitor buoys were taken. There was plenty of space to anchor, but as I found out later the holding wasn’t that good. The wind picked up during the evening and my anchor dragged about 35m before digging in again. I went to bed a bit nervous, but the anchor drag alarm was silent. When I brought the anchor up there was a large amount of kelp attached. We went ashore in the dinghy and peered through the windows of the now abandoned Kinloch Castle. It is fully furnished as a stately home.
After a short walk we headed back to the boats. Unfortunately it would have been nice to stay longer but we need to press on to get to somewhere more sheltered before the gales arrive on Thursday and Friday. We are now heading for Skye.
