Geoff Norwood 

Hebridean Flame 

4th -11th July 2024 

My first taste of yachting was in the Clyde estuary when I was 18. I revisited that last year on HFII but was restricted to the Firth of Clyde by bad weather. I have toured the west coast twice by motorcycle and was very keen to see those places from the water so I was delighted to be able to take a week on HFII from Dunstaffnage whilst the boat was stationed there for the summer.

Alex Barry  was the first to volunteer for the crew, and I soon recruited three GSA members who I sailed with in the Solent last year. Initially it was to be a total of five on board but unfortunately Aiden had to withdraw, so Jonathon and his son Nathan made up the complement.

It is an awfully long way to Oban but we decided to drive, for the simplicity of carrying our gear and supplies, and in the end it was convenient since Nathan had to travel from Cheltenham and we were able to pick him up. Alex and I shared the driving, and the journey passed fairly quickly. We were able to get to the marina and meet Jon just before its closing time of 5 p.m. (other options for key pick up were available had we been late).

The tides were good for an efficient exit early on Friday so we ate ashore in Connell, toasted our passage aboard and prepared to hit the high seas.

With Alex as designated Mate we set off in fine weather and a westerly F3 towards the Sound of Mull, with our destination Tobermory. We were soon under full sail and as the tides set in our favour we were close reaching/beating at a good lick. BUT not as fast as the fleet of 30 or so boats just setting off on the ‘Round Mull’ race from Oban. As the sound curves to the NW we were able to fetch the last few miles through intermittent rain squalls but in the magnificent surrounds of Mull to port and Ardnamurchan to starboard.

As expected, the fleet had taken the few spaces in the marina but we were able to pick up a mooring in the bay. The wind had now disappeared and we looked out over a glassy sea, which was forecast to be the norm for the next few days.

Given the number of visiting yachts we decided that we’d be more at ease eating on board so after dinner I took the chance in the calm to try out my drone for some interesting views around the harbour.

A very calm night was followed by watching the fleet drift out to their start line and slowly disappear to the west. We were able to go ashore for facilities and supplies as the northerly stream was later in the morning.

I had seen videos and reports of Loch Moidart and despite its tricky entrance it looked 100% worth the effort, and the spring tides made the approach less daunting. By the time we had set off the wind had filled in and we enjoyed a fresh 3-4 beating around the most westerly point of mainland Britain before bearing away to head for the rocky entrance.

There are supplementary charts by ‘Antares’ that I had been recommended, giving very detailed info about small areas of anchorages and moorings all around western Scotland. They were very well worth the £20 and were easy to integrate into the ‘Marine Navigator’ app I was using on a tablet and invaluable in picking a route through numerous rocks into the pool. Just WOW – a secluded safe and beautiful spot complete with a ruined castle on an island, and a pair of eagles nesting in a tree high above the channel. Unbeatable.

Next day a shallow bar meant we needed to leave early to at least clear that, so we anchored once over it for a leisurely breakfast. Nathan has just completed his degree and was still in full student mode so his breakfast was kept until “later”.

The reverse passage on exit seemed easier, and we were soon on our way towards Rum, with the other Small Isles of Eigg and Muck close on our port side. In fine weather and a brisk wind we made very good progress and by late morning we were at the north of Eigg with just a few miles to make to the bay on Rum. I’d scoped out Loch Scavaig on the south of Skye and had intended to make for there the following day, but given the fine conditions we decided to keep heading North and make for this ‘bijou bay’. The Cuillin hills were looming sharp and impressive ahead, and we could see clear to Uist in the west and the highlands in the East – just perfect at 7 kts on a beam reach. Being July in Scotland though we were still in woolly hats and gloves! Once again the Antares charts proved their worth as we squeezed behind a large outcrop with only half a metre below us into a pool about 100m around, surrounded and protected by rocky spurs. And what a pool. Literally at the base of the Cuillins we looked up their peaks over a waterfall, watched a seal watching us, and had a tasty lunch on deck in warm sunshine. I had previously contacted the author of the Antares charts and he told me he was touring the area in his lovely motor yacht ‘Otter’, which thenappeared through the gap and circled us before anchoring just outside the pool. I didn’t get the chance to speak to him, as he set off in his tender, but I will write to acknowledge the extra confidence his ‘amateur’ charts gave me. This pool IS noted as an overnight anchorage, although with warnings of downdraughts from the hills in any conditions. Looking around at the rocks, and with low spring tides at 2 a.m. I felt uncomfortable about staying even given the tranquillity and awesome position, so since it was still only mid-afternoon we decided to head south again to our original goal of Rum. The wind appeared to have freshened as we exited so we set about putting a reef in the main. A valuable exercise that I’m glad we did had we needed it later, but we soon shook it out again, and enjoyed the 11 miles in calm seas and lively F4 all the way to the island. We picked up a buoy in the bay, but with no infrastructure ashore we eschewed blowing up the tender and ate aboard again. Nathan introduced us to the intriguing game of Blokus – can you imagine a GO/Dominoes/Tetris hybrid? Nathan’s experience made him a clear winner but this game has potential for some deep thought (possibly promoted by some good wine!)

So we had made our way about as far northwards as my original intent, and had a couple of days of light winds to look forward to so we settled on the short hop to Mallaig for the next day for some civilisation after 2 nights on board. A calm and clear day dawned, and just for experience we sailed off the mooring and out into a sunny zephyr, with 15 miles to Mallaig on the horizon. It was clear we needed the engine so dropped sails and set off towards the Point of Sleat – the southernmost tip of Skye. We passed close to a small trawler surrounded as usual by gulls but amongst them was a large, slow flying bird – another eagle scavenging the boat’s leftovers. We watched it dip into the water just once then set off with its catch the several miles back to dry land. Having seen puffins earlier this month on Skomer this was another fine tick in my bird book albeit under the heading of ‘generic eagle’ as I couldn’t identify exactly which type it was. It was a hazy warm (ish) day with barely a ripple on the water and we were off the tip of Sleat for lunchtime so (thanks again Antares) we pulled into an anchorage off a white sandy beach for lunch (brunch in Nathan’s case). More seals and a family of hardy locals taking a dip provided the entertainment until , unaided by any form of stimulant, Alex decided to join them and bravely slipped off the swimming platform for at least a whole 2 minutes – a better man than I. After the last few miles to Mallaig we waited at the red lights for the ferry to depart and then took one of the recently refurbished pontoons in the well sheltered harbour. We all refreshed in the also new marina facilities with laundry, showers etc. Good quality but as with Dunstaffnage and Tobermory they were only manned during the working day (with codes supplied for out of hours). We welcomed a good meal ashore in the rather sparse town centre just metres from the marina.

After the light day to Mallaig we wanted to get some miles in, but it was also time to plan our route back towards base. We set out to Coll, 34 miles to the south west in light winds from the NE on a truly warm day. The winds were intermittent but a favourable tide kept us moving and more in hope than expectation we decide to break out the asymmetric spinnaker. After deciphering the various control lines we found the pole would not release from its stowage but we decide to fly it with loose sheets. The sail was fitted with a bell mouthed snuffer which was superb in aiding launch and recovery. We spent an hour or so on a broadish reach with questionable success – but at least it gave our dinghy sailing mate some more ropes to pull. The forecast was for F5 overnight so I had hoped to pick up one of the ‘numerous’ buoys charted in the bay at Coll but ended up anchoring fairly well into the bay and with the wind staying light and little to entice us ashore we ate onboard again. We had been told that Coll and neighbouring Tiree were relatively uninspiring and they are indeed rather flat but the shelter was good for a quiet night at anchor.

The wind did freshen overnight but only to a steady F4 and we set out towards the Ardnamurchan point, and the entrance to the Sound of Mull. It was truly good sailing under full rig and we all enjoyed the helm and made the 15 miles across the strait in good time for lunch. I had earmarked Loch Drambuie as a possible overnighter but it was ideal for a final lunch stop just a few miles beyond Tobermory into Loch Sunart. With an entrance just 50m wide, but with no obstructions we entered carefully and chose an anchorage, again with the help of the Antares details. This spot is a deep pool around 800m long, rather too deep for anchoring except close to the shores, but with towering faces on the shore side, and a protective rocky promontory to the sea side it was totally protected, and a very lovely place to stop for a lunch. Just 1½ hours back into Tobermory, still enjoying a full breeze I was disappointed to find no pontoons available, and indeed we had to negotiate the use of one of the 80 tonne moorings in preference to anchoring in what had become a choppy bay on the North Westerly. Once again we were too mellow to pump up the tender and Alex rustled up a final very tasty meal from the remains of our on board supplies and we toasted the last night on board. It was quite a bumpy night but a very secure mooring and a very pretty aspect onto the famously quaint waterfront of the town.

With 26 miles to run to get back to the base by handover we set off fairly early and found ourselves on a perfect very broad reach in a good F4 possibly 5 along the narrow sound. As it turns more westerly we hardened up to a 8kt reach and soon found ourselves at the ‘Lady Rock’ marking the end of Mull and with the marina visible a few miles beyond Lismore Island.

Alex brought us into the mooring and after cleaning and packing we handed over to the next skipper who had arrived awaiting his crew.

All that remained was the long journey home but Jonathon lives in Ayrshire and had offered a chance to break the journey overnight. So a night and a curry in Girvan where Jon showed us his newly acquired Westerly that he had brought from Plymouth last month with help from other GSA skippers.

So I had certainly had visions of fearsome tides and rocky headlands but the reality (at least for us) had been excellent sailing, magnificent scenery and some interesting passages and pilotage – all ably managed by an excellent crew with special thanks to Alex as an extra head and hands as Mate. Best wishes to Jonathon on his own boat and with his plans for becoming a digital nomad, and to Nathan for his graduation and further career plans.

A superb week – I’ll be back.