Speedwell of Rhu Ship's Log

12 th to 17 th of July 2010 - Adventures in Oban

Today we sailed gently to Oban. Andy managed to catch one mackerel (well two but one escaped).

HUNTING AND GATHERING

We picked up a swinging mooring at the Marina on Kerrera Island and had mackerel for lunch. We pumped up our little red tender for the first time so that we could get ashore. Andy had a go rowing it and using our electric motor and Helen tried her hand at fishing.

For the next few days Helen had her own adventures in Oban and Kerrera whilst Andy visited Solihull.

On the day Andy was due back I woke to wind and rain. Once the wind subsided I pumped the rain out of the tender and took it ashore where I got the ferry to town. Unfortunately on my return, loaded with shopping, the wind had picked up. After sitting in the bar for as long as I could tolerate I sought advice from various people as to whether it was sensible to row to the boat. Some said yes and others no. The ferry wouldn't drop me off (because it was too windy) so eventually I had to have a go rowing myself. Loading up the little red tender I was off. Unfortunately I managed to miss Speedwell by about 4 metres before the wind took me off to the boat next door which I hung on to for a while. Some people on the next boat tried to rescue me as I swept by but was unable to throw the line to them and ended up being washed up on the shore. Fortunately a man and boat from the marina saw. As it was too shallow for him to tow the tender back he brought his quad bike round to pick up the tender. After a while longer in the bar (a very cold and windy tent) the ferry men agreed to drop me off at the boat and later delivered Andy directly from his train, but we were stuck without our little boat for the night. Fortunately the ferry men picked us up the next day and as the wind had dropped off we were able to get back and forth as needed. We had the biggest scallops with garlic butter we had ever seen before deciding we had had enough of Oban and required the services of a decent washing machine and some running water to fill the boat before our next adventures.

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