Saturday 19th We left Oban and headed for Loch na droma Buidhe on Mull. It was a beautifully calm evening, low lying clouds festooned the trees along  the shoreline. Dinner aboard
Sunday 20th After breakfast we left the Loch and headed to Canna arriving shortly after lunch where guests went ashore for afternoon strolls in the July sunshine. Dinner aboard although Canna now boasts a restaurant and rather good community shop.
Monday 21st Lulu was up early to pull up the anchor and leave before breakfast heading straight out past Heisker rocks and on to Mingulay spotting common dolphins on the way. My first run ashore on Mingulay and the island is so much more lovely than it even looks from a distance. It is alive with history and wild flowers from the top of the cliffs at Blulacraig I sat in the sunshine reading my book occasionally passengers and crew would wander  stopping to say hello surprised to find each other again. Back onboard at 17.00 and off to Vatersay bay for the evening
Tuesday 22nd Guests ashore for the morning and just before 2pm we lifted the anchor and had a short trip to Castelbay on Barra, once a prosperous herring port boasting over 400 boats. Myself and Lu tied up alongside the pier, watched with interest and amusement by a group of elderly male inhabitants who then praised us for our tying up abilities! Ashore. It seemed that nearly everyone headed for the fudge and toffee tearooms where a great deal of icecream and tablet was partaken. As if I don’t feed them enough! Anchored in the bay for the evening
Wednesday 23rd The sun was shining and the sky a vibrant blue when we upped anchor and turned Northwards along the eastern side of the Outer Hebrides being accompanied at first by a small solitary common dolphin. Many more dolphins enroute. It’s not often that we  spend a full day at sea but the consensus from passengers and crew was that it was too lovely to do anything other than bimble along sunning ourselves on deck. Diaries were written, tea and biscuits consumed and wildlife watched so that by the time we arrived in Borve Bay we were wonderfully relaxed and ready for dinner from me and tunes from Lulu. The weather is gloriously hot and we are all a rosier version of our former selves.
Thursday 24th Early start as we headed north again to the Monachs. One of our passengers has a particular interest in the Islands as her Grandmother was lady who locked the lighthouse door on Shillay when the light was turned off in the last 30’s
Friday 25th Woke to find the boat blanketed in fog. Visibility down to about 50 meteres and not a hint of where the Monachs should be.  Plan A was for passengers to go ashore but as always the weather dictates our journey and so with the weather set to worsen tomorrow we go with Plan B and a long run back to Mull. By Lunchtime the sea mist had been burnt off by a fierce sun and we all enjoyed the antics of a sole bottlenosed dolphin who played with us through the sound of Barra. He was so agile that he decided not to bother bow riding us but instead lead the way, spinning and jumping a few meters off the bow.  We then saw porpoises and our first basking shark of the trip. By the end of the day we had seen 31 basking sharks, hundreds of dolphins (in a feeding frenzy off Rum) Minke Whales and a sun fish, whose untimely appearance lead to a lasagne with very little béchamel topping (sudden veer to port!) Moored up in Tobermory for the night.
Saturday 26th After breakfast we all went ashore to sample the delights of this pretty village. Oddly it’s sometimes difficult to spot passengers ashore as we all take on a ‘land’ persona but the ones that Lu and I managed to spot where in tearooms with rather nice looking cookies Back aboard for 11’s and chocolate and the Crew all witnessed a White Tail Sea Eagle fly right overhead. I’ve heard them called flying barndoors and I now understand why.
We left Tob (as the locals call it) after lunch and rounded the north of Mull to run past Calgary Bay and down to Ulva and Gometra where we all spotted Goldies and Whities. A lovely anchorage with Staffa just visible through the gap.
Sunday 27th Headed out around Staffa and on to Bac Mor or the Dutchman’s cap as it is known, it looks to me more like a submarine or a whale, on to the Trishnish Isles and back past Calgary. Lu told me that this beautiful beach was the departure point for many Islanders during the land clearances in the 1700’s  In to the sound of Mull which was a more comfortable route than going south and around the Ross of Mull. Lunch on the hoof and dinner aboard in Loch Spelvie. Complete with a Birthday Cake and music from Lu.
A fabulous trip with such a lot of variety. Many Thanks to all the passengers who were so wonderfully helpful and who myself and Lu couldn’t keep out of the galley. It was a great pleasure to sail with you all and you are welcome back anytime! Thank you
