Sunday

[Kyle]Not just any Sunday, mind you, but Maryanne’s birthday. Maryanne is actually pretty low maintenance on her birthday. She’s not too fussy about gifts or parties or anything like that. Usually, within a few weeks of the day, she starts dropping hints about what she wants. We end up getting whatever it is once she’s broken me down and we have the ability, i.e. access to a store or somewhere we can have something shipped. This year, she has really been missing the camera that I dropped into the drink in Castletownshend, Ireland, so we replaced that with an identical model. That and her Gore-Tex trail running shoes have had her smiling. Other than that, all she really wants is time with me and a little fuss. This means there is no question who’s making the coffee in the morning or who wins an argument.

As it turned out, the day was just brilliant. We had originally planned to sail to the Isle of Eigg (pronounced: egg) and spend the next day there. Maryanne instead asked to go to Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. This added a few extra miles so we got an early start.

The first thing that happened, I mean right as we made the turn out of the anchorage at Isle of Ornsay into the Sound of Sleat, was that we were visited by a small pod of about 5 or 6 dolphins. The dolphins around here seem less playful and more aloof than the varieties further south. Usually, as in this case, they will come over for a quick look and then carry on with what they were doing – business dolphins. Still, dolphins are always a welcome sight and visit is a special event.

The wind was very light so we unfurled the screacher (light wind sail) and turned downwind under a clear, blue sky. The wind accelerated slightly as it squeezed between the hills on either side of the sound. We just flew along on flat water with the hiss of a fast wake behind us. The visibility was incredible. There were a few scattered clouds at the tops of the mountains but other than that, we had unrestricted views all the way to the horizon. Out of the sound, the wind abated a bit and we slowed down. Without so much breeze, it felt a lot warmer. Our big sails pulled us quietly along. Maryanne came out, handed me our last Irn Bru, and started reading our dog eared copy of Bill Bryson’s “Walk in the Woods” in her lovely voice. I could not have been more content.

Eigg with Rhum in the background
We sailed towards the flat topped Island of Eigg, a stark contrast to craggy Rhum nearby. When we had sailed by going the other direction, neither of the tops of the islands was visible so we had not been able to appreciate the variety. We sailed close under Eigg’s high cliffs, which gradually get lower further south. This skews the perspective so it looks like a bigger island receding over the horizon. Toward the other (south) end, I was surprised, almost startled to see this huge…thing…appear over the tops of the cliff and follow us. It was a monolith, much higher and much further away than the cliff top. It loomed perhaps two or three times as high as the rest of the island and it had the most impressive crown shape. It was flat topped with sheer walls of rock that were beyond vertical. Eigg actually appeared to be two distinct geological features mashed together; this high prominence to the south and the flat mesa to the north. Perhaps its best we didn’t stop there, I just know I would have tried to find a way to the top of that thing.

Tobermory Lighthouse
From Eigg, we sailed past Muck, looking much more inviting than the last time and entered the Sound of Mull and then, shortly thereafter, Tobermory Harbour.

Tobermory is an insanely picturesque little town, particularly in warm late afternoon sunlight. The architecture for some reason seemed to me to have a Swiss feel. The anchorage was also filled with many pretty boats. Both the boats and the town were reflected off the still water of the harbour.

We secured Footprint and went ashore for a hand in hand amble along the waterfront. We found and ate at an Indian restaurant that was a little bit of a rabbit warren to get to but had very nice food.


Beautiful Tobermory Harbour
Later that evening back at the boat, I popped outside for a minute for a look around and was happily stunned to find a full sky of stars. Here was not one cloud to be seen, not a single one.

[Maryanne]I had a fine birthday, I used and abused "but it is my birthday" line all day to ensure it was filled only with things I wanted to do. I was secretly planning to extend the luxury to the next day too; I reasoned that a day sailing to get to Tobermory was not the same as a day IN Tobermory....


When we went ashore on the evening of my birthday we were thrilled to find this mobile 80 seat cinema; the "Screen Machine". Scotland's highlands and islands have so many small communities where a permanent/fixed cinema building would not be profitable - so this mobile version travels around and shows the latest movies. Our friends in Loch Aline had mentioned it, but this was the first we'd actually seen of it. Unfortunately it was not showing anything we were interested in, I'd have loved to try it out. The sides of the truck expand out for movie viewing, and tuck back in once ready for the road; pretty neat.