The sun’ll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There’ll be sun!

C. Strouse/M. Charnin

The wind blew up overnight but we were fine and didn’t bump into our disgruntled neighbour. We left the pretty anchorage on Eigg under the Sgurr which was still shrouded in mist like a primeval lost world. It was dull and overcast but dry at least.

We took advantage of the strong winds and in our direction, to raise both sails and surged south, little groups of Manx Shearwaters rising from the choppy waves like bees shaken from a bush.

It felt familiar in these waters, the skylines of Rum, low lying Coll, the layers of Ardnamurchan and then the north end of Mull.

There were more boats around in general so we kept a close watch and once round Ardnamurchan point and at the north end of the Sound of Mull, yachts seemed to be pouring out.

It was a perfect sailing day, dry, warm and windy so I suspect all that had the opportunity had stocked up and caste off to take advantage. The clouds broke up and the sun finally appeared causing me to remove my sailing sallopettes for the first time this trip!

The round the world Clipper yacht race had just arrived in Oban so there probably were attractions for anyone interested in the sea. My friends husband had also taken to sea with his pal who had a boat and were headed to Tobermory for a lad’s night away and to watch the World Cup football match.

We passed them in the sound according to my friend who was watching us both on AIS but we didn’t actually see each other, we were probably too busy navigating our way south past literally hundreds of yachts, I’ve never seen so many at once.

We neared Lochaline where we intended anchoring for the night but it was only lunchtime and with all these vessels around we thought it might get really busy in the known anchorages so the skipper suggested keeping going and we’d make it home for dinner time.

I was up for that. It would mean a long day but the thought of a long hot shower, hair wash and dry and our own, stationary, bed was too much to resist.

As we motor sailed down past Fishnish then Craignure we took turns on watch and packing up down below.

We turned the helm north again just past Lismore Light and lost the wind so motored up the Sound of Lismore dodging pot buoys but no other yachts in these quieter waters. It was even warmer here and I finally took my jacket off for the first time since the day we left over two weeks ago.

Snaking through the narrows and into L Creran, it felt quite surreal to be surrounded by our home area, we’d awoken on Eigg and now here we were motoring past our wee homestead in the woods.

We tied up temporarily on the pontoon and disgorged all the bikes, bags, laundry, food and rubbish before putting Stravaigin back on her mooring and loading it all into the pickup and driving five minutes  up the shoreline to home.

The weather was balmy, dry and still and the forecast was for days of sunshine and warm temperatures, ideal for the laundry and grass cutting!

I felt glad to be home and excited for the family arriving soon but also felt very privileged to have experienced such an amazing stravaig up the north coast.

Our country is truly beautiful, the landscape, wildlife and people are unique and precious. Visiting the places we did by sea, gave us a slower, more immersive experience and it definitely felt more about the journey than the destination.

The skipper went to bed early that evening, wiped out and relishing having a full undisturbed night of sleep.  I put away my bits and pieces, loaded the washing machine and sat with a mug of tea looking out the window at the calm waters of our sealoch and mused on where next my yearning might take us…