Monday 2 July (Puilladhobhran, Seil Island)

The day started taking three attempts to get alongside the fuel jetty, thanks to an inconsiderately moored German boat and a brisk wind from exactly the wrong quarter. Once away, we had our best sail of the trip so far, making long tacks close-hauled outside Kerrera Island in a lovely F4 from the SW. We were now sailing really well as a team, and Cath's confidence and abilities as a sailor have really taken off during the last couple of weeks. We even felt confident enough to tackle the tricky anchorage at Puilladhobhran (pron. Pulldohran), as recommended by Glyn, our former Commodore. We snaked through the rocky entrance and anchored in 5.5m half way up the long pool. There were only two other yachts when we arrived, but by that night there were 10 at anchor. We deployed the dinghy, rowed ashore and had a rather boggy walk across the neck of Seil Island to Clachan, the Bridge Across the Atlantic, and the Tigh-na-Truish (transl. House of the Trousers) Inn. This is (allegedly) where the highlanders stopped to change into trews from their kilts after wearing of kilts was banned by the English after the '45 Rebellion. We enjoyed another good meal there, with the biggest, freshest langoustine you could imagine. Arriving back at the anchorage it was evident we had chosen the wrong place to beach the dinghy, as we were now almost cut off by the rising tide, and I had to scramble down a bank and row to where Cath was with the rucksack and 'rescue' her!We spent our first night at anchor in the beautifully serene surroundings of the pool, after a real Boys' Own Adventure day.