Wednesday 4 July (Oban)
A day spent packing (far too many clothes) and stowing (the usual mistake of buying too many bulky gifts to take home, especially with limited space soon to be occupied by four large men). Made liberal use of the free ferry for shopping etc in Oban, ending up with a meal at EE-USK. This was thanks to Willie and Laurie's advice, and has won awards as Scotland's best seafood restaurant. Langoustine, lobster and sea bream were excellent, so if you're ever in Oban?....
Thursday 5 July
Departure time for Cath: the skipper of the 0745 ferry is very happy to drop passengers on the station steps instead of the north pier, and we got to the 0813 train (the only one to Glasgow which can connect with a London train) in plenty of time. I spent the day re-stocking, stowing, doing odd jobs on the boat, and managed to fit in a brief visit to the Oban Museum of War and Peace. This is a charming little museum on the north esplanade, full of interesting Oban memorabilia, including the history of McCaig's Folly, the colosseum-like structure which dominates the Oban skyline, and a wealth of artefacts from both World Wars. Cath arrived in Deal about 2030, and we chatted for a while, and both ended up staying up far too late doing nothing much. Very strange and sad to be without her aboard: roll on end of month when we are sailing together again.