Thursday 21 June (Inverkip to Rothesay) Made use of the measured mile along the coast south of Wemyss Bay to calibrate the new log instrument, successfully we hope, then headed for Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. I remember Rothesay as a rather jolly seaside town, the traditional playground for holidaying Glaswegians, but it proved sadly disappointing, very down-at-heel and grubby. The impression was not helped by the continuous works going on in the harbour, wher...

Monday 18 - Wednesday 20 June (Glasgow)Off by train from Greenock to visit the Murrays in Glasgow and a nostalgia trip for Benj. Great to see Bill, Isabel and Gillian, and also Douglas and Evelyn Gilmour and Dorothy McInnes. We had a lovely meal and lengthy nightcaps and reminiscences, and the following day we headed for Town, and the shopping centres. Isabel had arranged for us to do a guided walk that evening round Dowanside, learning about the history and arch...

Sunday 17 June (Lochgoilhead)After a few pleasant days spent with John and Jill in their home and visiting Largs, surrounded by howling wind outside, by Sunday the weather was at last good enough to venture back to Vega. We set off up the Clyde and into Loch Long under full sail in a light NW breeze, enough to get us up the Loch with John on the helm for his first sail of the year (and almost ours!). We passed Holy Loch and sailed the whole length of Lochgoil, pa...

Wednesday 13 June (Troon to Inverkip) Showers and breakfast in the marina - Full Scottish for me, scrambled egg for Cath - and then geared up to leave. The wind was now blowing 20+ knots from the NE, a perfect direction for a sail up the Ayshire coast, but a bit too hearty for us. It was even quite difficult to get off the pontoon without collision. However, after an hour on the water it seemed to me feasible to sail with a reef in the main, and by noon Cath was...

Monday 11 - Tuesday 12 June (Bangor to Troon)Monday: Brian Hannah of Raymarine was here at 0800, and with difficulty cut an orifice for my new speed log, all duly installed by 1000. Only cost an arm and half a leg, but at least we can be up and running again. Spent the rest of the day in Bangor and prepared for the next day.Tuesday: Awoke to heavy showers, and left before HW at 0830, heading out to sea on a long course with only 2 waypoints - Bennane Head, off th...