Locks Rocks and Lochs

Today was the day we had to leave the Caledonian Canal and with stiff competition to secure one of the places on Neptunes Staicase at 8 am ,’we had to be smart. We were up against large Swedish and German  boats with all the  aggression that goes with that, but having befriended the lock keeper and by hovering close to the lock gates at 7.45 we managed to be the first inside

What a relief!

We then enjoyed a gentle motorsail down Loch  Linnie having been overtaken by all the other racing boats with big thrusting engines and enjoyed the challenge of passing through the Lynn of Larne where there are lots of jagged rocks separated by narrow stretches of water.We arrived at Oban , the ‘Fishing Capital of Scotland’ in time to watch some of the football and then enjoyed ..... guess what..... a fish supper.

Oban is a lovely Victorian town dominated by the ferry. The restaurant was packed but the manager told us that on one day in February this year they had three customers one day and it is completely dead out of season.

Tomorrow we hope to reach Tobermory unscathed.