Sunday 13^th July

Back on Eigg for a couple of nights with very iffy internet connection, I reckon it crashes if a seagull flies between the mast here and the relay station on the mainland. It seems quite strange that we had such good connections in Greece last year and back here it is so hit and miss, likewise with the phones. I feel quite cut off and miss not being able to talk to the family when I want to it’s been a week now since the phone worked. Although, I did get a text from Leah the other day which was very nice.

I also haven’t been anywhere with a mirror so must look like the wild man of the west, they don’t put them in the gents up here. On the subject of toilets they have made one at the back of the beach where people visiting tend to camp. There are two stalls both face out over the beach and have lovely views, one has a door on it the other doesn’t. You chose which one depending on whether you can see anyone else about just before you start!

Friday 11^th July

Had a very laid back day on Muck, we walked over the island to the tea shop and community centre and seemed to spend all out time just drinking tea and chatting in the sun after enjoying the showers. After dinner in the evening we had a game of cricket on the beach with two fenders as the wickets and a paddle as the bat. We played until 10:30 and despite it still being bright we decided to call it a day due to bad light.

Just in front of our tent there was a nest with three eggs in it, we thought it had been abandoned but a Ringed Plover kept returning when it went quiet and brooding them. I hope she manages to hatch them as the beach was quite busy.

Saturday 12^th July

Woke up in the night to hear the wind getting up, the forecast had been for more sun and light variable winds but we got up to a steady force 3-4 and overcast skies.  After all the light winds it was nice to get a decent blow but we were all a bit apprehensive on the beach looking out at the white caps on the sea.

We set one reef and motored out into the bay and then set sail for Rum about 11-12 miles away and made land early afternoon on the turn of the tide. I had to spend a bit of time repairing my genoa sail as it had popped out of the guide and I couldn’t fully deploy it. After some consideration I ended up cutting the wire out and replacing it with a rope guide that seems to be working fine.

Got off the boat and finally set foot on Rum for the first time and followed the others up to the castle where they were holding the small island games. We watched for a while then Jerry and I entered the shot put. My first go broke the flag for the current 3^rd place and I remained in 3^rd until just before the end, nice way to visit for the first time!

The anchorage at Rum was not big enough for all five boats to be pulled up for the night and as the wind was gusting down the bay we didn’t fancy anchoring off and camping on the boat overnight. So we set sail late afternoon for Eigg about 10 miles away where we knew we would get ashore on high tide. The wind was initially quite good, a pleasant 2-3 and we hoisted the spinnaker for a while but dropped it rounding the top point on Eigg when the sea got a bit too lumpy for comfort. After that the wind gradually died off and we ended up motoring the last mile or so into the bay just above the harbour. As we arrived at just gone 9:00pm we all had the same thoughts, Kate heated up a Wayfarer breakfast whilst I put up the land tent. Fast hot food in it’s simplest form all around.

Fortunately as it was Saturday the bar in the café was still open so we were able to retire after a couple of well earned beers.

Looks like we will stop on Eigg Sunday then see what the weather and wind are like Monday before deciding where to go next.

This was the first day sailing we have not seen any porpoise and only a few seals.

When we were on Rum there was an article in the visitor centre that said about a quarter of the world population of Manx Shearwaters return to breed on Rum each year having spent the winter off the coast of Brazil and Uruguay quite amazing for a bird with a body about the same size as a Collard Dove. We also saw pictures on the wall of the stags featured in Spring Watch as that is where they film the rutting.