Swanning about in Oban.

Back in Oban harbour we came across...

...FV Lady Evelyn. Sadly she has seen better days. But possibly there is hope that she might see the high seas again.

We were now nearly back at our launch spot below McCaig's Folly and the Oban Distillery.

 No sooner had we arrived, than we were closely inspected by the local customs inspector...

...in case we had any contraband luncheon left. Only when the inside of each cockpit had been thoroughly searched, were we allowed to leave the beach...

...and make our way back through the streets of Oban to where we had left the car.

Wot a Loti toing and froing in Oban harbour.

The rain started as we continued up the NW coast of Kerrera. The rain hissed into the calm sea around us...

 ..and the seascape turned steadily to muted shades of grey.

Phil cut a colourful dash on the Firth as we approached the northern entrance to Oban Bay.

 We let Loti* enter the channel before us and enjoyed a good surf in on her wake.

We stopped for a second luncheon on a pebble beach on the south side of the channel below the Hutchison Monument.

No sooner had we set off than  MV Isle of Mull approached Maiden Isle at the mouth of the channel.

It is a tight squeeze for ships entering the harbour and sea kayaks have to keep clear! Again, we caught her wake, before it was our turn to enter the harbour...

 ...before MV Eigg, the Lismore ferry, nipped in behind us.

In the meantime, MV Mull had to wait for Loti, to turn round her passengers and clear the berth. A busy spot!

* MV Lord of the Isles

Sea kayaking from Loch Feochan to Loch Etive

A 36km paddle from the south side of Loch Feochan via Oban harbour to Taynuilt pier. It took 2 hours to drive from Glasgow to Taynuilt pier. It took another 1hr 45mins to run the shuttle to Loch Feochan and get on the water.

Tidal streams:

Loch Feochan narrows

At low water the norrows almost dry leaving a norrow channel of about 0.3m. As a result the ingoing flood does not begin until the level outside the narrows has risen by 1m this results in the flood running for only 4 hours and the ebb running for 8 hours.

Ingoing flood begins -o355 HW Oban (+0300 HW Dover) 5 knots springs

Outgoing ebb begins +0030 HW Oban (-0500 Dover) 5 knots springs

HW inside the loch as HW Oban (-0530 HW Dover)

Sound of Kerrera the flood enters the south end and exits the north end by Oban

In mid channel

NE going flood begins +0430 HW Oban (-0100 HW Dover) up to 2.5 knots springs

SW going ebb begins -0155 HW Oban (+0500 HW Dover) up to 2.5 knots springs


Falls of Lora, Loch Etive
These times may vary by up to 0130hrs dependent on meterological conditions, more often occuring earlier rather than later.

West going ebb starts HW Oban +0210 (-0320 HW Dover) 6 knots
Ebb strongest waves HW Oban +0430 till LW Oban

East going flood starts HW Oban -0320 (LW Oban +0250) ( +0335 HW Dover) 6 knots
Best waves HW Oban -0100 till HW Oban +0030

Up to date info on Falls of Lora.

On the day Oban tide times were:
HW 02:10 LW 08:35 HW 16:03 LW 21:06
So, at Falls of Lora:
Flood starts LW Oban +0250 09:25
Best waves HW Oban -0100 15:03 till HW Oban +0030 16:33 (we found only a gentle ingoing current of 1 knot at 1610)
Ebb starts HW Oban +0210 18:13
Strongest waves HW oban +0430 20:33 till LW Oban 21:06

Kilmaronag Narrows, Loch Etive

As Falls of Lora

Bonawe Narrows, Loch Etive

west going ebb starts +0215 HW Oban (-0316 HW Dover) 2.5 knots springs
east going flood starts -0300 HW Oban (+0355 HW Dover) 1.5 knots springs


Loch Feochan narrows looking west to Mull.


Oban nestling under McCaig's Folly on the hill.


Firth of Lorn off Ganavan.


Sunset behind the mountains of Mull from Loch Etive.

An icy start at Loch Feochan.

Stopped in his tracks in Loch Feochan.

A cottage and a castle at Loch Feochan

Luncheon below a volcano.

Arrival in Oban

The Pharos and the Pole Star

Better days for some in Oban harbour.

Dark deeds on the north shore of Oban Bay.

Waving goodbye to Oban.

The skies cleared over the Firth of Lorn.

A welcome break at Ganavan.

All quiet at Dunstaffnage

Made in Scotland from girders and glaciers.

Of time and tide at the Falls of Lora

Last supper at Dun Creagach, Loch Etive

In the picture: a blaze of glory in Glen Etive

The end of a perfect day, in Loch Etive.


Photo album map

Waving goodbye to Oban.

Oban harbour is a busy place. MV Isle of Cumbrae was heading out to Lismore while...


MV Lord of the Isles was making her way in from Mull.


The harbour has a very narrow entrance and the basic rule is that sea kayaks keep right out of the way.


The ferries make an announcement on channel 16 just before they enter the narrows...


...which gives just enough time to position yourself ready to surf their bow waves!

Dark deeds on the north shore of Oban Bay.

It was now time to leave the bustle of Oban.


Having said that, it has one of the most picturesque settings of any Scottish sea side town. Oban Bay is protected by the lovely isle of Kerrera, seen here on the right. The narrow Sound of Kerrera stretches away to the south west. The distant island of Insh can be seen through the far entrance to the Sound. Oban Marina is actually situated on Kerrera with a water bus to connect to Oban. The marina welcomes visiting sea kayakers, they have showers, laundry and a restaurant.


We made our way along Oban Bay's north shore, past the diminutive lighthouse...


...and the imposing bulk of Dunollie Castle. The keep dates from the 15th century but the first fortifications date from the 7th. It belonged to the MacDougall clan, the Lords of Lorn, who at one time owned a third of Scotland! Apparently they were quite a rough lot!


As we approached the mouth of the Bay, we came to...


...little Maiden Island. The island has a dark legend attached to its past. A young girl was tied to the rocks at low tide to persuade her to admit to witchcraft or the like. However, she did not admit any guilt and the tide came in and drowned her.


As we reflected on this dark past, the skies to the north west lightened...

Better days for some in Oban harbour.

Leaving the NLV Pharos and Pole Star, the next vessel we came upon in Oban harbour was the RNLI lifeboat. She is the RNLB "Mora Edith MacDonald". The number 14 on her hull tells she is a 14m long Trent class and 23 that she is the 23rd of the class. She is capable of speeds of up to 25 knots. She entered service at Oban in 1997 and since then has been called out on over emergencies saving almost 100 lives.


At the next jetty we found the CalMac ferry MV Isle of Cumbrae. She was built in Troon in 1976. Currently during the summer she is on the Tarbert-Portavadie route across the mouth of Loch Fyne. During the winter she is a relief vessel and I think she might have been on the Oban - Lismore run, when we saw her back in March.


We continued past the main CalMac terminal which was empty and arrived at the head of Oban Bay under McCaig's folly. It was constructed between 1897 and 1902 by a wealthy banker John Stuart McCaig, to create work at a time of high unemployment in the area. It is built from granite from the Bonawe quarry on the shores of Loch Etive, (opposite where we had left a shuttle car).


This is a good spot to land if you want a break ashore...


...but we carried on round the Bay, leaving Pharos and Pole Star far behind, until...


...we came across this sad old fishing boat, hidden away at the north side of the north pier. Sadly, she had seen better days.

The Pharos and the Pole Star

The first ships we came to as we entered Oban harbour...


... had some seriously heavy lifting gear on board.


These fine vessels were the Northern Lighthouse Board ships NLV Pharos and NLV Pole Star. They are designed for maintaining lighthouses and navigation buoys and can accurately hold position while laying moorings for buoys.


We often see Pharos and Pole Star on our trips...


...but apart from this time in Oban harbour, I doubt they have ever seen us!