Back in early February, we found ourselves all ready for another adventure. After an early start, we were ready to launch at 0915 from
Ellenabeich on the island of
Seil in the Firth of Lorn.
We had in mind a bold route for a short winter's day. It would take us 44km across to the island of Mull into Loch
Spelvie, portage into fresh water Loch
Uisg then portage into Loch
Buie. The final 24km leg would be done without landing and would involve crossing the Firth of Lorn at night with an ebb tide to contend with.
We chose to launch from the
Easdale ferry slipway because of my bad knee. Normally we launch down a rocky beach from the
large car park to the north of here. You do need to be quick to keep out of the way of the ferry as it only takes a few minutes to cross back and forwards.
We were bound first of all for the north end of the rocky little island of
Insh. Sadly neither
Insh nor the neighbouring
Garvellachs and Slate Islands seem to be important enough to be shown on the otherwise excellent
Google maps!!
Looking to the south west there was a wonderful prospect down the Sound of
Insh. The bold outline of
Scarba with the Slate Islands in front, then more distant
Jura. Nearer at hand the
Garvellachs with distant
Islay behind then finally the steep eastern slopes of
Insh.
As we approached
Insh the ebb tide
became stronger and we rested for a while in a kelp bed behind a shallow reef...
...before a final sprint, under the distant mountains of
Argyll...
...took us to the rugged red rocks of
Insh.
Google Maps really don't know what they are missing!
