Abandoning Ship

 It seems a bit of an anti-climax, but we have completed our planned trip and arrived back at Oban town jetty. It is time for me to leave Kindred Spirit and get the bus back to the real world. I feel as though I am abandoning ship. In a couple of days Mark will be joined by his sailing club friends and will go through the Caledonian Canal and back down the east coast to their base at Blackwater Sailing Club near Maldon. I wish them fair winds and am sure they will have a good time whatever the wind and weather throw at them.


                                                        Leaving Tobermory...

It seems to me that cruising is a long game. Mark and I have been on a journey, with the main aim to get round. A French sailor at Tobermory yesterday evening said they would wait until Saturday to come down to Oban, so that the winds would offer a good sail. Well today was difficult, sailing down the Sound of Mull, which is broadly in a south-west direction, when the brisk wind, of 15 to 20 knots, was forecast to be from the south but actually was mostly from the south-west. In other words, the wind direction was not particularly helpful. However, Mark was very persistent in tacking our way down the main section of the sound, although admittedly we did give up for an hour or two and switch to sail motoring. We then sailed slowly across the Firth of Lorn to reach Oban. But it was still a day of travelling by sailing boat, with at least some sailing involved. I think that to be prepared to wait two days or more for the right wind you need to have all the time in the world and probably to be sailing with your partner, so it is really just everyday life, and your home is where you lay your anchor.


        Mark was determined to beat against the south-westerly wind down the Sound of Mull

Anyway, I am feeling slightly guilty about jumping ship, having had the best of it from Edinburgh round the top and back down to Oban. No worries, I am sure I will soon get over my feelings of guilt and look back on a great trip with my brother round the top of the UK and completing our plans to sail round the whole thing. Reflecting on the whole adventure I guess I have learned some technical lessons, about sailing itself, although I am no expert. I do not feel qualified to comment on sailing stuff but, perhaps more importantly, I can offer five broad principles for a successful adventure, based on my experience of sailing round the UK:

·       ‘Purpose’: Above all, be aware of your purposes, including fun (in the widest sense of the word so that it includes some suffering), friendship (choose your companions wisely), flow (meaning make it exciting but not beyond your capability) and flourishing (meaning it is about having a good life, not just some outdoor activity).

·       ‘Planning’: Good enough is good enough, but do try not to get lost.

·       ‘Place’: Remember to enjoy where you are and try to be in the moment, at least every now and then. Also, consider your environmental impact and tread lightly.

·       ‘Politics’: Understand local politics and culture, be sensitive, smile, always leave a decent tip and try not to annoy people (beyond being a posh southern yachtie, which is your probable starting point).

·       ‘Proficiency’: In choosing challenge, think of the risks your rescuers will have to take and consider your planning, skills and team before you go for it. But probably go for it.


Approaching Oban...

                    On the town pontoon at Oban, Kindred Spirit is the little boat :-)

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