Travelling by improvised, motorised ‘dugout’ we managed to assault several sandbanks on the way up the Firth from the layby just below Redcastle (where there is boat moored currently Aug 2023).

There are a few seals left – maybe 20 – on the river bank right where it meets the sea, but far fewer than back in the day when you could see them on the sand banks from the main road going into Inverness.

Cycling in to see Loch Fannich and the Nest from the Achnasheen road. Very low water levels at the moment – August 2023!

An excellent 33 km walk down and up from Troutbeck to Nyanga by a new route – some notes, maps and more pics here.

We left early and timed it nicely through Dours Mor, past Corryvreckan, and between Fladda and Dubh Sgeir. Some visible rips and waves but there was no wind to speak of and the tides were in our favour. Max about 2 – 2.5 KN of tide with us at any time through here. Not the same for the Oban lifeboat in the Corryvreckan.

Now this crew member is signing-off by toasting the new yacht with some more local produce, this time all the way from Nyanga, Zimbabwe, while Storm Glider continues her journey further north.

Quickly round the corner we requested a guest mooring from Crinan Boat Yard.