Sailing with Friends Ep 38

Tanya Moxon

Sep 27, 20214 min read

Updated: Sep 28, 2021

Every now and then we meet our lovely friends from Whitehaven and Ardrossan. To be honest, I really miss our family and friends so when the opportunity arises to cruise in company we lap it up.

Most of the friends that we have met up with this year have been by pure chance. Andy in Loch Aline where we shared beef stew and again in Tobermory where Andy gift me some China Graph pencils. Caroline and David in Mallaig. Gemma and Paul in Tobermory. Sally and Miles on the Isle of Rum, where we introduced them to a game called Mexican Train whilst sipping copious amounts of whisky. Sorry for the hangover guys! Later on we were pleased to meet up with Steve in Oban as he finished the season on a lads tour.

Spending time with friends is fuel for the soul and no one does that better for me than MC and Dave on yacht La Contenta. The four of us had a ball again this year when we met to experience unforgettable moments in the most beautiful azure blue seas of Scotland. We never plan where to meet along the way, we just trust our paths will come close at some point in the year.

Dave and MC know many great anchorages in the region and keep in touch throughout the season. They have inspired us to explore the most beautiful sea routes to picturesque bays, white sands beaches and cultural highlights. However those we explore together are always the most magical of all.

We share cheerful cooking evenings in the galley, have relaxed parties on the deck and lively conversations whilst sipping the finest of whiskys. The water of life!

Earlier in the year we went to Lunga together to see the puffins before moving onto Tinkers Hole and later anchoring on Canna. More detail can be read about these stunning destinations in my recommended reading at the end of this article. Enjoy the photos of the Puffins and the spectacular views. xxx

At the end of this season we met again to share time together and explore Loch Spelve, Airds Bay, Port Ramsay, only parting company after exploring Easdale and Puilldorbhain. Having best friends with you, make sailing trips even more enjoyable and here I share some of the friendship and destination highlights from behind the lens.

Our time together is affectionately known as Dora Tours.

Dora Tours - Would like to thank all 4 members for their contributions during the 2021 season.

Dora Explorer - Tour Leader
Happy Feet - Without Sox
Curry on Guard less - Chef
Fukarwe - Dora's Apprentice

Here we are in Loch Spelve capturing some of the hilarious antics of our Dora Tours adventure by the Mussel Farm.

We left Loch Spelve to travel towards Airds Bay on Port Appin. The exit of Loch Spelve is an interesting one with a tight and tricky line to follow. Once in the open sea the misty waters cleared and we sailed through calm waters to Airds Bay where Sandpiper and La Contenta laid their anchor for the night. Through the day we explored the area and visited the local store for supplies.

This was rather a special day as it was MC and Dave's anniversary and it was our pleasure to cook the dinner that evening. With this in mind I sat on the bench outside the local store with Chef (Dave) asking for some recipe inspiration. I purchased cider, mustard and cream so to create a tasty sauce for my rolled pork. Not really trusting my cookery skills I nominated Gary to be the chef for the evening. The evening was yet again a memorable night and the meal was delicious thanks to Gary. Amazing what can be achieved on a two pot burner.

We woke to this amazing sunrise. The continued calm weather gave us a fabulous opportunity to move to Port Ramsay the very next morning and boy were the views spectacular. We visited the tea rooms for cake, passed an archeological dig and one of us strolled much of the distance in their bare feet. The weather was kind, so much so that in the evening we took a dinghy ride from our anchorage to the next bay around on Lismore as suggested by the Airds Bay ferry man. A lovely recommendation and so armed with BBQ and bikinis we dined on the beach whilst watching the sun go down with wine and smiles.

We also participated in a strange pass time of fresh water swimming - I am sure this will take off at some time!!!

Puilladobhrian did not disappoint. Together we took photos of the night sky and the aurora - that was my first sighting. One word - awesome!! Dora Tours saw us exploring new paths on the island of Seil, jumping over gates, swinging in the trees and beating back the reeds in deer country. Dora Tours took us to explore Easdale by local bus and ferry. Where we met the owner of The Fisherman's Kitchen who was our ferry man for the trip. No one has just one job in these parts. Having visited the mans web-site the kitchen is a must do seafood experience for next year.