Loch Feochan

Leaving Oban we passed this rather sorry sight.

A beautiful boat high on the rocks. It was thrown up after breaking its mooring during the force ten that swept across about a fortnight ago, when we were sheltering in Arbroath.This picture was taken at high tide. There have been several attempts to float it but with no success and the area is not easily accessible for a crane. The locals are already shaking their heads and declaring her doomed.

In fact all the boat yards up here are booked up for the rest of the summer repairing casualties of those winds. We spoke to a guy whose wooden boat was damaged in an unrelated incident, who has been warned that he'll probably miss the whole season waiting for the work to be done.

We sailed down to the south of Kerrera and anchored in Castle Bay, with the intention of going a shore to look at the newly restored castle.

But after listening to the lunch time forecast, which mentioned sevens decided to head for somewhere more sheltered.
Loch Feochan is a deep wide loch with steep wooded sides. The entrance is a narrow shallow rocky channel, buoyed fortunately, were the current runs very fast. We pushed in, motoring at six but only making two knots and sometimes feeling the boat being swept randomly sideways. It was worth it though.

We motored to the far end and had the place virtually to ourselves.
Tying up on the jetty next day to get gas we came across another casualty of the force ten. His southerly had been holed by another boat which had broken free from its mooring. He was waiting for the insurance assessor to turn up.