Spot Quiz. What goes zip, zip, zip, zip, ahhhh? It could be the mating call for a rare or yet undiscovered song bird, or even the sound of a new fangled form of automobile as it zooms by. Alternatively it could be the noise that occurs every morning on board Ruffian as Fiona rushes out of her bunk and gets all her layers of thermals on before the cold sets in and gives her a day long freeze. Today however things might change as 3 layers of thermal tops have proved to be too much.

Finally things are warming up and sailing downwind has certainly helped. We left the confines of Kylies Back Passage for the open water of Loch Fyne and were making for one of the many anchorages off the east coast of the loch. When selecting somewhere to anchor for the day and night you have to consider some pretty unusual characteristics that land lubbers never think of, it's all about the shoal of the beach, the type of ground under the water and if you can hide from the wind behind a hill. After looking at a couple of bays we found perfect combination in Asgog bay just opposite Tarbert, the home of the Scottish Series race week.

The bay was perfect and just what we were looking for when we left Southampton all those weeks ago. Finally we have a white sandy beach and total seclusion for the evening. This however was after the fabled dingy safari, and safari it was indeed. On safaris you find all forms of flora and fauna, we found more than this; we found dinner.

On many of the rocks that were scattered on the sand were colonies of mussels, exactly the sort of mussels that you find in your local posh seafood restaurant or your local fish mongers. So a hunt'in and a gather'in we went. We picked just enough for dinner and duly went back to Ruffian to cook up a feast of mussels in white wine with fresh baked crusty bread. Free fine dining courtesy of mother nature. Many, many thanks.

The hills that provided shelter in the night, in the morning gave something to climb and get a high level view from. Up and up we went at first light to not only get a view of our fine ship from a high but also the whole of Loch Fyne and over to Arran. This really is a truly remarkable landscape.

The idyllic lifestyle of sitting at anchor away from other souls must come to an end tomorrow as there is a large depression coming in across the Atlantic, so we have a small sail in front of us tomorrow to the all weather haven of Tarbert.

Sailing downwind in the sun.


The view from our cabin (bedroom).


Chafe is evil and must be banished. Iain sorting out chafe issues.


Picking dinner.


Ruffian all alone from ahigh.