Met Office Inshore Waters strong wind warning for today, Monday…. kept Poli Poli tied to her pontoon on the island of Kerrera opposite the town of Oban. Five folk living cheek by jowl on a 40 foot sailing yacht…. still smiling and still waiting for a green light to head north. Our optimism yesterday evening was dashed when certain folk, up early, had first sight of the 6am Met Office forecast…. which again predicted strong winds up to Force 7 and rough seas.
So once again, a visit to the town of Oban was planned… via the water taxi type ferry across Oban Bay. It was not unusual for rain to be forecast for the whole of Monday in Oban town… what was unusual was that it didn’t come…. until we returned on the ferry at about 5.15pm this afternoon. So we got only marginally wet.
Time in the usually wet town of Oban was spent in eateries ( especially sea food cafes and restaurants) and a special visit to the Oban Phoenix Community cinema…. for the majority of the team to watch ‘Mama Mia Here We Go again’. The minority went to Tesco’s to do the food shopping for the boat. We have now spent six nights in Oban Bay.
It is disappointing, and very frustrating not to be moving on… tomorrow’s forecast is not good either. We badly need a ‘blocking high pressure cell’ to form over much of England and Wales… to prevent the Atlantic depressions from bringing rain and strong winds to the west and north of Britain where of course we are!
To quote one forecaster… ‘don’t for one moment think summer is over folks…. towards the end of this week another anticyclone ( high pressure ) will form over much of England… and the warm, dry weather will return”…. we hope this is correct.
So still only 1,443.5 n.miles from Eastbourne.
Toby's sailing boat Poli Poli 