Friday 18 June 2010 Portavadie N550 52.342’ W0050 18.867’

As usual the crew on Milly Brown were awake and ready for the day before the crew on Alcyone. Having moved to a separate mooring after supper, Mark suggested he went up to the Burnt Islands and anchored and that we came up and came alongside for an expedition onto the islands. I stayed on the boast as he had laid a Fortress Anchor and the bed was weed – it seemed probable that we would drag and some action might be required. In due course, the anchor did drag and Alcyone motored out of the bay with Milly Brown alongside and through the Kyles of Bute. Interesting. There was some 3 knots of tide, with associated whirlpools and the like and a very narrow passage.

We then sailed down the West Kyle and, whilst Milly Brown went off up Loch Fyne to anchor near Ardishaig for the night, Alcyone went down to Loch Ramza for a look and the returned to Portavadie. The sail back was boisterous as what seems to be the usual north westerly wind came in and picked up to some 20 knots; for the first time we were reefed.

Portavadie is a new marina complex on the shores of Loch Fyne. Theer are some 230 berths and only a fraction are occupied. The marina building claims to be the best in the world and it may well be! The facilities are very luxurious. But once again one cannot help wondering why was it built and by whom; it must be loosing money.