From Ireland to Scotland, a summer crossing of the Saint Georges Canal
It was a most peaceful crossing, during which we were able to watch mother guillemots and Torda penguins in the midst of an education lesson for their latest offspring.
Weather-wise, it was like being in the Mediterranean, with the added luxury of not suffering from the heat. It's both exhilarating and disconcerting to think that, in the absence of landscape, a simple horizon line could make you feel anywhere on the globe. In the end, the first reminder of reality is the temperature of the air and water...
In the absence of a customs post, crossing the border means a change of national flag, at the captain's discretion. Should we add the English flag to the Scottish one? "font-size: medium;"the battle"color: #222222;"JUSTIFY"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"aquatic fairies"font-size: medium;"JUSTIFY"color: #222222;"JUSTIFY"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"JUSTIFY"font-size: medium;"JUSTIFY"color: #222222;"feet in the water"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"JUSTIFY"font-size: medium;"conveyor belts"Yes Sir!
The cliffs of Islay's south-east coast offer an almost ceremonial welcome: towering above a beautiful sea, capped by dark heather clumps, we skirt the coast, devouring every detail of the landscape of this new land with our eyes.
We set course for Port Ellen, our first port of call on Scottish soil. We'll spend the night in a comfortable anchorage in the bay facing the harbour, just a stone's throw from the Carraig Fhada lighthouse. The setting is idyllic: on one side, the lighthouse, followed by adorable little cottages, then dense forest giving way to parma-colored moorland at sunset. On the other, Port Ellen, its distillery and the ferry terminal complete the picture.
