We all have ambitions, desires, wishes and cloud cuckoo plans but sometimes the simplest of pleasures are the best.

I once accidentally entered a trans-Atlantic sailing race, well actually I expressed an interest but then found my boat on a list of probable entrants. To be honest I did give it some thought before the reality of getting a forty plus year old wooden boat and a sixty something crew ready for such a voyage eventually hit home and I made my excuses and backed out!
Last weekend Crunluath made a shorter trip across the Hunterston channel to Millport, capital city of Great Cumbrae, it’s a jolly little place I visit frequently. On Sunday the purpose was to get a good view of seals. That’s nothing special to regular sailors but it’s a big deal if you a kid.

It was a great day for sailing, three to four south-westerly, sunny and warm, a regular summer’s day, less than an hour from our berth but for me proof that I still have a working boat, something I was beginning to doubt.
We saw our seals, bananaring on the rocks and singing their mournful songs. We hung around for a while, keeping our distance but getting close enough for a good view and a few photos.
On the way home we passed a very large log floating south on the tide, a helpful fellow boater reported it to the Coastguard but there was no follow up. A fast motor boat missed it by a few yards.

Off the Scottish National Sailing Centre the sea cadet’s brig was moored, we played the Pirates of the Caribbean theme tune to suit the view.

Back at the berth a DSC all ships warning startled us, we didn’t follow it up but wondered if another fast motor boat had hit the tree trunk.

Returning home I watched a wild Round the Island race on Countryfile; exciting certainly, enjoyable definitely, memorable absolutely, but not half as good as showing your grandchildren wild seals basking on a rock from a boat you spent a lifetime working for.

ps. Here’s a wonderful tale which made me laugh out loud to myself after writing my blog. It’s from Ewan Kennedy’s Scottish Boating blog http://scottishboating.blogspot.com/2011/07/tale-of-seagull-frying-machine.html?utm_source=BP_recent