Unusually poor weather greeted Scotland's Royal Highland Yacht Club (RHYC) members when the club's Social Sailing Network gathered in Tobermory, Isle of Mull, for the annual Mull Music Festival.
Yachts came together on Friday, 25th April, to make use of the berthing and mooring facilities made available to visiting boats by Tobermory Harbour Association. Despite the damp weather, good company and music were available for the three days, with all members enjoying the fun both afloat and ashore, not to mention being well fed and watered.
All too quickly the weekend was over but not long to wait for the next gathering of members for the club's Opening Muster a little further east in Loch Spelve, Isle of Mull. With blustery winds but a good deal of sunshine, members' yachts started arriving on Friday, the 2nd. May culminate in over thirty-five boats being anchored in this sheltered loch by Saturday afternoon. The RHYC is, every year, attending at the invitation of Douglas and Helen Wilson of Inverlussa Mussel Farm, enabling members to gather ashore in the evening to sample the wonderful rope-grown mussels from the Grade A waters of Loch Spelve. RHYC members and the Wilson family had ample time ashore, meeting up with old and new acquaintances, savouring excellent food, and discussing the sunshine. The season to come before retiring to their yachts to continue the evening. The next day saw five boats depart on a mini cruise in company for 5 days, under the flag of the Rear Commodore, which took advantage of the continuing fair weather, all be it requiring larger diesel purchases than usual, visiting various locations in Mull, Iona and the Treshnish Isles culminating in visits to the Islands of Eigg and Canna.
The Royal Highland Yacht Club Loch Spelve-Isle of Mull opening muster
Next in the calendar this year is a visit from the Royal Naval Sailing Association, when the club plans an informal BBQ and get together when they visit the waters of the Scottish west coast as part of their 90th celebrations. This special event is part of a packed year with two further musters, West Highland Week race series and a visit by the Cruising Club of America (CCA) to West Highland waters when a 14 day cruise with members of the RHYC, the Clyde Cruising Club, The Irish Cruising Club, the Ocean Cruising Club and the Royal Cruising Club (all involved in the visit to UK and Irish shores of the CCA) will take place sailing in company through the inner and outer Hebrides from Oban to Tobermory (Isle of Mull) and Loch Drumbuie to Skye and Vatersay returning to Oban.
The next RHYC muster will take place on 12th July at Lochaline.
For more details of the Royal Highland Yacht Club, including how to join, visit www.rhyc.org
