Cruising the Minch

Sailing away from Invergordon, we breathed a sigh of relief. Tomorrow is a sea day, a day where we can rest, a day with no guides or tour buses. How relaxing it will be to be seafaring with Seabourn through western Scotland. However, who knew we would do something so cool? Cruising the Minch! I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of it. I am intrigued!

As we sailed, we headed northeast and turned westward shooting the gap between northern Scottish mainland and the Orkney Islands and turning south into The Minch. Mythology tells of the Blue Men of the Minch (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_men_of_the_Minch). They are ugly humanlike creatures who exist to drown sailers. Thankfully, we saw no sign of them. In addition to this strange Blue Men mythology, scientists believe The Minch is a basin formed by the impact of a meteorite. We moved into the narrow reaches of the Little Minch, scooting between the Isle of Harris and Lewis and the Isle of Skye into the Sea of the Hebrides.

Continuing southward, we sailed with the Outer Hebrides on our right and the Inner Hebrides on our left while we recalled our time on Lewis and Harris a week ago. We scooted around the Isle of Mull and anchored at the quiet little port of Oban.

Meanwhile, Back on Board

After ten ports, we were ready for a day of seafaring with Seabourn through western Scotland.  So, while the Ovation plowed through the waters up the east coast of Scotland and westward to The Minch and the Hebrides, we looked to spend the day relaxing and socializing.  We eagerly awaited playing our last match of Trivia Pursuit.   We should have known better. Here is our Herald for the day, our daily primer for what’s going on. I know this is too difficult to read on a smartphone screen, but I want you to see that we are pelted with things to do. The day is going to be packed. It was not going to be boring.

World Class Brunch

Now, let’s talk about the brunch. Seabourn has a partnership with Thomas Keller. Yes, the Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, Per Se, Ad Hoc, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, La Calenda, The Surf Club Restaurant, and TAK Room. He is the real deal in the culinary arts world. He is a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, no less. Anyway, he is the inspiration behind Seabourn’s gourmet offerings in the Colonnade, the Patio, The Grill, and the Restaurant. I would never call myself a “foodie,” but I look forward to eating at his table. That said, we had no idea of what he and his world class kitchen staff had in mind for brunch at sea.

The Ovation’s cooks prepared an incredible brunch for us.  We walked through the ship’s galley past a most amazing display of  delicious offerings.  It was wonderful.  We feasted on an enormous repast that seemingly had no end. Oh, yes. There was an end, the Baked Alaska. It was to die for. None of the food found its way to the sea. We understand the crew polished off the remainder.

It’s Only a Game!

Our buffet experience was just the beginning of our day. We looked forward to our last Trivia Pursuit match. Our able cruise director, Handré, and his assistant Olivia directed the cruise long event, always reminding us that “it’s only a game.” It was not. We had eight teams for the duration of the cruise. It is always good to make sure you have an international team composition because the questions will be international in flavor. We called ourselves “Standing Ovation”.

Take a look at the British lady in the middle of the group. The question was, “What is the name of the figure on the hood of a Rolls Royce?” She nailed it, “Winged Victory.” One smart lady! That said, this was a great group, not only smart but convivial. We won three matches over the course of the cruise, including today, and won 2d overall. Today’s prize was an umbrella as we proudly show them off. I am glad they let me play. I was the science guy. The Periodic Table of the Elements is a great thing to know in Trivia Pursuit!

Enchanted Evening

Handré displayed his virtuoso skills during cocktail hour with a program of piano and song against a backdrop of a beautiful undersea visual presentation. He composed all of his songs. He constantly amazed us with his talent.

Tonight is formal night.  So, for dinner we invited our friends, Yurii and Ilona, to join us as well as our Canadian friends, Norma and Dave, Lawrence and Sandra. We were seeing the end of our time together and wanted to join them one last time.

Yuri Chebakov and Ilona Gretchka are natives of Ukraine. They began dancing as partners at the age of 8 years old. We met and became friends with them on our cruise in Alaska in 2017. Subsequently, Yuri and Ilona married and continued their dancing career. It is so endearing to see them living their dream. They are a most amazing couple.

Single Malt Scotch, Anyone?

After a day of seafaring with Seabourn through western Scotland, we dropped anchor in a little hideaway tucked away along the Inner Sea. Oban is a small town of less than nine thousand people, but it triples in the summer with tourists.  Once a small fishing village, everything changed in 1794 with the opening of a distillery.  Oban is in the worldwide top 20 today for single malt liquor sales.

But that is not why we came.  We will take a bus northward to Fort William, across the Caledonian Canal, through Glenfinnan to Mallaig.  After a quick bite in Mallaig, we will ride a vintage steam locomotive train back to Fort William.  In short, we are in the land of Bonnie Prince Charles and Henry Potter.  This is going to be good, really good.

Neptune’s Staircase is a flight of 8 locks on the Caledonian Canal near Fort William that lifts and lowers boats 64 feet in less than a quarter mile.  The canal connects saltwater Loch Linnhe to freshwater Loch Lochy.  Construction began in 1803 and required 20 years to complete. This was an exceptional engineering feat for its time. It is still in use today.

A Singular Day in Scottish History

Glenfinnan Monument occupies a commanding location at the head of Loch Schiel in the Scottish Highlands.  Specifically, it marks the spot where Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) and his clansmen fought and died for the Jacobite Cause.  Prince Charles’ forces raised their flag at this spot on 19 August 1745 in the great battle to restore the Stuarts to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland.  This was all in vain as the Stuart forces were soundly defeated a year later at the Battle of Culloden.

Personally, I am pleased with the defeat since the Stuarts left David Hume of Paisley penniless and put his family on a boat to the colonies. His daughter Barbara married my seventh great grandfather after they voyaged to Perth Amboy in colonial New Jersey. Her parents, unfortunately, did not survive the trip. William Hoge took Barbara to live with family in New York City. William and Barbara later married and had seven children. They subsequently moved from Pennsylvania to southwest Virginia near Winchester and began a long line of Hoges who achieved prominence in Virginia and Georgia. I am rather proud of my family history.

Now, turning around and looking backward from the Glenfinnan Monument, you will see the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous in Harry Potter lore.  The impressive 416-yard long viaduct of 21 arches appears in four of the Harry Potter films.  Constructed in the 1890s, the viaduct is notable for the first use of mass concrete to construct the bridge which helps explain why it has endured more a century later. We will cross the viaduct later in the afternoon.

All Aboard the Jacobite Steam Train

We continued on our bus tour to Mallaig where we would meet a 19th century train powered with a steam engine. From Mallaig, we would retrace our road journey back to Fort William aboard the train. Popularly known as the Jacobite Steam Train, it follows the West Highland Line which goes all the way to Glasgow. Not surprisingly, this ride enjoys worldwide acclaim as among the most scenic rail lines in the world.

We did not have much time in the tiny fishing village of Mallaig. It is quaint and certainly a popular tourist destination.

This train ride is very similar to our ride in Wales from Llangollen to Carrog. However, the scenery of the heather-covered highlands and the placid lochs set this ride apart from any other train ride I ever expect to enjoy. Of course, the highlight was crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct or as now popularly known, Harry Potter Viaduct.  Gorgeous autumn countryside. To take the pictures below, I am precariously wedging myself in the vestibule between cars, jockeying with other photographers and dodging raindrops.  What I do for my art!!

We have reached the end of a fantastic time seafaring with Seabourn through western Scotland. Tonight we depart Oban and sail to Greenock. We will enjoy a day in Glasgow while docked in Greenock and then return to Dublin. We will have from Saturday morning to enjoy Dublin and western Ireland before we fly home on Tuesday.

Glasgow in the Rain and the Mist

We docked in Greenock Friday morning, our last port before our return to Dublin.  We took a 30-minute taxi ride to Glasgow to shop and explore.  The day was a little damp and misty, but the weather did not affect us much.

We found ourselves on Buchanan Street, Dublin’s main shopping avenue.  Susie was trying to purchase scarves in the patterns of our clans, the Crawfords, the Thompsons, the Hoges, and the Haigs.  What a marketing racket!

Leaving Susie to shop, I struck out on my own down George Street to see the Glasgow Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in Scotland, and the oldest building in Glasgow.  I was also intrigued by a cemetery named The Necropolis located next to the cathedral.  I had to see that!

Glasgow Cathedral, often called St. Mungo’s Cathedral after the patron saint of Glasgow, is the only cathedral to survive the Protestant Reformation with its roof intact. As with many historic churches, the building is now government-owned and maintained with an active congregation that worships there. While it does not have the most beautiful exterior architecture, the sanctuary is beautiful with extraordinary stained glass. The catacombs below are remarkable as well. St. Mungo is buried in a crypt there. Necropolis Cemetery, established in 1833, is behind the church.

Saying Goodbye to the Seabourn Ovation

Maybe I should have shown you before now, but I would like you to see a couple of my favorite places on this beautiful ship. We had such a beautiful suite on the 8th deck. I enjoyed walking out on our balcony with a glass of wine to see the sea pass by. The Observation Club was a favorite any time of the day. I especially enjoyed coffee there in the early morning overseeing the ship’s arrival into port. We enjoyed breakfast on the stern deck in the open air. Brandon (United Kingdom) and Wandele (South Africa) were there for us with smiles and wonderful service every day. I will miss them.

A Seabourn tradition is to say thank you and goodbye to passengers, and the ships accomplish this in a very touching way. With the passengers on the pool deck, the ship’s crew line the railings above…the cooks, bartenders, housekeepers, security, entertainers, engineers, and officers. A bittersweet moment.

Tomorrow, we will be in Dublin at first light and our cruise of the British Isles will be complete. The debarkation process is so scripted and so organized that you feel almost ejected from the ship! Again, thanks to Seabourn for a wonderful cruise. We have a list of things to do and see in Dublin before we fly, so we’d best get to it!