
Gravity on the slope helped and once the boat was moving, I just kept pushing to keep its speed up. It was in the water before I could say the word “mackerel” . I had heard that the mackerel were slowly arriving around our coasts so hoped there were a few that had found their way into Loch Fyne.

It was a grey overcast day as I lowered my trolling line and left the village of Minard behind as I headed straight across the loch towards Lachlan bay

I passed the strange looking lighthouse on Sgeir an Eirionnaich, one of the rocky outcrops off Minard. The loch at one time had a busy fishing fleet and its herring were plentiful. Today the boats and the fish have long gone. The lighthouse sees few commercial boats pass this way now.

At Lachlan Bay, the sky looked very dark, almost like winter time. The wind was out the north again and had a chill to it.

I wasn’t surprised to see the trees around Castle Lachlan still sporting their winter colours. Apart from the one day glorious day which was on Friday.. I too wonder when winter will end ? I wondered if the mackerel would brave the cold ?