The race fleet lines up for the start of the 2000 Scottish Island Peaks Race.

The day began well enough with a long drive for myself and an even longer drive for Scott and Mike. They had driven from Culdrose to Oban with the oars that we may need to keep the boat moving. Ian had brought Stromcruiser through the Crinnan Canal with a passage crew from HMS Gannet.
Arriving in Oban at 9.30pm we tracked down our skipper and his passage crew in the little Chinese eatery opposite the Oban Distillery. Beers at the Harbourside Inn and a chance to catch up with met' reports and other news, such as how we were going to sleep 8 people in a 6 berth boat.

As we unloaded gear from the car a quick look at the moorings showed us that we would have to carry bags, rucksacks, oars and food down 17ft of ladders and across three other boats to reach Stormcruiser. Not a good idea, better to wait until morning and high water. As to getting some sleep I decided that I would solve part of the problem by getting a hotel room. My act of self sacrifice impresses my shipmates as they scramble over to Stromcruiser. This would prove to be the best 6 hours sleep I would get for the next three days.

Stormcruiser moored before the race.	Teams arrive for the briefing.

McTavishes Kitchen on the Oban harbour front is the race organisers briefing point, you also get a good breakfast, the last meal you will probably get to eat in the horizontal position for a few days. The upper room is packed with skippers, runners and crew members eagerly receiving the latest race information. As a safety measure an 'engine start' has been announced, 63 boats are lining up for the race and sailing from the beach with dinghies in the water is deemed to be dangerous. Boats are allowed to motor to the monument outside Oban harbour where they must switch off the motors and take to the wind.

Brian and Craig head off for the five mile run around Oban.

The morning seems to be endless as we approach the midday start. People from all sorts of crews are milling around chatting about yachts, sailing, the weather and of course the race. To get pictures of the start, a five mile run around Oban, I wander round to the yacht club where the Tunnocks van marks the begining of a long weekend of racing. Runners are limbering up and spectators are gathering. Boats are moving from their moorings to take position for the start. Dinghies line up along the shore in readiness for a quick transfer of runners to boats.In wants our runners to 'burn rubber' and get round the 5 mile circuit as fast as they can, he is looking to get Stormcruiser away in clean air, undisturbed by the passage of other boats, and make the best start we can. The wind has been steady all morning and the sun is warm. 22 to 25 knots of wind promises a lively beat to Salen on the Isle of Mull where the runners face the challenge of Ben More.

12.00 arrives and the runners are away in a flash with Craig and Brian leading the pack, a few minutes later Scott appears and transfers me to Stormcruiser. It is only on the water that the crush of boats becomes apparent. The fleet ranges in size from a diminutive 707 to the 60 foot Ocean Youth Trusts graceful Oyster built ketches. In between are all manner of boats, the multihulls will be fastest in the fleet, the two 'varnish boats', elegant wooden racers look superb, one of them even sports a piper!

The scramble for dighy's looks like a beach invasion in reverse.

We wait for the runners return expecting our boys to be first. They arrive in third or fourth place with the first runners back already paddling like mad for their boat. Scott piles them into our dighy and pulls for Stromcruiser. The runners, Scott and the dinghy are dragged onboard and Ian turns the boat for the outer marker. As we pass the monument and turn off our engine it dawns on us that we are first boat out, just what the skipper ordered.