A May Storm

Yesterday, in late May, we experienced the worst gale of the 2010/11 winter, with gusts of 90kph, force 10, and an average wind speed in the early afternoon of force 6/7, measured in our front garden which is relatively protected. Conditions at the much more exposed Ardnamurchan lighthouse were described as 'dangerous', and the visitors' centre had to be closed: it was almost impossible to stand up in the top car park. Shortly after 12.30pm, the power failed, but was back on by 9 in the evening, thanks to the heroic efforts of a team of engineers from Scottish Hydro, who worked on despite the appalling conditions.

The highest winds came at just after 2pm. While they were accompanied by stinging showers, they also chased patches of sun across the sea - the view above looks south across the Sound of Mull at the height of the storm, the breaking waves being whipped away by the gale and blowing in sheets of spindrift.

In the middle of this the Tobermory lifeboat was called out to a yacht adrift off the town, with one man aboard. The lifeboat effected a rescue but was damaged in the process - not at all surprising considering the conditions. The sea was heavy even in Kilchoan Bay, where three boats remained despite the accurate weather warnings. In the event, the owners' confidence in their moorings was fully justified, though a yacht further up Loch Sunart broke away and was wrecked on the rocks.

The CalMac sailings from Oban to the Hebridean isles were all cancelled from the beginning of the day, but the local Kilchoan-Tobermory ferry managed a couple of sailings before it gave up - which was just as well as conditions by the CalMac pier (above) were horrendous. At the height of the storm, a cruise ship travelled south down the Sound but its AIS wasn't working so it has been impossible to identify her. She was followed by a cargo ship, the Lystind, which was rolling impressively.

There appears to have been very little damage in the village. The trees are in full leaf, so they suffered, not only from having branches ripped off but also from the wind and salt spray burning their leaves. Despite it all, the small birds in our garden kept going - most have young to feed so they didn't have much choice. At one point, with the wind tearing at the trees, a cuckoo could be heard calling.