EASING out of Oban Bay aboard the MV Glen Etive, romance is in the air.
The strains of Deacon Blue’s Dignity and Para Handy’s charm fill my head and heart as the vaulting hulk of Mull looms like a leviathan ahead and a brace of porpoises beckons us on towards the Hebrides. There is change in the air, too.
Things have indeed changed since I was on the Glen Etive’s inaugural cruise in 2016. We had a pandemic that crippled tourism and a subsequent staycation-led blossoming in Scottish small ship cruising. And just before I board, news Craig of Campbeltown Limited has taken over the Para Handy-named The Majestic Line, which runs the 12-passenger Glen Etive.
It’s a huge change as founders, renowned epidemiologist Ken Grant and Andy Thoms, have expertly steered The Majestic Line through some turbulent waters over the last 20 years.
When they started up in 2004 plenty of naysayers doubted they could do it, but they’ve made it work, today sailing the west coast with four vessels. The new owners have made positive noises, saying: “We are delighted with the acquisition, a significant milestone for us as it perfectly complements and enhances our existing portfolio of tourism and travel services in the west coast of Scotland.”
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I’m told that any changes from the family-run company now in charge will be positive and gradual. And I’m reassured to find the usual Majestic Line warm welcome from experienced captain Rod, former nurse steward Maureen, hardworking engineer John and Michelin-trained chef Luke. This dynamic quartet look after the 10 of us from Scotland, England and the US, making sure we feel like guests, rather than just passengers.
The Etive is intimate, but compared to her smaller sister vessels the Tarsan and the Massan (converted fishing boats) this purpose-built Bute charmer boasts lashings of indoor and outdoor space, with a separate bar and lounge area fore and a dining room with sweeping views aft.
Funnelling down the Sound of Mull, I join captain John on the welcoming bridge as he plots a safe, scenic anchorage for the first overnight of our three-night adventure. We swap the wide sound for Loch Sunart, then slip where large ships cannot go, through the narrows into postcard-pretty Loch Drumbuie.
Seafood risotto, artisan cheese and complimentary wine warms us, before an hour spotting satellites, shooting stars and even a meteorite with new-found friends.
Scotland’s small cruise ships are like submarines: it’s a joy just being able to pop up on the likes of – normally hard to get to – Ardnamurchan for a wee ramble. And then hop back aboard in anticipation of our next magical destination. This being the edge of the Atlantic we are always, of course, at the mercy of the weather and the sea conditions.
The former proves glorious as we sail out around Ardnamurchan Point and the famous lighthouse, with a large pod of common dolphins and even a minke whale for company as the Small Isles rank up the cinematic grandeur.
Those sea conditions are less helpful, meaning we can only admire the white sands of Sanna, rather than make a beach landing. Any disappointment soon dissolves as we putter back towards Tobermory on Mull in a wave of hot drinks, homemade cakes and gentle chat in the sunshine on the sun loungers.
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There is time to sneak in a pint as I introduce my fellow guests to the charms of the Mishinish, one of the most famous pubs in the Hebrides. Time too the next morning to pop back ashore on Mull for a yomp out to the waterfalls of Aros Park.
Rod ensures we make the most of a packed last day. We sail across the Sound of Mull to Lochaline on Morvern. The beach near the pontoon is alive with more fossils than I’ve found on any beach in the world.
Our international guests are totally blown away. Cruising our isles as a Scot takes on an added level as you feel the genuine wonder and love others develop for our country.
Luke eases the pain of it being our last night by securing mussels from the famous farm in our mooring in sheltered Loch Spelve as a grand pre-starter. We tuck in as a herd of red deer patrol the banks and eagles soar high on the thermals.
Over Scotch beef and seafood surf and turf we swap more stories and hopes one day we will do this again together. One lovely passenger from the US even has gifts for us all.
All too soon Dignity is but a sad lament as we putter back into the world of honking cars, traffic lights and daily stresses in Oban. It’s been eight years since I was last aboard the Glen Etive and I vow it won’t be as long until I get back on, not least to see how she shapes up under her new owners.
The Majestic Line (www.themajesticline.co.uk) runs a flotilla of four small cruise ships throughout the Hebrides from Oban, with occasional forays through the Great Glen, to Orkney and into the Clyde.
Choose from the 12-passenger purpose-built Glen Etive or Glen Shiel, the converted 11-passenger fishing boats Tarsan or Massan
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