I hope Mael Coluim would appreciate this one

**Mael Coluim** · 1st January 09, 06:18 PM

Some speculate to North America. The sea was just highway to these Celtic people. Our vessel would have been one of the larger ones with a length of 39 feet. We were a crew of 13 sailing. The curragh rode on top of the water not through it. The hull would flex as we rode over a wave. You could easily puncture the hull with a pen knife. We had to always walk on a wooden cross beams and not step on the hull.

**Mael Coluim** · 1st January 09, 06:20 PM

We had one day of sea trials, and our skipper Robin, sailing her to Balleycastle for our crossing would complete our training.

We had support van that drove along the coast to our next port. Roddy Lightbody, the driver took these excellent photos off the coast at Fairhead.

My wife, Sharon calls the one above “the picture”. It does capture the spirit of the trip. We are off the Cause Way coast at Fairhead point. You can see Scotland in the background.

**Mael Coluim** · 1st January 09, 06:37 PM

Donald McCallum the organizer of this voyage wanted the first landing in Scotland to be at Southend at the eastern tip of the Kintyre. The straight is considered one of the most treacherous areas to navigate.
A storm was coming and Robin thought it best to head for our second port of call, Machrihanish staying on the west of the Kintyre.

We caught high tide at 2:30 PM and departed on St. Columba’s day June 9th.

**Mael Coluim** · 1st January 09, 07:09 PM

Once underway, Robin felt we best race before the storm and get to Gigha Island which was to be our third landfall. We constantly rowed even when under sail. In fact in the whole 2 week course we probably didn’t row for 4 hours totaled! Rowing gave us another knot and half of speed. More importantly it keep us occupied and out of trouble.

The day was beautiful. It was great to have started our voyage.

This is Donald McCallum. Born in Campbelltown, he went to college in Glasgow becoming a marine engineer. He emigrated to Canada, then the US. I had responded to a article he put in newsletter of MacCallum Malcolm Clan Society to join his adventure.

David Levite had responded to Donald’s presentation to the St. Andrew’s Society of Washington, DC. David was an accomplished oarsman, sculling while in college.