The Locks: Outboard motor ensnared !

It’s 8am and our departure from Banavie Locks. Going down the "Neptunes Staircase", five locks. And then another two, the last locks. But just before we are finally locked down we are witness to a scary situation on the opposite side of the lock. As the water rushes out and all the boats surge in the swirling currents, a line tangles itself around an outboard motor. The British boat owner struggles with the ropes. Not willing to risk a limb or the whole boat he reaches for a knife. Suddenly it all sorts itself out. The motor jumps loose and lands on the deck with a thud. All’s well that ends well.

Click-click-click! Hey, what's all the commotion?! Inside the locks we're getting a monkey-in-a-zoo feeling! A busload of tourists all aim their cameras at us, trapped inside the locks. We'll all soon be in Estonian photo albums! The tourist-tables are turned!

13:45: We depart the Sea Lock in a procession of Swedish boats down the Loch Linnhe. We're sailing in light almost head-winds. But mostly motor.

Motor?! What's that sound??

A look into the motor-room gives us a sinking feeling. There's oil everywhere! Adrenaline’s up and, quick, quick, oil down the funnel.
We turn off to the nearest marina: Dunstaffnage. It's crowded, with wall-to-wall sailboats. Inside, at about two meters depth, we are happily invited to tie up alongside of a wooden boat with character. The crew of two invite us over for cheering up:

Two pleasant women with two steaming cups of tea for the new arrivals on "Babette".