By the time we came to consider a circumnavigation of Mull, I had already paddled the south coast on several occasions and explored the islands including Iona, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles. We had been lucky with the weather on each occasion except the first day of that trip along the south coast when a big south-westerly swell and gale force winds ensured an enforced stay on the edge of Loch Buie. This time, given we were paddling all the way round, there seemed little point getting the ferry across, so we launched from Easedale, starting the trip with a long downwind crossing.