Breaking the Tape

09Oct13

With the progression of Autumn and the turning weather, along with our need for the skills of some local craftsmen, we decided to stay put; terminate the season's passage and begin the process of preparing the boat for the Winter packing away sails and clearing the deck. Well that was the plan.

However, our decision to stay was coloured by multiple comments of serious exposure to Winter storms, so when the recent spell of fair weather arrived we jumped at the chance to head a little further east – the delights of Chesil Beach was not enough. Sails and lines were quickly re-fitted and we left just before first light for Yarmouth IoW where we had negotiated a Winter hard-standing deal. With a positive tide and over 10kts SOG we where soon through the lively waters of the Hurst narrows and into the Solent. By mooring at Yarmouth we had also completed our 'lap' following our initial sail out of Lymington as new and proud owners. Here we will prepare for our next 'adventure' and hopefully decide to head somewhere warmer and a little more exotic.

Harbour Rot

01Oct13

Waiting patiently for the easterly wind to veer, at least south east, so that we could cross Lyme Bay and round Portland Bill in the remaining daylight hours and with a fair tide – Portland Bill is notorious for its strong tidal streams and steep and violent seas; this is a passage that needs full attention.

The forecast came good and we slipped lines just before dawn for the long haul across Lyme Bay — some interesting reading for the anoraks among us [Notes on the physical conditions existing within the line from Start Point to Portland]. As we exited Torbay the wind direction had a little more east in it than forecast which would leave us close-hauled all the way with one tack to correct the course to leave us at least 3nm off The Bill. The visibility was reduced with low cloud and mizzle but we made good progress against a foul tide as expected. Half way across the bay a rubicon moment: press on, turn round and go back, anchor or pick up a mooring buoy at Lyme Regis which would be totally exposed to the forecast strengthening onshore winds. The wind had been constantly veering and backing but we convinced ourselves that we could still meet our tidal gate so we pressed on.

The wind kept backing.

The track our course was drawing on the plotter was a gradual curve as we tried to sail as close to the wind as we could. Our planned tack was getting longer and it was a balance between sailing faster off the wind and having to sail further – our velocity made good. We threw in some early tacks to make best use of the favourable stream when we could. The more we tacked away the more we would be late for our tidal gate and the more the daylight was disappearing. The sun set though twilight lasted longer than expected as the misty conditions held a subtle glow from the sodium light polution on the mainland. Then, darkness. We have sailed many times in the dark and usually find it quite relaxing when out in clear water with reasonable weather but approaching a major headland it was not a moment to savour. The rain came through the black and the sea began to build, unpredicatable and rough. We needed the last of the flood tide to make our destination but this was now picking up the sea state in the backing wind. Arbalest powered through the conditions and we always felt secure in our centre cockpit despite the occasional 'surprise' wave and trough. Portland Bill lighthouse eventually appeared and guided us along to confirm our indicated position as it had done once before during a near gale from the Channel Islands. The east cardinal mark around The Shambles was our last waypoint which we gave plenty of room before our turn so as not to get swept towards it by wind and tide. 'Lee-ho' and it all went quiet, with the wind behind us we surfed into Portland and could finally relax. A few tankers to avoid, a number of unlit yachts on mooring buoys we had to dodge within the harbour and we were soon moored in Portland Marina, a 16-hour passage but The Bill was behind us.

That Riviera Touch

25Sep13

With a steady east wind in the forecast a couple of tacks would take us around Start Point and onwards to Torbay. A misty and murky start, some fog patches but land was always just in sight; a strong tide with wind against was not the challenge it would at first seem and overall we had a good sail.

At Torquay we took the cheaper option and moored up at the town quay in the knowledge that we may have to stay for a while waiting for a more favourable wind: tacking into an east wind to avoid the race at Portland Bill would be awkward with the limited daylight hours remaining.

Torquay is not quite The English Riviera it once was in the days of Morecambe & Wise but its Guest House Community still manages to survive during these more austere times along with Paignton and Brixham. Throughout the duration of our stay the mist and fog would be dominant with only the occasional ray of brightness to pierce the grey.

Anyone seen Salcombe?

21Sep13

A week of friends and family events; a location with diverse areas of lifestyle and entertainment; a week at an excellent marina with very helpful staff; a low water departure with an accompanyment of cannon fire from the local Navy celebrations.

Slipping lines after the Cremyll Ferry [which has linked Devon and Cornwall for more than 1000 years] left for its half-hourly crossing of the River Tamar we set passage for Salcombe. The approaching Autumn Equinox and a strong Spring tide decided our departure time to clear Salcombe's sand bar but the current high pressure system just brought poor visibility and a constant mizzle. The forecast wind never built and the mizzle soon turned into fog as we left the breakwater; less than 100m visibility at times. Fortunately, it was only a five-hour passage and despite seeing many targets on our power-hungry radar – some of which were fishing pot markers which could be clearly identified in the slight sea state – the surrounding traffic was easily avoided though never seen.

The GPS guided our turn into Salcombe though we still buoy hopped for extra security of our position. With a 2kt stream following us in we declined the mooring buoys, which have no pickup lines, and headed up river to the pontoon at 'The Bag'. The omnipresent Harbour Master piloted us to our berth and we were soon moored up with the kettle on for a good old cuppa.

Hey Hoe

14-21Sep13

The weather began to brighten as we left Fowey with a destination of Plymouth and Mayflower Marina. Throughout, the wind was a little unpredictable in strength and the sails were up and down again on numerous occasions. Rounding Penlee Point a mass exodus as high water approached; dozens of local sailboats were heading out for the weekend making our entrance similar to a slalom event as we motored directly into the wind constantly ceding our route to the approaching stand-on vessels. The Hoe looked glorious in the sunshine and the breakwater protecting Plymouth was soon behind us as we passed behind Drake's Island up to Mayflower where we would be based for a week.

Pilgrimage

12Sep13

Our shortest hop so far we left the Helford River and headed up the River Fal for Mylor Yacht Club. Mylor has become an unofficial pilgrimage for Crossbows: Adamastor, Riduna and now Arbalest. Only 23 hulls were molded but in their building and finishing these three boats are similar but also very different. After talking numbers, fittings and characteristics and swapping notes, we put away our 'Anoraks' and Arbalest left the party for our next destination: the River Fowey. A misty start with light winds we managed to sail most of the way before picking up a mooring buoy; there were plenty to choose from, another sign of the impending season's end.

As the weather closed in we were joined by our passage friends on 'Silent Wings' who, during their passage, had to answer a call for help from a stranded powerboat which they managed to tow successfully back into Mevagissey.

Pitch Black

09Sep13

We had been to the Helford River before which had previously been our furthest point west, as such, this kind of marked the completion of our circumnavigation. However, we are going to maintain Lymington as our 'end' point. We bought Arbalest there and that is where our adventures began so celebrations will be put on hold. A true circumnavigation of the UK had never been our actual goal it has been the journey and experiences that have been important to us. Some people 'must do' a lap of the country and some achieve this at great speed, whilst we can acknowledge and appreciate their achievements our intention was always to enjoy the passage and see our own home ground which we all sometimes take for granted.

Previously, a brief trip to the Ferry Inn was all we had achieved – more impressive was the fact we made it back! On this occasion we ventured to the south bank and into Helford itself. There we walked around the tranquil lanes which are quite isolated and very picturesque, down Frenchman's Creek made famous by Daphne du Maurier before spending another pitch-black night back on our mooring buoy – apparently the Summer had been very busy with all buoys regularly taken with up to three boats on each.

Helford is very popular with walkers as it forms part of the South West Coast Path – not so popular is the price of the ferry across the river; a necessary crossing if the walk is to be continued.

Still having problems with the software and currently cannot upload any pics.

Blog Software Problems

Having problems with Blogger software and logins so will post as and when...

Pirates in Penzance

08Sep13

Penzance Bay with Mousehole, Newlyn, Penzance and St Michael's Mount piercing the coastline to the east is a fine introduction to the southwest and the flavour of South Cornwall. Once around Land's End a total contrast and a new vista meets the weary traveller; a corner of England unlike any other; a corner where some arrive to be forgotten – evidence all around of inspired, yet abandoned projects; people no longer wishing to go back home; Cornish smugglers; pirates; a land at the end of the road; a land where the world might be flat.

A brief stay and we were off again. An early start would see us around the infamous Lizard Point with favourable tide and perfect wind. Not quite so. Thankfully, the Lizard was sleeping as we struggled by in fading winds but we had made enough ground making the turn towards Falmouth relatively easy despite pushing a little tide. We searched in vain for another view of a basking shark the first of which we had seen rounding Longships but not so – the nearest repeat being a black fin-like shape off Newlyn the day before which turned out to have two legs and scuba gear! The traffic exiting the English Channel was now in evidence as huge container ships and town-sized cruiseliners made passage west into the gloom of the chasing squalls and the number of leisure yachts had increased at least 10-fold.

The Helford River was to be our next point of call, just before Falmouth it is an idyllic place to grab a mooring buoy and simply chill taking in the glorious scenery where people picnic, play cricket on the flats and enjoy a leisurely pub meal in the late Summer sunshine.

Ghostly Torpedoes

07Sep13

Another milestone and another coastline. As we crossed the main channel to leave Milford Haven we found ourselves head-to-head with a massive LNG tanker being gracefully guided by five tugs onto the South Hook Terminal. Thankfully, we made it to the safe area just outside the main channel before the Port 'Police' had chance to bark at us over the radio to make way and get out of Dodge. These tankers bring liquified natural gas all the way from Qatar before it is pumped out into our national grid system – around 30% comes in this way – possibly because the 345m of 'Lijmiliya' was just arriving, the Castlemartin range was quiet so no historical incidents [see Safe Haven] to worry about. Exiting the channel we were briefly contacted by our friends on 'Silent Wings' [we had met earlier on the way up to Shetland] who had just arrived at Dale after spending some time out in Shetland – according to them Summer was 'officially' and definitely over up there.

With a steady following wind we were hoping for a good journey south to wind away the 24hr passage. Up went the sails, down came the sails: once again chug, chug, chug. The promised wind was not as forecast and it was again time to burn some diesel – at least we would have hot water and fully-charged batteries.

Not long after sunset and in the realms of astronomical twilight we were delighted to be joined by a huge pod of common dolphins. A feeding frenzy began on shoals of small fish, about the size of whitebait, which were being driven out of the water and into the waiting mouths of their leaping predators. Our navigation lights on the bow cast an erie light on the water and along with the phosphorescence from the dolphins' trails they appeared around us like ghostly torpedoes darting along our sides and under our hull. During daylight only their dorsal fin and a brief glimpse of their flanks can usually be seen when they swim but in the dark…they were lit up as if adorned in thousands of LEDs, a magnificent sight. They stayed with us for about eight hours, we 'think' our phosphorescent trail was maybe attracting the fish or they were using us to trap the shoals in our wake after being driven to the surface. The pod came and went a couple of times more during the early morning but not in the same numbers and tended to keep us on the edge of their feeding circle.

We were a little late to risk a detour into Padstow and navigate over the sand bar for the depth of water we needed so we pressed on as planned. There had been some lightning in the west during the night and a lot of heavy showers skirted around us borne out of heavy towering clouds. The one place which had consistent blue sky and sunshine was St Ives – a popular holiday destination for one of our readers who always reports good weather there.

Land's End was soon in view. We chose the outside route past Longships lighthouse as the inside route looked quite mixed up through binoculars which meant pushing the end of a strong Spring tide. It was slow progress but gave us time to reflect on the time we stood on the shore three years earlier looking out to sea at the lighthouse wondering if we would ever see it from the other side.

Approaching Penzance the wind picked up and the heavens opened dumping all that rain intended for St Ives. Welcome to the South, welcome to Cornwall.

Safe Haven

04Sep13

Admiral Lord Nelson cited the 22 miles of the Milford Haven Waterway as 'one of the greatest harbours in the world' for its depth of water and protection from the weather. It has seen many invading fleets over the centuries either taking cover or preparing for battle. Today, it is a home to the oil and LNG industries with 20% of the UK's energy supplies passing through the port; the fishing, coal, grain and mineral fleets have all but gone. Even with the adornements of refinery chimneys and heavy industry it is still an attractive area as is the whole of Pembrokeshire – However. The wealth, or lack of it, in the adjoining towns and villages does not reflect the vast economy of the energy business. Milford Haven, along with the majority of places we have visited on our journey is far from heading out of recession or even coming close.

Adjacent to Milford Haven is the Castlemartin firing range. Primarily a tank excercise area it is very disconcerting to hear and feel the earth-shaking percussion from shells booming around the haven throughout some days, and nights – when we leave we shall certainly be looking over our shoulders claiming 'right of passage' though I seem to recall even that failed to work for The General Belgrano!

During our stay here we have enjoyed the end of the Summer sunshine whilst awaiting a favourable change in the wind direction for our next stop: Penzance, around Land's End and onto the south coast.

From India to Wales

30Aug13

Farewell Ireland, perhaps we shall revisit one day and see the whole coastline – signing off at Arklow was a bit of a disappointment. With two fair tides and one foul we planned the 17-hour passage as a night sail so that we could see the crab pots on our departure and arrive during daylight to enter the busy Haven.

The forecast for a WSW F3-F4 arrived as promised and once the sails were set all we had to do was defeat the swell coming off the Atlantic. It was almost a perfect sail, we saved an hour on the passage time and the navigation lights of the cross traffic were easily identified in the moonless sky; the Milky Way could be seen in all its glory during our first clear night sky since May. A huge Saga ferry squeezed by us near St David's Head who's watch-leader acknowledged he had seen us after we had called him on the VHF, 'just to make sure!'. Buzzed by dolphins near St Anne's Head we then made a tired entrance into the marina following a 2-hour delay at the lock gates waiting for free-flow – we had missed the previous opening by a mere four minutes – and settled down to a bacon butty and a well deserved rest.

The River Ganges

29Aug13

Arklow. What can be said about Arklow…

A stop we chose to break up the journey south. Just over four hours away we made the best of the southbound stream and arrived early to bag a spot on the Visitors' pontoon. With shallow-depth alarms screaming as we approached we tied up and were pleased we had not decided to try the marina – probably one of the smallest with boats almost shoe-horned into their berths.

The Avoca river was a massive disgrace with the locals ready to show their disapproval as they campaigned in vane for a sewage treatment plant for the adjacent area – 'Do not fall in!', they advised us. Seeing what sort of things floated by left nothing to the imagination. The town itself was past its best with no new investment in the traditional and probably the root cause being the new shopping complex across the river sucking the life blood from the place. An overnight stay was all we needed to catch the next early tide.

The Reading Room

26Aug13

With the combination of a big Spring tide and fickle and variable winds to contend with we have been relaxing in a few days of Summer – 20+ deg C on the odd occasion, wow!

The weekend brought lots of local short-hop visitors to the marina before they disappeared as quickly as they had come with the threat of another working Monday approaching. So, avoiding the hustle and bustle we ventured off along the 5m coastal walk north to Brae casting off our rain gear as the sun finally shone for us. A very enjoyable walk but the destination of Brae had a mixed reaction from us. Everything seemed out of scale: the massive promenade in the bay; the lack of 'normal' seaside paraphernalia; the masses of people; the lack of investment; a large population but a disconnected town; strange. We returned to Greystones where our surroundings and the community were less contrary.

Today we will re-visit the best library reading room we have ever seen with a first-floor, panoramic view over the expanse of the Irish Sea looking back towards good old Blighty, there we will contemplate the weather forecast.

Please Sir…can we stay?

20Aug13

'Nope.'

Kicked out for J24 World Champs we headed south for the new marina at Greystones just South of Dublin Bay.

It was a strange day: hot and sunny start; wind building from the south; awkward 2-3m swell; wind over tide; just 15 miles to travel; sails set well but little progress, the tide our only ally; CH16 then sparked into life. A container vessel ran aground in good conditions on the approach to Dublin and a yacht we had passed travelling north called for immediate assistance – the yacht managed to sort itself out, as for the container vessel 'MV Cielo di San Francisco'…it's now under investigation?

Greystones is still in development and very shiny and new without chart presence – do not be caught out by the short finger pontoons in a F6 approach [there's hindsight] and the current lack of Wi-Fi as promised. There's disquiet in the locals about the development as the previous traditional and picturesque harbour was much loved. Its replacement is pretty sterile and as yet unfinished – the locals are still awaiting their promised health centre and the final phase of completion is not looking imminent. However, it is a welcome port of call close to Dublin though a tad on the expensive side.

Graham & Jenny go to Dublin

19Aug13

Across the Border

18Aug13

Following the forecast 'almost' gale we headed south through the remnants of the swell beating a path towards Dublin; destination Howth if we could find a berth following warnings of possible refusal.

The wind was favourable to begin with and we made the most of our early start but around half way the wind began to ease; we had to motor to make progress weaving between the trawlers. We managed to secure a berth though the place was swarming with club racers involved in the National 'J-class' series.

Dear readers we have noticed, and I'm sure you have too, that some of our blog posts have become more brief as we progress on our journey and less pictorial. A few reasons: Internet time is difficult to acquire at times and sometimes very limited, then weather acquisition becomes the priority; mainly though, the wildlife and landscape are becoming more 'familiar' as we head south and back towards mainland England; our destinations, therefore, are more of a means of making the miles through weather and tidal gates.

Howth contradicts the above comment and is a true gem on the Irish coast. Only nine miles from Dublin it is a picturesque seaside peninsula with a definite European feel; a cafe culture; a rich golfing interest; a healthy fishing port and a distinct contrast to the places visited in Northern Island. We hope to keep our precious berth for as long as possible before making room for the next racing event.

This is…is this England?

15-17Aug13

Ardglass, a small harbour and a popular staging post, it would be a shame to lose Ardglass Marina but it needs some serious investment to survive.

Places we visit are seeming to be more like England but not quite. A location dominated by the Mourne Mountains we cannot help but notice Rowan trees laden with berries; blackberries ripe for picking; Autumn is definitely showing itself; and crazy, crazy bus drivers – there were speed limits we saw them.

It was an extended stay due to the weather but time to move on and head for the 'real' Ireland.

Three-Legged Race

13-14Aug13

Carrickfergus, home of the first King of Ireland and more recently as part of the titles held by William & Kate. It has to be said that it is not the prettiest of places though the marina is well run – despite the silting robbing us of around 0.5m – and an RYA centre for SailAbility.

The wind was forecast for a good sail to Peel on the IOM but as we left the morning was still and warm. As we left the lough the wind picked up and we were off. Unfortunately, we could not quite make the course as there was a little too much east in the wind and as there was a tidal gate to meet timing was essential. As the swell built we had to reassess and we tacked back towards Ardglass. On the approach the mist closed in and we were once again thankful for our AIS system as we were suddenly surrounded by FastCat ferries and tankers sounding their approach but still unseen. The mist finally cleared and the AIS warning triangles on the screen turned into a mass of fishing boats heading in random directions. We managed to keep clear and were soon filling our reserved berth ready for a brew and a hot meal.

No Waterloo

Following some gymnastics to exit from our mooring position we started our passage south to Glenarm. Weaving our way out past the fishing boats and through the narrow entrance we buried the throttle on the engine to avoid an errant ferry and were met with another version of slack water which included an Atlantic swell forcing its way through the bay followed by the delights of 'Fair Head' with its swirling currents. Two other yachts followed us out and used us as guinea pigs for their sail plan and best course to steer. Now readers, this is confession time. It pains us to say this, but, we were overtaken by the French – our only excuse they were a lot lighter than our 10 tonnes. We managed to stay with them for a while and almost threatened a comeback but to no avail despite travelling at over 10kts (SOG); the tidal stream greatly aiding our challenge; we tried but at least we won the cricket.

It was an excellent downwind sail, quite rare for us, F5-F6 under genoa alone we were flying along. Eating up the miles we decided to pass on Glenarm, arrgh smell them cows, and make use of the following wind and the rest of the tidal stream before it turned heading for Carrickfergus on the northshore of Belfast Lough. A couple of brief rain showers later; a quick change of course to avoid a huge P&O FastCat ferry – we didn't have to but thought it wise as he was doing over 30kts and may not have seen us – we were soon tied up at the marina, kettle on, another fine day.

Southbound

10-11Aug13

Head south was the decision. We slipped our buoy at 07h00 and restrained ourselves from ramming the skipper on an adjacent boat who had started his backup generator at 21h00 promising us a good night's sleep!

Our destination Ballycastle on the north shore of Northern Ireland. A tedious journey during which the wind never delivered more than just a few knots and we had to drive across a building Atlantic swell. Crossing the busy shipping lane in the narrow channel between Ireland and Scotland we were on our guard…but for what? it was empty but for a couple of yachts heading for the same destination. The tides around Rathlin Island, just north of Ballycastle, were quite an experience even at their least dramatic during slack water – 2-3kts swirling all around us, SOG between 3 and 7 something in a matter of metres. It was quite a squeeze coming in and the Harbour Master will have his work cut out next week with 25 boats coming in for a rally.

Only 15 miles from Scotland but what a difference, steeped in history from the Vikings to Robbie Burns to Marconi with a landscape a lot kinder and more rural. Hello, Ireland.

Jura Duty

09Aug13

An uncomfortable start to the day; the turning tide setting up quite a pitching motion on the mooring buoy; the rain, hopefully, was beginning to ease. The rain did ease and so did the wind; then it was back. We ended up approaching Jura with two reefs and thinking of three as we approached the harbour. Away from land there were reasonable conditions but the Jura hills were funnelling down the wind to F6 and it made adding a backup line to our chosen mooring buoy quite a task.

We had thought we may have to leave and go elsewhere but where to? – this was supposed to be the place of shelter. Whilst we were pitching up and down and deciding on an escape plan the wind gradually eased and the day turned out quite pleasant; Beinn Shiantaidh dominating the scene with its Tobleronic, scree covered form competing only with the Jura Distillery for the number one spot.

We may be mistaken but there seems to be an early touch of Autumn around, our plans to head south may be justified.

The Missing Centimetre

08Aug13

Some patches re-glued on the dinghy, some unsuccessful autopilot investigative work swapping out the rudder transducer, and a tricky visit to the fuel pontoon before we left for Goat Island and our overnight anchorage. We bid a fond farewell to one of the Yacht Centre's riggers who was quite taken with our Crossbow 40 and to a Swede by the name of Leon Schulz who's refurbishment of a Hallberg-Rassy 46 is documented in this and next month's Yachting Monthly magazine, he has also written a very interesting book about his travels entitled 'The Missing Centimetre'.

Our 'quick' run down to our overnight anchorage was denied with a wind shift which would have made it very uncomfortable so we pressed on for a few more miles down to Crinan and picked up a mooring buoy ready for an early departure to Jura – the island looked very enticing with its Toblerone-like silhouette. It was a calm start to the night and very dark as heavy rain set in and the owls started to hoot.

Far from the madding crowd

07Aug13

Rain. Rain. Rain and more rain. An absolute deluge overnight. The bucket left on deck was overflowing and we were pondering a day of utter misery after a sleepless night listening to the water fall and puddle everywhere it could. The weather can change very quickly up here and once we had left our anchorage the sun started to shine through allowing us to cast off layer after layer of waterproofs.

With little wind forecast we had decided to make progress south and head for Ardfern Yacht Centre at the top of Loch Craignish to get water and electricity for a thorough charging of our batteries. This would be the first 'proper' stop at a pontoon with all the usual accompaniments since Kinlochbervie after Cape Wrath. Despite being a 'Yacht Centre' with a well stocked chandlery it is based in a small village far from the madding crowds – scarecrows were in abundance along the lanes following a recent Arts Festival competition.

The passage took us through the turbulent narrows at Fladda lighthouse and past the infamous Gulf of Corryvreckan, which, with little wind and slack tide appeared quite benign as we passed, from a safe distance. The landscape also changed from the dramatic highlands and foreboding mountains to a more craggy scene with more sky and generally more openness. From here on we shall be getting ready to say a fond farewell to Scotland once we have passed through the rest of the inner isles though a return at some time is probably on the cards to do more justice to the places we have skipped by. Whatever the decision, today we just enjoyed the sunshine.

Probably the best anchorage in the world.

06Aug13

Loch Aline did not induce the same reaction as Salen Bay although it was still a delightful anchorage. The loch is quite short and has more of a parkland feel to it – this was reinforced by a rib towing children at great speeds on inflatable rubber rings around the place. However, it is a good anchorage with amenities should they be needed and is a good stopover or journey breaker.

With wind on the nose Duart Castle soon greeted us with a wind shift at the point and we were able to sail all the way down to Seil and our anchorage at Puilladhrain. Regarded as 'one of the best anchorages in the world' in the guide books our early arrival increased the numbers to four; soon there were eleven of us – it was beginning to turn into a supermarket car parking scenario, the one where wherever you park your car someone always parks next to you. Fortunately, there was little wind and enough swinging room to cater for us all. Very pleasant though it was the scenery was not as dramatic as previous places we had been but well worth a visit nonetheless, a delightful experience.

Bypass

05Aug13

After a peaceful and quiet night we retraced our course back down Loch Sunart in the sunshine, past Tobermory and down the Sound of Mull with the intention of breaking our southbound journey by stopping at Loch Aline on the north or mainland side of the Sound.

The wind was in the wrong direction for both parts of the passage but at least it gave us the chance of recharging the batteries which were gradually needing a bit of a boost – the solar panel and windcharger had done an excellent job over the previous few days but were beginning to struggle with the extra cloud and drop in wind strength.

Dropping down through the Sound of Mull and we were soon experiencing a significant increase in yacht traffic, this [The Sound] being akin to a local bypass, and were expecting a crowded destination. However, once inside the loch we easily found a place to anchor at the head by the castle [Loch Aline] and our first 3G signal for an up-to-date blog since Kinlochbervie just after Cape Wrath.

Salen's Lot

04Aug13

As the weather showed signs of easing we at last we made our escape heading for Loch Sunart and Salen Bay. Just a couple of hours away, a varied course and a pleasant sail. Loch Sunart is a definite 'choice' destination, slightly out of the way but worth every effort.

We claimed the last free mooring buoy though we could have utilised space at the brand new finger pontoons looked after by Mark & Jan who are doing a marvellous job of rejuvenating the jetty www.salenjetty.co.uk.

A walk in the afternoon sunshine around the bay and then through the ancient oak woods for a view down to the head of the loch. Very secluded and some excellent holiday lets in the bay area.

Tourist trap

01-03Aug13

Thursday morning and a mooring buoy became free as some of the less 'partied-out' revellers left early. Upon retrieving the anchor we had found soft to firm grey mud explaining the good holding despite having a mere 5m of chain in contact with the bottom. Our race for a spare mooring buoy was well timed just as a squall blew in and other yachts had had the same idea as us.

Rain, rain and more rain so went the next couple of days, each dinghy journey leaving us soaking wet; everyone around us with itchy feet; a callout for the RNLI justified the staying-put regime; then a quiet night, less wind than expected; time to move on.

Tobermory or is it Ballamory?

31Jul13-01Aug13

Silly o'clock start to try and beat the seagulls to the tip – not really but we wanted to arrive at Tobermory before the charter boats arrived for the weekend change-overs. So, at 05:00 we left in the pre-dawn light trying to catch what wind was forecast before it died for the rest of the passage. As it turned out we were blessed with just enough wind and a swell that helped us along for a change. We made good progress. We managed to avoid the rain showers until we crossed north of Coll and Tiree but there was no rain of any significance to dampen our mood and we even had a brief sighting of the elephantine granite of Ben Nevis; ironically, we could still see the islands of the Outer Hebrides as we approached the north of Coll – we had not caught our first glimpse of Barra on the way out until five miles off.

Tobermory was packed. We pulled alongside the pontoons to take on water and asked the stressed-out Harbour Master why there were so many boats, so many they were rafting 3-up on mooring buoys, apparently we had arrived just as West Highland Sailing Week was in full swing; he advised us to anchor at the other side of the bay as it would be a long night of partying and mayhem!

The anchor set first time after thoroughly scanning the bay for rocks, however, the steep sides meant we could have done with the extra weight of another 25m of chain for peace of mind with the wind forecast to gradually increase – our intentions to grab a mooring buoy as soon as one became free.

Tobermory is on the island of Mull and is south of Ardnamurchan Point – the mainland's most westerly point – passing this marks the next stage of our journey, let us see what the SW of Scotland has to offer.

An Island Parish

29-30Jul13

We took the northern route out from Canna before setting a course for The Island of Barra – we particularly wanted to see this end of the Outer Hebrides since watching the BBC series 'An Island Parish'. Out of the gloom from Rhum the sun began to shine and we saw quite a selection of bird life: a white-tailed eagle soaring at the summit; rare manx shearwaters; storm petrels; and the usual guillemots, puffins, gannets, razorbills and gulls. Under full sail we made excellent progress and were soon on the approach to Castlebay to pick up a mooring buoy; these were not in as good a condition as the previous ones we had used and required a little more work to secure a safe line. With hindsight we may have been better anchoring in the more picturesque Vattersay Bay and coming over the next day to see the capital of the island as a gusty S/SW'ly was due and the overnight ferry with its humming generators.

With brief access to the Internet for a weather update, strong winds forecast, we decided to head back towards the mainland ASAP to prevent getting stuck for the next week. So, to get a quick overview of the rest of the island we took the local bus around Barra's one and only main road. Up the east side where rolling hills and sweeping bends opened up dramatic views as we followed the island's contours. A quick visit to the airport where the beach is used as a landing strip at low water and back down the western Atlantic side with its pristine white sand beaches. Chatting with the bus driver, a local of many years, he had criticism for the many TV programmes made here: although he commented that they were very good he was not so happy with some of the editing as blue sky and sunshine was not really an everyday occurence as was suggested, for our short visit we may have to disagree.

Green Velvet

27-28Jul13

Loch Nevis we left just as the morning fog began to lift. An exodus of boats, and from what we had observed from the previous night, probably a lot of sore heads. The weather was holding in contrast to the radio reports from the mainland and we headed west in the sunshine towards the Small Isles of Eigg, Rum and Canna. We had tried to obtain fuel at Mallaig but it was heaving with charter yachts and the HM advised fuel was only available on weekdays.

A brief sequence of showers accompanied us at a distance and we were able to have a pleasant sail for most of the way on the back of their progress. The Cuillin mountains of Skye looked even more spectacular from the west with the Small Isles, especially Rhum, looking like a miniature version; one of Rhum's beaches was graced with a herd of red deer relaxing on the sands, quite a bizarre spectacle.

After sourcing and curing our phantom noise at Portree we discovered another as we silenced the engine to contiue under sail. The Autopilot has decided to start what can only be described as 'hunting', very small changes in rudder angle, constantly searching for a course; we're not sure yet if it's mechanical or electrical. It can still be used for short periods but damage and undue wear and tear will probably ensue if left as it is so hand steering is on the cards from now on – any suggestions from any techies out there on a postcard please.

This season Canna has ten new mooring buoys which by the end of the day were all filled – the following day late arrivals had to anchor. It is truly a beautiful island, a green velvet landscape and a real gem; a great escape should you need some quiet time.

Smidge that Midge!

26Jul13

Kyle of Lochalsh, though probably well known by many, is not all it may be cracked up to be; we came for showers and a chandlery but neither were as they should be. The chandlery, as most seem to be, was just a DIY shop and the public showers were locked most of the time. Lots of tourists were alighting at the railway station, cameras at the ready, and were very soon looking at each other with an expression of 'Is this it?'.

After raiding the local Co-op we stayed whilst the last of the sunshine faded away before making way into the heavy rain showers south through the Sound of Sleat. As we turned we caught a glimpse of the famous Eilean Donan Castle which has adorned many a chocolate box top then continued on through the mist and drizzle. The mist grew steadily more dense as we turned into Loch Nevis; the ferries heading for Mallaig from Skye only just discernable in the poor visibility.

We intended to grab one of the mooring buoys outside 'The Old Forge' at Inverie Bay, free for patrons – the alternative would mean anchoring and the water would be too deep for our available chain length. As we approached [The Old Forge] we noticed six yachts on our tail [local charters] with one close behind and we could see some buoys were already taken, not knowing how many remained the race was on. Our opponent's downfall was his AIS signature which meant all we had to do was match his displayed speed and we would be victors: job done. The Old Forge is the mainland's remotest pub with no access roads and its only customers arrive by boat or by foot; despite this it was packed! After an excellent meal with Guinness which flowed smoothly all night we were left the task of retrieving the dinghy which we had left a little bit too low on the shoreline for the incoming tide. The midges were out in real force and so wading out and getting wet was the more favourable choice to waiting for the tide to ebb and being eaten alive.

Skyefall

24Jul13

We slipped our mooring buoy and headed out from Portree with a clean prop and the promise of some good sailing as we headed south for Kyle of Lochalsh. No such luck, the wind dropped but we were rewarded with the sight of our first sea eagle [white-tailed eagle] circling the harbour entrance performing for the tourist boats whose patrons pay a lot of money for the same priviledge.

Passing through this spectacular landscape even at our mediocre boat speed is serious retina overload; so much to take in; every few metres a new angle; new shades and textures as the light constantly changes. We sail between Raasay, with its distinctive flat-topped volcanic summit, and Scalpay and then pass under the Skye bridge finding a free space on the pontoon at Kyle to re-vittle the boat before riding the Spring streams through the narrows to the Sound of Sleat and on towards Ardnamurchan Point.

The Phantom Menace

22-23Jul13

An interesting night: when anchoring there is always a slight doubt even when you trust your anchor is well set, especially when the wind swings round 180 degrees possibly pulling the wrong way on the flukes and especially when you are surrounded on three sides by rocky reefs – reefs which look very black and daunting when seen lit only by the moon. However, the anchor held well and we left the bay mid-morning for the short hop to Portree on Skye.

Again there was only light wind to sail but we were in no rush. Under sail and with the engine off for the first time in a while we noticed a new 'knocking' noise at the stern which we concluded was something wrapped around the propeller – a new noise like this one tends to invoke a paranoid reaction and plans were set for all emergency outomes for 'what if'. We had installed a new rope cutter before leaving for such an eventuality and it seems to have achieved its purpose: forward drive was OK despite the knock and after a quick burst of reverse a thump from below then things seemed better. The knock was still there so we kept the speed down, the wind having now dropped, and headed for a mooring buoy at Portee as planned.

In all our books, guides and website descriptions many places have a chandlery though, like here, we have discovered the majority of this information to be well out of date and no such help available. We needed to either dive below ourselves or get help from someone local. Our dive/snorkel gear was none existent and was something we had failed to acquire before leaving; along the way we have tried unsuccessfully to find any such gear at all. The Harbour Master was very curt with us quoting Health & Safety and was very little help. We managed to borrow a mask and fins from an ex-navy man who owns a local B&B (Medina) after asking a local fisherman for ideas – it has to be repeated again that people up here go to great lengths to help with all sorts of problems when you have a genuine problem.

Creating a make-shift wetsuit from thermals and additional layers, the water is still very cold here, the propeller had to be inspected. Some cold-shock prevention with water down the back, a line dropped below the hull from port to starboard to pull down on and to counteract the body's natural bouyancy and it was a quick dive to inspect the situation. Most of what we had inadvertantly picked up had now gone leaving just some fishing line with a weight attached which must have been the cause of the thumping noise.

We have enjoyed being here, exploring and taking some long walks up and around this very verdant side of the country. North West Scotland is far more alive with tourism and is in total contrast with the more rugged and quieter North, the softer and kinder Orkney Islands and the remoteness of Shetland. The weather is now changing and some of the thundery showers have headed our way. Our next stop is south towards Plockton, Lochalsh and the Sound of Sleat providing our phantom noise does not return indicating something more serious. We will not know until we leave and may have to return for further remedies.

Beating the Germans to the Sun-loungers

21Jul13

Bright sunshine and another passage made in totally calm conditions. After passing through the channel between Rona and Raasay we then had to negotiate the reefs at the entrance to Acairseid Mhor, challenging but not too stressful in such benign conditions. We anchored on only the second attempt, good for us, and had managed to bag the prime spot by arriving early – all a cunning plan but successful by only a few minutes. There were already half a dozen smaller boats here along with some canoeists who had made camp at the shoreline – some foreigners but no Australians around with whom to discuss the cricket.

Once settled we rowed the dinghy the short distance to the jetty, made much longer by our poor technique: left a bit, right a bit, before walking to the top of the island for the magnificent views to Skye and the mainland.

What a Difference a Day Makes.

19-20Jul13

Arriving at Flowerdale we were unable to moor on the small pontoon for lack of space and smaller boats preventing us rafting. So, we trundled round to Loch Sheildaig about a mile away noticing there was space in an optional anchorage on the way. We picked up one of the six available blue and white mooring buoys and were immediately glad we had been diverted. Flat calm, serene and we could hear the boat's clock ticking below deck; a beautiful bay with some small islands scattered around and an abundance of wildlife to observe. This had been the first day of true sunshine for us and what a treat, Summer at last.

Adjacent to our mooring was a nest with four grey heron chicks almost ready to claim their independence; they would leave for a while during the day but return again to roost in the late evening their parents taking less and less interest in their demanding calls. In the early hours we spotted sea otters running along the banks and grey seals would occasionally poke their noses clear of the water near the boat to see what was going on.

At last we had occasion to launch the dinghy and ventured off over to Flowerdale where we took the tourist 'easy walk' up to a local waterfall, a pleasant wander in the sunshine and probably more impressive with more rainy conditions; the higher we walked the more the midges made their presence known especially a brutish type which had a particularly painful bite. All-in-all a very pleasurable stay, next stop we hope to anchor in a small bay on the Island of Rona.

One of Those Days

18Jul13

Today was gremlin day. For some reason the sails would not set properly despite trying every variation we could think of and so we had to settle for a longer journey by being under powered for most of the way – a problem we still have to resolve. The engine struggled to start when needed and the wind and swell were coming from all the wrong angles for our course. However, we finally made our escape from Kinlochbervie and arrived in Lochinver in the early evening with some fine and sunny weather from the South making the passage more pleasurable.

From a secure pontoon mooring we were soon alerted to the clattering sounds of ice being launched down a chute into the salmon despatching shed. Fish, fresh off the boat, were being prepared for their journey by road to the Continent by a team of French fishermen. Thankfully, the work ended before the wee small hours.

A quick sortie into the village for some provisions and gas before leaving and we would be ready to start making much shorter hops between the many lochs, bays and islands that adorn this part of Scotland – the views of the Highlands from the water are incredible; views from the land tend only to be up. Progressing south there are now many more walkers and tourists and we are preparing ourselves for more boat traffic at our future destinations. Our passage to Lochinver looks like having been our last day of wind, for a few days at least. Next stop Loch Gairloch and Flowerdale Bay where we can moor free of charge after paying our dues at Lochinver.

Fifty Shades of Grey!

We have been travelling now for 2 months and I thought it was high time for a 'Jenny post' for those of you that may interested in another take on our lives aboard Arbablest. Fifty Shades of Grey is a most appropriate description of our experience to date. However, not, as some of my closer friends would be thinking, by way of reference to last year's bestselling paperback!.

I knew that by heading North we would be foregoing the prospect of spending our days sailing along in light airs basked in sunshine, but I had not imagined just how 'grey' our world was to become on an almost daily basis. A day can be anything from 'a really dark grey' to a 'misty grey day' or sometimes just 'not as grey as yesterday', however we describe it to each other we cannot avoid the dreaded word grey. We are most envious of you all as you enjoy a wonderfully hot and sunny summer further South. I did dispense with my thermals in mid June but we are still wearing several layers and waterproofs to keep warm even when just going out for a walk. One of our most consitent disappointments has been the number of landmarks and 'sights' that we have missed seeing along the East Coast and in the Orkney and Shetland Isles due to them being shrouded in mist.

Enough of moaning about the weather, what about other aspects of our everyday domestics.....

Our first two weeks on board were perhaps the most challenging from a personal point of view. Graham and I had to get used to being together 24 hours a day and to working the boat efficiently between us. There were times when I'm sure that we both wished we could just walk on water to allow us a few minutes of 'time out'. We are both quite strong characters but on any boat their can only be one Skipper! We accommodate this by sailing within the comfort zone of the person who is least happy about a situation. If one of us is unhappy about a particular anchorage or with sailing in certain weather conditions then that is what we work to. This works well for us, there is little or no confrontation (how boring I hear you say!) and no recriminations if things do go wrong. To Graham's delight he discovered a new saying hanging on a gift shop wall in Kirkwall. Along the lines of 'I would agree with you but then we would both be wrong!' it is one that has yet to be used in retort.

Our sailing days are the best. We wake at whatever time is necessary to catch a favourable tide. Anything after 4am is OK with me and we are often rewarded with some beautiful early morning views and wildlife. A quick cup of tea and a few cereals and we are off. Food in small but regular amounts is a big part of breaking up the day and is our best antidote to possible seasickness. We usually have a bowl of porridge with dried fruit a couple of hours into the sail and lunch on a chilly day is often a hot homemade pasty with a cup of Bovril. I will have prepared something beforehand for supper en route or when we arrive at our destination eg a pasta dish or spicy curry – something quick and easy to have ready. I bake a cake every week to have with afternoon tea and we have enjoyed several homemade soups and bread along the way. Needless to say we have not yet managed to loose any weight despite our more active lifestyle!

Days tied up at a pontoon are OK if there are not too many of them in succession. We spend our time doing odd jobs on the boat as they arise, Graham is a whizz as far as the electrics and mechanics of the boat are concerned, and we catch up on shopping, cooking and laundry. We walk most days to explore the surrounding countryside and sometimes catch a local bus to take us 'sightseeing' further afield and back again. A lot of our time is spent reading up on places to visit, deciding where to go and then with an eye to the weather forecasts and tides we prepare a passage plan for the next leg of our journey.

Our day to day routine sounds pretty simple and perhaps to some a bit boring. However, we are having the time of our lives. Each day delivers new sights and sounds of our beautiful country. We have met some really super people from all different walks of life. Contrary to the preconceived ideas of some that sailing is for an elite group it is in practice a great social leveller. A group of people talking on a pontoon are not judged by the size or perceived cost of their respective boats. Their talk is of the journey that they have just made or where they are heading, a favourite anchorage or request for advice from others as to how to fix something on their boat. We have met with all sorts of folk to date and have always found them to be incredibly friendly and down to earth. We can sometimes spend hours over several days talking to someone and never actually getting to know their names. We may refer to them as 'ketch couple', 'wooden boat man' or 'the Oyster 47s', names and personal lives/issues seem comfortably irrelevant.

Whenever we stop somewhere new I am keen to learn about the history of that particular local economy, how it works and survives today and the daily lives of those living there. There's usually someone local that is willing to humour me and we have learnt so many interesting things on our journey to date.

The downside of our 'life away from home' is that I do miss the company of my family and friends. We have been fortunate to have telephone and 3G signal for most of the time but it is no substitute for giving a big reassuring hug and a good natter.

We are looking forward to the next phase of our journey South to explore the Inner Hebrides. I really do hope that the sunny weather is still around when we get down there.

On the Wings of Love!

Its time to bid farewell to Kinlochbervie probably the best protected port on the NW coast. The Atlantic swell that has been keeping us here is now subsiding though, unfortunately, the wind strength is fading too; seems its all or nothing but we will be glad of some warmth. Tomorrow we should have made some progress towards Skye.

We have met some very interesting people here including, at one point, being stood in a group that all had claim to belonging to Lincolnshire and the locale! 'The Container Gallery' was another bonus with direct links to Stephen Pearson the artist who painted 'Wings of Love' in the 70's made infamous by 'Abigail's Party' and 'Coronation Street'.

Howzat!

With the challenge of a building Atlantic swell on the nose for our exit we may have to make ourselves more familiar with Kinlochbervie for a while longer – at least we've been able to enjoy the cricket. Furthermore, whilst everyone else appears to be bathing in suntan oil and throwing prawns on the BBQ spare a thought for us up here in the NW reaching for the extra thermal layer!

Square One

Our plans for a short, casual meander south down to Loch Laxford all went well until we entered the loch itself. Quite a large, short swell had built up making the sailing uncomfortable but OK for a short passage. However, upon arrival as we proceeded down the loch our intentions of anchoring for the night were thwarted once again by the multitude of fish farms and crab pots now established in every available space – these fish farms are to be expected as they make a lot of money for the locals, but the litter of crab pots?

Whilst the scenery and grandeur of the surrounding loch was impressive, and not to be missed, our backup destination was now too far away and would mean fighting through the building swell which we had just left behind. It was easier and more sensible to retrace our steps for the short journey back to Kinlochbervie. Despite the sense of 'going backwards' haunting us our spirits were soon lifted when we were suddenly joined by a pod of around 50 common dolphins surfing and jumping clear of the water around our bow wave; they were about to go on a feeding frenzy with gannets diving into the mayhem. Sometimes, revisiting somewhere can have its rewards.

Cape Wrath!

Approaching Cape Wrath

A relaxing morning, casual breakfast, a few jobs then we realised our late night passage plan was at fault...'Is that a plus or minus on the hour to leave?', Oops! A quick departure and full sail up the loch. We were soon reefing down and feeling our way towards the peninsula. Seas can quickly build up here but we were able to handle the moderate sea state by keeping off by about 3 miles; the lack of wind over the previous days had certainly helped our cause. Heading south now we were able to slide between the white caps as the apparent wind picked up to F6 and enjoy the coastline as Cape Wrath gradually disappeared and another 'hvarf' [see 'Back in the Saddle'] had been achieved.

We surfed into Loch Inchard on the gradually reducing swell heading for our anchorage. Unfortunately, this was occupied by the now ubiquitous crab pots which would have hindered our swinging room and so we headed across the loch into Kinlochbervie: a small fishing port with some recently installed pontoons where we rafted alongside a Dutch Allures 40 whose crew were waiting to make the reciprocal passage we had just completed.

Dead Calm

The first part of our passage was to take us through the perilous Burgar Rost of Eynhallow Sound [Rost is a local term for very rough and turbulent water caused by strong tides over a shallow and narrow gap]. Our timing was spot on for a safe route through but the lack of wind and calm sea state made for a very undramatic event; no complaints though.

Again mist and fog shrouded the mainland and we had poor visibility for the first few hours. We had intended to hug the coastline as far south as we could but we decided to head away from land on a more direct course to try and escape the mist and fog; this turned out to be good decision. From our position away from the Islands we had a fantastic view of the Old Man of Hoy piercing the solid white fog line with ethereal majesty; a sight we would have missed on our original course.

Chug, chug, chug went the engine as we headed direct for our destination: Scotland; the sea in a mirror-like state except for the slight Atlantic swell. The wind never materialised and so there was more chug, chug, chug all the way to the entrance to Loch Eriboll [15 miles east of Cape Wrath]. Our intended anchorage was 5 miles into the loch and we noticed an immediate increase in air temperature from the heat radiating from the land – heat, something missing from Orkney and Shetland.

Our anchor set on the fourth attempt after previously behaving more like a kelp and weed rake, we stopped the engine and we were then left to enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings...silence.

Back in the Saddle

We bid farewell to Kirkwall and made our way back north to the same mooring buoy we had left more than two weeks ago. Our stay in Kirkwall had been a pleasant one; some running repairs undertaken and many new acquaintances in and around the marina. The end of June was very busy with many boats arriving from Norway, Sweden and Germany many having to raft and all expertly done – at the risk of upsetting the entente cordiale the one French boat that arrived just happened to choose us to raft against and promptly broke our newly repaired guard wires; we will just say we were pleased when they left.

Still awaiting its 4-man crew to return was an ocean-going rowing boat. The crew have currently returned home for a break on their way to Iceland after a gruelling start to their challenge when at one point they had to row for 13 hours just to stay in the same place! See more at northatlanticrow.com.

Part II of our journey now beckons and the Hebrides our destination. On to Loch Eriboll at the NW of Scotland and if the weather is fair Cape Wrath then south and down the west coast. Cape Wrath does not mean Angry Cape: Wrath is a corruption from the Norse word 'hvarf', meaning 'turning place', the point where Vikings used to turn east for home or south to the Hebrides.

Kirkwall Captives

Waiting for the next weather window before we leave Orkney we've decided to take a week out and do 'normal' things.

Summer should arrive soon, or so they say, and we can then move onto the next chapter of our journey.

Ferries and Fishermen

Southbound from Rousay and through Vassa Sound once again shrouded in mist. Our passage plan was again spot on for an easy passage through the sound. We chose the main buoyed channel in preference to the inside route knowing full well our visual transit to Kirkwall Cathedral would be obscured. At one point we shared the narrow channel with a northbound ferry still transmitting his AIS data as 'Moored', destination 'Kirkwall [the other way]' and speed 9 kts! – not quite MCA practice I'm sure. What really made us more angry though were the crab pots in the same narrow channel marked only by 5 litre black or dark blue oil cans almost completely submerged by the strong tide, not something to get tangled in with rocks and shallows both sides; these would have been totally invisible at night.

Anyhow, back to Kirkwall for protection from the strong northerlies and a return to fender juggling before planning our next sortie.

Misty Island Hop

We left Stronsay with a good breeze to sail and followed the local ferry out down the channel retracing our steps from the previous passage before turning across the main tidal flow, the Westray & Stronsay Firths; direction Rousay and Trumland Pier.

Our passage plan for the strong cross currents was spot on and we had a smooth sail all the way spoilt only by the low cloud and drizzle which hid from us another section of beautiful coastline. The wind began to pick up upon our arrival and a place on the pier we declined in favour of a mooring buoy; there we could sit it out until the wind backed to a more favourable direction to prevent getting bashed onto the pier pilings.

The mooring buoy was a wise though not particularly popular choice, Rousay has been seen only briefly through the mist and rain and the prospect of staying another day will be denied by the strong winds forecast. We shall have to seek cover and probably head for the security of Kirkwall again though even there there is little protection from the north.

All arms and legs

21Jun13

In a flat calm we slipped away from our mooring buoy and headed for Whitehall pier between Stronsay and Papa Stronsay. We jumped on the south-going stream in the early hours and were soon doing 7 knots with the engine on tickover. The lack of wind enabled us to clearly observe the twisting local tides turning the water in all directions trapping shoals of fish for the sea birds and threatening dangerous situations for the unwary on a more 'lively' day. The tidal streams around Orkney are some of the strongest in the British Isles and demand complete respect.

Whitehall, as with many of the harbours along our journey, grew from the herring trade long since gone and Stronsay is described as being 'all arms and legs' with its many deep bays which bite into the land; the small island Papa Stronsay is once again the home for Orkney's monks and their accommodation blocks can be clearly seen from the pier. Stronsay has a different 'feel' to Westray, it is now more of a farming community with its low profile and verdant landscape.

Many of these islands can be tranquil one moment and manic the next as the Ro-Ro ferries arrive, load and unload the commuting public and then disappear once again leaving the scene all within a few minutes; a vital link to the community – tomorrow is the inter-island sports meeting to be held on Westray and extra ferries have been laid on for all the children.

We are currently moored on the pier wall and making the best of the space left by a 'permanent' visitor who is using the only electric point available and making access difficult for everyone with a floating-fendered tripping line to a side anchor, cunningly disguised as a lobster pot marker; our treasured fender board is taking a bashing so tomorrow we shall head towards the south-western isles and towards Rousay and see what we can discover there.

Dragging weed

20Jun13

After leaving Pierowall we had tried anchoring in two locations around the Isle of Eday but failed miserably as masses of kelp prevented our anchor setting and just resulted in a mass of greenery attached to the flukes which took a long time to clear; not a good situation to be in whilst drifting freely on the wind and tide fearing to engage the propeller for fear of becoming entangled with 20m of trailing seaweed.

Thankfully, there has been a lot of investment by Orkney Islands Council to encourage visitors with the building of new piers and the improvement of established harbours including the provision of mooring buoys in the high season. So, another night on a mooring buoy and another tranquil night free of charge in comparison to some of the increasing marina rates – though a ticket may still be needed for overnight mooring – this should encourage the visitor to spend money in the local community which we are pleased to do.

More buoy

19Jun13

Pierowall is a friendly place with the locals going out of their way to help the visitor to their shores. The following morning we pulled into the marina, once Moby Dick had made his exit, then wandered around the shoreline making the most of the local amenities around the bay including an excellent supply of fresh fish; the monkfish was particularly tasty with a glass of wine and the setting sun over a beautiful bay once safely back on our mooring buoy.

We prefer Orkney to Shetland, they both have their merits but Orkney appeals to the romantic. When the sun shines it exudes a sense of belonging, pushes the rest of the world out and simply says, this is what it should all be like.

So when does the fun start?

18Jun13

With the rocky sandstone crags eerily clad in mist and the locals well into their daily tasks we slipped lines at 07h30 to clear space for the ferry and headed off for Orkney...

...hindsight can be a wonderful thing and so can having an up-to-date weather forecast. With no mobile signal and no VHF reception we were working from a forecast acquired the previous day enroute from Brae. Despite there being a neap tide and a low tidal coefficient a big sea soon built up. Wind 'with' tide, as we had, is supposed to be less of a beast but not this time. Sea state was supposed to be moderate at worst [1.25m-2.5m] we had rough [2.5m-4.0m] and more. By the time we had cleared Foula, with no space to return, we decided our best option was to keep going on our planned route which was safer than battling against it all to retreat back north; there were no obstacles in our path so we carried on. The wind was not particulary strong but the sea state was mixed and difficult to deal with. Most of the big breaking waves we could anticipate and ride over but as usual there was the odd random set which was larger and more challenging, launching us up in the air to land down with jets of water shooting up through the scuppers (cockpit drains) giving us a good drenching. We could only make safe progress on one tack, the other tack would allow breaking waves on the beam of the boat which could knock us over, so we had to sail a little further than desired away from our destination. However, the wind and waves decreased as predicted (this time) on the approach to Orkney and we were able to safely tack and correct our earlier loss of mileage, thankfully before we reached South America.

Our bonus five hours gained by visiting Foula were all lost as our 11 hour passage turned into a 16 hour pounding. Approaching Pierowall [Westray] in the ambient light of midnight all the pontoons were occupied, we also noticed the presence of the notorious 25m German ketch 'Moby Dick' renowned for rafting onto smaller boats and being a general nuisance, so we grabbed a visitor's mooring buoy just outside the harbour, thanked Arbalest for looking after us and then Zebedee said, 'Time for bed.'

Foula

17Jun13

Following some quick research we decided to break the journey from Brae back to the Orkneys by stopping off at the Island of Foula which is just west of the Shetland mainland; this also served the benefit of reducing the passage by five hours. Very light winds would probably mean motoring all the way but had the added benefit of making the passage past Papa Stour more comfortable. We past the WWII gun emplacements opposite Muckle Row and were soon past Papa Stour with just a little swell to contend with. We could see Foula in the distance and our anticipation grew as its five dramatic peaks loomed above the horizon. Ham Voe on the east side is a tiny harbour and entrance and the pier wall a mere 30m in total.

We had been advised to raft up against an old 35ft Liverpool class life boat keeping well away from Foula's Mail boat launching crane -- kept out of the water to protect it from the severe storms which can blast through. The Mail boat is very important to the islanders and allows them independence from the mainland; times when the the boat has been based there [the mainland] has seen the economy and population suffer.

Safely moored we had time for a quick coastal walk up to the war memorial through the cottongrass and sea-pinks to the foot of the 418m Da Sneug. Wildlife a plenty on the way with seals basking at the shoreline and the magnificent 'vvv' sound of diving Snipe marking their territory. The peat soil and wild landscape was alive with nesting birds, the Bonxies [Great Skuas] and Skootie Allens [Arctic Skuas] being very prolific. We are very pleased to have made the effort to come here as it is another magical place only a privileged few get to see; we wish we could have spent more time exploring.

Anyhow, we must move on and make room for the Mail boat to be launched and so next stop NW Orkney and hopefully by sail.

Insomnia

When we made the decision to head for Shetland we were aware of the possibility that we may get stuck here if the weather took a turn for the worse; Brae with it's breakwater was our retreat. We did not expect to get trapped here with 'good' weather. The high pressure systems continue to play around teasing us with favourable wind and then changing at the last minute or bringing fog with near zero visibility along our proposed route. The sun, despite being around for most of the day in these higher latitudes is not warming the sea which is still hovering around the 10C mark, ideal for fog banks; good vis' here often means poor vis' towards our destination. We are loathed to motor-sail all the way back to Orkney especially as it can become very unpleasant if the sea state builds; a situation better dealt with by sail. At least we have Internet access here so we can constantly monitor the weather.

The long hours of daylight up here make for a very atmospheric end to the day as the ambient light creates an ethereal mood; a film director's dream, an extended 'magic hour'. Whilst nowhere near as extreme as Alaska it reminds me of the Christopher Nolan film 'Insomnia' with Al Pacino in which he struggles to sleep in the constant daylight. We have had to add extra blackouts to the port lights to help prevent us from waking at silly-o'clock every morning; it does not always work. When we were on Fair Isle we asked one of the locals, a crofter, how they dealt with the extended darkness at the opposite end of the year and their response was to say that they looked forward to it for a rest after working such long hours during the Summer months.

We were going to make a break for it today which has now turned into tomorrow or maybe Tuesday, perhaps we shall just have to bite the bullet?