Monday 25 July 2011
Saturday 23 July 2011
Corryvrechan astern
After a very peaceful night in 'The Bay of Pigs' just south west of the infamous whirlpool we are now enjoying a lovely beam reach across to Colonsay in glorious sunshine. Still a bit nippy in this northerly breeze but we are not complaining!
Tuesday 5 July 2011
Approaching Ardmaddy Bay, Seil Sound
Not quite our intended destination but home territory all the same. Just past the 1000nm mark.
Approaching Ardmaddy Bay, Seil Sound
Not quite our intended destination but home territory all the same. Just past the 1000nm mark.
Monday 4 July 2011
Gallanach Bay, Isle of Muck
What a lovely spot. A little nerveracking entering the bay with a reef to port and a rock to starboard. The main chartplotter didn't have much detail, my phone had more and has been very useful this trip as it uses Navionics whilst our main one C-Map. So it was good old transits that came into play apparently going the job.
Wild horses, with goal, on the beach masses of seals and just to taunt the sea spaniel the sound of pheasants!
A very peaceful night was had in the company of just two other boats.
Sunday 3 July 2011
Stunning weather for now.......
You don't often have hours as good as this, I won't say days or even mornings as I'm not quite sure how long it will last!
Had a fab meal at the Old Forge. I had possibly the best seafood platter I've ever had and it was all locally caught/sourced.
Sailing up The Sound of Sleat and intending to overnight on the island of Muck. We will then be poised to round Ardnamurchan Point tomorrow morning and then make our way down the west coast of Mull.
Saturday 2 July 2011
We have spent most the afternoon sailing
Finally we've been able to do some sailing. Little in the way of breeze but beautifully flat water in the Sound of Sleat. Having made a quick diesel stop in Armadale we are making the short hop across to The Old Forge at Inverie which claims to be mainland Britain's most remote pub, as featured in Three Men in Another Boat. I'm not expecting mobile reception so photo to follow!
Will it fit?!
Can't believe that its been over 3 weeks since we sailed under in the other direction. Hope we are back again before too long.....
Acairseid Mhor, Rona
All of a sudden we are back in the thick of it. We've not really seen many boats at all, except when we have visited the likes of Stromness or Lerwick so it came as a bit of a shock to arrive into this anchorage this evening and have to refresh our south coast anchoring skills, there were 7 other boats here and there are now 8. Still its another fabulous spot and I hope we've managed to find a suitable space!
Visitors
Our afternoon was brightened up by the spotting of dome dolphins approx 100m away making their way across the Inner Sound towards Skye, sadly they weren't in a sociable mood. About an hour later the first mate heard a splash and before we knew it we were inundated with dolphins. They spent 10-15 minutes darting back and forward across our bow and jumping out of the water. As you might imagine this was all too much for a certain sea spaniel who literally couldn't contain himself!
Friday 1 July 2011
A lovely day.
Another beautiful day here. We even sailed a whole 11nm in 3 hours until ee had to concede defeat and use the engine once more (who said sailing wasn't Eco friendly?!).
Considered numerous plans and have decided to head for Acairseid on Rona.
Tomorrow we will head back to the Skye Bridge and Kyle Rhea, submarines permitting!
Thursday 30 June 2011
Top tip
Reduce bedding drying in your cabin by remembering to check the forehatch is closed before setting sail!
Not the most productive of days
This morning started well. Sunshine & showers (of the gel & shampoo type) a leisurely departure with full tanks and one reef in the main, just in case. We left the very sheltered Kinlochbervie to find the reef wasn't needed so out it came. A couple of tacks and we had cleared the rocky entrance and we settled down on the port tack we then proceeded to 'bounce up & down in the same hole' as not for the first time this holiday the sea left over by the previous windy weather was confused and the wind too little to help us power through it. Some showers have provided dome respite, from the need to motorsail, but sadly only briefly. Even the Old Man of Stoer looked suitably dour as we went by! First Mate is now creating in the galley and our ETA in Isle Ristol is about 1900. Had the forecast conditions of a force 4 north westerly been accurate we should have had a cracking day. I only hope that the upcoming forecast of a southerly is equally so!
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Kinlochbervie
We decided at about 0600, when we were only making 2 knots in the wrong direction attempting to continue to Stornoway with a spaniel that was desperate for a pee, that we should tack and head for Kinlochbervie.
The day had consisted of an arrival beer, tidy up then SLEEP!
Now out for T's Official Birthday supper in local hotel.
Cheers!
Night passage from Orkney
<p>Well when I say night officially at 0015 it is but as the sun set an hour and forty five minutes ago and its due up at 0410 I think this is about as dark as it will become tonight. I wonder whether I shall see the 'green flash' again, as I did on our crossing to Orkney, at sunrise? We are 14 nm ENE of Cape Wrath lighthouse which we've been able to see for the last ten miles or so. Sadly we are currently motorsailing, which is an improvement on just motoring but is necessary in order that we make it around the corner before the tide turns against us at about 0500. So far we've used about a third of a tank since leaving Stromness so I'm glad I topped up. The sea has been pretty lumpy with a large swell at times so the engine has been working quite hard. The fact the tachometer packed up about ten days ago isn't too helpful. First Mate and unusually the ship's dog, I say that because he usually hates the possibility he might miss something, are both on crewrest. Destination? Not sure yet. If we can sail we might just continue and head over to Stornoway if not it will be back to Kinlochbervie to fill up! Trust you are all sleeping well!
Monday 27 June 2011
A good night's sleep in Stromness
We anticipate being at sea tomorrow night so a quiet one tonightand a lazy start tomorrow morning, seaweed depending!
My favourite start to the day......
First time for about a week we awoke to beautiful blue sky. Cup of tea then.........
The heads is blocked AGAIN! Thankfully about an hour of fault finding proved it to be the inlet not outlet! A long piece of seaweed attached to a pemble the exact same size as the pipe had been pumped in. My usual trick of blasting air down it with the dinghy pump didn't work so apart it came. 4 hours late we are on our way (code 41!).
Sunday 26 June 2011
Fair Isle
A much quieter/drier morning. We are just awaiting the useful tide as opposed to the very unhelpful one. The fact they keep their mail boat in its noust gives you an idea what the weather can be like here. Orkney next or maybe further depending on progress.....
Saturday 25 June 2011
Friday 24 June 2011
Out Skerries
After an 'interesting' arrival, through the gap between the lighthouse and the island, we had a very peaceful evening (if a little rolly) listening to the swell crashing on those rocks astern of us!
Now enroute to 'the smoke' in other words Lerwick the capital of Shetland. Our journey is scheduled to continue South as we make our way slowly back to Ardfern over the next ten days or so. We are hoping to spend tomorrow night in North Harbour Fair Isle. Looking at the forecast we are in for a text book slog into strong SW winds towards Cape Wrath and beyond!
Thursday 23 June 2011
The 1st Mate's Birthday Card!
Well its rain & showers, which is a considerable improvement on last year when we were in Castlebay, Barra. Bound today for Out Skerries and possibly also West Lunna Voe?
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Tuesday 21 June 2011
The Longest Day
In fact the timing of sunrise and sunset here is 0329/2240 for the 20th 22nd & 23rd.
We had quite a peaceful night and keeping the dinghy on deck works as a very handy blackout so hence we didn't stir until as late as 0830.
It's taken until 11 am for the sun to appear and we are thinking of popping around to Balta Sound to pick up some water and diesel, that heater has been earning its keep(5mins after I wrote this it was brought to my attention that it had gone out and it appears to have run out of fuel!).
We sort of have the feeling we are starting to head south again, though we are not intending to leave Shetland until the 26th. We therefore have a few more nights to explore etc. which is great. Everything is going well with Tiptoe and the wind generator and solar panel are keeping the cool box power consumption at bay! So far we have covered about 475 nautical miles.
The fair tide approaches so I shall sign off. My Blogger app appears to be the issue with photos so some more are on Facebook, if you can cope with the other nonsense!
Location : Shetland Islands,
Posted by Tiptoe!
Monday 20 June 2011
We ve now officially been to the most Northern part of the UK
Sorry for the lack of photos but struggling with Shetland's mobile signal!
Well we've been around Muckle Flugga and its outstack and it was great. Gannets, fulmars, great skuas and puffins everywhere. We were hoping to stay the night close by but the forecast of a moderate northerly breeze made it untenable. We ve therefore carried on to Harold's Wick which is just ten miles or so further and on the east coast of Unst.
Time for a beer!
Slightly brighter today
It was a dreich old day yesterday as we beat upwind from Papa Stour to Easter Wick, which is to be found right at the northern tip of Mainland Shetland. We had a very peaceful night anchored in the most beautiful coloured water and under a watchful 7 sets of eyes, those of the seals.
This morning is drier and the vis has improved. The wind has veered a tad and is now in the N/NE 5-6 and guess what our courses is?!
Anyway a visit to the far north of Unst is our goal, I'm not mentioning the name of the lighthouse until we ve circumnavigated it!
Saturday 18 June 2011
Friday 17 June 2011
Wednesday 15 June 2011
Sunset 4 hours before sunrise
We ve safely arrived in Pierowall Harbour on the island of Westray in Orkney. A somewhat full on sail after a ponderous start. Fantastic sunset followed by an equally food sunrise, separated by just over 4 hours and it never actually went close to dark. Bacon sarnies now then bed!
Monday 13 June 2011
It's brightened up!
Do the diesel heater was in bits over lunch, due water contamination of the thankfully separate tank. All going well now, apart from blowing out in the bigger squalls that is. Still the sun is sort of out!
Holed up in Loch Inchard!
We ve been quite fortunate with the weather up until now and we ve made reasonable progress from Ardfern (PA31 8QN) to Loch Inchard (IV27 4RN) postcodes included should you care to use Google maps/earth etc.!
Today the 'vigorous' low that the met office has been mentioning for days is making its presence felt here just south if Cape Wrath. As a result we must wait for a suitable improvement (maybe tomorrow lunchtime?) before we can continue northwards on to Orkney or possibly Shetland. Having seen the synoptic chart I suspect it may be the former before the next depression arrives soon after this current one. So today is to be filled with passage planning and dueling with my old friend the diesel heater!
Sunday 12 June 2011
Saturday 11 June 2011
A beautiful evening in the Summer Isles!
Not the best of sailing days as we motored for 5.5 hours or just over half of it. We did however have a ten minutes dolphin encounter so all was not lost. Sunset tonight 2222!
Safely through The Skye Bridge
At 1725 yesterday after a great sail including cheating, an admittedly neap tide through Kyle Rhea. We then sailed under the Skye bridge against a foul tide with a flukey breeze. Lovely peaceful night otter watching in the Crowlin Islands.
Friday 10 June 2011
A sunny start but a variable forecast
I had just started writing our forecast down when the latest came through at 0545 this morning. A pleasant S backing SE 4-5 has become SW 5-7!
Thursday 9 June 2011
Tobermory
Well 9 hours from Dorus Mor. Mainly on the wind, occasionally gusting 30+ knots. On the other hand we had to motor for half an hour or so due to lack of wind! Had some torrential downpours but now having a well deserved arrival beer in the sun!
Wednesday 25 May 2011
Thursday 28 April 2011
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