Blog

Monday 3rd August

On Thursday the forecast was such that it made sense to wait a day, when the winds would be more favourable, before going to St Kilda. Friday. Disaster ! Having left the anchorage at 5am and sailed for 6 hours on a beat, in moderate conditions, we were over half way there with about 20nm…

Wednesday 29th July

Saturday 25th July. Chris and Brian joined me yesterday afternoon and we spent the night on a mooring in Arisaig bay. It was somewhat bouncy with a fresh SW wind and mile long fetch. In the morning the wind had veered to W making a passage west toward the Outer Hebrides untenable, so instead we…

Wednesday 24th July

Sunday 19th July.  Left the anchorage at Kallin an hour before HW to make my way back out through the narrow channel.  As I came into the main buoyed channel there was an enormous ocean going maintenance vessel which had lifted out one of the nav marks, he was maintaining exact position with multiple bow…

Saturday 18th July

I stayed four days on Berneray, rarely do I spend so long in one place, but the island is a real gem. From the stunning beaches to the local hospitality, the history to the natural world, its a place that makes you think why go anywhere else. Of course the weather helped, I had four…

Monday 13th July

Wednesday 8th July, 0600 start today with a view to being close to the entrance of the Sound of Harris when the tidal stream starts NW. However low cloud and mist made visibility very poor as I threaded my way out of East Loch Tarbert, through a multitude of rocks and skerries. Thank goodness for…

Friday 3rd July.   Another day of strong SW to W winds forecast so staying within the archipelago of islands and lochs for shelter.  I thread my way out of the anchorage through channels, some only a couple of boat lengths wide, seals lazing on the rocks nearby.  I cross over Loch Erisort where I’m briefly exposed to gusts…

Thursday 2nd July

Monday 29th June. After a day anchored off Broadford sitting out 40kt winds I was glad to be able to make tracks towards the final destination of Outer Hebrides.   I needed to refuel before crossing the Minch and had planned to go into Portree, but with a forecast of SW F5 all day it seemed like…

Sunday 28th June

On Wednesday I returned to Sea Orchid with Stewart. He had last been to Armadale in the early 2000s we vaguely thought, when I had chartered an old Nicholson 32 for a week, and with two others we had cruised around the Sound of Sleat.   I was relieved to find the dinghy still lashed to the…

Sunday 24th May

Monday 18th with a light southerly wind we weighed anchor and set off north from Rum bound for Loch Harport on Skye. It was a fine day and the outer Hebrides appeared on the horizon. Turning into the approaches to Harport we could see Macleods Maidens distant on the port side, three towering rock stacks.…

Monday 18th May

Saturday 9th May. Sailed from Loch Moidart 10nm west to Eigg in a N wind F4. Put a reef in the main to see how it would set and all looked good. Just as I was leaving the entrance to Moidart a white tailed sea eagle flew low directly overhead. These enormous birds are now…