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 a good opportunity to head north. After confirming with the Harbour Master at Flowerdale in Loch Gairloch, that he had fuel, I set course for there. I also checked with Range Control in the Inner Sound that there was no weapons testing there, as if there had been then I would have had to take the Sound of Raasay instead. 25 miles and 6 hours later I sailed into Loch Gairloch and made for the narrow channel into Badachro on the south side, in the rather vain hope of finding space to anchor, but as I feared the pool was completely filled with private moorings. So I carried on another mile further east, to the head of Loch Shieldaig where there are still many moorings but space to anchor. It is a beautiful, peaceful and sheltered spot.
Tuesday. No wind today so motored over to the quay at Flowerdale to fill up with diesel. Pleasantly surprised at the price of £1 / Ltr. Then went onto the pontoon, it drizzled most of the day but was able to walk up the Glen to the waterfall and then onto Gairloch village. I returned to the anchorage in Loch Shieldaig for another night.
Wednesday. Last evening’s forecast made it questionable whether to make the crossing to the Outer Hebrides today but this morning it seems better odds. A short spell of F8 winds are not due to arrive till evening so plenty of time to get into a snug anchorage sheltered from W to S. I headed for just such a place in Loch Claidh, rated by Bob Bradfield, he of Antares fame, as one of his top 10 anchorages. So if it’s good enough for him…. Half way across the Minch, directly in my path, was a large vessel like an ocean tug, stationary but not anchored. I was about 2nm off when the ship announced on Ch16 that it was conducting underwater operations (no sign of a Russian accent) and that all vessels should keep at least 2nm away. I altered course to miss it by about a mile and called them up to check that this would suffice, they were sympathetic toward a sailboat and concurred. Sadly the rains returned while still an hour out so by the time I was anchored up I was thoroughly soaked, the waterproofs are definitely for the bin ! This stretch of coast is some of the remotest on Harris, no roads, tracks or occupied dwellings, and no signal. But still pot buoys, someone is coming a long way to lay them.
Thursday. Bob Bradfield got it wrong ! The wind has veered to NW and funnelling into the anchorage, gusts of 28kts and rising sea, so I’ve cleared out. Headed north sticking close inshore to find reasonably flat water with the F7 offshore wind just aft of the beam, and flying half of the genoa. The skies were teaming with all manner of birds, they love the strong winds. It was noticeable yesterday as I passed the Shiants in very light airs, that there weren’t a lot of birds flying, they were just bobbing, the Guillemots ducking under as I passed while the Puffins panic and scramble to take off. Tonight I’m anchored in the Witches Pool, a secluded spot deep inside an archipelago of islands near the entrance to Loch Erisort. The wind is still howling all around but not affecting in here.
Lots of seals
The Adventures of Sea Orchid 