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 over 30kts. Then I’m in the entrance to Loch Leurbost where a short distance further I anchor off the hamlet of Crosbost.   Initially I tried anchoring off the SW shore in the lee of the wind, but heavy kelp meant the anchor just slid away, so I crossed over to the NE shore and the anchor immediately dug into mud.  Close by is an imposing building that is the Free Church, it seems totally out of proportion to the number of houses but reflects the very high proportion of believers in the area, at least at one time. 

Sunday.  Yesterday I took the bus into Stornoway and visited the museum in Lewes Castle where they have a few of the 12th century Lewis chess pieces on loan from the British Museum. Forecasts for next few days are not favourable enough to make the long passage up to the Butt of Lewis and then down the west coast to Loch Roag in one day.  There are no safe anchorages anywhere on this 50nm passage to split it over 2 days.  Although it’s an unfavourable SW wind I head back south,  it’s slow progress tacking offshore and back inshore but great sailing nevertheless over flat water in a F4.  Just off Loch Odhairn I bizarrely converge on three other sailboats, more than I’ve seen in a whole week, all going in different directions. Late morning the rain returns and visibility drops to about half mile so I head into Loch Shell and an anchorage at Eishken.  

Monday.  No mobile signal again despite a mast less than half a mile away that I can see from the boat.   So I dinghy over to a slip and walk a mile up a track till eventually getting just a little signal, enough to check messages and get a forecast.   When I get back to the slip there’s a gathering of people and two powerful speedboats.  Chatting to one of the group I learn that I’m within the grounds of the 45,000 acre Eishken Lodge estate, which you can rent for that special occasion.   These are guests who have been out hunting stags this morning  (I had heard the gunshots) and are now going waterskiing, bearing in mind its blowing F6 and driving rain out on the loch !

Tuesday.  0500 weighed anchor to catch the tide running between the Shiants and coast.  Had a little difficulty getting the hook up, the chain seemed to have wrapped on a boulder, managed to shift it by attaching a strop to the chain to take the strain and then driving the boat hard for a few meters.   Another grey day with very poor visibility but a nice beat in F4 SW.  Turned into East Loch Tarbert and up to the town of Tarbert to spend a few hours on the pontoon doing chores like laundry, rubbish disposal, refill water tanks and top up provisions.  This is the main facility on the whole of the outer Hebrides, outside of Stornoway.   Later anchored off in the SW corner of Loch Ceann Dibig.