Day 60

44 miles. 8 hours sailing hard into the Southerly F4.  Early start after a fabulous overnight on a buoy in Ardmaddy bay in Lochmaddy, North Uist.  Grey clouds over rugged mountain tops as we sped by.  Less bird life than yesterday. 

Followed out by the ferry to Uig on Skye.

Many fisheries and fishing boats.  Long thin inlets and rugged unpopulated mountains.

Wind kicked up and the rain started at the entrance to Lochboisdale. Found the marina tucked away and glided onto a pontoon.  Planning to visit the Lochboisdale hotel later. 

Unfortunately the track ends half way through the voyage but starting point and destination are listed.

Day 59

Scalpay to Lochmaddy, N Uist

Via the Little Minch. 34 miles.

Set off at 9:10 after hot showers in the local community centre.  Paul had already run to the Lighthouse and back.  Chris & Nick explored the other harbours avoiding the sheep in the road.  Chris took the helm from the mooring and back out under the Scalpay bridge (a first).

S/SE 3 to 4 all day. Beating down N Harris to N Uist via the Little Minch.

At midday decided the Wizards Pool anchorage,  16 miles N of Loch Boisedale was going to be too long a journey.  Decided to try Armaddy Bay in Lochmaddy.

Went in past rocks with green/red marks showing the channel.  First bay was too small.  The second had two buoys in theSE corner as promised.  Sailed in to check it out.  Plastic rope and a plastic container as the pickup.  Used the chin and octoplate bridle for security.

Beautiful. Sheltered. Sunny.  Watched 3 deer feeding on the hillside.

Ardmaddy Bay

The Pontoon at Scalpay

Time out in Ardmaddy Bay

Day 58

The blog continues.  Paul returned to Stornoway and joined Nick and Chris on Wind Singer yesterday.  Boat and crew were ready at 7am to collect diesel.  We had to wait until the ferry had left and a load of ice had been delivered.  Tide was up so we tied up to the pier easily.  Not a good forecast SE 5-6, occasionally 7, gusting 24. Rain.

Left the fuel berth at 7:50.  Left the shelter of the harbour for the Minch with 2 reefs.  Slowly took them out as the wind eased.

The wind increased as we went through the Sound of Shiant giving us a burst of speed as it gusted 28/29 knots. Dolphins, gannets, puffins and guillemots.

The anchorage in Loch Claidh we planned to use had another boat in the best spot.  We anchored in 10m but it didn’t hold well soft mud and sand.  Decided on plan B to go 8 miles further South to North Harbour Scalpay.  Crew boosted by soup and sandwich on the move.  Went under jib and motor, seas were choppy.

Arrived Scalpay at 16:00 hrs after going under the bridge which had less clearance than the Skye bridge.  38 miles.

Track Day 58

Scalpay

Day 40

Wind Singer is now safely moored up in the marina in the centre of Stornoway. Lews castle and grounds on one side and the high street on the other. Skipper and wife are staying here for the next two weeks. The Irishman has returned to his native land temporarily. The voyage and blogs will resume at the end of June. The English man, his wife and the Irish man will make their way back to Oban via the coast of the outer Hebrides. At Oban the Scotsman will rejoin for the voyage down the East Coast of Ireland.

Please rejoin the blog at the end of June. 

Day 39

Left the mooring at Badachro in Loch Gairloch at 07:40.  Cloudier than other mornings but dry. Took us an hour to motor out of Loch Gairloch with the wind behind us.  Sailed most of the rest of the way on a run with wind S/SE 3-4. Weather looked grey behind us, although the sun broke through occasionally. 

Listened to the Stornoway coastguard weather forecast---- gale force winds expected soon in the Minch.

The 7 hours of passage had guillemots, a couple of puffins, seals, dolphins and another Skua.  A Naval warship appeared to have sent a rib out to a large fishing vessel so we watched all that through the binoculars.  The Emerland Princess cruise ship lumbered by on its way to Kirkwall on Orkney.  The Ullapool to Stornoway ferry came in and went out before we got there. 

Wind kicked up a bit as we negotiated the bay and into the marina. Harbour staff directed us to a berth behind the lifeboat.  Arrived at 15:15 after travelling 41 miles across the Minch.  As sheltered as possible. 5 other sailing boats came in just after us.  A visit to the pub to celebrate successful delivery of the English woman from Oban to Stornoway. 

A very windy night. Glad to be in port.

Day 38

Left the buoy at Plockton at 5:55 am. On a run from Plockton. Then Force 3 to force 5 up to the Crolin Islands. Then the wind dropped to N to NW 1. Then Easterly F4/5, tacking into Loch Torridon with 2 reefs in.  So we had all points of sailing - run, beam reach and on the nose.  Tried 2 anchorages in Loch Torridon where it was blowing hard from the East and raining hard.  One bay had buoys fencing it off and the other was shelving and not sheltered.  Missed the submarine exercises and underwater missile testing en route.  Swooped by a great skua.  Decided to carry on to Badachro in Loch Gairloch.  Finally spotted the red buoy marking the entrance to the sheltered bay.  Picked up a new blue visitor mooring buoy with green pickup.  A welcome message and how to pay the £15 per night printed on it. 

Arrived 15:10. The trip was 46 miles.

A beautiful spot, with sunset.  Didn't get a chance to go ashore to the pub.

After checking the weather forecasts we have decided to go to Stornaway tomorrow  rather than get stuck in Plockton on a buoy.

Day 37

Slipped Mallaig at 5: 40. Cloudy. Sailed when wind allowed. In the Kyle Rhea by 8. This is the narrow point between Skye and the mainland. Through by 9. Accelerated from 5 knots to 9 in a few seconds. Water swirling with flat eddies. Calmer out in Kyle of Loch Alsh.

Went under the Skye bridge. Sailed into Loch Carron heading for Plockton via High Stone beacon and avoiding Hawk rock. Picked up a visitor mooring buoy at 11:20. Dingy over to Plockton in the afternoon but all pubs closed due to a funeral. Plockton is a charming gentile Highland village. Fuchsia hedges and well tended gardens facing the water.

Day 36

Another beautiful morning. Off early. No wind but a wildlife cruise with lots of seals, small dolphins, puffins, terns and guillemots. Excellent views of Rhum, Eigg and Skye. Played get out of the way of a fishing trawler for a little while. Started to get busy with ferries on the approach to Mallaig. Traffic light system for entering the harbour which has a fishing fleet. They used to have up to 250 fishing boats in the harbour.

A busy little place compared to where we have been. Lots of tourists. A good marina.

Approaching the Bellows Rock

Playing avoid the trawler

Day 35

Only a partial track to our sandy anchorage behind Goat Island.

Slipped at 7:10. Beautiful still morning with crystal clear reflections. Motored out of Loch Sunart through the narrow 100 m channel behind the rocky island. As the Loch opened out, we could see Tobermory and the lighthouse again. Headed North towards the lighthouse at Ardnamurchan point. Sails were up giving us an extra knot of speed. Going out of the Sound, the wind got up to NNE 4 so we could sail at last - we sailed all the way to a sandy anchorage near the beach, for protection against the Northerlies. Excellent BLT on route & Nick cooked pasta with capers, lemon, spinach. And lardons in the evening. Forced to bask in the sun with a beer....

A quiet night...

Sailing Eigg and Rum

Approaching Ardnamurchan Point

Enjoying the evening sun

Anchorage

Day 34

Rest day here. Fabulous location. Hot shower, well stocked shop selling fresh sandwiches, provisions and delicious ice cream. Wall to wall sunshine and heat. Tea and toast on the deck for breakfast. Several local walks of which Paul did 4 and Nick and Chris did 1 down to the bay of flies which is a natural harbour which was used to export charcoal and for the Vikings to store their boats in the winter. Went to the Salen Hotel and ate magnificent rump steaks. Tomorrow continuing our way North round Ardnamurchan point, the most westerly part of the UK towards the Sound of Sleet. Rate this place 5*.

Salen Jetty pontoons

Bay of Flies Salen walk, low tide

Early morning view

Day 33

Awoke to warm sunshine and heat. 7 mins of hot shower. Chris & Nick walked out to the lighthouse and met Paul running it on the way back. 

Slipped at 13:00 hrs and headed off across the sound of Mull to Loch Sunart. Lots of nasty rocks both visible and underwater.  Very careful pilotage was required. 

We motored through glorious mountain scenery.  A friendly berth was reserved for us in Salen.  We arrived at 15:30.  Walking map, showers, WiFi and a tea shoppe all to hand.  Spending tomorrow here as there are walks for all energy levels.

Lighthouse walk from Tobermory

Rocks at the entrance of Loch Sunart

Head of Loch Sunart

Day 32

After a leisurely morning and early lunch the new crew set off at 13.00 for Tobermory.  Flat calm and sunshine, perfect for new crew members to get their sea legs.  

Ferries and yachts everywhere. Like the M25, unlike Ireland.  4 hours and 20 miles later found a berth in Tobermory.  Seals and a dolphin were spotted.  Fabulous reflections in Tobermory

Lighthouse at the entrance to the Sound of Mull

Tobermory reflections