After two years waiting for the new Beta 20 to be
fitted in Callisto of Parkstone, our Elizabethan 30, we finally arrived for a
cruise from Arisaig Marina in North West Scotland in late July. Thursday 23rd July. We provisioned the boat
and with a good S.W. forecast set sail at 2pm and sailed N.W. to Loch Scresort
on the Isle of Rhum. The sea was calm and the steady wind and bright sunshine
boded well for our first sail for 2 years. A minkie whale surfaced just ahead of the boat and we
were surrounded by a hail of gannets diving around us. We had a great sail and
arrived at Loch Scresort, anchoring in 6 metres between the two piers at
5.30pm. Distance run 15.5 nm Friday 24th July. The weather forecast is for
N.W. 4-5 and as we have decided to try to finally get to Stornoway, on Lewis, we
had to remain in Rhum until the weather changed direction. As it was such a
lovely day we decided to make the most of the sun and take Jack our seadog
collie for a walk on shore to Kinloch Castle. Saturday
25th July. The forecast was for S.E. 4 or 5 , becoming 5 or 6 later.
So we decided to head to Loch Maddy, on North Uist and weighed anchor at 9am.
Once on our way progress was slow in the light winds so we decided to head for
Canna harbour and continue tomorrow. As we approached Canna there was a weather
warning for S.E. 6-7 perhaps gale 8 later. Canna harbour is not really protected
in a S.E. strong wind and as we were now managing 5 knots decided to carry on
N.W. to Armaddy Bay in Loch Maddy which is great protection in any thing from
the south. The wind was just from the right direction to goose wing and we poled
out the headsail and headed north. A basking shark surfaced next to us, and gave
us a great view of him before sinking again into the sea. We sped North with an
increasing wind with dolphins diving under our bows. Although our speed was
great the waves began to build up behind us making us rock from side to side,
just like in the Atlantic. We made a fast passage and picked up a mooring in
Armaddy Bay at 7pm. Dave took Jack ashore whilst I cooked dinner. We were very
tired and went to bed early. During the night the gale
arrived. Distance run 50.1 nm. Sunday 26th July. We stayed in Armaddy Bay as
the gale got stronger and as the wind direction changed on Monday went down to
the pier at Loch Maddy and took a mooring. Over the next few days the wind
remained gale force and we made quick forays ashore to buy stores and walk the
dog. Some days it was too rough to go ashore and we pulled the tender aboard to
prevent it blowing away. None of the other boats on the moorings were moving and
we all hoped for better weather. But the wind remained strong and we had to
remain there until 1st August. When the wind slowed down a bit and we went to
get out final stores , and spent the night waiting for the seas to calm down a
little. Sunday 2nd August. A good forecast at
last, S.W. 4-5, we decided to sail north to North Harbour on Scalpay Island in
East Loch Tarbet. We had a great sail and decided to approach the anchorage, via
the sound of Scalpay to the north of the Island, It was very narrow but almost
free of any dangers. The road bridge linking Scalpay to Harris looked very low
as we sailed under it but with 20 metres clearance we had lots of room. We
dropped anchor in 6 metres in lovely north harbour at 4pm. Two other boats came
in for the night. One of them was a charter boat, which had dragged its anchor
during a gale 7 years ago in Loch Skiport and damaged our Swift 18 Ananahi. That
year the charterer put 2 anchors down and they twisted together and dragged
during the gale. The skipper this year also put down 2 anchors but didn’t drag
although one got caught round his prop and he had to get a diver in to clear it.
Later in the evening we took Jack ashore for a walk. Distance run 27 n.m. Monday 3rd August. The wind
went North during the night, which thwarted our plans to sail to Stornoway, so
we used the day to explore this pleasant harbour and environs, discovering a
great 50p shower in the harbour toilet block. In the North side of the harbour
is a part sunk concrete hulk, a remnant of World War 1, and it provided a small
sheltered part of the harbour which is used by small fishing boats.
Tuesday 4th August. A lovely sunny day and weather forecast for E4, so we weighed anchor at 10 am. And sailed back through
the Sound of Scalpay and past the entrance Loch Seaforth, and headed north for
Stornoway. We took the northerly flood to help us sail between Harris and The
Shiant Islands which looked lovely a few miles east of us. We had a great sail
to Stornoway and took a berth in the Marina at 3.30pm. Distance run 26.6n.m. Wednesday 5th August. A
lovely day and we went ashore to explore the town, which was decorated with
bunting and had a market with lots of stalls from Europe selling German sausage
and different delicacies from the continent. It gave a very festive
atmosphere. Thursday 6th August. We booked a small van tomorrow for three days, there were no cars available until after a
tattoo which was being held at Lewes castle which is opposite the marina. We
spent the rest of the day relaxing on the boat and watching the preparations for
the coming event which starts tomorrow. Friday 7th August. We collected the van and
set off for the Callenish Stones, somewhere we had been looking forward to for a
long time. It was great to finally see them, as we had been trying to sail to
Stornoway for so long and each year had been defeated by adverse weather. We
continued our drive along the west coast and visited a broch and some great
white beaches. When we returned to Callisto the marina had lots of boats with
spectators drinking wine in the cockpit and awaiting the start of the Tattoo. It
was a balmy evening and we were entertained by lots of different pipe bands and
dancers culminating in a fantastic fireworks display that seemed to last for
ages.Saturday 8th August. We drove to Harris
today and it was much prettier than Lewis, and had some fantastic white beaches.
We drove right to the south of the Island and checked out Rodel on the South
west coast which is a small harbour with a bar, that might be an anchorage for
us on the sail back south. Sunday 9th August. Today we drove north to the Butt of Lewis. It
was quite a forbidding place in the constant rain with a very bleak and boggy
landscape. We returned to the boat and the evening forecast gave good weather
for tomorrow. So we prepared the boat to sail next morning. Monday 10th August We returned the van and paid our dues before
setting sail at 10.30 am. We started with a light north wind and the breeze
slowly freshened to give us a lovely sail back to north harbour on Scalpay. We
arrived at 4.30 low water, and we saw all the rocks and reefs in the entrance,
which had been covered when we first came, it made the entrance look very
narrow. Distance run 26.6nm Tuesday 11th August The wind has changed direction to S.W. so
we went ashore and had showers and called at the post office to post some cards.
Wednesday 12th August, our wedding anniversary, still a S.W.
forecast so we can’t sail to Loch Maddy so we celebrated our anniversary with a
bottle of wine and hoped that tomorrows forecast for a Northerly will be
correct. Thursday 13th August. We got up at 5.30am and it was really still
so we decided to leave. By the time we weighed anchor at 7am there was a light
breeze and we again left through the Sound of Scalpay and headed S.W. to Armaddy
Bay , Loch Maddy. It was a flat sea and the Sound of Harris looked lovely as we
sailed past. We were accompanied by a minkie whale and lots of dolphins and had
a lovely passage arriving at 11.30 am. And picked up one of the 2 moorings. Dave
took Jack ashore for a walk and we tuned into the weather forecast when he
returned which foretells more gales due tomorrow. In the late afternoon we heard
a Mayday relay, and heard that a yacht had run aground in East Loch Tarbet,
where we had just sailed from. The coastguard had taken 2 people off and would
be trying to refloat the boat at high tide. Distance run 27.1nm. Friday 14thAugust. Easterly gales were
forecast and we decided to stay put. The weather was terrible but we were well
sheltered and Dave used the day to check the new engine oils and water and fill
the tank with diesel. The weather remained terrible on Saturday and we heard 2
maydays from yachts, both somewhere north of the Kyle of Lochalsh They were at
different times and we heard that one was being rescued by the Portree Lifeboat,
but we didn’t hear the outcome of the second mayday. For Sunday , Monday and
Tuesday the gales continued from the East, but on Wednesday Northerly gales were
forecast so we waited for a small break in the weather, then headed down to the
moorings at Loch Maddy pier which are more sheltered from the North. The
Northerly gales blew through Thursday and Friday and we were really fed
up. Saturday 22nd August. Finally the gales slowed down and the forecast is S.W. 4-5, backing S.E. later so we decided
to use the break between gales to head for Loch Harport, on the South coast of
Skye, which should be very sheltered in the next forecasted Easterly gales. We
set sail at 10am and had a great sail in a S.W. 4, as we passed Neist Point on
Skye, the wind started to go more ahead and we had to beat into it as the waves
started to build, reaching Loch Bracadale at 3pm. sailing Past the spectacular
MacLeod’s Maidens Stacks close to the Northern entrance. and headed into the
sheltered waters, motoring down the loch, to Loch Harport and picking up a
mooring just past the distillery, opposite the pub. Distance run 31.6 nm. Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th August. The predicted Easterly gales arrived and being 100
metres from the pub we decided to take personal shelter, with Jack the dog , in
its hospitable bar. Loch Harport is very pretty, and the home of The Talisker
Whisky distillery. We shall certainly return to explore this lovely area. The
forecast for tomorrow seems a little better, S.W. backing S.E., so we may try to
get away to Arisaig, before the S.E. arrives. Perhaps going to Rhum if it
changes too soon. Tuesday 25th August. We can’t tell what the weather is like as we are several miles inshore, so we have
decided to go out of the loch to see if the forecast is correct. We left the
mooring at 9am. And sailed out of Loch Harport and into the Sea of Hebrides.
There is a large swell but the wind is S.W. , so we headed S.E. at a brisk 6
knots. We had an exciting sail for the first 3 hours but the wind slowly backed
and we put 2 reefs in the mainsail, and continued beating into it. The weather
forecast remained the same and as we approached Rhum we decided to carry on as
we could just point in the right direction. We arrived at the entrance to
Arisaig channel at 3.30 very weary but glad to be back on the mainland . We
picked up our mooring and headed back fore shore and the steady feel of land
beneath our feet as we spent the night in our camper
van. Distance run 39.1 nm Conclusion. We finally made it to our destination of Stornoway. But we
think next year we won’t cross the Minch, as the weather has to be stable and we
lost a lot of days sheltering from gales, whereas on the mainland coast
anchorages are closer , more protected and only a few miles apart. Next year we
hope to sail earlier in the year when the weather is usually more settled.
Dave and Shelby Milner, and Seadog Jack. Total Distance run 207 miles.
.
