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Up, Over and Down

‘Sailing always carries a question mark over weather, and particularly so.’

This year the fine settled July weather in the south spread at times into northern Scotland, but never to where we were, and never to the Northern Isles. It was always cold, we were beset with gales, rain and dismal fog with a few fine days, so we ‘just had to get on with it’ as they say. Though we missed most of the rare fine summer in the south, we did get on with it, and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise.

Except for the first two weeks, my wife, Sandy, came for the duration. Otherwise about every fortnight we changed the two others in the crew, all of whom had cruised with us before, and this arrangement worked very well.

Owl , a Maxi 1100, set off from Lymington on 6 June, bound for and with the first crew being, myself, Sebastian Chamberlain and David Whitley. Stopping briefly at Dartmouth, Newlyn and Wicklow, we made swift progress. We were due to exchange David for Kip Punch at Howth on 13 June and, having arrived a few days early, went into Poolbeg Marina in the port of Dublin and took the tram into that delightful city, taking in Christchurch Cathedral, the National Gallery, the Archaeological Museum and one pub.

On the way to Bangor, now with Kip aboard and steering, we clocked up 11.4k max in S7, wearing two slabs in the main and no jib. We had the tide with us on top of that.

At Bangor we were lucky enough to visit Brian and Vibse Dunleath’s fabulous stately home at Ballywater Park, where we admired Brian’s grandfather’s remarkable collection of silverware Doheny and Nesbitt Guinness Bar which he obtained when racing his schooner Egeria, and had lunch at Bill and Daphne Montgomery’s grand house at Grey Abbey. The other excellent visit was to the Royal Ulster Yacht Club with its elegant service and good collection of nautical artefacts, especially the Thomas Lipton room.

Thence on to at where we toured the new whisky distillery, owned and run by friend Anthony Wills, which is not only doing well, but also has a sailor-friendly wide-based bottle with a low centre of gravity. We then viewed the ancient Macdonald stronghold at Loch in the centre of the Island, where the lords of the islands once held council.

On 18 June we left for the Ardmore islands and ashore found bluebells still in bloom, tormentil and marsh bedstraw in profusion. Our chart plotter did not give us a clear indication of the way into the inshore anchorage and established that the bearing of the cairn at Plod Sgein on the way in is 320˚M. There was 4m on this line at LW neaps. Page 2 of 11 Round the corner of Islay we came to Glas Uig - an inlet where a German submarine crew was alleged to have tied up in WW1 and barbecued some local sheep. The bay was too small for anchoring overnight, so we went on to nearby Aros Bay, which was delightful.

Next day we spinnakered to Jura, looking in at Craighouse and Lowlandman’s Bay, then over the sound to the tricky little harbour of Eilean Mor owned by the SNP, where we anchored, and explored the medieval Chapel and an anchorite’s one time miserable retreat. We went onto Loch Sween and the lovely Fairy Isles, where we found a buoy to secure to. It was a glorious sunny evening and, when surveying the NE arm, we were thrilled to find an Osprey’s nest at the top of a half dead tree.

In the morning we set off up the long finger of Caol Scotnish but, after negotiating Scotnish Rock, ran out of depth 1.25 cables SW of Arinafad Rock and had to return. We left Loch Sween and went over to Jura, poking our nose into Lagg Bay and Tarbert Bay. Then, Fairy Islands looking for an anchorage for the night, we tried Carsaig Bay between Dubh and Traighe, but the mud was soft and we dragged twice, so we picked up a buoy in the bay to the east of Dubh, which was fine.

We put in to Ardfern on 21 Jun, dropping Sebastian and Kip and picking up Sandy, David and Jacky Hughes. We dined with Chris and Maggie Elliot that evening and at Lunga House the next.

It was forecast to blow hard from ahead when we set off for Loch Buie on 23 June, and indeed on the cockpit display we saw 39k, true, as we beat up the Sound of Luing with a spring tide under us. Through avoiding the shallow patches we found ourselves caught in the race at the top end and, though we were soon carried past, we had to use the engine to maintain steerage way in the steep foam covered seas.

In the evening we were kindly entertained by Jim and Patience Corbett at Loch Buie House.

Next day the wind had become gentle as we passed though the extreme western side of Iona sound at an hour after low water springs, when we found an adequate 4m. Staffa was awash with people from a cruise liner as we sailed past, and we went on to anchor at Entering Loch Buie Craigaig Bay, Ulva. Page 3 of 11 There we found a Hampshire man called Dominick Griffin staying in the bothie close by. He advised us on our walking route, invited us in for a drink and responded to a reciprocal request. We learnt a lot from Dominick about Ulva’s history and status.

The next day we explored Inch Kenneth before heading north under spinnaker for Moidart. We went into the North Channel, finding good holding at the Craigaig Bay, Ulva east end of the loch. In the morning we walked across Shona to view Castle Tioram, and then sailed for Kilmarie in Skye, the summer home of David and Diana Johnson, who generously invited us all to dinner.

The next anchorage was at Loch Scavaig which looked as dramatic as usual in the evening light, as did Loch Coruisk when we took a walk there but, after heavy rain in the night, a multiplicity of roaring streams covered every mountain face, making Scavaig seem almost alive.

We moved on to Soay in the morning and just before crossing the bar, to our delight, saw a sea eagle on the ground Loch Scavaig only 150m way, being mobbed by a brave herring gull. We anchored opposite a small heronry. We experienced WNW7 winds, but the holding ground was good, and the harbour attractive.

We took two walks, the first to the NE side of the harbour when we inspected the entrance at low water, and the remains of Gavin Maxwell’s basking shark factory. Being north of Arndamurchan, we picked some white heather for the pulpit. The second walk took us through birch and rowan woodland to the south east facing bay, Camas nan Gail.

Soay Harbour The weather remained cold, wet and windy when we joined up with friends at a buoy on Loch Harport, and we used the Old Inn as a shore base for showers and an evening meal. We also went over to Portree for dinner at the Gathering Hall.

We left Loch Harport on I July, going northabout Skye, bound for Badacro, where Tony Greener had kindly offered his mooring. The dull weather turned to occasional sun as we reached past magnificent scenery, and a black, sinister yet elegant Vanguard Class Page 4 of 11 submarine passed silently not far ahead off Rona as we came into the range area. We had a good sail.

Next day, in ‘dreich’ conditions, we explored the island of Horrisdale, and then had lunch at the Badacro Inn, where Martin from Yorkshire is still going strong.

We slipped our mooring on 3 July and headed north for the Summer Isles, again accompanied by dolphins as we were often to be over the next two months. We anchored in the northerly of the NE-facing bays of Tanera Beg, an attractive island which we energetically explored, then went on around the headland to explore Enard Bay where we found some lovely scenic but rather exposed anchorages. The forecast was offering W5-7, so we didn’t like to anchor there overnight, though Loch Salainn would have been suitable if it were not for its many fish farms. Thus we ended up at Loch Inver where we had planned the next crew change. As it happened it blew hard over the next couple of days so we were happy to be there. Sandy made friends with the fishermen - an enviable talent - and came back with heaps of langoustines at a most modest outlay. Linda from the harbour office was absolutely sweet, even stopping her car to help us on seeing us carrying a full fuel can. The Tourist office had a marvellous Loch Kirkaig at the north of Enard Bay display of matters of local, particularly geological, interest, as well as a live picture from a camera mounted at a nearby golden eagles’ nest. Moreover, there is a most beautiful woodland area beside the harbour where we had two enjoyable walks. The paths can lead down to pretty little white beaches where a remarkable variety of stones can be found such as 3 billion year old grey gneiss, pink quartzite, red canisp porphyry and brown sandstone.

On 7 July we left Loch Inver and passed great rafts of seabirds off Handa island, where we had stopped on an earlier cruise, and then anchored at Loch Laxford.

There John and Marie Christine Ridgeway invited us over for supper, though we only stayed for a drink due to the need for an early start. John still does an excellent description of his A beach at Culag Wood 1959 Atlantic crossing under oar, in company with the dory that he shared with Chay Blyth, and he won our admiration, too, for all he has achieved at his isolated home.

To catch slack tide at Cape Wrath we left at 0315, and when we arrived there at 0615 there was no sign of the race. We decided to skip , nice though it would have been to return there, and press on for Orkney. The 1952 Admiralty atlas suggested that it would be best to go via the Sound of Hoy, ie , rather than the Pentland Firth, though soon we learnt not to trust the Northern Isles tidal streams predictions too much. Page 5 of 11 It was necessary to loiter off the Old Man of Hoy whilst awaiting slack water at 1800 and, as we went in to the sound, we identified two sea eagles, three great northern divers and a killer whale. We arrived at Longhope, Hoy at 2000, and found the harbour master, John Budge, even at this hour, directing us to the prime berth alongside the lifeboat. Moreover there was an additional reception committee of six more people, amongst who were the Loch Laxford lifeboat coxswain and a newspaper reporter. When talking to John back in the autumn about berthing arrangements I had let on that my father, Erroll, had been in charge of the naval base at Lyness in Hoy in 1952-3. He had been a popular figure there, even with the unions. He took part in all the regattas, was active in local affairs and was a member of the lifeboat’s crew. Evidently he was still remembered. The reception committee

Cape Wrath was invited on board and offered the cherished Kilchoman whisky, which disappeared at one sitting.

By the morning it was blowing WSW7 with fog and drizzle. We were given a tour of the Tamar class lifeboat by Kevin Kirkpatrick, the cox’n, who then offered to show us the old lifeboat house at Brims in the afternoon. There we found everything much as it had been 60 years before, including the very same lifeboat, the Thomas McCunn, upon The Old Man of Hoy which my father had been crew. My brother and I well remember being on board for a practice outing. In 2001 she had been bought back from a private owner and reinstalled at her old station. It was pleasing to see a group photograph on display which included my parents. In the evening we dined on crab and lobster at the Stromabank Hotel, with its good view over the Pentland Firth, for £15 per head including wine.

John had offered us the use of his 4WD car and we were about to set off sightseeing next morning when there was a call for the lifeboat. We were ready for this eventuality and rapidly moved Owl . Seconds later, we watched the lifeboat drop her lines and disappear at speed into the mist. Apparently a small fishing boat had gone aground at Rackwick, which was where we were planning to go, though by the time we arrived in John’s car, the lifeboat had already returned to Longhope. Page 6 of 11 We inspected the fishing boat at Rackwick, high up on the beach, and spoke to the crew who had clearly misjudged an Atlantic swell on a lee shore. On the way back to Longhope we visited the Interpretation Centre at Lyness and, later, I managed to get into my father’s old office, now in an advanced state of decay.

By now Sandy had accumulated lobsters and crabs galore, mostly for free and, even after giving two crabs away, we still had to return four to the sea. We gave the two to Elsie Seatter, owner of the enormous Melsetter House, where I remember going to tea back in 1952. She showed us over the house, I suspect, in much the same way as she had done for HRH Prince Charles some years ago.

We left for Stromness next day in a brief spell of sunshine and, after provisioning there, we anchored up the coast The fishing boat that caused the lifeboat call at the west-facing Bay of Skaill, having found a rare occasion when it was possible to stay overnight. This enabled us to visit by dinghy the Stone Age dwellings at Skara Brae dated 3100BC and, thus, much older than the Pyramids.

After exploring Skara Brae, which was much more presentable than when I’d last seen it, we sailed on to the Bay of Ham at Rousay, and anchored beyond the fish farm. We took a bracing walk to Faraclett Head for which, on my top half alone, I wore a heavy shirt, two thick woollen jerseys and an insulated sailing jacket. The next morning a BBC radio 3 announcer reported that it had been ‘the hottest day yet in UK, but was mercifully

Skara Brae, with Owl behind Michael’s red jersey cooler in the far north’!

We weighed anchor and went alongside Hepzibah at Trumland Pier. This wooden yacht is now owned by Ranulf Campbell, but had been owned by David Balme, and I had raced in her long ago. The wind had got up way above the forecast level and we were glad to be tucked in behind the pier. We dined at the Taversoe Hotel - again remarkable value. The following day we went on an excellent seven hour island tour with Paddy the Northern Irish tour guide for Rousay. We saw from his van, amongst many other fascinating things, red-throated divers at Saviskaill Bay and the Mid Lowe broch and cairn. It was a good way to spend a wet and windy day, but the next day it was still wet, and was still blowing F7. There was quite a danger of being blown off the top of our pier when going to and from the boat. Our morale was improved by a gift of a salmon from Richard, another fisherman who Sandy had befriended, and a visit to the beautiful nearby Trumland House gardens, which were a delight.

We left Rousay on 16 July and sailed for Kirkwall, in windy but quite pleasant conditions, but the weather returned to ‘normal’ the following day. Owl’s log says ‘Kirkwall harbour is tormented by a fierce cold wind, coming from a thick grey sky, howling in the rigging and causing the boat to jerk about. The fenders are nearly flat under the pressure’. Page 7 of 11 Michael and Christine left on 18 July and, with better weather and a free day before David Whitley and Kate Thornton were due to arrive, Sandy and I set off for the island of , spotting three killer whales off War Ness, and arriving at the Bay of Carrick at 1200. Our direct route to the Stone of Setter proved to be a trial in spite of welcome sunshine - the ground was boggy and uneven outside the fields, and the massed cattle inside the fields were decidedly View from Carrick House threatening. We had made an appointment to view Carrick House, and came back to a most excellent tour given by owner Mrs Joy from the Debden family. We arrived back at Kirkwall to welcome David and Kate, and were now ready for the Shetland trip.

When we left Kirkwall marina at 0950, the sun was out and visibility quite good, but the forecast warned of fog patches and, sure enough, when we reached North Ronaldsay at 1445, we plunged into a thick fog bank. The fog was still with us when we sighted at 0.6nm, some five hours later, and we were glad of both our AIS and radar.

There was an international gathering of yachts in the North Harbour, and we made particular friends with the Norwegian yacht Shandy.

Next morning we overheard on VHF the Hebridean Princess cancelling her visit to Fair Islands on account of the continuing fog. The tide suited an afternoon departure so, in the morning, we went to the Bird Observatory where North Harbour, Fair Island we met the Warden who showed us a starling and a meadow pipit being ringed. His wife, Suzanna, kindly took us south to the more populated end of the island, where we viewed puffin colonies and the dramatic cliffs on the western side of the island. We sailed for Shetland at 1410 still in thick fog, having decided to go up the west side due to the easterly winds, and made a landfall on Fitful Head. At 0.5 mile distance suddenly we came into sunshine and saw the cliff on our bow with fog streaming down it like a waterfall.

The clear visibility did not last, and when we anchored at Bigton Wick, a thick bank of fog blanked off the sun. There was rain in the night, and the morning was cold and misty.

The weather improved as we sailed north in NE4, and the sun came out into between banks of fog. We had planned to go to the island of Papa Stour, but Hamna Voe’s bar was too shallow near Fitful Head with fogfall Page 8 of 11 low water springs and the alternative, Housa Voe, had swell coming in. We settled for West Burra Firth, north of the ferry berth. It was very pleasant on a sunny evening and, when we went alongside to water the next morning, Sandy acquired some crabs from a friendly Romanian fisherman. We sailed north in a south easterly, a misty day, stopping at Hamna Voe for lunch. We then passed black cliffs known as The Villains on our way to Ronas Voe. West Burra Firth with the ferry port on the right It is a long way up this inlet and the holding was none too good when we arrived at the far end, nor did the fish farms have anything to offer, but we did enjoy a walk towards Ronas Hill, the top being well into cloud.

Our next stop was at Wick of Breckon, on Yell which, with the wind in the SE and the sun out, was a delightful anchorage.

On our walk it seemed that oyster The north side to the entrance into Ronas Voe catchers were becoming more numerous than ever and that, in the machir, eyebright was more plentiful than tormentil unlike further south. Once again we saw a great skua attack a gannet to make it regurgitate its catch.

We set off early the next morning with good visibility and hardly a cloud in the sky having planned to be at Muckle Flugga at slack tide. Four miles short of our turning point a large whale surfaced

Owl at Wick of Breckon, Yell ahead: judging by the dorsal fin, it might have been a Minke. An east wind filled in when we approached the most northerly point in the cruise, 60˚52.1 ′N and, as we rounded Out Stack, a yacht passed, going west, struggling against a 4.5k tide. We were surprised how quickly the tide had turned in our favour and so, no doubt, was the other yacht.

As we turned south we eased sheets, and eventually hoisted the spinnaker. Still in bright sunshine, we chose to anchor at West Lunna Voe. This was the Muckle Flugga . Out Stack on the left site from where the Shetland Bus had Page 9 of 11 operated in the war and looked as if it had hardly changed since then. It was very moving to visit the place where men of such heroism and determination had been based. We visited Lunna House and the Church. It had been a grand day, which culminated in a superb sunset.

Luck was not so much with us next morning. Owl set off at 0820 in fog, visibility 0.5nm, though it cleared a little West Lunna Voe when we arrived at Victoria pontoon, Lerwick. When we had supper with friends, Dirk and Sally Kalis, we noticed that the fog on their west side of Shetland had cleared while it was still thick on the east side. We were told that the fog in 2013 had caused as much disruption to air traffic in Shetland as had the Icelandic volcano in 2010.

The following day the girls did the provisions whilst David and I took a bus to Scalloway to visit the museum there that strongly featured in the Shetland Bus story.

That evening Sandy and I met some French sailors at the Lerwick Yacht Club, checking the weather on U Grib, who told us that an intense depression was forecast. We decided we should head south while we could, and left after supper. A later forecast offered NE8, which meant that Fair Island was not a sensible option so we hastened, again in fog, to Kirkwall.

We arrived there at 1040 on 28 July after catching favourable tides, just before heavy rain started. By evening it was blowing hard, but the bad weather all passed through in the night, so we sailed in sunny conditions at 1025 for Wick, passing close to Clettach Skerry in the Pentland Firth, and overtaking a German yacht en route. We met up with a friend, James Walker in Wick who was sailing in a yacht called Exody. So we invited her crew for drinks plus the Germans who had now arrived. The upshot was a race next day to Helmsdale, but the Starlight 39 was no match for Owl to windward and we were far ahead when the wind dropped. Exody ‘s crew came to dinner in Helmsdale.

Next morning we left together, Exody electing to motor due to the need to be through the Caledonian Canal in a hurry. Our plan had been to sail to Cromarty, but having got there, we could not identify a comfortable anchorage so we went on to anchor for supper at quiet, scenic Craighowe a few miles short of Inverness, then on to anchor off the entrance to the Caledonian Canal at 2210.

We had expected the lock to open at 0800 on 1 August, but at 0730 we heard on VHF that we needed to enter immediately to avoid a delay at the swing bridge. We seized the opportunity and berthed at Seaport Marina at 0830. Later in the morning we watched Exody go past, she having missed the first operation.

The time had come for another crew change, which was as well as it was a dismal rainy day. Incomers and outgoers all met for a good dinner at The Mustard Seed Restaurant. The new arrivals were Jan and Anne Hormammer, friends from Finland who we met when Jan masterminded a group of yachts through the Aland Islands in July 2010. Page 10 of 11 Owl left Seaport in bright sunshine and worked her way to Loch Ness, where the wind was a steady SW7. As expected we made little progress under engine with such a fetch, and the wind funnelling straight down the Loch but, with 3 slabs and 5 rolls in the headsail, Owl stormed to windward.

We were flattered to see vehicles on the road beside the loch stop to view us. Once we saw 41 knots, true, on the SW7 in Loch Ness cockpit display. Halfway down the loch the rain came, and this followed us through the lock system to Loch Oich, where we berthed, and had a good supper at Invergarry Castle Hotel.

The next day started wet but the sun came out later in the day. We were held up by an electrical fault in the lock which gave us an excuse for a lengthy lunch, but the fault was soon resolved and we were soon in Loch Lochy for another good beat. The wind was SW6, and the dark water was streaked with foam. We had 2 slabs, and 4 rolls in the headsail and once again we tramped along. Two yachts passed going down wind, and later we heard on VHF that Loch Oich the second had been dismasted a mile before reaching the end of the loch. As we approached Corpach , where we spent the night, we could see snow in the north facing gullies of Ben Nevis.

At 1010 we left Corpach, and were now back in the sea. We started under power but ended under sail down Loch Linnhe, leaving Lismore to starboard, and down the Sound of Luing. By Corryvreckan we had 24 knots on the beam with sunshine. We took in 2 slabs, and creamed along in the lee of Jura, only shaking them out just before arriving at Loch Craighouse, where we spent the night. The port lazy jack spreader sheave had failed and, after picking up a buoy, I went up the mast to replace it. There I noticed three strands had failed at the T terminal on the starboard lower shroud. We left for Islay at 0700, now 6 August, going through the Ardmore Islands once more. Then at Port Ellen we took our taxi back to , where we were again warmly greeted.

Next morning, to catch the tide, we left at 0505 in drizzle and carried a favourable current almost all the way to Bangor, arriving at 1335. Nail Clark had been recommended to replace the lower shroud, and he was soon on board to measure up. On the way out of Bangor at 0830 we bought 4 lobsters from a small fishing boat for £20. We had to tack down the coast but arrived at Strangford Loch entrance with a good flood tide. Once in the lough we anchored between Jackdaw and Chapel islands for lunch and then went alongside the Ringhaddy Cruising Club pontoon where Nail Clark met us with the new lower shroud.

It was time for the last crew, and Michael Coombes and Paola Quattrocioccni joined the Page 11 of 11 next morning. We left the RCC pontoon and anchored off Dunsy Island for lunch, then returned to the Ringhaddy Cruising Club pontoon, courtesy of their kind members, and had a most genial and palatable dinner at Dennis Faulkner’s home nearby.

The tide required that we left by 0725 and we experienced 6.3k max on the way through the narrows. Once out in the open sea the wind was fickle and on the bow so we had mainly to motor, but then the engine started to fade. Happily the engine didn’t stop and the wind filled in S5-6, then W4. At Howth Jan and Anne left, and we annealed the air bleed screw copper washer, which resolved the engine problem.

We left Howth in the afternoon and made a swift passage to Wicklow arriving at 1730. Wicklow is a charming little town but yachts do have to berth on the inside of the sea wall where vertical ladders have to be mounted when leaving the boat. A shopping party left in the morning to the SupaValu supermarket which was good, but for their bin bags which were not man enough for Owl’s rubbish.

We sailed at 1106 with a W4, bound for Kilmore Quay and made reasonable progress but, with a suggestion of S winds from the forecast, we decided to carry on whilst the westerly lasted.

As it turned out the wind went to the NW and was often so light as to be unusable. Our compensation was the night sky which was not only clear but, without light pollution, gave us a brilliant Wicklow Harbour display of the heavens. It also happened to be the occasion of the annual Perseid meteor shower, so we were treated to a super abundance of shooting stars fired off like rockets might be at a random horizontal firework display.

We passed the Longships lighthouse to starboard and went inside the Runnel Stone, and then set the spinnaker but not for more than an hour as the wind died. We caught the first of the flood around the Lizard, went inside the Manacles, and picked up one of the Royal Naval Sailing Association buoys on the lovely Helford River. It was now 13 August. We had planned to be back on 20 August and Sandy had no wish to be back before then, so we dawdled along the West Country coast, enjoying the British fireworks championships at Plymouth, meeting friends there and at Newton Ferrers, Salcombe, Dartmouth and Mupe Bay. We arrived back at Lymington at 1050 on the 20 August, having covered 2175nm. It had been another happy and pleasantly eventful cruise.

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