Arctica Cruising Blog

The Sun Shines On | Click photo to enlarge

Originally uploaded by arctica

In Fair Isle we tied alongside ‘Milvina’, a Canadian flagged aluminium
yacht with Canadian/Scottish owners, which overwinters at Ardrossan.
Invited on board for a sundowner, and later a nightcap, we enjoyed a
very sociable evening with her crew. It was southwards again next day
for Orkney, where we spent the night at Stronsay pier. Big spring tides
(Summer solstice) meant we had only two feet under the keel at low water
and had to be careful not to get hung up on our warps. On our way down
to Kirkwall we didn’t allow sufficiently for the fierce 5+kt cross tide
off Muckle Green Holm at the mouth of Westray Firth, and were carried
well off course north of Shapinsay. Entering the Wide Firth, north of
Kirkwall, we heard on the VHF a Dutch yacht calling the Coastguard for
assistance as the Skipper had a suspected broken ankle. The Kirkwall
lifeboat was despatched and we saw crew being put aboard to assist her
in to the marina, and the casualty to a waiting ambulance. Happily, it
was a case of only a sprained ankle. We have lost count of the number of
consecutive sunny days with light easterly winds (photo) and are now in
Stromness, awaiting the arrival of Seol na Mara on her way north.