From Symbister, Whalsay we went north through Linga Sound, round Lunna
Ness and south to Dales Voe (photo), a fjord-like voe below Dalescord
Hill, which was duly climbed. We left again immediately to catch the
last of the ebb tide through the turbulent Yell Sound, but it was still
slow going against a persistent northerly wind. We crossed the head of
Sullom Voe, with its huge oil storage tanks, tanker berths and constant
flame stack to Gluss Voe, where we anchored for the night – good holding
but rather exposed to the north. More hard northing was made the next
morning to reach Fethaland Point, the northmost point of the mainland,
at slack water and gain the benefit of the flood tide down the west
coast. We intended to go in to Hamna Voe, but decided it was too rough
to attempt the tricky entrance on a first visit. Plan B saw us rounding
Esha Ness and crossing St. Magnus’ Bay to the island of Muckle Roe,
where we entered Roe Sound. Despite an extremely shallow entrance to and
limited room within the inner pool, we attempted to anchor, but thick
kelp prevented the anchor from holding, so we had to move on to Plan C.
This meant a short move north to Mangaster Voe, where again thick kelp
prevented safe anchoring, but we were able to pick up a vacant mooring
just behind the innermost fish farm.