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Thu 4 June 2009
Shetland Voes and Anchor Woes
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.
Posted by skipper at June 4, 2009 09:13 PM
Comments
Do you know the tune Mangister Voe? It's a good one!
Barbara
Posted by: B MacLeod at June 5, 2009 06:45 PM