Arctica Cruising Blog

Arrived 1230 Fri 30/07/10

Lismore Lighthouse

Things have been quiet for the last few days. The predominant feature has been the poor weather – mist, drizzle, rain and contrary winds with a few rare blinks of sunshine. We have come back in from the Outer Isles in four stages : Scalpay – Portree – Isle Ornsay – Loch Drumbuie – Oban. After the peace and quiet of Lewis and Harris it came as a jolt to find how busy at this time are the more easily reached cruising grounds. Loch Drumbuie (off Loch Sunart) was home to twenty three yachts last night, and Tobermory sported a sea of masts as we passed this morning. Oban is busy too, and will be even more so next week with West Highland Week in full swing. We are looking forward to Innes and Janice joining us for the weekend, and hope that the run of poor weather will have ended by then.

Arrived 1615 Tue 27/07/10

Arrived 1615 Mon 26/07/10

Arrived Portree 1420 Sun 25/07/10

Camus Kenmore, Loch Seaforth

Bog Cotton

Since leaving Stornoway we have been in and out of Lewis and Harris sea lochs climbing hills. Lochs Odhairn, Bhrollum and Seaforth gave us new anchorages, while Maaruig was familiar. We lost one day through poor weather, but otherwise it has been fair with intermittent sunshine. Wildlife has been plentiful – sea eagles, golden eagles, red deer, mountain hare and otter have all been seen at close quarters. We are now in Scalpay (Harris) where the north harbour provides good all-round shelter, and has drawn six yachts for the night.

Lifeboat Demonstation – Lochinver

Our return to Arctica did not run to plan – the bus from Inverness to Ullapool (our third of the day) broke down and had to be replaced, so we missed the connection for Lochinver. Fortunately the CalMac office helped us find a taxi prepared to make the 30 mile trip on a Saturday evening. In the morning we were delighted to be joined by John & Helen in ‘Mara’, who had been round at Drumbeg. We enjoyed our morning and afternoon coffees together, and dined at the Riverview Restaurant. The day was blustery and showery, providing the opportunity for some running repairs – reinstalling autopilot controller, restitching sprayhood, unblocking sink etc. It was also the Lifeboat open day, and we had a grand view of the Lifeboat and Coastguard helicoper demonstrating retrievals from the deck and the water. Today in calm and a flat sea we crossed the Minch to Stornoway – plenty of dolphins and porpoises, but still no whales seen. Yotties beware! – Stornoway currently has no provision for diesel fuel, although the local council hopes to have something in place before the end of the summer… The Port Authority has plans to to add more berths (with power) and provide toilets, showers, laundry room and drying facilities, but no date is given.