2023 May 22nd, Days 38 & 39 CastleBay to Lochboisdale.

I had planned to go into the Sound of Barra for a look round but the wind was a very cold force 4 - 5, I was wearing gloves for the trip despite bright sunshine, so I decided not to and by lunchtime I was in Lochboisdale marina which is well sheltered and hopefully would have hot water in the showers - they did.

Back in 1978 whilst sailing on the half tonner "Green Dragon" we and another boat hit what is believed to have been a Basking Shark off Portland Bill, just past the Sound of Barra I almost did it again; I was sailing so not making much noise and it was fully underwater so I could not see it; then a big tail briefly appeared close off of the port bow  and then all that was to be seen were a lot of swirls in the water as long as the boat only 4 or 5 yards away.

The luxury mini cruise ship Hebridean Princess, that was heading straight
for me altering course early to avoid. I have lost count of the number times
I have seen her from Plocton to Tobermory, The Scillies and Fowey,
all of them multiple times.

Entering Loch Boisdale.

I spoke to Dr. Simon Keeling the boss man at www.weatherweb.net who does a lot of work on medium and long term forecasting and there is a reasonable to good chance that the weather and sea state will be ok for St Kilda early / middle next week. So I will leave Lochboisdale tomorrow after getting some fuel and doing the laundry and have planned a number of very short legs to get me to the Sound of Harris ready to leave on Tuesday.

There is no grocery shopping here and the only shopping point on route is at Loch Maddy and that is very limited so it looks like I will be on tinned food for a while from later in the week.

I rather like this warning sign on the causeway road. 

21 miles in 6 hours.

Click here for the Wizard Pool