2025 29th April Day 31, heading north.

DRAFT WIP

I had intended to stay at Stromness for 2 nights to get laundry done, resupply etc., but despite an outside chance of a weather window for Shetland opening on Monday I was tired after the last few days, particularly the lost nights sleep in Loch a'Chadh-fi on Thursday, and with the necessity of an 03:30 alarm call to make the tide on Sunday morning I decided to stay another night and thought it would then be a leisurely few days around the northern Islands mainly sheltering from some serious wind on its way.

However the model downloads at 20:00 on Monday night looked encouraging for Wednesday but could I get to a sensible starting point in time? My previous research only covered options staring from Kirkwall with a couple of stops before heading out, so I had a busy hour or so checking things out. It is quite complicated (I may do a post later on some of the issues) and I needed to get to bed for an early alarm call, I did however determine that going to Pierowall in the NW, an obvious candidate and one others have used, was probably just out of reach. If I had pushed the boat hard under engine I would probably reach Papa Sound just as the tide turned foul and with a particulalry high spring tide I might well not make it through in time and be stuck at sea.

I therefore decided to head towards Kirkwall but to stop short and check further options that might open up as the tide turned north westwards later in the day, providing I did not procrastinate I would still have time to take the last of the flood south to Kirkwall.

I slipped at 05:15 in dull overcast, chilly weather.

Entering Hoy Sound about 3 minutes late - 27 mins
of west going tide remaining, after the Rost will
have subsided.

Leaving Hoy Mouth.

The hour from Hoy Mouth was seriously uncomfortable with a nasty sea on the beam making the boat roll and sailing not practical, I was making 2 knots in 12 knots of wind as the rolling took the power out of the sail and the boat used all its energy going up and down. So on went the engine. The second hour was somewhat better but no wind 😣 I started to sail off Brough Head in a decent sailing beaze, albeit gusty, that was likely to get worse as I went up Eynhallow Sound and anyway the wind was dropping again and sailing through the overfalls, where on a west going tide the infamous Burgar Rost forms, did not seem like a good idea. Back motoring again.

Eynhallow Sound just SE of Eynhallow Island. 

Videos best played at half speed.

The anchorage, Millburn Bay, Gairsay.

Stromness to Millburn Bay, Eday.
32 miles in 6 hours.

Click here for on to Fersness Bay, Eday..