2025 30th April Days 33 - ?, Kirkwall.

WIP

A lovely morning on Wednesday and a quick motor with the tide down to Kirkwall, in the afternoon it was even warm enough for me to ditch the thermally lined trousers and winter shirt in favour of summer attire for a couple of hours and I was feeling a bit down for not having left for Shetland but as I posted on FB there is an old aviation saying:

"Its better to be on the ground wishing you were in the air

than in the air wishing you were on the ground."

As I write this on Thursday I am feeling much better about it as it is cold and I'm being bumped around a bit in the marina, the shelter is rather better than I feared from looking at the chart and I took the trouble to turn round to face west and to lay on the north side of the E - W pontoon so am being blown off and the main hatch is to leeward, although its been closed today.

Wind gusts @13:00: Orkney 31 knts, Fair Isle: 29 Knts Shetland 33 knts.

Approaching Kirkwall

Orkney is very dependant on the cruise ships but it does result in
busy streets and lots of touristy based shops although how some
of them make a living in a few months of the year I don't know.

14.4 miles in 3 hours.

Update Friday

If this mornings models are correct I should be able to move out of the marina on Sunday or Monday and head for Shetland on Monday or Tuesday. 

Update Saturday

The wind is now round to the north 20 gusting 30++ I should be able to leave the marina when the wind goes round to the west on Monday and move north on Monday or Tuesday ready for the off. Ironically with light winds forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday it may be best to wait for a nice southerly forecast by some models for Thursday but with the high pressure area slow moving and close by it’s anyone’s guess what will actually happen that far out, or even on the day. 

My 2 favoured models for Tuesday lunch time

Click for Shapensay.