2025 5th May Day 37 Kirkwall to Shapensay.

A very short hop on Monday, mainly to avoid another days marina charges.

Elwick Bay on the southern side of Shapensay had good shelter from the wind and there are two free moorings. I was warned that the shelter from waves is not too good in a south-westerly due to refracted waves, I am getting quite a lot of that with a north-westerly and it is not particularly comfortable, and making the spag bol for dinner will be a trial, but the wind is forecast to moderate significantly as it backs to westerly over night.

There was not much point in going further north as it would just mean a later start tomorrow to catch a favourable tide into the Sound of Faray. Hopefully I’ll make Otterswick on the north side of Sanday tomorrow and Grutness, Shetland, or a bit further on Wednesday, I suspect motoring will be required but neap tides and light winds should calm the seas a little.

When the sun is out it’s actually feeling quite warm now when out of the wind (all of 50F) different to the last few days and especially nights when I have been using two sleeping bags to keep warm.

Leaving Kirkwall

It was a very short hop but I did get to sail all of the way once out of the marina. And I lucked out with the mooring, there was one available and when I went up to it for a reccy the wind dropped a bit from the 20 knots it had been and I grabbed the boat hook and the opportunity and got the pick up easily and first time. It must have looked very professional from the shore 😄

Approaching Shapensay, Elwick extreme right..

Elwick, Shapensay, one boat in the anchorage on one of the
free visitors moorings.

I knew I had seen the anchored boat before on this

trip but could not place it. Then I remembered it

was in Kirkwall marina, and went back there after

a brief stay.

Just 4 miles in an hour and a quarter.

More photos in the slide show on the next but one post covering Otterswick to Gurtness Voe.

Click here for my positioning leg to Otterswick, Sanday.