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

2025 29th April Day 31, To Fersness Bay, Eday.

Draft WIP

 After arriving at Gairsay I did some serious work with the pilot, the tidal atlas within it (much more detailed than the official Admiralty on) and notes from the Orkney marina's web site. The latter are very good but densely written without chart-lets, I found myself doing what I have criticised others for doing - flipping backwards and forwards on the iPad trying to orientate myself and identify places, once I realised what I was doing out came the paper chart and things became much clearer.

I had intended to leave for Shetland from the nearest sensible point, Otterswick, Sanday. I could not get there by a sensible time for an early start next day, but worked out that with the tide next morning my intended intermediate stop off at Fersness Bay, Eday would make a leg from there to an anchorage in the south of Shetland viable also that I could get to Fersness Bay at a sensible time leaving at about 16:00 to catch the first of the northerly flowing tide into the Sound of Farray, which only runs for about 4 hours.

Going another twenty odd miles direct to Lerwick would be a stretch and I would be arriving to an unfamiliar harbour at night or at dawn if I was lucky or used the engine a lot, so I discounted that option.

The latest forecasts were sort of encouraging so at 15:50 I was on my way again, into the Westray Firth for a very quick ride north.

With 4 - 5, occasionally more knots of tide, even making 5 through
 the water I was going crabwise for much of the way.

Into Westray Firth before the stronger tide and disturbed water.

A little later and to stay sailing might well have

let me be swept past my destination as the boat

was swinging wildly in the eddies and loosing power

as the sales alternately flapped in the breeze or were

were sheeted in far too tight. Fortunately there was no

swell coming down the Firth, if it had it would be

quite a long diversion or a dash to a safe haven.

Approaching the entrance to the Sound of Farry, just 

as tide turned to run into it. Fortunately close to shore

the tide was significantly less and quite calm. The

fish farming support ship following me probably 

was timing his run as I was. He passed close behind

as I turned into the bay.

The anchorage, rather nice in these conditions but 

exposed to the north.

I should have used a polarising filter on
the camera but forgot I had one with me until
later, but if you look carefully you can see
the chain out 20m or so.

The water was lovely and clear, I could see through more than 6m of water to plant the anchor between the scatted weed and see the chain on the sea bed way out, certainly 20m and with polarized glasses I am fairly sure I could see the anchor 30m away. 

I got some dinner on the go and checked the forecast. Not good:

24 hour forecast [from 19:00]: Variable, becoming south 2 to 4, increasing 5 or 6 later. Slight or moderate. Rain or drizzle with fog patches, showers later. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

I might have lived with that but the models I later downloaded had very strong winds, >30 knots, arriving Thursday mid day ish, (later gusting 40) that could catch me out on the final bit to Lerwick. 

I contemplated wating for the midnight forecast but decided not to as I would not get the detailed models until the tide had turned foul in the Sound of Farray. So I had to work out when I could leave for Kirkwall, fortunately that was easy and the best start was just before eight so I could have a lie in.

Stromness to Gairsay: 32 miles in six hours.
Gairsay to Eday: 10 miles in 2 hours.

Click here for Kirkwall.

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..

My review of anchorages and marinas around UK has been updated to 1st May 2025.

Anchorages and Marinas covered as at Feb 2025

Updates April / May 2025:

• Further anchorages to the date above.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Rubha Reidh (west of Loch Ewe) split into two at Skye Bridge as it was getting very long and I anticipate more anchorages north of there to be added in the near future.
• Orkney (and hopefully later Shetland) now on a separate page.
• Table of contents added to longer pages, I may do the rest at some point.

Updates Feb 2025: 

• It is now possible to download a .GPX file with all of the covered locations identified (as per above) plus a long list of places I have checked out on paper and may visit.  This can be imported into Memory-Map and other charting software, Details below.
• A few boundaries have been rationalised to run between headlands rather than anchorages to remove confusion and avoid further changes when I add new locations, descriptions on some older links may not be updated but they will still work.
• The Isles of Scilly split from SE Ireland to make more room, there are now 12 pages. 
• Now having a 5G phone, 2025 notes will include O2 5G coverage although I suspect very few will appear, Milford Haven despite being a reasonably sized town is not currently covered.

Sancerre in the anchorage at The Holy Island of
Lindisfarne, 2021, the Farne Islands and Bamburgh
Castle in the distance.  A trip line is required in
this anchorage, to see why click here.

Update Nov 2024: Updated with those visited through 2024, to date I had been to 155 different locations since getting Sancerre, almost all have at least some comments.  

I now include:

• Harbours and Marinas.
• Some info on fuel & gas availability but I would not have checked at many locations. 
• Cell coverage, Vodafone and O2, for those I have visited recently.
• Videos of anchorages when weather, daylight and time permit.

Be sure to check out Reeds and / or the appropriate pilots for more detailed information and alternates, this is just an overview of likely candidates, but I have been to all of them over the last few years. Some notes on passage making using some of these can be found here:  "Planning a round GB trip" , a list of charts and Pilots I have used round GB can be found here: "Charts and Guides for a round GB trip"

Updates Winter 2023/24: Further updated during a boring winter 2023/4 to include some information on access to and from marinas. Done from notes but largely from memory but fortunately that is good for this sort of thing, I just wish that I always knew why I went into a room or opened a browser page 😕. See my page Marina & mooring notes (opens in a new window) for some general tips, definitions and the context (handling of my boat) in which I comment.

Village Bay Anchorage, St Kilda 2023.

Hunda Sound anchorage looking towards Scapa Flow, Orkney at 03:30.

Note that these "Pages" do not show up under "Post Labels" (right). There will normally be more photos of each anchorage on the linked post and sometimes subsequent ones (I normally only "tag" the first post in a sequence) the associated slide show, or by clicking on the Post Label right:

• The Solent.
• The Needles to Rame Hd (Plymouth).
• Rame Head to Lands End.
• The Isles of Scilly. 
• Lands End to The Mull of Galloway excluding Ireland.
• The East Coast of Ireland from Carnsore Pt to Fair Head.
• Ireland clockwise from Carnsore Point.
• Mull of Galloway to Ardnamurchan Point.
• Ardnamurchan Point to Skye Bridge.
• Skye Bridge to Rubha Reidh (west of Loch Ewe).
• The Western Isles.
• Rubha Reidh to Duncansby Head.
• Orkney and Shetland.
• Duncansby Head to The Solent.

GPX download of locations.

A small chart section showing places I have visited (Red and Blue)
and those I would go to in the right conditions.

I have the entire collection and the charts on my iPads, iPhone and laptops
so if I need to choose a destination or make a diversion I don't necessarily
have to do further wide ranging research, just check tides, the pilot and
charts for the detail.

At the time of writing there are 102 possible locations mainly from Scilly,
Ireland and Lands end to Shetland via Cape Wrath, in addition to the c 150
places I have been to at least once in the last few years.

Download files last updated Feb 2025.

The chart at the top of the page is a snap shot of some of the places I have visited, they are marks / way points in "Memory Map", I have exported these for back up and so that I can share them to my other devices, I have now made them available so that others can down load them for reference. They are stored in a .GPX file which most charting packages can access, the categorisation may or may not make sense in other software but the marks should appear. If in doubt, back up what is already in your package so that if you can't manage the two or three hundred marks you can bulk delete then restore.

An example of a single mark exported from "Memory-Map for All"
to a .GPX file and imported into my Seapro 3000 navigation software
as a waypoint. Category and symbol information were ignored although
 the name and position did come over. Care must be taken using these
as an actual waypoint - as noted below positions are only indicative.

For software geeks this is how a single point is described coming out of Memory-Map.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<gpx version="1.1"

creator="Memory-Map for All 1.3.1 https://memory-map.com"

 xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

 xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1"

 xmlns:xstyle="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2"

 xmlns:xgarmin="http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3"

 xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/gpx_style/0/2/gpx_style.xsd http://www.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensions/v3 https://www8.garmin.com/xmlschemas/GpxExtensionsv3.xsd">

<wpt lat="51.7073036414" lon="-5.1566832963">

<time>2025-02-10T12:51:51Z</time>

<name>Milford, Dale Shelf, Free Pontoon</name>

<src>mmid:F2364F57A0B3A561</src>

<sym>Anchor</sym>

<type>Anchorages and Marinas:Scilly to Mull of Galloway</type>

<extensions>

<xstyle:fill>

<xstyle:color>00ff00</xstyle:color>

</xstyle:fill>

</extensions>

</wpt>

</gpx>

Overlay list in "Memory-Map for All", items
ticked and those below will be displayed. 

Despite referencing a Garmin schema importing this into Garmin "Active Captain" has the same result as into SeaPro except that the name is truncated further.

Note positions are indicative and do not necessarily mean that you can anchor in the exact location, I sometimes place them close to an anchorage so that the icon does not obscure charted information. E & OE! - check out charts, in particular the Antares charts for West Scotland, Pilots etc. Naming conventions are not altogether consistent as things have changed with time and software upgrades and as selection is graphic from a chart ninety-nine times out of a hundred I am not spending time to improve it further.

I will probably update the files at some point in the future, it is not practical to just issue changes as the the .GPS file does not manage changes or deletions so if you plan to take updates put your own marks under a different category so that mine can be mass deleted and reloaded. The overlay list shows routes, these will not be made available as these may not be up to date or validated, my masters are in SeaPro and exported to the plotter and/or MemoryMap if and when required. Also I am not taking responsibility for your navigation!

Some places have a combination of a marina and moorings (e.g Tobermory which also has some possibility of anchoring), Moorings and mid river pontoons (e.g. Fowey), etc.. I flag them by the type I have used most or the most prolific (e.g. Fowey is shown as moorings although there are a number of mid stream pontoons) but occasionally when there are two significant facilities (e.g. Tobermory marina and moorings or Plockton with significant moorings and anchorage) I put in a mark for both.

The sub category expanded to show the
anchorages, right click + view takes you directly
to the point and an appropriate chart, doing the same
on a category or sub-category shows all selected.

In "Memory-Map for All" they will be shown as overlays under different categories and sub categories so they can be hidden as required, and will be locked in position (but can be unlocked), other software may not support this. I have done basic testing on an iPad and another PC, both using "Memory-Map for all". The older versions of Memory Map did not support sub-categories and I guess they would be turned into categories, early issues with "Memory-Map for All" have been resolved and as the basic software (not the charts which are still remarkably cheap) is free I see no reason not to move to the latest version.

Places I have been to, and therefore have notes on the web site for, are grouped together under "anchorages and marinas" with sub-categories roughly equating to my regional categories above. Anchor Icons ⚓  are coloured to differentiate anchorages (Red) from marinas, moorings and pontoons (without walk on access) that usually have to be paid for (Blue). None of the anchorages I have flagged have to be paid for (unlike Salcombe, Falmouth and Kinsale) but there may be a charge to use landing facilities, usually with an honesty box or on line payment e.g. Plockton (where you can land on the beach for free and it is a shorter walk).

Link to download visited anchorages etc. as a .GPX file to import into Memory-Map (or other mapping software with care).

There are two other categories; in a second downloadable file:

• Possible Anchorages - places I have done at least some research on and so for instance know there is normally sufficient water for Sancerre to stay afloat as low tide and I would, in the right conditions, anchor there overnight. Clearly there are lots more! They will show Green if displayed. They are not categorised further due to the work that would be required.
• Possible marinas - as above, show in purple
• Link to download possible anchorages and marinas. 

There are few possible anchorages on the south coast as I have been to most of the more important anchorages and none on the east coast as I have not done any research on them since 2020 and although I have some noted in excel spread sheets I would have to sift through them and manually enter them, as I don't plan to go that route again I'm not going to put the work in. 

Ireland is a different matter, a round Ireland trip has been on the bucket list for a while and I planned some routes out in detail a couple of years ago, as they are in the system I have put the end points of each planned leg into a third  down loadable file under the category "IRE" that covers Cape Clear west about to Loch Foyle, the coast from Cape Clear east about to Fair Head is covered in the other two files.

The anchorage at Canna, the Small Isles, on route from
Tobermory to S. Uist, 2022. The Isle of Rum in the distance.

2025 26th April, Day 28 Stromness, rather to my surprise,

Draft

The plan was to go to Loch Eriboll, if necessary ride out up coming bad weather there before moving on to Stromness, with tides then  a good start eastward to arrive as the tide turned favourable through Hoy Mouth.

A long distance phone pic of me going
inside Am Balg, 6 miles from Cape
Wrath. Pic by Katrina from SV
Windsong.

With the side setting north in the early morning I left at 04:45 which would give me fair tide until close to Loch Eriboll or all the way under engine.

At 06:30 I was 9 miles south of Cape Wrath under main and chute making 4 - 5.5 knots and being overtaken by an 11 yacht under engine and I was all set for a lunch time arrival. The inshore waters forecast was making Stromness the next day very doubtful and I managed to get the UKMO model downloaded ahead of schedule but not the others. Sunday looks bad for some distance east of Cape Wrath whilst Monday now looked to be very light winds rather than v strong, and Tuesday also light.

If I was going to have to motor to Stromness I decided I would rather do that immediately rather than in 2 or 3 days time after what could be another uncomfortable night at anchor. Some quick calculations (on the computer) showed that, even with the tide turning foul, under engine I could easily make the tide through Hoy Mouth / Sound and if the wind kept as it was or set in from the south / south east as forecast I should be able to sail a reasonable proportion of the way. Decision made and I headed for Orkney and a long day at sea.

Approaching Am Balg making about 5 knots.

Heading for Cape Wrath at 07:40 with the wind changing, unusually
sailing goose winged with the cruising chute as I was now on a dead
run (again). 

A couple of miles short of the Cape the wind died and started to veer so I snuffed the chute and carried on under engine.

My fifth rounding of Cape Wrath at 08:09

A few miles east of the cape some wind returned and things then were quite busy for a while and I probably overdid it a bit and was rather achy that night. The cruising chute was still hoisted but snuffed so first I set that. But I really needed more sail and the wind was veering which would need the chute to be flown from the pole so I hoisted the spinnaker.

But the wind kept veering and I needed to gybe back onto the correct course but decided on a rest first (there are times when you wish for a foredeck hand who you can tell to get on with it) but it kept veering and I would be crossing the bows of an approaching ship. So a gybe it was.

After gybing and back on course but the wind was dying.

I persisted for about an hour during which the good ship Windsong extended her lead to over 6 miles but the wind had all but disappeared so on went the engine again. And it was to stay on for the rest of the trip although I did motor sail for a while approaching Hoy when the wind which had set in from the NE - on the nose again and chilly, finally went round the the SE.

The Old Man of Hoy, not a brilliant photo but the best I have
managed in the five times I have past, perhaps on the way hope
I will see it in sun shine.

Approaching Hoy Mouth, just over an hour to go.

As I went through Hoy Sound at about 10 knots over the ground there was an unwanted AIS alert the ferry from Scabster steaming up behind me at 17 knots before entering the fast tide. All was set for her to catch up as I turned into the entrance channel to Stromness. 

Avoiding the ferry.

As it was just about on high water I thought to hide on the near, port side to wait for her to pass but then I saw pot buoys so made a dash east to clear the channel, it was a close pass but they didn't have to take any action to avoid me.

I was alongside, very tired, by half eight.

80 miles in 16 hours.

Click here for the first push north.

2025 25th April, Day 27. A very close shave in Loch a'Chadh-fi

Draft

The afternoon at anchor was quite peaceful although the boat was a little lively from the wind which was swirling down off the hills, it was not helped by the shallow water, whilst a scope of about 7:1 gives a good angle on the anchor it allows the boat to swing more. I had considered backing the anchor up which would reduce this but decided that it the wind changed more to the south (as it did) I would not have time to get the anchor up before hitting the shallow water or rocks 150 – 200 yards away.

The scene of the crime: Left initial attempt at anchoring in a
recommended location. Right where I was for c 12 hours.
Centre when I ended up.
Note the channel into the head of the loch is =< 100 yards wide.

Where is happened, off John Ridgeways adventure training
centre. Note the anchored rib, another is off frame right.

I was tired so was in my bunk by 21:30 to be rudely awakened at about midnight by the boat cavorting all over the place and healing significantly.

After a quick look outside I got dressed, including waterproofs although it was not raining and at the time quite warm, and only for the second time in over 300 nights at anchor sat anchor watch.

The sky was clear but with no moon and I could see nothing except the loom of the mountains and the intruder alarm lights on the adventure training school that would later be helpful in getting orientated. I turned on the chart plotter and got an iPad on deck with the Antares chart active so I could see where I was and were I was going if things went pear shaped.

The problem was the wind, rather than 20 knot winds, as the instruments came on line there was a gust of 39 knots. That was exceptional but the wind was going from 12 knots to over 30 pushing the boat about with the bows swinging through about 70 degrees. There was not a lot I could do but hope, trying to change anchorage in those conditions, in the dark and in a relatively small anchorage was not to be contemplated and where to go? I ran the engine for a while to warm it up and ensure an instant start if needed and I set an anchor alarm on a second iPad as a backup and kept the plotter and instruments on. Then waited.

By about 01:30 things were calming down so I went to my bunk, fully dressed and with the wash boards out so I could get on deck quickly.

20 minutes later an alarm went off and I was slowly moving back and missing the 100 yard wide passage to the wider and deeper anchorage that had been down wind. The wind was back up to near gale force after a lull. I guess a sudden increase after a calm caused the anchor to fail.

I tried resetting the anchor and it gripped once for a while but then let go. There was nothing for it but to get the anchor up (in case it was choked with weed or something else; it was clean) and try again. Not easy under pressure, in the dark and with the engine controls at one end of the boat and the anchor at the other where I needed to be raising the anchor, although I can lower it from the cockpit you do need to be forward to see what is happening before setting the anchor.

The first problem was the snubber which somehow had got a loop of chain round the chain hook so I had to haul the chain in far enough to get the fouled section over the bow roller and past the chain stopper but before it got to the windlass. With chain stopper engaged and the pressure off it came undone easily and I got the anchor just clear of the water before dashing back to the cockpit to get into deeper water, I now had to decide where to go, I could not see the two large ribs moored a hundred yards away from my original position and it was dead low water with only just over a metre under the keel at times. The best move was to try and get sea room by moving west which I managed by GPS and with difficulty in the strong  swirling wind.

Big splodge: at anchor, top left struggling, bottom the escape.

I had considered a shallower area in the large section of the loch coming in, but the wind was as gusty there as at my original spot behind Eilen d’Chadh-fi that I had moved out of when I started to drag there on arrival. But it had to be the best option and with the slight change in the wind it was no worse than any other place.

I tried three times to anchor there, the problem being the speed the boat was making downwind when the anchor hit bottom causing it to “skate”, the first held for about 10 minutes and would not reset when it dragged so up it came, the final attempt worked after I lowered the anchor from the cockpit for 25 seconds, about 12m of chain in 7 metres of water, whilst motoring slowly ahead then dashing forward. Trying to rig the snubber in those conditions would have been asking for a crushed finger or worse so I suffered noisy chain movements and some snubbing until daylight.

Three attempts to anchor, the big splodge where I ended up.
Squiggles bottom centre, the first attempt. Just left of the final
position the 2nd attempt, trying to reset. Incomplete as I
turned the alarm off when manoeuvring.

That has held till the time of writing this in draft on Friday morning. At daylight the wind was relatively stable and appeared consistent throughout the loch at 18-20 knots gusting to 25 and by late morning it was down to 10 - 15 knots with the odd gust.

06:00 as the gale abates

 

I’m now short of sleep and cold from trying to sleep with the wash boards out, even fully dressed in the sleeping bag.

Click here for my unplanned trip direct to Stromness.