2025 21st April, Day 23 To Loch Kerry, Loch Garloch.

I was awake early and there was some wind so I left straight away. Last night I was hoping for Loch Ewe but the forecast this morning was not hopeful and predicted rain in the afternoon with high confidence but as I write this at 14:00 it has not arrived.

Heading up the Sound of Raasay making very good

speed when there was some wind.

It was a good start but was not to last and before I passed Rona the wind had largely gone and what there was was boxing the compass.

Rona and no wind.

With no real chance of getting east of Loch Eriboll before the weekend there was no point in motoring all day and getting wet so I diverted to Loch Garloch and, with south westerly winds forecast for later I went Loch Kerry rather than Flowerdown for more protection.
 

Loch Kerry

There was enough Beef for last nights Beef Bourguignon to make three good portions so it is on the menu for tonight as well to make some room in the electric cool box. No hardship as it was a particulalry good one.

28 miles in 6 hours

Click here for Loch Roe.

2025 20th April, Day 22 To Kyle of Lochalsh & Oskaig Bay, Raasay

Its not so cold today and quite pleasant in the afternoon with no wind and warm when the sun is out, but not enough to clear yesterdays snow from the higher peaks. 

A pleasant sail from the anchorage past Skye Bridge after which the tide and wind messed me about a bit, with tide due to be westbound and the wind offshore I rigged fenders and mooring lines before I left on the starboard side so I would be pointing into the current with the wind neutral fore and aft but pushing me off (a pain) but when I went under Skye Bridge the tide was still going east and the wind veered and increased to for F4 - 5. There was no way I was going to come alongside down wind and down tide as I would not be able to stop the boat so everything had to be changed over and I was along side at 09:20. 

Heading to Skye Bridge,

It turned out that the tide was well adrift as it was still east bound when I left 3 or 4 hours after it should have been against.

Two loads of shopping, fortunately the big co-op is very close albeit up a lot of steps, then a much needed shower and I was off again.

There is going to be a lot of chicken on the menu in the next couple of days as all of the chicken was on relatively short use by dates but it will be Beef Bourguignon tonight as the button mushrooms are even more perishable.

Plenty of snow on the mountain tops from last night.

Raasay's old harbour.

Old quarry workings by the old harbour.

Initially I was sailing but a couple of miles out and as forecast the wind dropped to 3 - 5 knots so on went the engine for a couple of hours to get to Oskaig Bay on Raasay. The forecast is for southerly winds tomorrow so hopefully I can make some progress up the sound of Raasay ending up at Loch Gairloch or perhaps Loch Ewe. From there it is one fairly long days sailing to be positioned to round Cape Wrath the next day if conditions permit.

The anchorage at Oskaig Bay.

Just over 20 miles in five and a half hours excluding the stop.

Click here for Loch Kerry.

2025 17th April, Days 19 - 21 To Eilian Donnan Castle and Bag an Strathaidh.

With rain forecast for lunchtime with a 90% probability (at 15:52 I am still waiting to see any) I left at 08:15 for a quick gander at east Loch Alsh and in particular the Castle at Eilian Donnan, in theory I would have the tide with me both ways once east of the Kyle Rhea but that didn't seem to work out with variable conditions due to big eddies. But with no wind it did not take long to get there, initially it did not look that impressive as it was merging with the background, up close it was clearly more substantial.

 

 

With the forecast rain I did not hang about and decided to go straight through Skye Bridge against what turned out to be a modest knot or so of current.

The usual optical illusion of a near miss going under the bridge
despite an air draft of 29 metres.

Another few miles to a previously unexplored anchorage at Bag an Strathaidh, it is quite exposed to the west but the wind was northerly and the westerlies expected during the afternoon were meant to be light, as I write this it is a steady westerly at 14 knots, higher than the forecast gusts, and the boat is pitching somewhat but with no tide she is lying into wind so there is very little roll. Hopefully the forecast overnight is correct which has the wind backing to the ENE at 4 knots or less before increasing to 7-10 knots by lunch time with gusts in the afternoon into the mid 20's.

My track in shown on the Admiralty 1:25,000 chart last surveyed
between 1850 and 1905 (further out it was surveyed in 2018-20),
the vector chart plotter is based on this and shows a slightly larger
area above water. Both have me going over a drying spot - not an
issue with 4 metres of tide.

But the much larger scale Antares chart surveyed in 2011 & 13
shows a different story.

The Inner Sound from the anchorage.

I don't like the look of this mornings weather models

Sure the mountains will provide some shelter but strong-ish winds that close to the west could make life uncomfortable here with any waves in the Inner Sound refracting around to here. I think I may move to Upper Lochcarron for a day or two, I'll have plenty of time to get through Strome Narrows before the tide turns foul at 10:40, getting back out in 2 or 3 days will be more of an issue but managable.

There are some indications that I should be moving north early next week so I could get the dinghy out to restock with food there or go back to a pontoon at Kyle of Lochalsh to visit the big COOP.

Dinner: Scratch made chicken and egg fried rice.

Update Friday 18th.

A nice quite night.

Posted on Facebook: 

Change of plan. This mornings 6 weather models don’t agree on the strength of the wind overnight tonight (it could be anything from calm to quite blustery) but they all agree that it will be NE to E, with more E than NE. And the domestic forecast for Plockton is 11 knts gusting 25 ENE. Upper loch Carron is reasonable in those conditions but this anchorage should be better so I am staying put. 

There are mixed signals for early next week but there is a chance I’ll be moving N on Sunday or Monday, shopping could be an issue but the co-ops at Kyle of Lochalsh and Portree claim to be open on Easter Sunday.

I double and triple checked and the rules are different in Scotland, all co-ops open as normal over the long weekend. The 10:00 opening rule also does not apply. Saturday is likely to be wet so shopping Sunday, a few days earlier than optimal given current stocks, and a short hop north. Possibly.

Scrambled eggs on toast with bacon for brunch 😀 to use up the past date bacon, now lots of washing up🙁.

I was going to give the cockpit and some other bits a good clean this afternoon but the sun has gone in and it’s too cold.

Dinner: chicken in sweet and sour cook in sauce.

Update Saturday 19th.

It’s darn cold here with a broken heater, the cabin is at 42 degrees in old money the last time I looked, on my bunk, fully dressed with a sleeping bag over me to try and keep warm. The oil lamp is giving a little heat, fortunately I have a good supply of lamp oil.

The weather models are still not in agreement but I might be able to get round Cape Wrath to Loch Eriboll or Kyle of Tongue later in the week to wait for better weather to get to Orkney. 

So the plan is to shop at the Kyle of Lochalsh then head north to the east side of Ramsay tomorrow and see how it goes for the rest of the week.

Dinner: Left over scratch made chicken curry.

Click here for the shopping trip and on to Raasay.

2025 15th April, Days 17 & 18 To Bag Dunan Ruadh and Balmacara Bay, Loch Alsh

Apart from the cold a cracking sail from the Anchorage until past Mallaig when the rain finally got me.

One of several squalls that missed me by a few miles tracking
 over the Small Islands and up the west coast of Skye, the
land in the foreground is the Point of Sleat, the southern tip
of Skye.

Fortunately the rain was not particulalry heavy and the bulk of it passed in 20 minutes or so although there were occasional light spells for a couple of hours. What did almost catch me out was the shift in the wind that veered from SSE at 15 knots to W at 20 in a few minutes (the autopilot was steering a compass course, not to the wind), I was quick enough to gybe under control before it happened by itself but having gone from a broad reach the a beam reach I was busy for a few minutes putting two reefs in the headsail and one in the main, then a second in the main as it looked as if it might get worse. It didn't as the centre of the squall missed me. 

An hour or so later the wind was down to WSW at 5 knots and before long I was almost going backwards against the tide and didn't really have steerage so on went the engine for the last the last hour to the anchorage at Bag Dunan Ruadh where I waited for the tide through the narrows of The Kyle Rhea.

It is still pretty chilly up here, especially with a broken heater.
Snow on the mountains of Skye.

At anchor, looking up the narrows.

The anchorage at Bag Dunan Ruadh

35 miles in 7:15 the first 2/3 at 5.5 - 6.5 knots.

I left the anchorage 20 minutes or so before the tide turned and had a knot against initially and up to two knots favourable before I exited a couple of miles later. It was then a quick crossing of Loch Alsh to an anchorage at Balmacara Bay that is protected from the forecast northerly winds. As I write (Wednesday afternoon, the 16th) I am getting pushed around quite a bit by a not particulalry strong wind varying around ENE - it is meant to be NNE.

Video of the anchorage hosted on Flikr as it is a bit over the 100 MB limit.

Click the controls to view here or the body of the image to view in Flikr.

4.6 miles in 1:15.

According to ECMWF and UKMO models winds are not suitable to go around Cape Wrath to Orckney for a week or more so I'll be cruising around the area until making a dash the 70 miles north a few days before things are likely to be favourable.

Dinners:

Left over scratch made Beef bourguignon.

Scratch made chicken curry.

Click here for Thursday's bimble.

2025 14th April, Day 16 To Sanna Bay.

The forecast was looking OK so off I went, rather earlier than planned at 12:30 in case Sanna Bay was not tenable to give me time to move on somewhere else. With wind against tide it was a little bumpy of Ardnamurchan point but not bad.

The "juicy" bit is at the end as a set comes through.

I was disappointed to find someone already in the anchorage, anchored right on the spot I had marked but there was room for both of us.

I was a bit more concerned about the reef 50 yards away and what
would happen when it covered but the sea was calming down and
I had a good night. Except for a scare in the early evening.

It finally happened to me, a big GPS error. At anchor and the anchor alarm went off. Rather worrying as I’m < 50 yards up wind of rocks and close to another boat.

I had the wash boards out pdq and there was the other boat where it should be and likewise the waves breaking over the reef. Turns out the iPad gps was over 50 yards adrift as was the chart plotter when that came on line. Both had been differential fixes and 10 minutes later were again, to c 4 yards. This was the 300th night at anchor using a GPS alarm on at least one device and this was the first technical error.

12.5 miles in three hours, under sail from inside Tobermory
harbour to the approach to the anchorage.

Dinner: Chicken in Cantonese cook in sauce.

Click here for a couple of legs to Loch Alsh.

2025 12th April, Day 13 - 16 Tobermory.

Updated daily.

Friday 12th

After arriving late morning and wanting to get the hard work done early and before showering I inflated the dinghy and made two shopping trips with particularly heavy loads, partially due to the COOP only selling non-alcoholic beer in glass bottles that are heavy to carry and a pain to store when empty. It was low tide so not suitable for using the dinghy to get close to the shop so it was the longer walk.

Also 2 loads of diesel which with the trolly is not a problem until back at the boat lifting it on board and filling the tanks / stowing it and my back was still objecting to the abuse a couple of days later.

I was pleased that my discipline of cruising at an economical speed of just over 5 knots, with a reasonably clean hull and propeller, even after 3 months at Milford, it paid off with low fuel consumption, I filled to the brim so a very good check point.

I had not exceeded the economic speed for any significant period since leaving Milford and there was a very close match between calculated fuel usage at 1.22 litres an hour and the tank reading each day (only once having a deviation greater than 1.7 litres), this compares with an average of 1.5 - 1.7 litres an hour throughout last year when I was driving the boat harder.

Then a much needed shower after all the hard work

Started on the blog and loading pictures to the blog and Flickr.

The weather models are all over the place but seem to agree I'll be here till at least Tuesday and probably Wednesday.

Saturday 13th

A quiet day, one small shopping trip for lunch and dinner - a very disappointing Pizza and got the blog up to date in first draft.

I was glad to have got the shopping done before this arrived.

Sunday 14th, a.m.

It is calm at the moment here but that is going to change, this mornings inshore forecast:

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West backing south or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time later. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough later near southern entrance. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Slight or moderate, occasionally rough until later in south. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

---

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: West backing south or southwest 4 to 6, increasing 7 for a time later. Rough, but mainly moderate near Ardnamurchan Point. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest 4 or 5, occasionally 6 at first. Rough, but mainly moderate near Ardnamurchan Point. Showers, perhaps thundery. Good, occasionally poor.

[Moderate near Arnamurchan is a relative term if you are fairly close in where a nasty sea develops.]

A detail from Admiralty chart 2540 that
unusually includes a specific set of
chartlets showing tides. Note the eddies
and rates.

The models are beginning to agree, at least for Monday and Tuesday. I might be able to get out late on Monday but it is probably not worth it as the only viable anchorage short of Arnamurchan Point within range would be Loch Drumbuie which is deep and a bit further from likely destinations.

Tuesday now looks reasonable for the sound of Sleat although it will likely to still be bumpy round the Point of Ardnamurchan. After that the models start to diverge, at least on timing and strength of the wind which is likely to be west turning north. Unless things change the Western Isles and the Shiant Isles are going to have to wait for the return trip.

The plan currently but subject to change is to leave quite early on Tuesday to get the favourable flood tide around Ardnamurchan and into the Sound of Sleat, that will last till about 09:00. To avoid a long day, I could stop somewhere just short of the Kyle Rhea and go through early Wednesday morning on the favourable tide but I would then likely have a foul tide under the Skye bridge and possibly a brisk head wind. 

So, depending on the weather forecast I may go through that evening, anchoring somewhere in Loch Alsh or if the wind is likely to be strong and changing overnight (most anchorages are exposed to wind from either the west or north), perhaps continuing past Skye Bridge, if I don't it will either be another early start or a very late one on Wednesday to get past Skye Bridge with a favourable tide.

The 17th is a spring tide so currents will run at up 8 knots through the Kyle, perhaps more according to the CCC Pilot. The tide starts north 6 hours before HW Ullapool and turns south at or slightly before HW Ullapool.

HW Ullapool / Tide starts north - Tide turns south.

Tue 15th 21:10 / 15:10 - 21:00

Wed 16th 09:20 / 03:20 - 09:00

Wed 16th 21:40 / 15:40 – 21:2 

Dinner: Scratch made Beef bourguignon.

Monday morning.

It looks like a change of plan, its generally calm here with some wind going north up the sound, although the general wind direction is probably SW. The forecast for today is a bit better, at 07:00:

The Minch - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest backing mainly south, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth east of skye. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest veering northwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 t first. Smooth or slight, occasionally moderate in north and south. Showers. Good.

---

Ardnamurchan Point to Cape Wrath - Strong wind warning

24 hour forecast: Southwest backing mainly south, 4 to 6, decreasing 3 or 4 later. Moderate or rough. Showers. Good.

Outlook for the following 24 hours: South or southwest veering northwest, 2 to 4, occasionally 5 t first. Moderate or rough. Showers. Good.

However the models from a bit earlier and the domestic forecast are showing somewhat less around  Ardnamurchan and I would be running before the wind or at worse reaching, so the plan is to risk a bit of surge in the anchorage and when the tide turns this afternoon to head for Sanna Bay, just round the point, that will be well sheltered from the wind and enable a later start in the morning, probably around about sunrise. 

I should then be able to sail to The Kyle Rhea possibly arriving a bit early and to have the option of taking the tide past Skye Bridge which is favourable till 18:00.

I'll make the decision after lunch with the lunchtime inshore and domestic forecasts are updated.

Click here for Sanna Bay.