News from the north

Jubilee smoobillie

Just thought you might want to know that Queenie recently had her 60 years in power celebrations… didn’t see hide nor hair of it up here but apparently there was some kind of party down south and then some sort of soggy boat parade or something.  I don’t think she is seen as so important in this neck of the woods!  Isn't there some sort of other hooley coming up shortly??  Can't think what that might be... doesn't seem to be that important though judging by the lack of coverage.

Ticked off in Scotland

The weather seems to be changing today.  More like autumn than the coming of summer proper so it seems appropriate to be heading south at last. 

Poor Bramble is still being made a meal of by the voracious tick population and we have had the odd one as well.  Do you call a group of ticks a “clock”??

The trees on the mainland are a welcome sight after the starkness of the Hebrides and we enjoy a relaxing night in Loch Nedd before heading down to Loch Inver.  The nunataks are spectacular rising like volcanic ziggurats out of the surrounding glacial rounds.  Makes for an awe inspiring backdrop to the modern little fishing harbour of Loch Inver.  It proves to be a nice place although they have a sneaky way of making you pay more by telling you the second night free.  The autopilot has succumbed to too much fiddling and as a result Murray is less than excited by their generous offer and has a minor paddy.  After a beer calm returns!

Finally get some sun and have some very relaxing days with lunchtime stops thrown in for good measure.  We could probably do with a bit more sun as we look a bit odd with really brown faces and hands and lily white bodies!

We are now in the land of the Scottish sailor but we still don’t see many folks out and about and when we do they are English. 

Winds are up (storms down south) and we achieve a record 9.7 knots one day.  Surfs up dude!  Badachro is a very sheltered spot along the coast and we go from a force 7 to a force 1 in the space of 100m.  Most odd!

We are unfortunately finding the dour scot a bit of a reality around these parts.  Not unfriendly just very reserved and indifferent company.  Maybe the Irish blood has been thinned out in these parts.

Right on Rona

The island of Rona off Skye turns out to be a highlight.  After a tricky rock strewn entrance the bay itself is well sheltered and had great holding in thick mud.  The island is privately owned and warden, Bill Cowie is a super friendly chap.  Really nice walking abounds with eagles soaring overhead and minke whales pootling about off shore.  We buy a box of frozen langoustines off Bill for next to nothing and have a lovely feed of chilli crustaceans.  Just lovely!

Plonkertown

Shame to say it but we have been looking forward to Plockton for the craic.  Sadly we are disappointed.  Although the village is “the prettiest village in Scotland” the townsfolk are so far up themselves they won’t need a doctor to tell them when they have prostate trouble!  If you do venture here make sure you visit is the Plockton Inn; it will be the only place that gives you a decent welcome.  We are beginning to wonder why the UK tourism board has spent so much money on ad campaigns to get people to holiday at home… from what we have seen of a lot of the tourist orientated businesses they don’t want you here!

Scary fact time… (finally got a Sunday paper!)

ü      3 out of 4 fish species in the EU are overfished.

ü      1.3 million tonnes of fish a year in the NE Atlantic are thrown dead overboard because they are the wrong species

ü      Between 500000 and 800000 tonnes of fish are discarded in the North Sea per year

ü      The EU fishing fleet is 2 to 3 times the size required to catch the available quota of fish

ü      82% of the worlds fisheries are either fully or over exploited

ü      Many oceans have lost 75% of their mega fauna

ü      Some species are down by 99%

… and still the politicians don’t want tackle the matter!

Eerie Eilean Donan

After yet another brush off in Plonkertown (can’t even get them to sell us grocieries) we reprovision in  Kylelochash, (very friendly place – take note PVille!) and head on the Eilean Donan.  It’s a great spot and we anchor on the opposite side and take a stroll up to an old Broch overlooking the castle.  They picked a beautiful spot for it; fantastic views.  Even the midges can’t take the edge off it! 

Murray falls asleep but when they light the castle up at night it makes for a splendid sight.   Next day we attempt to visit the castle but are foiled by the thick kelp beds so call it a day and trundle down the narrows between Skye and the mainland riding the back eddies and dodging shoals of slithering seals.  Lunchtime stop today is the Sandaig Islands where Gavin Maxwell lived and wrote “Ring of Brightwater” – no blubbing Rob! – beautiful spot but not an otter to be seen.  We move on the Loch Nevis and take advantage of the visitors buoy off the Old Forge (remotest pub on the British mainland).  Best pub we have been in for ages and we yap contentedly to the other sailors before sampling a plate of their best fare.  We retire for the night well satisfied.

Stunning Scavig!!

Today we are off to “the most spectacular anchorage in Europe” – Loch Scavig. 

We have a lovely sail there but scary to hear someone run over a rock off Eigg… the lifeboat is launched from Mallaig and all is well despite the yacht taking on water… I am sure we will see him in Arasaig!

Loch Scavig turns out to be exactly as described and is gobsmackingly stupendous!  Surrounded on three sides by outrageously steep mountain slopes and dramatic rock slips it seems as if the anchorage is carved out of the shear rock walls.  Tumbling burns drop vertically through rock crevices and the odd tree clings to life under an overhang.  The bothy on the beach is positioned perfectly for sun and shelter and despite the bustle of trip boats the place still seems stark and remote.  Tiny dots of climbers can be seen on the ridge tops and peaks, pushing themselves to knock off another munroe.  It’s all outrageously over the top, but no wonder the sailors fear the katabatic winds that are sometimes induced by high temperatures during the day.  We hope the holding is good!

We take a walk up the valley around the glacial lake behind the anchorage and Murray plays pied piper with the seals in the kayak; twenty of so circling him and playing tag under water.  Just amazing… fantastic place!

Canna get away!

We are back in Canna today.  The lure of the café has made us backtrack despite the weather forecast not being so great.  Bramble is over the moon and sets about the resident rabbit population with a vengeance! 

The food turns out to be just as good of the smell predicted last time we were here.  Rabbit pie with apricot and cider sauce, scallops and wild garlic, pork and black pudding with whiskey and mushroom sauce and to finish chocolate and cherry torte… amazing!!  We can’t afford to eat out much but we glad we made the exception here.  Just lovely!! 

Unfortunately the wind has now got up however and there will be no going anywhere today so it’s monopoly and rabbit chasing for the foreseeable future!

Top joke:

An Irishman and a Greek walk into a bar and drink themselves silly.

Who pays the bill?

The German

  

After a restless night sleep in 30+ knot winds we make a bouncy exit and roar across to Arasaig.  Luckily the wind drops as we approach the coast and we can take it steadily through the difficult winding entrance into the harbour.  As predicted we spot the yacht that hit the rock.  A few nasty gouges and a cracked keel but otherwise unscathed.  I’d say he got of lightly.