Talking with my friend Peter Dixon on the SSB radio last night I was able to achieve a rare one-up on him. He and Suzi have sailed all the way to Croatia to get out of the rain of Scotland. Threshold in Scotland is basking in sunshine while the rain is in Croatia. The locals are very amazed at the fine weather we are having. I hesitate to tell the details of our departure and then return to Stein, in Loch Bay yesterday. Another small malfunction delayed us and I feel it reflects badly on us to always be talking about our problems. However, it did completely dominate our day and it is part of the adventure. We had a very nice day-sail underway from Skye up to Tarbert on the Isle of Harris. A distinctly bad sound from the engine/prop(?) occurred as we shut the engine down after setting our northerly course. Restarting the engine seemed fine BUT when we put her in gear there was no thrust, forward or reverse. It wasn't the transmission. I could see that turning. Had we lost the prop that we had just dismantled and replaced? That was our thoughts as we turned around for Loch Bay as improbable as it might be. Once in calmer water behind the headland we slowed the boat, as it was still a beautiful day of sailing, and I dunked my head into the 50 degree water off the transom to have a look. Happily the prop was still there but it was in a strange, neutral thrust position. Had the internal gears jammed? Using the main alone we sailed back in front of the village of Stein and anchored near the spot we had left just an hour before. Karyn helped me into my wet suit while Andy was offering 'sincere' sympathy about the water temperature. A quick, gasping slide under the boat proved the prop to be perfectly fine, the shaft turned freely, but "Oh,Oh", the shaft anode appeared to be jammed against the cutlass bearing in the strut. Out of the water, into a hot shower, and then a check of the coupling proved that yes, the shaft had slipped out of the coupling. The tapered pin that held the shaft in place for six years until I removed/replaced it last week during the seal change had disappeared. Nothing like causing your own problems. Apparently Lock Tight and my hammering had not been enough to keep it in place. With Andy kneeling in the engine room to guide the shaft I went swimming again. After multiple attempts we were able to slide the shaft back into place. Karyn was waiting with a hot bowl of soup after I got my second hot shower of the day. With the coupling back in place the tapered pin was replaced with more Lock Tight and then, additionally, banded in place with a stainless steel hose clamp. Let's see it come out now! Today we finally made it to the Outer Hebrides. Tarbert on Harris Island is a small village at the ferry terminal from the mainland. Visualize a small town at a railroad crossing in the Bad Lands of South Dakota. When we left the Azores three weeks ago our destination was the Outer Hebrides. Now that we have made it we are looking for weather that will allow us to sail 150 miles to the Orkney Islands just off the north coast of Scotland. We hate to not see more here but we have to keep moving with the weather. Sorry this was so long winded. But, yesterday was a long day and you didn't even get to hear about the Hebridian Sheep skin Andy bought.