Photo - proof we have had some sun in Orkney but not warm enough for shorts!
Saturday 6th August
Our trip from St. Mary's Bay started early with blue skies and a westerly wind that was forecast to decrease later in the day. As we motored across Scapa Flow we heard a radio announcement about a tug and long wave snake (one of those electricity generating things) that would be passing through Hoy Sound shortly and to give it a wide berth. We spotted it as it appeared from behind Cava and checking its speed on the AIS realised we'd be at Hoy Sound at the same time. We chose to reduce speed a little to let it get in front as it was travelling faster than us. By the time we then got to Hoy Sound there was little tide (we'd been hoping for a little to zoom us through) and we ended up meeting the Stromness ferry again in Hoy Sound - I'm sure the captain was thinking he recognised the yacht getting in the way the other day!
Out into the sea the swell increased and we had to give the marine energy test area a wide berth as they were doing stuff with the wave train within it. With the swell and the decreasing wind we weren't able to sail, but at least the sun was shining.
We picked up some tide and at the entrance to Eynhallow Sound we toyed with heading on up to Westray but we'd have had tides against us for part of it. We carried on down Eynhallow, being skewed around in the overfalls from the east going tide. Funny as the CCC Guide says there are no overfalls on the flood! We zoomed through and then saw a yacht trying to go the other way - they looked pretty stationary as we'd experienced over 5kts of tide with us.
The scenery was lovely down the Sound, sun shining, sea flat once we'd got out of the overfalls. The weather forecast was predicting strong winds from early Sunday so we decided not to pick up a mooring off Rousay and head straight to Kirkwall. I got to practice some quickly put together pilotage around the skerries off Gairsay and then had to weave our way between the racing yachts outside Kirkwall Harbour.
The winds on Sunday didn't pick up until late afternoon, which was annoying as we'd have been fine on the buoy off Rousay overnight. Oh hum, I think its time to head to somewhere with more reliable weather. Instead we had a walk up Wideford Hill for the views and to look at a chambered cairn there.
Monday 8th August
We were feeling pretty fed up with the weather and the forecast which wasn't looking good for the next few days. We'd had a terrible night's (non)sleep in the gale force north westerlies which built up a chop in the harbour causing us to roll and creak very noisily. We'd come off lucky - boats in the north of the marina had burst fenders and paint rubbed off their hulls from where they'd then been pushed against the edge of the pontoon. We spent the day wandering around Kirkwall's shops and to the Highland Park distillery for a bottle. Have to say they are very stingy with their tasting offerings (unlike the very generous Islay distilleries), not even a dram and that was the same as the people on the tour got which made us glad we hadn't bothered with the tour. We finished off with a trip to the local museum.
Kirkwall's main street is quite pleasant, not much traffic and lots of craft and jewellry shops to browse in. As we hadn't been able to find any Orkney tartan to make a cushion cover from (we're collecting fabrics from where we've travelled this year to remake our cushion covers which have got a bit skanky) we decided to buy some North Ronaldsay sheep's wool so that I can knit a cover instead. The only flaw in this plan is that I can't knit so I'll be needing a few lessons from my mum.
In the evening we treated ourselves to a restaurant curry which went down well with the miserable weather outside. When we got home we switched the TV on and saw the coverage of the riots and looting going on in London and other parts of the UK which left us feeling pretty sad about the state of the country.
Wednesday 10th August
The weather dried up and the wind went easterly making life in the marina more comfortable. We took a bus trip to Deerness out on the east of Mainland and walked around the Mull Head RSPB site. The walk goes around the cliffs and heathland passing the Gloup, a blowhole that has formed in the cliffs and a stone age site. On a rocky beach we built our own stone henges - I wonder if they'll still be there in thousands of years?
As we walked across the heathland I spotted a skua coming in for an attack on Colin – I shouted and it curved away to its nest a 100m or so away. Evil looking birds they are!