China Girl, UK Circumnavigation - Year 6

From Cromarty to Inverness, CG's winter home was only 17 miles, the wind was very light, we got 10 minutes of sailing in our last trip of the season but essentially it was a motoring day.

05 September 2024

Cromarthy firth

This is the view from CG looking the other way in Cromarty Firth. No so good.

05 September 2024

Wick to Cromarty in our passage plan was 55 miles, mostly on a heading of about 220 (SSW). The wind had been south-westerly for days and we didn't fancy a 55 mile beat so we delayed and watched the weather like hawks. Eventually a day of Westerlies, not too strong was forecast so we went for it. We [...]

05 September 2024 | Castle of May

Castle of May

Dunrobin Castle and Castle May are both well worth the visit if you are ever up that way. The latter has been kept just as HM The Queen Mother left it the last time she visited in 2001. The lady that introduced us to the castle had been working there since she was a child, she was probably in her 70s. [...]

26 August 2024 | Wick Marina

Bye Bye Orkney

It's time to leave Orkney and head south back to mainland Scotland on our way to our winter base in Inverness. Landfall on the mainland will be Wick. Much thought and head scratching has gone in to this trip: timing, distance, tides and mostly the sodding weather. Perm all these. From where we are [...]

26 August 2024 | Wick Marina

Washing the outboard

From Calf sound a 2 hour trip on the motor to Whitehall in Papa Sound on the northern end of Stronsay. It was mostly upwind and we couldn't be bothered to tack all the way. Two nights on a visitors buoy and a look around the village.

Time flies

21 July 2024 | Stromness

Ann and Steve Crome | Sunny at last.

Wow, three weeks since the last post, time has got away from me. Two reasons, no internet and no rain (latter = need something to do = do the blog).

Flew back to Stornoway from Glasgow on the 11th after a decent train trip via Peterborough and Edinburgh. Left Stornoway on the 13th for Loch Nedd on the mainland, which is 42 miles. Wind was further round to the east than forecast making it a beat so some dynamic passage planning took place and we diverted to Loch Roe, about 15 miles further south and 20 degrees further off the wind. A fine reach at speeds up to 7 kts with both sails reefed in winds up to about 25 kts, 37 miles done. A great sail but lumpy and so tiring. 14 July quick hop to the Badcall islands, only 16 miles, a beat but we can do that for 16 miles but not for 42. Very pretty anchorage.

15 July plan said Badcall islands to L Clash. Latter is a pretty anchorage we were told that saves going in to Kinlochbervie (KLB) which is the best place to set off from to go around Cape Wrath. Lunch stop at Handa Island on the way. only 10 miles. No wind, motoring day, easy going. However, L Clash, after 8 attempts to anchor resulting in the anchor sliding over rock clogged with kelp we abandoned the idea and went to KLB.

Daaa da da da....Next day the terrors of Cape Wrath. 32 miles KLB to Loch Eriboll. Check tides, check wind, check tidal gate, check swell, recheck everything. Go at the right time. Cross fingers. No problems encountered, the reward for good planning; one period of vaguely rough water lasting about five minutes. Motto: more planning. less worrying. Just like when we rounded Portland Bill in 2019. 'Wrath' means 'turning' in Nordic (Viking), nothing to do with the wrath of the sea gods.

Loch Eriboll, we picked the anchorage the shortest distance into the loch to get us in a good position for the 30 mile trip to Sandside Bay the next day. Sandside Bay is right next to Dounreay power station but the cliff in between is just high enough to hide it from the anchorage and make a very pretty place. Anchored easily in sand, light winds, very little swell, we decided to stay two nights.

Photo shows the view across Sandside Bay.

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