of course we've bin sailng

sailing on the Thurne, Ant etc. quiet contemplative sailing on a 120 year old boat. Lovely but hard work.

Och, what a scorcher

I think the temperature must have shot up into double figures so only 3 layers of clothing were required. And the wind was merely gusting f2 so didn't need to reef down. Only, the wind has been blowing for a few days form the NE and the sea had built up a right old swell. Rather uncomfortable to be honest.

Still, we took Freyja out for a couple of hours along with a few other boats.
Soon our supermarket bag that passes for a mainsail was filled. Then the wind died and the outboard was fired up again. Not so keen on the racket the engine makes so soon as we could we shut the thing off again - and still bowled along at 2kts ! Almost.

Twas lovely if a tad bumpy. Eve less than perky after a while in the bumpy water.

The light was lovely though. The seals looked happy and the gulls were diving for minows.

And we saw ChloeMcBoatFace with Toby Marshall as we came in. Hope they enjoyed the bumpy ride!

Seemed like a nice day for sailing

So we didn't. We painted some wood bits that looked scruffy and rued forgetting the radio and everything.

We a  lovely day though.

I could get used to this weather

Of course the sun was shining again. Warmish too and just a little breeze so we went out to Freyja again this time bringing her back for a visit to see Ammonite with Gerald and Sue. Gerald helped us mend the broken cam-cleat and the sort the non-working depth-charge thing. So we went out to celebrate.

Oooh, Freyja looks so very small among the wee boaties of the Stornoway marina. She lives on a swinging mooring but came in temporarily and everything.

We wern't the only ones out sailing about. A french boat went out to play as did some local boats.

But if the sun went in - as it did from time to time, it got a little chilly.  Still, had a lovely time but were rather surprised to see one local sailing boat [not pictured] go into the inner harbour fully sailed up, at quite a pace, seemingly bouncing off a moored boat almost crashing into Cuddy Point and then swerve to a stop. What was all that about then?

I'm not about to overdo it.

We were out again. In the sun again. Enjoying it - again.

Bit more of breeze this time - f3-f4. Tucked the sails in a bit so Eve would be happier but we still poddled along nicely out into the wavy water. We weren't alone in going out either. Uncle Toby Marshall was out in his boat called Chloe and young Ken was out in Scorpio along with my lovely dentist Joanna who took some snaps of us while we took snaps of Toby and Joanna with Ken. Eh?

See, Ken with Joanna on Scorpio.

Toby in Chloe with Eve driving Freyja.

Lovely evenings sail all round. Proper wind, proper wave things and everything.

Some old tub in the marina at the moment!

And two snaps from Joanna on Scorpio. That's us on Freyja apparently.

Whoa !

I was out sailing again in the unexpected [for here] sunshine. Despite the severe force 1 gale and 1mm swell in the outer harbour, My visiting crew and I wallowed around a bit trying to keep in the shade. Eventually, the gale abated, the swell disappeared and we had to motor in. Lovely hour or two bobbing around though.

Crew David doing the driving with the steering stick and everything.

That swell !

We didn't sail

 We had planned sailing. Took the blow-up out to Freyja. Got aboard and everything. Got the string bit ready then, the mechanical paddling device on Freyja wouldn't start.

Was such a pity. weather lovely. sea state ok, time to go sailing but.... We didn't want to risk the no-motor option [again] as the tide was falling and getting back to our mooring between the rocks can be a tad tricky under sail. I took the opportunity to patch up the wood edge bits on the boat [strakes] with plastic padding but didn't feel like doing anything else.

So, we had a cup of tea, tried the MPD again with no luck and came in on the blow-up again. Talked to the Right Admirable G Hales, watched Toby and family go out, spoke to James about to go out with other in an engineless sgoth and generally mooched about. We came home then :-(