50.Morning

49. Visitors

There's lots of boats in and around The Isle of Lewis this year - despite the indifferent weather. Here's the Wharram cat Tortuga with a line of drying socks. If you click on that second link you can read their blog about the visit. Always liked the notion of these boats I must say and this one looks a beaut!

Then there's this one, next to... and in front of the lifeboat. No idea what this one was [grey]  but it isn't the Atlantica as mentioned by someone on social media. This is Atlantica parked round the corner with a female captn by all accounts..

Well, that was a pleasant stroll this morning after the visit to the harbour master's office!

48. Please no!

Ah, there she is, skulking in the marina [very briefly Mr Harbour Master Sir] so she could be victualled - or whatever one calls it. I call it loading up.  Was a lovely day - little breeze but no swell or other wavy bits of note so we were looking forward to this. We were I might add,  here at about 8am.

Lovely sailing. Nice 3 knots and dry-ish. Mainly. Apart from when it rained.

See, was lovely sometimes. Eve threw caution to the wind and put a fishing line over the side but think the seals and porpoises must have got there first!

Didn't need the reef in the main but did require the engine from time to time to keep us going. Still, we called in to see Uncle William at his gaff in Cromor. Anchored Freyja and everything. And it stayed where is was meant to be. What a lovely spot this is - even when damp or peeing down as it was when we dropped the anchor. We meant to drop the anchor - it is what one does you know.

After refreshment and chat we took off down Loch Erisort to explore - but the rain came again so we parked nicely again round the back of  Challum Cille island and had tea, wine and a tootle round in the blow-up to explore between the rain showers. What a wonderful place this was. So sheltered and quiet - apart when the birds over-squawked. We slept well too.

Awoke early aware that a little blow was due in and set off back up the Loch. Only, the wind had already created a bit of excess rippling in the water. This got worse as we reached the sea and I didn't like it. I felt doomed or something. The wee boatee wasn't too keen either so we back-tracked to the calm waters of Cromor, dropped an anchor and cadged a lift back to Stornoway with Gemma [Mrs William] when she went to church.
We shall resume the expolorement next week - if the wee boatee is still there!

47. We may go sailing

I say may because the weather is a bit iffy up here. At the moment it's lovely, flat calm and a light breeze in a suitable direction. But, this is the Hebrides and it is due to change soon - like Sunday. So our planned tripette down south of the island may be a little cut short.

Slabbed up at the wavy-about end of the pole thing.

And at the other end.

Today I went out to the wee tub Freyja and rigged up a little slab reefing affair. Granted it is not the real thing but I think it will make things a little easier when the wind blows.

46. We found some skills

It wasn't quite so gusty or rough but we went out again today and re-did the challenge course without twirls and missed turns. Properly smooth and everything. Reefed.

Eh? How was that?

Ken was impressed, he invited aboard the good ship Rebecca for a cup of coffee. Proper nice.

45. More skills required

This sailing lark is not as easy as it first seems. Took part in the short course sailing challenge in a breezy outer harbour an came rather unstuck. Well, my head came unstuck really.

It was happening round a few buoys in the outer harbour. A bit of changing wind 4-5 and wave things. We shot off from the start with the wind behind us - in the lead and everything. First turn and Ammonite - gaff rigged crabber came past. Second turn - we struggled to make, the sails flapping about, the boat turning this way and that and the buoy refusing to pass us by easily. The water was flopping about most unhelpfully. It did pass in the end but the next leg of the course into the wind was difficult. We kept straying too close to the wind, the wind gusting more and more and our heartbeats raising a tad as the boatee healed over. We managed a few pirouettes too - although I'm told they are frowned upon but it was merely to give people something to look at.

At the next buoy - which we barely reached, the Sgoth skippered by James came close despite their dipping lug sail. We stopped. Not intentionally at this point. I just couldn't fathom how to get round the buoy.  I mean, I knew which way to go but try as I might, I couldn't get round what with the wind, the water and the fact that my head fell off - rolled across the cockpit floor an everything. That was it, I wasn't enjoying it any more and retired disappointed with myself. Sorry and all that. Need more practice me thinks.

And no, I have no snaps, the phone is still on the boat!

44. another evening, another sail.

Oh joy of joys, sailing with the Sun turned on! Granted it had rained earlier, but one must expect that. At the time of the 'mass' sail in the outer harbour, all was well. Cumbae Lass was there over taking us with style. A few visiting yachts were out too. Jubilee, one of the olde Sgoths was there as were some St Ayles Skiffs.

We sailed back and forth for an hour or more, enjoying the lovely breeze and cracking along at close to 6 knots at times under sail. What a lovely evening it was..