Here are a couple of photos from the trip so far.
The first two are sailing through the Pentland Firth after we ripped the mainsail, thats a soggy me in the second shot, and the third is from Stromness after we tied up. If I can get a copy I will add a video clip from the Pentland Firth to give a better idea of the conditions.
Anyway to continue.
Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th May 2011
The wind has temporarily abated but we have decided it will still be too rough to go around Cape Wrath to Harris/Lewis. The locals say it takes two tides for things to settle down after a storm. Our plan is to sail back the way we came and go to Inverness and through the Caledonian Canal. This should give us three days sailing once we get to the other side if we get through as quickly as possible.
We slipped our ropes at 1200. Quite light winds through the Orkney Isles, a massive change from three days ago. The seas started building quite considerably once out into the Pentland Firth again. Getting decidedly rough around Dunnet Head and John O'Groats making very little headway, engine on so now motorsailing to help us punch our way through. We are back onto three hourly watches again and its raining hard. Im on watch 1200-1500, 1800-2100, 0000-0300 and 0600-0900. Raining all night, cold, dark and wet !!! how much am I paying for this......not a good night.
Arrived at Clacknaharry Sealock, the entrance to the Caledonian Canal at 0830 just on opening time so we didnt have to hang around in the Beauly Firth for long before the gates opened to let us in.
As we are trying to get through the canal as quickly as possible we decided to press on straight away and try to get to Fort Augustus today, hopefully to the top of the flight of locks. We have a headwind so are motoring all the way. This lets us catch up with sleep when we are not on watch but its difficult to go below as we miss the fantastic scenery of Loch Ness. I got a few good sketches done going down Loch Ness and the sky is clearing so we get a few minutes between showers. The mist is hanging about in the trees, making great subjects for sketching. We have passed Urquarts Castle now, still motoring, Im feeling shattered now so off to my bunk for a nap.
I went out like a light, I awoke as we were tying up at the top of the flight of locks at Fort Augustus, I slept through all the clattering and banging as we went through the locks. The weather has cleared and its quite a nice evening, I did a couple of sketches of Fort Augustus, then shower and pub for a well deserved meal after being on the go for 28 hours (minus a couple of power naps!)
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