Saturday 3 July Blyth to Whitby

The forecast for Sunday is F7-8 gales so we headed to Whitby to have Sunday as a lay day before our final 180 mile trip across the wash home.

The 50 miles was a quick motor sail starting at 5 :30 to enable us to have enough water to enter the harbour. We left in sun and arrived in sun , I think its the first day for a long while.

So hope fully we rest up and arrive home Tuesday or Wednesday depending whether we stop in Lowestoft or not.

Friday 2 July Eyemouth to Blyth

The weather forecast for the next week is aweful so its time to get as far south as possible.
We had intended to stop at Holy Island but the weather coditions did not make it possible so sailed as close to the island and passed inshore of the Farne islands on our way to Blyth.

Holy Island

The Farne islands

Blyth Harbour

The entrance to the harbour is easily spotted due to two giant wind turbines off the entrance and another few along the breakwater.
The harbur is home to the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club wose club house is an old wooden lightship.

Thursday 1 July Eyemouth

Following a good sleep (much needed) It was a tour or Eyemouth. The town is a busy fishing port with a maritime museum that is a work in progress following the closure of Exeter museum , many of the boats are stl in storage. A visit to Gunsgreen House , one of the districts smugglers is also worth a visit to explore all the hidden store holes in the house.

The museum building

Gunshill House




A word of warning we left it till 8:00 in the evening to eat and every thing had shut except the Indian, I hope they are busier in the tourist season.

Tuesday 29 June Stroomness(Orkney) to Wick

It was a 4:00 start to allow us to cross Scapa Flow and have time to spare to catch the tide across the Pentland Firth. It was an uneventful crossing in 5kn of wind so it was motor all the way. Looking out for killer whales that my brother hadspotted a few days previously. We arrived off Wick late morning and due to the easy passage continued onto Peterhead where wwe arrived late evening . Since we had both had some sleep on route and it was going to be a windless night we carried onto Eyemouth arrivig at 17:00 the following afternoon. 210 miles in 31 hours under engine, It will be good to sail the boat.

The Orkneys

We all ways intended to stay a few days in the Orkneys to visit all the historic sights so we hired a car for 2 days to do a whistle stop tour.

Stroomness has a new marina run as a trust by the Orkney Council , it will take around 20 visiting boats but was only a third full all the time we were there. The Marina master is very helpful with visits at 10:00 and 18:00 so he can fit his golf in.


View from the Tomb of the Eagles
Inside the Tomb

The Italian Chapel, Built out of scrap inside an old tin prision hut by Italian prisioners of war

Skara Brae Stone age village hidden under the dunes until exposed by a storm

The Bishops Palace

Pilots cottages at Stroomness

Pics to follow

Thursday 24 June Kinlovhbervie to Stromness Orkney.

The trip to the Orkneys need very careful planning for both tide and weather. The tides were correct but the wind was forecast to build , but we knew that if it was to rough we could stop in Loch Eriboll.
We left in 25 kns of wind which gave us a good trip round Cape Wrath but it was bitterly cold. So now another righthand corner completed. Later the cloud lifted from the sea but stayed over the land giving us a few hours of great downwind sailing.
We arrived at 17:30 after 75 miles sailing, we are now closer to Norway than home.

Wednesday 23 June Badachro to Kinlochbervie

The weather has been very cold for the last few days so are now using the favourable forecast to head North for the Orkneys. On this leg of the trip we finally got to see Puffins and had dolphins swimming all around the boat , but they always disappear when the camera is got out. At least for the sail to Kinlochbervie we had enough wind from behind us so the 40 + miles soon passed and we were glad to tie up in the old fishing port out of the wind. At one time Kinlochbervie had a very very large fishing fleet and still has a huge fish market but is in the middle of nowhere.

The very narrow entrance
Where are all the fishing boats