bikedaft
Well-known member
Hi,
Struggling with being back at work this week, as 2 of us got out to Rockall in all this lovely weather... Just looking at the pics again.
We filled up with diesel and water in Crinan. Motored to the Garvellachs, met some friends (unexpectedly), had a bbq ashore, wandered around the beehive cells and Columba's mum's grave, etc Motored mostly to Iona, then sailed to Gunna sound (for a night), then sailed to Mingulay and Berneray. Got ashore at Berneray for the first time, walked up to the lighthouse, and peered down a chasm in the rocks called The Cleft of the Beast, love the gaelic
. So we had mostly sailed to the Outer Hebrides, so we were full of diesel.
We had wind, food, water, diesel, the boat was in good nick, and good crew (shame about the skipper!), so we decided to try for Rockall (2nd time lucky!) - 200nm to go... Sailed to about 100nm from it, then motored for 16h. Arrived 7am, anchored(!) Resident minke whale popped up 10 feet astern of us to have a nosey. Pumped up the rubber dinghy and rowed around Rockall. Although no wind, too much swell to safely land, esp as just the two of us, high chance the climber would end up in the water. Back to the boat, we were about to use the fog horn to wake the current resident up, when he came out his pod, quite startled. Cam Cameron, doing it to beat the record, and for Forces charities. Had a natter, then we left. Some sailing, but mostly motored to St Kilda. Auto pilot went and all the electrics at 2am, boat was going in circles... Fixed that. Cutlass bearing in P bracket making funny noises, so reduced revs onwards. St Kilda was amazing as ever. Really odd arriving from the west. Total disconnect between folks who were there and thought they were very remote, and the pair of us who thought it was as busy as Sauciehall St . Wandered all over the island twice. Swam down and checked the loose cutlass bearing.
Sailed about half way back to Snd of Harris, then motored. Loch Pooltiel, Skye, then sailed v slowly to Loch Eynort. Then again sailed to Sanna Bay, slow, but amazing. Mostly 4am starts, for wind and tide. Sod all wind, but hey.
Tobermory foR steak, and first beer in a pub for a while. Then S end Kerrera, Gylen Castle bay, then Craignish peninsula (Acharanich Bay), then Crinan. Boat coming out today to be fixed. Amazing weather, places etc. Plently dolphins, seals, minke whales, birds, otters etc. Amazing to get out to Rockall, with no wind when there.
Pics if you are interested, about 90 odds;
Rockall and St Kilda June 2023
Struggling with being back at work this week, as 2 of us got out to Rockall in all this lovely weather... Just looking at the pics again.
We filled up with diesel and water in Crinan. Motored to the Garvellachs, met some friends (unexpectedly), had a bbq ashore, wandered around the beehive cells and Columba's mum's grave, etc Motored mostly to Iona, then sailed to Gunna sound (for a night), then sailed to Mingulay and Berneray. Got ashore at Berneray for the first time, walked up to the lighthouse, and peered down a chasm in the rocks called The Cleft of the Beast, love the gaelic
. So we had mostly sailed to the Outer Hebrides, so we were full of diesel.We had wind, food, water, diesel, the boat was in good nick, and good crew (shame about the skipper!), so we decided to try for Rockall (2nd time lucky!) - 200nm to go... Sailed to about 100nm from it, then motored for 16h. Arrived 7am, anchored(!) Resident minke whale popped up 10 feet astern of us to have a nosey. Pumped up the rubber dinghy and rowed around Rockall. Although no wind, too much swell to safely land, esp as just the two of us, high chance the climber would end up in the water. Back to the boat, we were about to use the fog horn to wake the current resident up, when he came out his pod, quite startled
. Cam Cameron, doing it to beat the record, and for Forces charities. Had a natter, then we left. Some sailing, but mostly motored to St Kilda. Auto pilot went and all the electrics at 2am, boat was going in circles... Fixed that. Cutlass bearing in P bracket making funny noises, so reduced revs onwards. St Kilda was amazing as ever. Really odd arriving from the west. Total disconnect between folks who were there and thought they were very remote, and the pair of us who thought it was as busy as Sauciehall St . Wandered all over the island twice. Swam down and checked the loose cutlass bearing. Sailed about half way back to Snd of Harris, then motored. Loch Pooltiel, Skye, then sailed v slowly to Loch Eynort. Then again sailed to Sanna Bay, slow, but amazing. Mostly 4am starts, for wind and tide. Sod all wind, but hey.
Tobermory foR steak, and first beer in a pub for a while. Then S end Kerrera, Gylen Castle bay, then Craignish peninsula (Acharanich Bay), then Crinan. Boat coming out today to be fixed. Amazing weather, places etc. Plently dolphins, seals, minke whales, birds, otters etc. Amazing to get out to Rockall, with no wind when there.
Pics if you are interested, about 90 odds;
Rockall and St Kilda June 2023
