Concerto
Well-known member
The title says it all, it was a long sail.
I left Stromness at 08.10 and heading to round Cape Wrath. The wind forecast looked good. NW 15 knots and later going W 12 knots. With a course of about 240, it should be a close fetch most of the way. Well, there are forecasts and actual wind. From leaving Hoy Sound, I could not lay the course by about 30 degrees, so the wind was already W. Boat speed was good, but the rough sea meant I could not point as close to the wind as I would have liked. Starboard tack, the waves were more side on, but port tack the waves were more on the bow and the speed was lower.
The cliffs are dramatic and then you can see the Old Man of Hoy standing proudly. As I sailed away, I saw the Scrabster to Stromness ferry close along the shore. Then you realise just how tall that pillar of rock is.
After a few long legs and tacks, the cool morning stayed cool and, in the distance, I could see small rain showers over Orkney. Luckily, I missed those. Progress was a lot slower than I had planned as the wind was making this an almost perfect beat. The wind kept changing strength. I started sailing with a single reef in the main and genoa. After an hour or so, I rolled out full genoa, then later I used full main as well. Then I had to reef the main and later the genoa, then the main and the genoa again. Then back to single reefs and eventually to no reefs.
The rough water meant the tacking angle was pretty poor. Then there was the tide, it does run fast. When you miss the tidal gate, it makes for a long day. I seemed to stay 14 miles off Cape Wrath for a long time. Eventually I had had enough and decided to motor, even this meant I could not take the direct route. With the main left up for a stabilizing factor, I edged close to the cliffs of northern Scotland. I was not alone as several tankers/bulk carriers did the same. Seeing the Cape Wrath lighthouse flashing a steady group of 4 flashes for so long began to get tedious. When I finally was about 8 miles away, the tide started to turn. So, instead of doing 3 knots over the ground despite sailing at over 6 knots, I started to make real progress. Initially my boat speed over the ground and the several knots with me.
By this time it was pretty dark for this part of the world, so as I finally nudged round the cape, it was too dark to see it.
Heading generally south with some west, the wind still meant I could not sail and still had to put a few tacks in as I did not want to flog the main. After one tack, I could see a well lit boat, but could not see any starboard light, so decided to tack away. Not sure if it was a large fishing boat or not as there were coloured lights flashing to the aft of the boat, but definitely no starboard light was visible.
The further south I motor sailed, the easier the wind angle became. I was feeling a little tired by now and then the next thing I knew was an alarm went off. Quickly I turned the autopilot to standby, it was not that. Then I realised I had reached the waypoint. The alarm had woken me as I had fallen asleep.
Now I had to turn towards the rocky inlet but decided to drop the main first. It was still 3 miles to go and there was a white light on one rocky promontory and a white lit buoy further in, so I headed in that direction on autopilot. Having checked the layout of the harbour on google maps on my phone, I prepared to berth port side to. Gently motoring up in the dark with rock walls on both sides certainly keeps you on your toes. As I approached the buoy, I nearly passed the buoy on the wrong side as to the south it was shallow. Now to find the entrance to the harbour entrance on the north side. Ah, there is the red light and the green, but the wrong way round. Passing almost by the entrance you have to turn back on yourself to enter. It is clearly marked and there it a leading light to keep you safe.
Now where to berth. The pontoon head already has 3 boats alongside, and I would rather not raft if they are leaving in the morning. On the inside of the pontoon head is a spare berth I can use port side to. If I say so myself, it was a perfect mooring up using no reverse. I certainly tried to be as quiet as possible as it was 3.30 in the morning. This was a wise decision as all 3 boats had left by the time I awoke.
Leaving Stromness.
The cliffs are impressive.
You can see the Old Man of Hoy.
The ferry passing the Old Man of Hoy.
It certainly was a beat from the start.
An approximate course I sailed.
For anyone wanting to read the reports from the start, this is the link to first one.
Round Britian day 1
I left Stromness at 08.10 and heading to round Cape Wrath. The wind forecast looked good. NW 15 knots and later going W 12 knots. With a course of about 240, it should be a close fetch most of the way. Well, there are forecasts and actual wind. From leaving Hoy Sound, I could not lay the course by about 30 degrees, so the wind was already W. Boat speed was good, but the rough sea meant I could not point as close to the wind as I would have liked. Starboard tack, the waves were more side on, but port tack the waves were more on the bow and the speed was lower.
The cliffs are dramatic and then you can see the Old Man of Hoy standing proudly. As I sailed away, I saw the Scrabster to Stromness ferry close along the shore. Then you realise just how tall that pillar of rock is.
After a few long legs and tacks, the cool morning stayed cool and, in the distance, I could see small rain showers over Orkney. Luckily, I missed those. Progress was a lot slower than I had planned as the wind was making this an almost perfect beat. The wind kept changing strength. I started sailing with a single reef in the main and genoa. After an hour or so, I rolled out full genoa, then later I used full main as well. Then I had to reef the main and later the genoa, then the main and the genoa again. Then back to single reefs and eventually to no reefs.
The rough water meant the tacking angle was pretty poor. Then there was the tide, it does run fast. When you miss the tidal gate, it makes for a long day. I seemed to stay 14 miles off Cape Wrath for a long time. Eventually I had had enough and decided to motor, even this meant I could not take the direct route. With the main left up for a stabilizing factor, I edged close to the cliffs of northern Scotland. I was not alone as several tankers/bulk carriers did the same. Seeing the Cape Wrath lighthouse flashing a steady group of 4 flashes for so long began to get tedious. When I finally was about 8 miles away, the tide started to turn. So, instead of doing 3 knots over the ground despite sailing at over 6 knots, I started to make real progress. Initially my boat speed over the ground and the several knots with me.
By this time it was pretty dark for this part of the world, so as I finally nudged round the cape, it was too dark to see it.
Heading generally south with some west, the wind still meant I could not sail and still had to put a few tacks in as I did not want to flog the main. After one tack, I could see a well lit boat, but could not see any starboard light, so decided to tack away. Not sure if it was a large fishing boat or not as there were coloured lights flashing to the aft of the boat, but definitely no starboard light was visible.
The further south I motor sailed, the easier the wind angle became. I was feeling a little tired by now and then the next thing I knew was an alarm went off. Quickly I turned the autopilot to standby, it was not that. Then I realised I had reached the waypoint. The alarm had woken me as I had fallen asleep.
Now I had to turn towards the rocky inlet but decided to drop the main first. It was still 3 miles to go and there was a white light on one rocky promontory and a white lit buoy further in, so I headed in that direction on autopilot. Having checked the layout of the harbour on google maps on my phone, I prepared to berth port side to. Gently motoring up in the dark with rock walls on both sides certainly keeps you on your toes. As I approached the buoy, I nearly passed the buoy on the wrong side as to the south it was shallow. Now to find the entrance to the harbour entrance on the north side. Ah, there is the red light and the green, but the wrong way round. Passing almost by the entrance you have to turn back on yourself to enter. It is clearly marked and there it a leading light to keep you safe.
Now where to berth. The pontoon head already has 3 boats alongside, and I would rather not raft if they are leaving in the morning. On the inside of the pontoon head is a spare berth I can use port side to. If I say so myself, it was a perfect mooring up using no reverse. I certainly tried to be as quiet as possible as it was 3.30 in the morning. This was a wise decision as all 3 boats had left by the time I awoke.
Leaving Stromness.
The cliffs are impressive.
You can see the Old Man of Hoy.
The ferry passing the Old Man of Hoy.
It certainly was a beat from the start.
An approximate course I sailed.
For anyone wanting to read the reports from the start, this is the link to first one.
Round Britian day 1
