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ger on the buoy and realised we usually see the boat on a buoy of mashford s yard on the rame peninsula not long after a flash modern boat came in took the second and last buoy i had some concerns about how well we were holding but reversing down hard again didn t budge us we d just gone to bed when a skiff we d seen earlier calling on the modern boat came over to talk to us seems he and the flash boat skipper had some concerns as the holding was well known for being poor few boats ever anchored there but used the shelter between a large wooded island and the village where depths were lower etc etc i guess my earlier concerns made me more susceptible and we readily agreed that we might move and so we motored the short distance around the island and into the anchorage was it better we didn t really think so yes depths were a fraction of what we d had but the fetch was longer and the tide had more influence and the following day we could see that the head of the loch had flat still water whereas we didn t after a couple of days of this loch we d really had enough but a sort of lethargy had overcome us but a lull gave us the impetus and we decided to head back to the outer loch and try the cove there mizzen and stay sl pushed us along but as we approached the cove it seemed we might be able lay a course to the top of skye wait overnight there then use the southerly to get back to the hebs bizarrely as we running through all this the lugger emerged from the cove bee got the main and working jib up and away we went sort of the sw wind had now backed to w the seas of these headlands are lumpy confused and hinder progress staffin bay was about 12 miles away but a little north of west and and hour later we knew it wasn t really going to happen the problem for us is the next alternative is loch gairloch and entrance and exit that has caused us no end of misery and is on our do not use list but the 3 mile wide entrance faces west and the seas were rolling in windy showed the wind dying completely overnight and going sw then s but light before ramping up later in the day we anchored in our usual cove another house has been built but for the first time a phone signal was available windy confirmed the weather status for the next day we ate a big pasta meal a stiff whisky and went to bed deciding we d leave at 5am in fact we were up at 3 noting the almost absence of wind but more important there was no sign of waves breaking on the far shore we headed out covering the miles to the entrance and a clear view of what lay ahead very little it seems the wind was light perhaps 6k and the seas flattish lots of sail and the engine running had us up to 6k and once clear of the entrance the winds settled into the sw giving us a tight angle to get to somewhere 30nm away by 6 or so we were nearing the top of skye the wind veered to the s but we held our course ducked below eileann trodday a frantic bit of overfall and eased for e loch tarbet we were heading back to ploc because despite the wind funnelling it suited us by now we were sailing and romping along but uneasily watching the weather we did not need another stiff wind on the beam hence one of the reasons for our destination we could always turn and run further n for an easier time although we starred in that movie just a couple of weeks back anyway just after 10 we slid into ploc dropped the hook and within the hour the wind picked up we can t believe our luck as it is strong wet and grey outside whereas in here it is warm aromatic the potato is baking nicely on the embers and our glasses are full sometimes it all just works plocrapool n57 50 63 w 05 45 07 all this was written soon after the event and i couldn t get back into writing once we d got back another blog prompted me to get down to it so here we go we eventually moved through the sound of harris to spend a day or two on taransay before we hoped to get over to st kilda a hebridean beach really taransay was a joy superb beaches clear water and a welcome respite from the weather when a small window presented itself we headed out late afternoon for st k a destination that has been on our list for some years the journey here was uneventful until we closed the island in the early hours of a sunday morning pitch black with the wind and seas beginning to pick up we were glad to make the shelter of the cliffs where at least the waves were smaller and we shaped in for the anchorage where numerous anchor lights could be seen gently moving we dropped anchor at the back of the boats in deeper water than we wanted but at least clear of everyone and by 3am were below and ready for bed daylight gave us a clear look at our surroundings several boats had left we moved closer in raised the double reefed mizzen and spent the time watching the activity ashore a world heritage site that has a military presence the beehive structures dry stone walls at odds with the very steep tarmac road diggers and housing that are clearly visible by mid day we were all sat in the cockpit huddled by the doghouse out of the cold wind the sun was shining and all was well around 1pm a loud gut wrenching cracking erupted above our heads and the mast split in two dropping across the cockpit no more than a foot or two from where we sat the bottom section lay across the cockpit one end resting on a winch supporting the top end which lay fore and aft shocked devastated numb yet oddly relieved that the mast had come down when at anchor and not as we worked our way in to the cliffs in rough water we cleared up removing all shrouds furniture etc to make the deckside presence of the two section as small as possible and stowed sail shrouds etc below by 6 we were as ship shape as we felt we might reasonably expect had a quick chat on what next and opted to head back to the hebs rather than wait until the following day as we had intended we headed out slightly bemused that none of the remaining boats at anchor had thought it slightly strange that the yellow ketch had suddenly transformed itself into a sloop we headed back round the south of barra vatersay a stroke of luck bringing us into the sound with a favourable tide and anchored for a few days to make further changes improvements to the mess the canvas shelter was badly torn again but we were able to effect a repair and propped the whole thing up with a combination of lobster buoys and poles we happened to have aboard we sailed south from there to visit pabbay for a few hours and in late afternoon moved a few miles further south to mingalay we arrived about 6pm all the tourist boats had gone home and the anchorage was empty of boats but not of sea life as we were joined by dozens of dolphins leaping swimming alongside or racing us and each other further inshore could be seen many more seals watching our arrival the bay is deep and as we later discovered deep quite close into shore dolphins were seen diving a matter of metres off the beach and rowing ashore seals watched some followed and we had the whole place to ourselves an abandoned village the ruined outlines of small houses an overgrown graveyard all had us contemplating what life must have been like for these people as night came in the seals began to gather on the beach singing into and through the night which although tiring by 4am nevertheless was an amazing memory of the place if you do get a chance and the weather is kind this is wonderful place to stop the following morning we headed further south just as the first yacht of the day arrived sadly for them to a silent bay bracadale arrival back in vatersay briefly before heading north up the islands but opting to get a better sail by freeing off for skye and arriving late at night in loch bracadale a slow day followed as we made our way down to canna intending to use the boat hbr on the south of the island but stiffening winds and a foul tide saw us head into the crowded main harbour poor holding really although the anchor held us we had a look at the boat harbour the following morning good for one boat with easterly winds drumbuie welcomed us again as we sailed in through the narrow entrance i d suggested we might sail in with both main and boomed out genny but then i would as it wasn t up to me to get pole and genny down before tackling the main inside the anchorage and bee made it clear that was not going to happen so we swept rightly in under main alone it was here we helped another boat try and retrieve its lost chain and anchor they d dropped in 17 metres the clutch and slipped and the chain and heavy anchor had roared out with the speed and weight snapping the line attached to the butter end it s interesting relating this tale subsequently how i can see dawning on the listeners face as it did with me i must check the quality of line i m using in the end we spent several days trawling the depths to no avail a 23 metre yacht was approached to see if they might have a diver and gear aboard but nothing and they left the next day the lost anchor crew had already contacted a local diving company about recovery but were told it would cost 1200 we decided on one more sweep the two dingies rowing in opposite directions when a power boat swept at speed through the entrance i was getting ready to scream slow down when it abruptly swung hard toward us throttled back and motored over a guy stood on the foredeck i bet you could use a diver he said and it seems the 23m yacht had mentioned it to them four farmers on holiday slightly bored and one a qualified diver with gear on board he found it after half an hour the whole lot winched aboard and the question of payment dismissed with a make a 20 donation to this charity we covered the half mile back to hannah propelled by an umbrella the weeks went by a great anchorage east of gometra a brilliant few days spent at lunga in the tresnish isles lying on the ground ashore watching the puffins watching us and slowly worked our way to oban to collect jemma bee s mate from cafe ab she had a week which coincided with high pressure so the sailing was never going to be exhilarating but we circumnavigated mull where at anchor in traigh gheal ardalanish where we met mark on who sails out of iona on birthe maithe a converted danish fishing boat amazing story and if you re looking for a trip with a difference he could be the one for you we left together for the sound of iona after he assured us we d get through no problems he for home and us to l caol on the northern side fingals s cave looking out to hannah we headed up to staffa in the morning and while i drifted offshore bee and jemma rowed in to visit fingal s cave with j a keen sea swimmer even swimming in the cave itself despite the jelly fish that seemed to be everywhere a beat up to lunga to anchor for a day or so and let her experience the puffins first hand before heading back over to mull and the beat back down to oban jemma headed for home and we turned hannah south to begin our journey a night in ardencaple bay preceded a tidal swept jaunt through the sound of luing skirting the corryvrecken before fetching up at l na cille a long day saw us anchored off bangor ni and then a 50nm took us down to dundrum a wide open bay a local came out to visit and welcome us assured us the gusty wind was normal as the town sat beneath a mountain but holding was good and we d be welcome at the bar i m sure we would but the strong gusts made life a little tense or perhaps we were just wanting to get this next bit over so we headed out intending to keep as much as possible to the irish coast progress was ok and we were looking forward to getting through the narrows between rosslare and st david s head which we ve always felt to be a bind with 20nm to go came the forecast that the next sea area down it starts at the narrows we were lusting to get through would experience gusts 50k whereas where we currently were would have much less we hove to dumping the main in favour of the try sl and spent 36 hours warm dry and comfortable as the current moved us 13nm up and then back as our gusts rarely exceeded mid 30 s the last part took us around the corner and back into the english channel mousehole coverack and goran haven gave us shelter over the next few days before we arrived back at cawsand rolly and uncomfortable we headed further up river into the lynher anchoring west of jupiter point for a few days until the big tides allowed us back onto our berth the river is more like a lake here and for the most part shallow so we re limited on how close to the land we can get but the fetch was ok even if the wind over tide situation wasn t heh ho back down river to await the tide into millbrook the wind picked up and white caps focused the mind on manoeuvring into our berth a text message to a friend back on the quay about the state of the wind there elicited a puzzled what wind response and so it was true to form i managed to put us an the mud again and daz came out to haul us off so by 7pm and about 2500nm later we were tied up since then we ve got a bit of work done and the mizzen will be started in the new year when we ve kindly been given access to the big shed that sits on the quay the wood is ordered and ready as we work on the mizzen we also need to repair the mizzen boom which was badly damaged by the fall and scarf a piece onto the main boom the radar has been regularly tested and seems to work fine the main and bowsprit have been checked for rot and repairs made to the latter which had some punky bits with the winter approaching we decided to make some changes to our stove which involved removing and then dismantling to strip the rust out luckily bee had found someone obsessed with morso stoves not far away who proved very helpful over the phone he agreed to reassemble while we waited and we borrowed a van to take it out there he did it within a couple of hours although we d inadvertently stumbled across a fully paid up member of the conspiracy brigade covid is a gates plot assisted by soros and whoever and on and on nothing we could say would or could dent their belief and really there is little point in saying much at all other than we didn t agree and surely not everything they d seen on the internet has to be true still he made a good job of our stove and it works now as it did when we first installed it many years ago so that s it we made the update before the end of the year a year in which the pandemic continued to wreck lives and which makes a dismasting insignificant a year in which toots reached 19 and continues to show thankfully no signs of slowing down and we started on our 21st year aboard look after yourselves live the best life you can cos you re dead a long time we ll leave you with this take note of the words mbt millbrook posted by mbt at 19 37 2 comments email this blogthis share to x share to facebook share to pinterest saturday 10 july 2021 oh dear if we have thought about loch tarbet over the break it 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