2014.1.From Stromness to south; Inverness and Caledonian Canal

We wish to sail down to Azores Islands this summer.

Sean started from our home port, Stromness with his friend David and David's son Graham.
A pleasant afternoon and evening sail tacking aginst the SE wind took them from Stromness to the visitor buoy off Burray. They then waited a few days for the SE winds to ease and give comfortable conditions for crossing of the Pentland Firth. The wind dropped and the fog closed in, so they crossed the Firth in thick fog, tracking ships with AIS and radar. Further south the fog cleared but they had to motor sail all the way to Inverness, seeing some dolphins on the way.

In Inverness I joined Sean for our cruising to south. It was very nice to be on board and sailing on the Caledonian Canal again. 

Sunset, Seaport Marina.

We had to wait a couple of days in Seaport Marina for our liferaft, as it had been sent away for servicing. Then headed off down the canal. Loch Ness was in a calm mood, with glassy water reflecting the blue and white sky.

Further along the canal it was damp and misty, giving us a typically 'soft' highland day.

Ben Nevis range looked impressive from the Canal as we approach Bannavie and Neptune's Staircase.

Summer 2012. Back home in Stromness.

 Back at home in Stromness

We had a nice sail from Inverness to Kirkwall, and we arrived in Orkney on 31st of August. But , then we had to wait for a suitable weather to bring Escapade back to its berth in Stromness. This weekend was a good chance before the next gale force winds stating tomorrow. So we sailed from Kirkwall marina to Long Hope, spent the night there and then motored the next day to Stromness.

During this summer, I was able to handle the boat all the way in Caledonian Canal. In Some of the locks, Sean was ashore and I was on board all by myself while Sean was helping the Canal personel with the ropes, and it was exciting and lots of fun.
I have also made the passage plan and was the skipper for the first time while coming back home to Stromness from Long Hope. So, I gained some more confidence this year and it is more enjoyable when I am more involved. I am hoping to improve my sailing skills in the future.

Seaport Marina, Inverness.

Long Hope Visitor Moorings

Stromness view from Scorradale

Greamsay and Hoy behind it from Scorradale

Summer 2011. Sailing back home 8.Arrived, Back in Stromness,Orkney !

We arrived back in Stromness today , after sailing 1.717 miles this summer. 

We had a lovely day sail from Long Hope to Stromness today with strong winds , 25-30 knots from southeast, and just celebrated our arrival with my boat made fruit cake and our ginger beer !

Long Hope, Orkney

  

We first sailed from Kirkwall out to the east and around South Ronaldsay and into Scapa Flow and decided to spend a night at Long Hope.

Copinsay lighthouse and Horse of Copinsay

Pentland Skerries

We had a nice sunny afternoon in Long Hope and spent the night moored alongside the lifeboat.

Summer 2011 1. Starting from Stromness, Orkney

Sailing from Orkney to Norway and Denmark, this is the plan ....

And we have to be in Ærøskøbing before August 1st !

First week :  8^th-15^th June 2011 
We left our marina berth in Stromness  at  9am. on June 8^th  and arrived at Kirkwall marina after 40 miles of pleasant sailing along the west coast of Orkney mainland with short tacking in Eynehallow Sound and down to Kirkwall.

Stromness to Kirkwall sailing route ( also some previous day sails within Scapa Flow before leaving )

Two old Scandinavian fishing boats at Kirkwall marina

Next evening ( 9^th June ) , after some shopping in Kirkwall, we were at sea again heading north to Westray , and arrived to Pierowall pier by midnight. The sky did not get dark with long days in north and sun setting over Papa Westray around 11 pm and later the full moon rising was very nice.

Sean making a new friend in Westray 

 

Stromness marina

Stromness is a lovely town in Orkney mainland with a quiet, peaceful harbour, where sometimes  seals also like to visit, as well as birds and some cruisers :-)

It is nice to see wild life around the boats, despite being in a marina.

Here are some views of the town from marina:

Stromness in bright sunny days

 

Stromness in fog

 A local Yole, getting ready to sail

  

And a visitor’s yacht with junk rig sailing out

A view from Escapade while working on the slip, when the tide is out

Work is finished at the slip, waiting for high water to sail back to our berth and relaxing with a cup of tea ...

 

View from Escapade at high water

 

 Moving back to our berth in marina

Feel the wind !

So good to feel the wind again !

Feel the wind !

Today, we had our first sail of the season.

 1^st of May, 2011 and the weather is lovely in Stromness, bright sunshine , light wind, beautiful spring smell in the air.  Sean asked if I would like to go for a day sail ! What a wonderful idea !  “Yes, of course” .

So, we cleared the cockpit ( that included removing our old fridge,  all the tools and stuff from the boat into marina trolley on the pontoon ) , and got ready to sail after  a cup of tea.

We all had a very nice sailing day !

a local boat passing by....