Voyage around the Hebrides and the Western Isles, Scotland
8th-9th July & 15th July to 5th August 2004

The main season voyage was from Carrick Castle, Argyll to Isle of Kerrera (left yacht in marina for 6 days); Tobermory, Isle of Mull; Isle of Rum; Loch Skipport & Lochmaddy, Isle of North Uist; Loch Erisort & Stornoway, Isle of Lewis; Isle of Raasay; Portree & Kyleakin, Isle of Skye; Kyle of Lochalsh; Isle of Coll; West Loch Tarbet, Isle of Jura; Port Ellen, Isle of Islay; Campbeltown & back to Carrick Castle – 641 nautical miles.

Crew: Douglas Locke, Liz Evans (08-09.07 & 15.07-05.08) & Calum Evans (aged 12) 15-31.07
Visitor: Gillan Locke (08-09.07)

Diary and Log Book extracts for 2004 Voyage around the Hebrides and the Western Isles, Scotland . There are photographs of the voyage, see the Gallery for 2004: –

08.07 13.15 Departed mooring Carrick Castle for non-stop overnight passage to Isle of Kerrera, by Oban.

09.07 Arrived Kerrera Marina at 20.35 having had a fair sail, seeing a Minke whale off the east coast of Jura and an interesting passage through the Corryvrechan, at slack water. Distance 148 nautical miles, MWF 3. Went home leaving the yacht in the marina until 15.07.

15.07 11.05 Departed Kerrera for Tobermory. Arrived Tobermory at 14.30 anchoring in 10 metres.

16.07 07.30 Weighed anchor heading for the Isle of Rum to meet up with our friends on Quest of Ipswich. Anchored in Loch Scresort, Isle of Rum at 13.20. Quest arrived later that afternoon.

17-18.07 Strong winds F7 held us at anchor for three nights, so we enjoyed our time with Quest and walked a fair amount of the island.

19.07 08.30 Weighed anchor Rum and headed for the Western Isles. We had intended to sail to Castle Bay on the Isle of Barra, but as there was a head wind, decided to sail to Loch Skipport, North Uist instead. Anchored in Wizard Pool at 16.25. Beautiful anchorage.

20.07 Strong winds F6/7 held us at anchor all day and it rained heavily.

21.07 09.20 Weighed anchor Wizard Pool. As we were heading to the Westerly Owners Association Muster on 24.07 at Lochmaddy, we decided to go there early in view of the strong winds forecast. On coming out of Loch Skipport we noticed another Westerly yacht Clar Innes, heading the same way as us, obviously with the same idea. We arrived HIE mooring by the pier at Lochmaddy at 12.45, where Clar Innes was on another mooring with another Westerly on another mooring. We all met up.

22-24.07 Days off. Hired a car for two days and visited Erisay, South Uist, Benbecula, Grimsay and North Uist. On arrival Erisay, we noticed a yacht, Spirit of the Isles, coming in to anchor sheltering from the strong winds and it turned out to be friends from our own village! Only four Westerly yachts made it to the Muster because of the strong winds. Those of us who did make it had a dinner together on the 24.07 at the Lochmaddy Hotel. MWF 7.

25.07 08.06 Departed mooring Lochmaddy heading north the Isle of Harris and Lewis. Went up Loch Erisort to Keose, Isle of Lewis and anchored at 16.35. Friends who lived in Balallen came and collected us by car and we had dinner at their house, returning to the yacht later that night.

26.07 11.25 Weighed anchor Keose (very muddy anchor!) and headed north to Stornoway, arriving at the pontoons at 13.25.

27.07 Day off in Stornoway. A big seal visited us on the pontoons – see photograph! Hired a car for the day and drove to Harris and around Lewis, the two highlights being the Callanish Stone Circle and the Gearrannan Black House Village.

28.07 07.40 Departed Stornoway heading across the Minch, past the Shaint Islands towards the Isle of Skye. We saw several Minke whales. Arrived Raasay – Caol Fladda where we anchored at 15.55 and went ashore.

29.07 07.05 Weighed anchor as beginning to drag in the kelp. 07.30 we lost steerage on the wheel close to the west end of the island. Douglas managed to control the yacht in reverse whilst the emergency tiller was attached to the rudder. MWF 5/6. Steered with the tiller to Portree where we found a mooring at 09.35. Steerage problem on the wheel was caused by a nut having come off the linkage to the rudder stock. Repaired by 09.35. Visited Portree for the rest of the day.

30.07 11.55 Departed Portree mooring heading for Plockton, but changed plan as we needed to refuel the yacht in Kyle of Lochalsh. Arrived HIE mooring at Kyleakin, Isle of Skye at 15.50 in calm seas.

31.07 09.45 Departed mooring and crossed over to Kyle of Lochalsh pier at 09.55. Refuelled and dropped Calum off to go to Aviemore for a week. Departed 11.12 for Arinagour, Isle of Coll. Had to motor or motor sail most of the way due to the lack of wind. As it was so calm, we saw loads of Minke whales between the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Rum. Anchored in Arinagour at 21.00.

01.08 07.45 Weighed anchor and headed for West Loch Tarbert, Isle of Jura. Called into the Isle of Lunga, in the Treshnish Isles and anchored to go ashore at 09.40. Weighed anchor at 10.48. We then had to go as fast as we could to get through the Sound of Iona as it was the end of the stream. Just made it through under full engine power! Anchored well into the mid section of West Loch Tarbert at Cairidh Mhor, where there was one other yacht at anchor. Took the tender up the inner section of West Loch Tarbert, but the stream was running at 5 knots and not possible to enter.

02.08 13.25 Weighed anchor and head out of the mid section to the northern side of West Loch Tarbert where we re-anchored at 14.07. Went ashore and visited the caves and the raised beaches. Weighed anchor at 17.45 to head down the Sound of Islay. Strong winds forced us to reef up. MWF 7. Decided not to anchor in the Ardmore islands due to the weather, so head round the coast to Port Ellen, Isle of Islay. Arrived 23.15, dark, no room left in the marina, so rafted up alongside a fishing boat.

03.08 05.30 Moved off the fishing boat as it wanted to go to sea. Fortunately a yacht departed from the marina and we took its place at 05.45 and went back to sleep! Took the rest of the day off in Port Ellen and walked to Kilnaughton Sands.

04.08 08.35 Departed Port Ellen Marina towards Campbeltown with two other yachts. Fair sail initially, however this made for fairly quiet passage around the Mull of Kintyre accompanied by another yacht just metres away from us! Arrived Campbeltown pontoon at 16.00. Refuelled.

05.08 08.25 Departed Campbeltown via the west coast of Arran for home, arriving at our mooring in Carrick Castle at 19.30.

Voyage MWF 7. This was a good holiday, we saw a lot, enjoyed ourselves, met up with many friends, however we were forced to take shelter a lot with the strong winds.

For photographs of the voyage, see the Gallery for 2004.

Main season voyage = 641 nautical miles.
Other sailing this year – Clyde area, Scotland = 263 nautical miles.
(Clyde area visits included Brodick, Isle of Arran; Kyles of Bute; Largs, Inverclyde; Millport, Isle of Cumbrae; Rosneath, Argyll & Sandbank, Argyll)

Total miles for 2004 season = 904 nautical miles.

Total miles sailed since 2000 = 7,561 nautical miles.