56:57.7N 7:26.3W

Yesterday’s sail to Vatersay Bay, Barra was nothing if not fast – and by the end, very wet due to extremely cold rain.  With a SW5-6 on the beam the 40 odd miles were soon gobbled up, as we took the Gunna Sound route, passing between Tiree and Coll. Once in the open, a pretty big swell was running, enough to make the skipper feel queasy, but as it was on the beam it did not hinder progress.  Six hours after departing Gott Bay, Tiree, we were anchored in the lovely Vatersay Bay, protected from the big seas but rather blasted by the wind coming over the low dunes ahead of us.  But with 45m of cable out the Manson Supreme did its thing as usual.

This morning, confident that Aquila was going nowhere despite the W6-7 blowing, we just managed to row 2 cable upwind to the beach.  

 

 

It may look lovely in the photo, but it was pretty cold!  But the 4 mile walk to Castlebay soon had us warmed up.  Objective A was to recce the water tap on the ferry pier, as promised by the pilot books.  This turned out to be the fire hose, there in the event of a fire on a docked ferry!  The lifeboat moored the other side of the pier was the only suitable place to moor Aquila if we are to water ship.  So we eventually tracked down the lifeboat coxn, and persuaded him that allowing Aquila to lie alongside his craft for 15 minutes while we watered was a good plan.  So that’s the idea for tomorrow morning.

Once back on board Aquila – a lot easier this time rowing downwind! – we decided to move to Brevig Bay as it offered a bit better shelter from the continuing W7. 

 

 

Under engine and staysail we soon covered the 7 miles, and are now tucked up in the NW corner of the said bay.  We have intermittent email connectivity here, so hopefully this post, with some photos, will get through.

Tomorrow after watering ship, bearing in mind the forecast for the early part of next week, we might return to Tobermory.   Negotiating with incoming crew as we speak: watch this space.