Moray Firth/Whitehills
Bliss
Wed 4 May 2016 14:55
As we the approach the three week stage of our adventure, the weather is warmer, the wind has moved round to the west, still on the nose of course but at least we can shed a couple of layers.
On Sunday there was a window in the weather so we high-tailed it out of Peterhead heading for Whitehills, about 36 miles around the corner on the south side of the Moray Firth.
After a really blustery start with two reefs in the mainsail, the wind dropped dramatically and we we're becalmed.
Arrived Whitehills at about 6pm to a warm welcome from the stand-in Harbour Master, Alistair.
Whitehills couldn't be more different to Peterhead. It's a small, old, stone-walled harbour, a few fishing boats and a very tricky, tight entrance! It would be impossible in a strong northerly.
A small village with a pub, two fish restaurants, post-office and a huge fish shop "Downies". Fish is big in Whitehills! For lunch we had a Cullen Skink pie; haddock and potato pie, still warm from the oven and absolutely delicious.
There are excellent facilities, better than anywhere else we've stayed, everyone we meet seems really friendly and really helpful and chatty. We are beginning to understand some of the dialect, otherwise we just smile and nod!
Monday and Tuesday we had a couple of excursions out on the Bromptons; Monday Portsoy, 5 miles west, and Tuesday, Banff and McDuff, to the east, all are picturesque fishing villages with lovely harbours, sadly not suitable for yachts.
Just in anyone who reads this is considering a similar adventure, I thought I might be able to impart some useful info.....
Top Tips no. 1. Laundry is a bit of a chore whilst on a sailing trip, and can involve numerous journeys to and from facilities. It's helpful if everything can go in together, forget your whites and delicates. 50 shades of grey, it's the only way!
