Friday 8 September 2023

Our heatwave was over well before dawn and we woke to dry decks but lowering skies.  There’s the start of a SW’ly blowing - it will be 20kts or so off Ardnamurchan (and head to our route all the way there) so we’ll stay in Moidart this morning and head off after lunch when the wind is forecast to ease a little.

The dry decks didn’t last long but despite the misty, damp conditions Moidart is just as lovely - and the temperate rain forest that clothes the shore wouldn’t be here if the sun shone all the time.

We finally depart around 3pm - slightly delayed by the recurrence of a problem with the cockpit plotter. I’d hoped that an issue we had earlier in the season was just a poor cable connection - but its now looking potentially terminal - another thing to sort over the winter. Fortunately there seem to be a number of Raymarine E80s on ebay - I really don’t want to start replacing all the electronics - everything else is working perfectly even though 14 years old.  My iPad serves as backup plotter - running the Navionics app  - same charts - just less functionality.  I'd installed a high powered USB outlet in the cockpit a few weeks ago - so no worries about battery life.

Once out of Loch Moidart we have a good sail, beating into F4-5 apparent with a moderate sea - but plenty of boat speed to power through the swell.  Soon misting and then some more persistent rain and I was well soaked by the time we reached Sanna Bay.  More dolphins - this time intent on fishing a few hundred yards from us with gannets and shearwaters circling and joining the fray.  A couple of squalls - extended periods when we couldn’t see anything (the shore was never more than a couple of miles away and usually closer) interspersed with sunlit patches - although rarely on us.  

Good to arrive at Sanna before we lose the light - although surprised to find two boats already anchored.  But we’re still a Neaps and the tidal range is only 1.2m so able to anchor inside them out of the worst of the swell.  A little rolly but the sea should die down overnight as the wind fades away.