Part two of our Wednesday trip, now up to Eyemouth ( 55:52.3N, 002:35.0W).

Departure from Holy Island was uneventful and we motored out some distance offshore to clear the shallows off Holy Island, and then headed north ( with a bit of west) directly to Eyemouth. Amazingly, the log records that we encountered sunshine from time to time on this leg. In addition, as we adjusted course to the NW to follow the coast, we were able to get a better wind angle with the northerly winds and could at least motor sail comfortably up to Eyemouth.

Eyemouth has a reputation for having a difficult entrance, with a very narrow channel between two piers, which the locals call the ‘canyon’.  It is also subject to difficulties in strong onshore winds and swell. There is an element sometimes of the pilot books ‘talking up’ such difficulties, but after our experiences at Amble we were not taking any chances.  We had checked with the harbour master that all was ok , and ensured that we arrived at a time when there would be good depth for the approach between rocks on both sides of the approach channel.  In the end, as is often the case, it was fine and we had no swell and just followed the leading line transit to take us between the rocks and straight into the ‘canyon’, which was bit of an anti climax, and then rafting up against another yacht on the river pontoon, dodging the harbour seal and another pile of logs and debris washed down by the river.

Eyemouth turned out to be a really nice working fishing town, with lots of activity and history. It was interesting to see how the town had integrated the fishing industry with tourism. There were yacht pontoons next to the fishing boats, and a viewing platform in the harbour office building from which you could watch the boats unloading fish or getting ready for sea. A very good model for the small ports along the coast here. And the fish and chips were fist class !