As we had discovered on the southward version of this passage the previous week, the essential feature of the plan is to hit the tidal race and whirlpools of Kylerhea narrows at the right time. High water at Ullapool was to be at 1753 BST, giving a tidal window of 1200 to 1600.  We left rather early at 0830, in case of any unexpected holdup, which meant we were in the unusual position of having to slow down deliberately. This proved a rather pleasant constraint, because it enabled us to put up the Genoa, turn off the engine, and ghost along gently at 2-3k for almost two hours, approaching the Kyle at 1230. The tide then quickly took charge, and we reached 10.2knots at the peak.  Once the Vega cork emerged from the bottle the Skye Bridge came into view, and we motored again past the Stephenson lighthouse, undergoing renovation. Another hour or so brought us to Plockton Bay, where we picked up a nicely placed buoy and motored ashore in the dinghy for some provisions and a Hebridean cream tea (much the same as any other cream tea, since you ask) on the garden of the Plockton Hotel, watching the kayakers and dinghy sailors on the Bay.  When we returned to Vega, they were about to start the evening club racing, and we enjoyed the mixed fleet of Lasers, RSs, Wayfarers, and local design boats as they tacked between the moored yachts, almost close enough for to reach out and touch, making us snap-happy with both camera and smartphone.  We listened to the last edition of I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue on the radio, and cooked a supper of chicken tikka, followed by hot rhubarb pie with creme fraiche: don't think we don't know how to live aboard Vega!  We then enjoyed the constantly changing evening light, each taking far too many pictures yet again, and comparing the results on our respective devices for colour quality and composition.  The final act of nature's show was a gentle sunset and a beautiful full moon rise behind the trees on the mountain top alongside us: Scotland at her best.