Ships log: 6th to 13th August 2011
Sapphire (Beneteau Oceanis 423 - 8 berth - 42'11" from Skye Yachts)

Ships Crew: Steve, Dave, Ron, Brian and David

6th August 2011 Saturday

Log 22819 nm 18nm sailed

All arrived successfully, and boarded with what seemed a huge amount of gear and provisions. All efficiently stowed. The tide wasn’t ideally timed so we headed for Isle Oronsay under sail. We picked up a mooring belonging to the Duisdale Hotel assuming no one was going to be collecting a fee, and there wasn’t any intimation to this effect on the buoy. Spaghetti Bolognaise thanks to Brian was enjoyed by all, along with a celebratory glass of wine. There must have been much to celebrate on this trip!!

7th August Sunday

Log 22868 Motored/sailed (mainly sailed) 31nm Isle Oronsay to Portree

24 hr forecast

Wind NW becoming W for a time in the south. F4 increasing 5 to 7 later. Sea state moderate/rough, rough to very rough in the north. Rain/showers, visibility moderate/good
We departed Isle Oronsay 1000 with a tankingly good sail to Kyle Rhea. We passed through the tidal gate of Kyle Rhea heading east into Loch Alsh and into Loch Duich passing the two starboard hand buoys, giving Eilean Donan Castle a close look before anchoring at Totaig, opposite Eilean Donan Castle for coffee.
Left Totaig after coffee. Motored out to Loch Alsh, past Kyle of Loch Alsh and under the Skye Bridge. Then we set a single reef and headed for Caol Mor and then the Raasay Narrows. We sailed through the Raasay Narrows then set the iron sail for Portree. An observant crew member spotted a pair of whales in our wake so be about turned and gave chase! Wonderful treat! After some debate we eventually concluded these were Minke Whales. Picked up a mega mooring (no pickup) in Portree. The last available!

8th August – Monday

Log 29876 Travelled 18nm

Left the mooring and tied up at the pontoon. Coffee with Ruth and Jeremy, followed by enjoyed showers (£1 each) and lunch ashore in Portree at the Harbour View Seafood Restaurant Very good food!
Left Portree at 1500 using a stern spring, motoring out of the bay to judge the wind strength and sea state. Decided discretion was the better part of valour and sailed under reefed genoa alone in a wind varying between 18 and 30 kn over the port quarter. Brilliant sail all the way to Plockton arriving 1900 picking up a mooring some way from the pub. Unfortunately somewhere south west of the Crowlins Brian hit his head on the companionway sustaining a forehead laceration around 3 cms. Much blood was spilt but Dave eventually located the steristrips and Brian was suitably dressed.
We enjoyed Brians chicken curry – another meal setting standards.

9th August – Tuesday

Log 22908 travelled 32 nm

Departed Plockton 0723 to pass with the tide at Kyle Rhea. Resolved to pay £12 mooring fee when in Plockton the next weekend – which Steve duly did (along with last years which he hadn’t!)
Mix of sailing to the Skye bridge and motoring thereafter. We were rewarded by being visited by four dolphins seen and photographed at close quarters! A delight to see them playing!
Arrived Camusfearna 1200. Anchored.
David, Ron and Steve went ashore under oars (as it was apparent that the spare petrol for the outboard contained no two stroke oil ie the ob ceased to operate in the intended manner :-)) to collect mussels for dinner. We found a few people having fires – the aroma of seaweed and peat/wood smoke was amazing – very Lagavulin!
Bacon and egg rolls for lunch!
Sapphire then motorsailed to Arisaig, a perennial delight to enter. Luckily Arisaig Marine could give us a mooring. The forecast wasn’t too good for the next day!
Dinner of chicken thighs, baby tomatoes, garlic and (dried) basil by Steve

10th August – Wednesday

Log 22908 travelled 0 nm

Or a day in Arisaig because of poor visibility at 0.5nm, rain and wind. The beer doesn’t bear describing and we had to visit the Spar to buy crisps and nuts………….enough said. There appears to be a very fine restaurant but closed at 1500 and only opened in the evenings on Fridays and Saturdays. So it didn’t get our custom.
Dinner of boiled ham!

11th August – Thursday

Log 22939 Travelled 30nm

Departed Arisaig, I think with slightly less depth than on arrival, bit several metres on the echo. I found it more difficult leaving that arriving.
The forecast wasn’t so good and we sailed under genoa although this proved unnecessary from the point of view of wind and sea. Our speed was no match for the Customs Cutter so they gave up trying!
We were hoping for Basking Sharks…………..and so kept the mainsail off for ease of maneuveur! We were to be disappointed but then we need to return! Coffee under sail arriving Lagg Bay 1215 for lunch. We anchored on 30m chain in 6m of water.
We motored out of Lagg Bay raising a single reefed main and genoa sailing almost to Armadale before tacking across into Loch Nevis. We of course aimed for Inverie picking up one of the moorings belonging to the Old Forge where we had booked our evening meal.
http://www.theoldforge.co.uk
The moorings are interesting as they apparently have a pickup but no mooring line, necessitating a stern to mooring and walking a line to the bow. We used two doubled lengths of rope for security.
Dinner bloody brilliant and the beer was good too! David begged some 2 stroke to get the o/b going again, which worked the next morning! Hurrah!

12th August – Friday

Log 22950 Travelled 12 nm

A big day then! We poked sapphire along Loch Nevis to Tarbet Bay. We were very impressed by ‘Torr an Albannaich’.
We anchored in 5m on 30m chain. A interesting walk was had over the col of Glen Tarbet to Loch Morar.
A good sail was had back up Loch Nevis and out to Armadale. As time was moving on and the wind speed had dropped off we motorsailed to Armadale and our mooring at Skye Yachts.

13th August - Saturday

Orderly departure

Total distance for the week 131nm

Engine hours 18

PS: The best job on a boat is still helming!!

Route of the Sapphire