The second week we spend in the 'Inner Herbrides'. A very beautiful area with many islands, sheltered waters and lots of marine life such as dolphins, whales and seals. Also many species of birds, but we don't know their names. After the first week only sunshine and high temperatures, the second week is much more changeable with regular rain showers, but also often some sunshine and still a lovely temperature. Also some bad luck because an inverter (from 24 to 12 volts) burns through so we're without 12 volts of electricity and that's what we need for gas, wifi and VHF (and that's a safety item on board), and that keeps us (near) Mallaig for 3 days. And the uncertainty what the weather will do in the third week, because that determines whether we can go home via the Orkney's or have to go back via the Caledonian Canal. Now at the end of the second week we know we can go above and we are very happy with that.
The second week from day to day. On Saturday the 25th of July Eline and I will first run along the staircases and then we will sail through the last two locks into the sea past Fort William for a 50 mile trip to Tobermory on the island of Mull. A large part of the day it rains and there is almost no wind, so everything is on the engine. We sail past a beautiful Duart castle, but that is completely in the mist of the rain.
Tobermory is a very nice little town with a nice spacious bay where we pick up a mooring. We take the dinghy to the shore and go out for dinner. Really delicious ... Enter-quality with a bottle of Rioga. After dinner we make a long walk to the lighthouse which we see by a beautiful evening sun. Scotland is like that ... when it rains there is always sunshine the same day.
We stay a day in Tobermory, buy books and sailing guides from the Hebrews, and take a brisk 3 hour walk to Ardmore Bay. There we see seals swimming. With occasional showers, but sunshine all afternoon and evening. The next day we fill up with diesel and water and sail over 30 miles on a calm sea to Canna, a small island part of the Small Islands, under Skye. Again with only sunshine.
On the way we see three whales. Suddenly the boat steers the whole other way and the autopilot stops as well as all navigation instruments that work on 12 volts. As it turns out ... the inverter from 24 to 12 volts is burnt down. The last part we sail on our hands without a depth, wind and speedometer. Back to earlier times; only then you notice how accustomed we are to all the equipment and that everything just works. With the help of the map and the hand GPS we succeed.
We are in a beautiful anchor bay with a view of the only few houses and a church on the island. We have an extensive drink and eat easy tacos. After dinner we row to the shore and take a short walk over the island.
We would like to stay here for a day, but there is not even a telephone connection and we have to find a solution for the 12 volt current. Temporarily we can do that by using part of the 24-volt battery bank for 12 volts, but that part can't be charged, so it's really very temporary. Enough to sail to Mallaig; a small town on the west coast where at least telephone and internet is available and also mail can reach us. Well, the next two days the weather will be less with lots of rain and a bit stronger wind. On our way there we have contact with the Netherlands (the mechanic and supplier of the inverter box). We have a new box sent to Mallaig by DHL's 24-hour service and also learn that the Seatalk instruments are better powered with 12 volts via the autopilot. That's the way it should be and apparently the previous owner changed it. We lie down in the marina of Mallaig. We know that place from our trip; then we made a daytrip there with the Harry Potter steam train. That train still comes there twice a day with a lot of tourists. The harbour has internet and that's how we get through our time.
The next morning we see via track-and-trace that the package arrived in Inverness at 11 o'clock. So far so good. So a good chance it will arrive today. The girls sleep it off all morning. Every now and then we keep an eye on the parcel vans and are at the harbour office (where it will be delivered) during their lunch hour. But no parcel at the end of the day. So unfortunately another day in Mallaig. We eat on the boat and play card games and watch movies while it is raining outside. On to the next day ... Now the package has to come, right? In the morning Toine has contact with the local courier (who took over from DHL in Inverness) and gets the message that the parcel will be there at noon. Absolutely fine.
That still gives us time to sail a little further north in the afternoon. But at 3 pm there is still no parcel and after some more phone calls the courier drives home and our parcel is still in Inverness. Balen, and at moments like that the world doesn't seem to be so 'makeable' after all and we have to make do with the fact that it will come with priority the next morning. Meanwhile the sun is shining and for the evening and night we are looking for a nice anchor bay on more than an hour's sailing from Mallaig. So, that feels a lot better, away from that town and no more waiting for a package. We are in a beautiful spacious bay on the south-east side of Skye. With good food from the BBQ and playing card games in the cockpit until late. Around us it is completely dark and quiet.
The next morning we get up on time and take a nice short walk on a small island off the coast. But that is actually forbidden private property and therefore extra exciting. Around noon we sail back to Mallaig and on the way we get a call from the harbour office that the package has arrived. Yes! I quickly head in the direction to pick it up and do some last shopping and then we sail north again around 1 pm. For a trip of 35 miles between Schotland-mainland and the island of Skye to the small island of Rona. Lovely in the sun, most of the time sailing, in a beautiful rough nature. In the narrowest passage we have 3.5 knots of current and we see a lot of currents.
After we pass under the bridge (the only bridge between Skye and the mainland) the wind almost disappears. But we are in no hurry. We drink and eat in the sunshine while we sail on quietly and arrive at Rona at 9 o'clock. The most beautiful anchor bay so far. Completely protected with an entrance between boulders where you don't have to make a steering error. What a nice spot! We are there with three other boats. On the island is a small lodge with three guesthouses and that's it. No internet and no telephone connection. Not really handy if you need to know what the weather will be like for the next five days. But we'll see tomorrow.
It is now Saturday Aug 2 and the second week is almost over. We're all the way in a remote corner of north-west Scotland; far away from home and towards the 'end of the world' (or at least at the end of northwestern Europe). We have breakfast in the sun and then we explore the island. Will there be a 'prick' somewhere so we can get some pocketgribfiles? Via the radio we hear the weather forecast one day ahead; no weather for the next 24 hours. But what comes next? We meet the owner and he tells us what we can see on the island. A very nice cave on the other side.
At the top of the highest hill Toine can bring in the gribfiles via a minimal connection and they show that we can go to the Outer Hebrides tomorrow and a few days after that to the Orkneys. Yes!!! That walks all right and that is also confirmed a little later by the weather maps that we can get with the internet connection of the owner. We buy deer meat from him (fresh from deer from this island) and spend the rest of the day on the boat. It starts raining and we know this is going to last all night with a strong wind as well, which we don't notice very much in the bay because we're well sheltered.
But in a tight spot close to the rocks and two other sailing boats. And we notice that when we are just in bed around 0.00 am. We hear something and Toine goes outside to take a look .... have we moved backwards or not? Yes, we certainly are and we see that on the plotter when we turn it on. In the middle of the night in pitch dark and pouring rain we anchor again. But we trust and don't and eventually Toine keeps anchor watch until 6.30 am. During that time we shift back towards the rocks again.
At 6.45 am we anchor again and Toine goes to sleep and I keep watch. Meanwhile the wind is much less strong and seals are swimming around the boat. The hours in the night I haven't slept much. You are on edge anyway. So in the end we both only slept for about three hours. Well, that's also part of sailing. And so the second week is already over.