Arisaig in June is just like Arisaig in April except that it is warm, the village is busy, the everything is open and the bay is full of boats.
Graham gave us a lift out to the boat and I spent a joyous day installing my new fork handle.
The forkhandle is the product of many weeks of design and development, during which, an ordinary (and quite humble) broomstick was honed into the base of a high tech marine antenna system. Whilst not wishing to spill all the beans yet, I think I can already confidently tell you, Dear Reader(s), that forkhandle-based technology may quite possibly have a future role in yachting for the mildly deranged.
Fully fitted forkhandle
Next off, I installed my very nice new "YAPP Crew Watcher". This brilliant invention consists of a number of small plastic boxes which communicate with a central control unit. If a crew member should fall off the boat with one of these little gizmos in her / his pocket, the central controller not only makes a dreadful noise but also marks the GPS position where the unfortunate sailor went swimming on the boat's plotter. This not only enhances safety but also reduces anxiety when sailing with ones beloved. Indeed, only yesterday, Jean was able to have a pleasant snooze down below secure in the knowledge that should I fall off the boat, she would immediately be woken by this clever machine.
Anyway, after a very pleasant day playing with wires and forkhandles, we set off for the island of Canna, where we anchored in the harbour appoximately in line with the two churches (as advised in our pilot book).
Canna (population 10) is attached at low tide by a sand spit to Sanday (population 0).
Both Islands have churches (obviously, otherwise we would not have been able to anchor in between them).
Now for the silly bit. Assuming both churches open for prayer on Sunday mornings, and assuming that each church has its own vicar / priest / religious person, that leaves a remaining population of 8 to be divided between the two churches as congregations. If however, the tide is high (as it will inevitably be on some Sunday mornings .... assuming the complete absence of Divine Intervention), none of the congregation will be abe to get from Canna (pop 10) to Sanday (pop 0) to attend church anyway. Nor will the vicar.
To make matters even worse the church on Sanday (pop 0) is massive, whilst that on Canna is tiny.
Still, having two churches does mean you know where you should anchor.
The Church on Sanday (Population 0)
Canna was very pretty, but the weather was good so moved on to Castlebay, Barra.
Barra is a beautiful island towards the south of the Outer Hebrides. Getting there involves crossing the Sea of the Hebrides (about 30 miles). The sea was flat. There was no wind. We motored. Jean went to sleep. I didn't fall in. We moored near the Castle. We made tea.
Castlebay has a castle in it.
Long ago (in 1838) Colonel Gordon Cluny bought Barra and offered it to the government as a penal colony, but the government wasn't interested. In 1851, claiming that he wasn't receiving enough rent, he employed policemen to clear the island of crofters and sent them all off to America.
We had two nights in Barra. I did some marking, we walked to the causeway (fortunately we didn't get lost, if we had, it might have been described as a "lost causeway"), we refuelled and watered and generally did responsible things.
Wednesday 18th June 2014.
We sailed to the island of Eriskay and anchored in the very pretty bay which is called "Acairsaig Mor". Fluent gaelic speakers will know that this means "big harbour". It was indeed lovely.
There is a pontoon with water on tap here. Had we known this we could have saved a lot of messing around in rubber dinghies with plastic cans in Castlebay, yesterday.
Thursday.
We sailed to Loch Boisdale. Anchored, because the moorings were full. Bus to the Co-op, walked the three miles home. Supper aboard.
Short walk. Nice ride, in the school bus back to the boat.
Friday.
Jean fancied a nice cup of coffee in a proper cafe. The nearest cafe to Loch Boisdale is on the next Island up from South Uist, namely Benbecula. We caught the bus to Benbecula (55 minutes), to find that the cafe was closed that day in preparation for a wedding. However, a helpful elderly lady at the post office said we might get a cup of coffee at the airport. So we did.
Short walk. Nice ride, in the school bus back to the boat.
Jean has now learned how to blow up and deflate the flubber. This is a good thing and gives me more time for blogging.
Saturday 21st June.
We sailed to Wizard Pool in Loch Skiport, South Uist.
Well, actually, we motored slowly using every available navigational aid including the Antares Chart.
Antares Charts are beautiful. We anchored safely.
Wizard Pool was very pretty. We went ashore and walked up a hill.
I had a swim in a pond on the way back down the hill. It was very pleasant.
Wizard Pool
Sunday 22nd June.
Summer Solstice.
We sailed to Loch Maddy.
They've built a marina in Loch Maddy. We berthed and walked ashore, for the first time in 9 days. Jean didn't need to blow up the dinghy. Loch Maddy is bit like the Norfolk Broads and a bit like Baltimore in the Republic of Ireland. Lots of interlinking lochs and lakes. We had a nice walk.
