Surprise! Surprise!

One thing I forgot to mention last post was my visit to the doctors in Kyle of Lochalsh, (one tries to forget these things). Due to the gammy leg still not being back to health and my supply of horse strength pills running out I had to visit the doctors again. While in the waiting room I was perusing the usual reading matter and spotted a copy of  Yachting Life. I picked this up, as usual an old copy, but on scaning the pages I came across an article about yours truly and this trip 'David Goes Over The Top'. Fame at last!  (Well something like that). Apparently most of the doctors in the practice are also sailors, so I did become a minor celebrity to the staff.

Now, where were we? Oh yes, dripping in Mallaig. Well, to meet the tide going South round Ardnamurchan Point some 23 miles away to the South West we needed to make a very early start. I left Penny in bed while I got under way. 

Departing Mallaig

Rum to the right and Eigg to the left in the early morning light behind the Sgeir Dhearg, (Red Rock) at the entrance to Mallaig Harbour

Subsequently mugs of tea, breakfast cereal and the like started to appear from the cabin, this is much better than sailing single handed I thought.

The islands that had been stolen from view last evening had been returned, now bathed in the low early morning sunlight. It was all very pretty excepting the fact that we were totally becalmed again. 

We motored on in the sunshine between the mainland shores of Arisaig and Moidart and the Small Isles of Rum, Muck and Eigg out towards the point of Ardnamurchan.
Here I must tell you that neither Penny or I had been looking forward to rounding this point because for both of us it had been on previous trips the scene where the combination of wind, tide and the Atlantic swell had produced a horrible mal-de-mer inducing sea. (I may add that Penny is not usually susceptible to this malady either). But on this occasion it was so calm that as we passed the point we were almost able to reach out and touch the sturdy rock beneath lighthouse. I never expect to be able to perform this feat again as this weather and tide combination is a very rare event.

Close in to Ardnamurchan Point

Farewell to the Western Isles, I'm now in familiar sailing territory

Today's Factoid
Ardnamurchan Point is the most Westerly point on the British mainland, jutting out into the Atlantic almost a full 20 miles further West than Lands End in Cornwall.

We spent the night in a tiny anchorage in Loch Sunart wedged between the islands of Oronsay and Carna. This is one of my favourite anchorages. Previously here we have seen seals and watched otters play. We had just settled the anchor in when another modern gaff rigged boat came out of Loch Teacuis and came over towards us. The occupants saw the graphics on Ruach’s hull and mentioned that they had read about the trip somewhere. It’s a strange feeling to be anchored in the middle of nowhere then all of a sudden to be ‘recognised!’

Sunset in Loch Sunart

Next morning we again had an early start and so glad we did as it was the best part of the day. We ghosted out of the anchorage in an eerie silence. Hardly a breath of wind, but what there was was going our way. However by the time we reached the outer end of Loch Sunart the rains came and oh how they came!. The clouds descended almost to water level, reducing visibility to a few hundred metres. I usually enjoy a trip up or down the Sound of Mull as it is fairly free of obstructions and you can sail along quite close to the shore observing the flora and fauna undisturbed; but not today, for it was a miserable trip. Damp permeating into our very being. It was grim. If I had been alone I would have found a place to anchor and sit this one out, but I had to get Penny to Oban as this was the end of her week with me.....

          ......Well I thought I was dropping her off to catch a train home, so I had started to make my plans for my ‘what next’, but Penny realising what I was up to had to ‘fess up’. She wasn’t actually catching a train home that Saturday, but was going to get a lift home with some ‘visitors’ who were coming to see me on my little trip! Who could it be? I tried to guess but drew a blank. But more of this later.

At the southern end of the Sound of Mull the cloud had lifted just a little and we were able to make out Duart Castle in the mist, then appeared Lady's Rock and the Lismore light. We were almost at the end of our days journey. Just five more miles would see us in Oban bay and into the marina on Kerrera.

Duart Castle in the mist.

Factiod  No2
Lady's Rock is a skerry to the south west of Lismore which is submerged at high tide.
In 1527, Lachlan Maclean of Duart decided to murder his wife, Lady Catherine Campbell, a sister of Archibald Campbell, 4th Earl of Argyll. He rowed out to the rock one night at low tide and left his wife stranded on the rock to die. Looking out the next day from Duart Castle he observed the rock was now empty.
He then sent a message of condolence to the earl at Inveraray Castle, indicating that he intended to bring his wife's body there for burial.
Maclean duly arrived at Inveraray with a entourage of men and the coffin. He was immediately taken to the dining hall of the castle for refreshment only to discover Lady Catherine waiting for him at the head of the table. She had been rescued during the night by a passing boat
No word was said of the incident by Argyll or his sister during the meal and Maclean was allowed to make his escape.

That evening, once we had dried out, we caught the complimentary ferry over to Oban itself to await the arrival of the mystery guests. Penny had arranged where to meet and had placed me with my back to the door, but I saw the light in Penny's eyes as 'someone' appeared in the doorway a distance behind me.

My mystery guests were not any of the locals I had tried to guess, but folk who had travelled all the way up from Derby just for the weekend, just to see me on my trip. Totally insane, but a fantastic surprise too. It was our good friends Phil and Clare.

Phil is the muso who I can blame for me bringing the Ukulele on the trip, as it was a brief discussion at their house last Christmastime that prompted me in the direction of getting a Uke to accompany me on this trip. I have to confess that two minutes of Phil playing around with my Uke the following day really did show me how bad I am playing it! Oh well.  

Left to right, Phil, Clare, Me, Penny

So, instead of putting Penny on a train home we all went for a short cruise over to Achnacroish on Lismore Island. The forecast was 'iffy' but we managed a gentle sail over in light but warm winds, but on the return trip the rain did put in an appearance, so we all went below and left Clare lashed to the helm. 

(This is not strictly true, I was actually on deck attending to the sails at this point while Penny and Phil hid below out of the weather. You just can't get the crew these days it seems!)

First Mate Clare - 'Lashed to the helm'

Kerrera Marina wins the prize for the most exotic marine growth of the whole trip. This photo shows what had attached itself to the pontoons adjacent to where I was berthed. I shudder to think what is now attached to the hull of Ruach!!!

All too soon it was time for my guests to depart. Ruach seems so empty now. 

While in Kerrera I saw the the 1930's yawl Bloodhound. This yacht was owned by the British Royal family from 1962 to 1969. It is now owned by the Britannia Trust who also own and maintain the Royal Yacht Britannia based in Leith. I couldn't get a sail aboard this beauty as she was undergoing a heart transplant following an engine failure. But I was invited aboard by James 'Tiny' Little and the rest of the crew for a mug of tea and a look around. Tiny has his own fantastic story to tell as he has completed a charity single handed row across the Atlantic. For more info see Tiny's website here

Royal Yacht - 'Bloodhound'

If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family

( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.

I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,

David H.

Can We Fix It? Yes We Can!

Our splendid mooring on the pontoon at Kyle of Lochalsh

On return from our unsuccessful but delightful sojourn to Portree to obtain parts for our dead engine we arrived back at Kyle of Lochalsh about 4.30pm, with the promise of having to do it all again tomorrow to collect the parts ordered.

The main character of this post - Ruach's Engine

The engine installed in Ruach is not the usual diesel engine fitted by Cornish Crabbers, but an RCA Dolphin, a novel two cylinder petrol engine that has no gearbox. To go astern, you have to stop the engine, pause, then physically start the engine in reverse. This is accomplished by having two complete ignition circuits, one for each cylinder plus a set of changeover solenoids. Each circuit is made up of a coil, a condenser and a set of points. In Ruach the points are totally inaccessible without removing the engine from the boat, so I really hoped that my diagnosis of coil or condenser was correct! The parts are similar to what used to be installed many old cars such as a Mini, Morris Minor, MG etc. So on the off chance I went to the local filling station to see if they could throw any light on finding a replacement part to prove my theory today rather than wait for tomorrows delivery to Portree and trip to recover said parts. On the way to the filling station, in total disbelief, I spied a car hire and parts shop so enquired within. 

Again accompanied by a whistling through the teeth I was told that there is no call for these parts anymore. However being a helpful guy he did tell me that up the road towards Plockton there was another garage whose proprietor used to run about in old cars like a Mk1 Jaguar a few years back. So off I now trotted (Time was getting late) to this further recommendation. When I arrived, panting from my uphill exertion, I was told by the receptionist that the guy I needed was unavailable at the moment but would be back soon. While I waited another employee saw me and asked what I wanted, I regaled the full storey to the accompaniment of more whistling through the teeth. “We had a store room full of those until last year” I was told. “We cleared them out and dumped the lot”, “No call for them anymore”. Things were looking grim. Then he said ”Let’s take a look out back”, which was actually out front, across the road in a small’ish walled enclosure where it looked like someone was carrying out some small time scrapping/salvage work.

Amongst the old washing machines that were being stripped down was a few old cars. He looked under the bonnet of all the four cars, most had no engine, but in the third the engine was in place, but no coil. However there was a condenser. The guy needed to go back to the workshop to get a cross head screwdriver to remove it and while he was gone I took a look around and low and behold I spied a coil laying on the passenger seat of an ancient Austin 1300. Was it a good one or a faulty one that had been discarded?

As mine is a charity venture he let me have the recycled parts for free in the hope that they did some good.

Back at the boat I installed just the coil and……..

                                ……..success! 

We now had two cylinders purring away once again under the cockpit floor!

I still had to obtain the parts ordered from Portree and was not really looking forward to wasting yet another day doing the round trip. The irony was that the van with the parts would pass within 200 metres of where I was moored, but the driver could only deliver to the shop some thirty’odd miles away. But this is where things finally went in my favour. The following morning Julian from Skye Auto Spares rang at 9.30 when the the parts should have arrived to be told there had been a mix up and the parts were not in his early morning delivery. However the new courier COULD drop the parts off on his way through if I could flag him down at an agreed meeting place. This was done and just before noon I had the replacement parts and by mid-afternoon we were off with the tide sluicing us through Kyle Rea into the Sound of Sleat. Once again Ruach was travelling faster than her maximum speed at 10knots with a huge kick in the pants from the tide.

As a side note, as I walked back down the jetty at Kyle of Lochalsh clutching my batch of automotive spare parts I heard someone call “Dave!” which I thought at the time, that’s my name, but no one round here knows me. Only to realise that the skipper of one of the charter boats was no other than professional Yachtmaster Instructor Alison “Archie” Gemmel who I knew from her previous life in a financial institution. It was great to catch up with her again.

But back to the sailing, Penny, Ruach and Me sailed down the Sound of Sleat in winds changing from light to medium to non-existant and from broad reaching to close hauled as we cruised on towards Mallaig. We spied several porpoise in the sound, but all proved too elusive to the camera. We only had chance to spy into Loch Hourn and Loch Nevis as time was now short, but these looked spectacular with the mountainous peaks rising out of the sides of the Lochs. These delights will have to wait for another trip.

As we passed Ardvasar on the Sleat peninsular the skies ahead got blacker and blacker, but we managed to avoid the majority of the rain until a couple of miles from Mallaig. The vista all around went misty, then land disappeared. On with the waterproofs as an almost tropical storm discharged its load on us. We were looking forward to berthing at the newly installed pontoons in Mallaig harbour and a quick run ashore for a fish supper, but alas it was not to be. The pontoons were still not in commission. (They were supposed to be available from May this year) so we headed for a visitors mooring buoy, and managed to snaffle the last one available before disappearing below to the hot feast Penny had prepared.

A disappearing view across to the entrance of Loch Nevis just as we were about to enter Mallaig

Today's Factoid

Julian from Skye Auto Spares father-in-law played the classic Bass Trombone part for the soundtrack of the James Bond film Goldfinger. He also played for films such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Fiddler on the Roof & 633 Squadron and well as playing on live shows such as Opportunity Knocks.

Again the poor t'internet connection here has robbed you of more pictures of the engine, faulty coil and replacement parts, plus lots of pictures of 'no horizon' in the pouring rain. I bet you are sooooo disappointed! 

I can't wait to get back to real connectivity!!

If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family

( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.

I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,

David H.

All aboard! Ruach has guests

For those of you that have been following this blog for a while you will remember that I have been accepting rides on other boats wherever possible. It's not that I like other boats better than my own, but I like to share the sailing experience. Well today I get to return that favour and take someone else out in Ruach.
In my last update I mentioned that I wanted to get somewhere accessible so that I could meet up with someone, well this is why.
There are two people in particular I hold responsible for me making this trip. The first being my mother-in-law, because it was she who gave me a book called Blazing Paddles following it's serialisation on Radio 4's book at bedtime. It is a thoroughly good read and I recommend it, but don't blame me for the consequences :-)
The second person has to be the author of that book. A chap called Brian Wilson (No, this one doesn't sing). The book recounts his adventure of paddling a sea kayak from the English/Scottish boarder on the West coast, over the top of our island to the similar demarcation in the East.
In a chance encounter on the internet while doing some research for my trip I found an email address for Brian, so pinged him off an email with the tongue-in-cheek title of 'It's all your fault', outlining what I was intending to do. Brian read the mail and responded with "Anti-clockwise! - Brave man!!" "Give me a call when you get round to the NW - maybe I could hitch aboard for a day and take the blame for setting you off on such a madcap venture!"

Sheildaig

So this is my reason for being here in Sheildaig, Loch Torridon. Meeting Brian had been my main reason for heading initially to Ullapool, but due to other commitments we were unable to meet up there, so the next spot was here in Loch Torridon before I headed off out of range.

Brian Wilson - Author of Blazing Paddles

The weather forecasters had deemed this to be a 'no wind' day, so instead of going for a sail it looked like we were going for a motor around the Loch. Oh well, that gave us time to chat. Brian is an interesting guy with many stories to tell, we motored out of Loch Shieldaig into Loch Torridon then, still in Loch Torridon, round into Loch Diabaig.

Loch Torridon

More Loch Torridon

I asked him what made him inclined to come out for a sail with this guy he had never met, his response was "I get people occasionally contacting me about my books, some telling me how bad they are, others commenting on how inspiring they are, that they would like to do something similar, but then give all the reasons why because of the dog, the wife, the kids or whatever they could not take their own journey", "Where as I had been inspired and was out there making it happen". I took that a quite a complement. 

While out there the wind began to blow, so finally off with the engine and up with the sails. We ran back into Sheildaig while I prepared lunch (alas the bacon was off). We then went into Upper Loch Torridon where Brian was able to show me the first hill that his father had taken him hill walking up at the reluctant age of 11. 

Brian's 'first hill'

Upper Loch Torridon

The wind continued to fill and before long I had to take down the topsail as we tacked out through the narrows back into Loch Sheildaig. So much for the 'No wind forecast'.

Brian confessed to not really sailing before our trip, but he was excellent on the helm.

Loch Torridon and especially Upper Loch Torridon is a spectacular place to sail.

Alas all to quickly 5pm came round so it was time for Brian to head off. This for me had been one of those special memorable days that will stick with me for a long time.

A final wave before heading off

So what next. Do I moor up for the night or head a bit further South as I was planned to meet another very special person at four o'clock the following day in Kyle of Lochalsh. The forecast for tomorrow was again a no wind day and it is about 28 miles to Kyle of Lochalsh. I didn't fancy having to motor all the way tomorrow when I had a bunch of wind here with me just now, so I headed out of Loch Sheildaig into Loch Torridon for a final time tacking into the Westerly breeze, then headed South with the tide down the Inner Sound.
The wind finally blew itself out after around ten miles. The following day the breeze was only forecast to be a light Easterly. So I dropped my hook in the dark at Applecross. This is not a recommended overnight stopping place, but in the conditions, with my anchor light aglow, proved more than adequate.

I am pleased that I had gone this far as when I woke the next day the water was an absolute glass calm, I started the motor and headed on South. Only about 11 miles to go. Blisteringly hot in the sunshine, two and a half easy hours of puttering, plenty of time to get a shower, do some shopping and still have time to meet Penny, my wife off the train from Inverness. Even if the wind failed to materialise.....
                .....or so I thought.
After only 4.5 miles of puttering, the puttering putted less and less. I suspected I was running out of fuel, but a quick dip of the tank confirmed still a quarter tank. I checked for blockages, nothing found. Then I tried testing the sparkie side of the engine. All was well on the front cylinder, but a very poor spark was found on the rear one. So I drifted a bit, sailed a bit, coasted a bit and sailed a bit more all while being roasted under the noonday sun. At one point I lay under my light coloured cotton bed sheet in the cockpit to escape the heat. Time ticked on.... and on. I eventually received a txt that Penny could see yachts in the distance as the railway line follows the coast and that she could even see one with tan sails like ours. Erm, 'that will be me then' I informed her.
Through catching the odd zephyr of a breeze and the odd nudge of the tide in the right direction I was able to sneak under the bridge at Kyle before dowsing most of my sail and ghosting into a fairly full pontoon under just jib alone, furling that at the last possible moment before stepping ashore with my lines. It all looked very professional. But I was doing a great impression of a swan, cool calm and collected above the water, but paddling like mad below. You could almost smell the adrenalin. I'd managed about 6.5 miles in 4 hours, with a lot of open water and a fairly small bridge as a target. Finally mooring my boat down-tide on a short pontoon with my ram rod of a bowsprit getting ever closer to the bows of the boat moored in front.

After much testing and head scratching I diagnosed that either a coil or condenser had failed for the rear cylinder, but where to get a new one fast? The engine manufacturer is still in existence, but as luck would have it they were on holiday this week. After asking around I was told there was an excellent spares shop in Portree on Skye that covered cars, tractors and just about anything mechanical. So the following day Penny and me took a bus excursion to Portree. However on showing Julian the parts I needed there was much sucking of teeth. 'Not stocked those for years mate' however I can get you one for tomorrow.
       .....But more of that next post.

All over my charts I keep seeing the word Bogha which I am told is Gaelic for a sunken rock or a rock that is just awash. As Gaelic is a spoken language rather than a written one I wonder if this was the expletive used when someone found a new one? Oh Bogha! :-)
(Before any Gaelic speakers phone-in I'd just like to point out that I am aware of the a correct pronunciation for this. But why let the facts get in the way of a good story)


If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family
( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.
I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,
David H.

Loch Ewe to Torridon

I awoke in the bay at Aultbea, Loch Ewe, to a strange muffled silence. I looked out to see, ...well, not a lot really. It was foggy. The first I had encountered on this trip. There were just a few grey outlines around the edge of the bay. So in true seaman fashion I turned over and had another snooze.
Come mid morning the sun had burned off the mist and replaced it with a fine drizzle. But as I had some distance to cover I donned waterproof jacket made a start. I had made plans to meet someone the following day, so wanted to get to a location that would be reasonably easy for him to get to. This was strange for me on this trip, having deadlines to meet! the beauty of this trip so far as been no deadlines. Sail when I see fit, when the wind and the weather allow, rather than having to go whatever.

I made my way tacking out of the loch passing the island mentioned previously, the gloriously named Isle of Ewe. (Did you say it out loud to someone? Go on, I dare you). There was a large coastguard vessel moored in the loch. It can be difficult to ascertain if these guys are actually at anchor or not because they tend to anchor by the stern (back) rather than the bows (pointy bit) and they keep their huge engines running 24x7. However he was stationary so I was able to tack quite close under his bows.

Coastguard at anchor in Loch Ewe

To keep to time I needed to use my engine to assist the sailing as the winds were light and I needed to make the headland at Rubha Reidh before the tide turned.

Rubha Reidh Light

With it's usual form as soon as I had rounded the point the wind died away completely and I was left to motor for quite a while before the wind returned as I passed Loch Gairloch. On rounding Rubha Reidh I got my first sight of Skye, grey in the distance.

A first glimpse of Skye

I was tempted to call it a night by the time I reached Gairloch, but with the returned wind I pressed on to my intended destination in Loch Torridon, well actually in Loch Shieldaig which is inside Loch Torridon. Strangely Upper Loch Torridon lies off of Loch Shieldaig.
Somewhere between Loch Gairloch and Loch Torridon the sun set. This was going to be a late finish for me! I finally wound up anchoring close to the village of Sheildaig, tucked away behind it and an island covered densely with Scots pines. It was so quiet here the silence almost hurt your ears. But the downside of this windless peace was my first encounter with the Scottish midge. Just a minor skermish, but maybe a warning of battles to come!

Todays Factoid

Rubha Reidh means Smooth Headland in Gaelic. It is a prominent point jutting out into The Minch about halfway between Stoer Head and the Isle of Skye.
The building of a lighthouse was first proposed by David Stevenson, a cousin of Robert Louis Stevenson in 1853 but, with familiar emphasis on economy, the Board of Trade refused to approve the proposed expenditure of £5,000.
Finally, in May 1908, the Board of Trade sanctioned the expenditure of £14,900 It opened in 1912, but until the road was built in 1962 the only access to the lighthouse was by sea.


If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.


Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family
( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.
I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,
David H.

Ullapool and beyond

First I must give you some fantastic news on the charity giving front.
Funds raised for Alzheimer Scotland has now reached over £1000 in donations, plus £500 matched giving through my employer, plus gift aid and for the Alzheimer's Society, not far behind at over £800 in donations plus gift aid. On behalf of the charities and myself a BIG THANK YOU to all who have donated so far.

Back to the plot.
I awoke in Ullapool to the sound of a boat bumping gently into the side of Ruach, it was the harbour launch/water taxi come to collect my mooring dues. It was something very late o'clock. I had slept a sound but exhausted sleep. The crossing from Stornoway had taken more out of me than I thought and my energy reserves were still depleted. I did very little but read and doze the whole day.
Next day I felt much better so time to go ashore and restock fresh provisions.

In the past Ullapool has not been a friendly place for 'yachties' as it was a busy commercial port. The pilot books still reflect this, but as fishing declines it is looking to diversify and as part of this diversification the harbour is trying hard to court visiting yacht crews. There are now a good number of visitors mooring buoys available and no need to pump up the inflatable for the trip ashore as there is a water taxi service which is included in the mooring fee. Brilliant service! Ashore there is also a new'ish Tesco's store an easy walk away. Put this together with the scenery of the Summer Isles and the head of Loch Broom Ullapool is certainly worth a visit if you are up in this neck of the woods.

I headed to the supermarket first then decided to celebrate my second Minch crossing with Fish & Chips served in the sunshine on an open deck above the restaurant with views over the loch and harbour.
Mid-afternoon.

Once back on the boat I chose to have a gentle sail further into the head of Loch Broom before returning to my mooring buoy for another evening. The wind was once again astern as I ran down the loch. On the way down I watched a guy flying a bird of prey on the shore.
I realised that running all the way to the head of the loch would mean that I would have to either beat all the way back out again against the wind or if that proved to be too much like hard work I could always use the motor. However the water was flat with no waves to impede my progress and Loch Broom is mainly steep sided which means you can tack to and fro across the loch only needing to go-about when you can reach out and touch the greenery on the banks thereby making the most of each tack. I rose to the challenge and thoroughly enjoyed the evenings exertion.

Narrows at Corry Point halfway down Loch Broom

The following day it was time to move on again, the forecast was changeable and so was my destination to reflect this. The winds started off very light and fluky, so my first possible objective was to go 'next door' to Little Loch Broom, but I knew I really wanted to get beyond that. Next possible place was in was Gruinard Bay, but I didn't really fancy this as Gruinard Bay is home to Anthrax Island, more properly called Gruinard Island.

Anthrax Island

Todays Factoid
Gruinard Island was the site where the Island was intentionally contaminated with the Anthrax bacterium in 1942 during tests of biological warfare weapons. The Island was not declared safe until a clean-up was carried out in 1986.
For peace of mind this was not my ideal stopping place!!

However next to Gruinard, to the West, is Loch Ewe. Upon reading my chart I just knew I had to go there as Loch Ewe contains the most romantic island in the whole of the UK. It's not specially pretty, it's not in anyway enchanted, but take a look at the chart extract below. Just say the name of the island out loud to someone you love, your significant other or even maybe your boss!

If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family
( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.
I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,
David H.

Stornoway catch-up

I didn't get chance to publish much about Stornoway last time so here are a few bits and bobs.


Todays Factoid
Stornoway is the only official town in the Outer Hebrides.

As you will be aware I managed to miss the HebCeltFest almost entirely, which was a shame, the only part I heard was a few strains drifting through the window as I lay in bed at the Martin's house, then a snippet of some pipers marching onto the site as I returned to living on the boat .
However all was not lost, I did make the final meal and prize giving for Sail Hebrides, they were a good crowd and I was made most welcome.
In addition it was with great pleasure that Jim and me we were able to take the Martin family (The family who looked after me while I recuperated) out for a trip around the harbour on our boats to see the tall ships parade of sail as they departed for Lerwick to start the next leg of their race to Norway.

Ruach dressed for the Tall Ships Parade of Sail

Nancy (One of my 'rescuers') aboard Ruach

Todays Factoid No2

In 1918 the troop ship Iolaire left the Kyle of Lochalsh with almost three hundred navel ratings aboard, returning to their homes on Lewis following the first world war. A gale blew up from the South in the small hours of New Years Day and the Iolaire hit Holm Rock in the entrance of Stornoway Harbour and sank. Over 200 men drowned, their loss affecting almost every family on the island. Most of the survivors owe their lives to John Macleod who jumped into the sea with a line and swam to the shore giving the men a hand hold to follow to safety.

Guest cameraman for the Tall Ships section of this video is young Donald Martin, who ably assisted while I sailed the boat.

At the end of this short video is an ancient set of standing stones, thought to be around 4000 years old and then a fantastic beach near the Butt of Lewis (stop sniggering at the back!)

If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family
( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.
I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,
David H.

It's Alive!

I'm pleased to say I'm back on passage. Thanks for all your prayers and best wishes. The Doc has discharged me with a stock of horse-strength antibiotics and dire warnings about ensuring I complete the full course.

My first passage since being back on the boat was a bit of a marathon 46 miles across the North Minch between the Outer Hebrides and the Scottish mainland. The wind was a good solid breeze of between a force 4 and 5, the sea was quite lumpy with waves being between 1.5 and 2 metres high, the Minch is famed for it's short steep waves. 

It all started off quite calm leaving Stornoway with the wind almost behind me, which meant the wind was going to be in the forecast direction for the majority of the trip. The breeze was very calm at this point and I did contemplate hoisting the topsail while in the lee of the Eye peninsular, but I'm glad that I waited until I was clear of the land before making that decision, as once free of the land I felt the full force of the wind. Also because of the waves 'Otto' the auto-pilot was not up to taking the helm so I hand steered the whole way across. The last three hours were made a little uncomfortable as a lazy wave had decided to lollop aboard hitting me smack in the small of my back instantly soaking my fleece, sweat top, shirt, trousers and undies. Not only that but a little of it managed to find it's way into the cabin too. Thankfully not too much, but a lesson learned; put both washboards in place when waves are large and the wind is abaft the beam. I'd read the books, done the courses but had failed to put that knowledge into practice. From there on it did make me a little nervous each time a wave broke somewhere close behind me with a strange schwwwwwwsh erupting in my ear. Thankfully no more waves wanted a lift to Ullapool. I completed the 46.4 miles in 9 hours, that is an average of over 5 knots for the trip. Not bad for the conditions. I tied up to the first visitors mooring buoy I found, wolfed down a hot meal of Fellside Beef Chile con Carne and pasta then collapsed into a long heavy sleep.

Apologies for the lack of photos or video in this update but the t'internet connection is much slower than wet string where I am just now and I wanted to get this update to you to let you know I am still alive.
I'm currently so much better than when this darned infection first took hold, but still have a little way to go before I'll be firing on all cylinders.

If anyone out there is having trouble donating at the justgiving sites (behind company firewalls, don't trust the internet with my card details or just don't want to give that way, etc) you can mail me a cheque direct. To do this just send me an email and I'll send you the details.

Don't forget to drop me a note at onpassage@dhippey.co.uk to sign up to be informed when blog updates appear.

Please share this site with your friends and family

( Especially the rich ones :-)  )

If you came to this blog from the main website www.eventoftheyear.co.uk you will hopefully have had a look around the site and be aware of what I'm up to, both the adventure itself and the fact that I'm aiming to raise awareness of dementia in our society and to raise money for the Alzheimer's charities.

I'm doing this trip for fun and funding the trip myself, but while I'm on this venture you can do your bit to by supporting the Alzheimer's charities through either www.justgiving.com/david-hippey or www.justgiving.com/david-hippey-scotland

Catch you next time.

Regards,

David H.