East Weddell Sound to Helmsdale

The alarm went at 4, and we were up at 0410, and had the anchor up and were motoring by 0435. Efficient stuff, but we had a long way to go. It was an absolutely beautiful morning, bright sun, blue sea, and plenty to look at as we motored away from our anchorage past Burray Broch.

Once away from the shelter of Holm Bay there was some swell, but nothing the autohelm could not cope with when we put it on duty at 6. Julian went down to make porridge while I stayed on watch, and a couple of minutes later I noticed a rope in the water just off the port side. Our reaching sail out-haul had come off. It vanished before I could reach out with a boat hook and catch it, luckily without fouling the prop. I had forgotten to secure it when I tightened the bobstay after hauling up the anchor. I used to tie that line in a loop so it can't escape, but Julian does not necessarily keep it that way, so bye-bye rope!

Julian had to hold the porridge pan on the stove the whole time due to the swell, and it was very slow too. We needed to put more spirit in the burner. We did so before making tea, and it was the last of the 10 litres I bought at the start of the trip. We still have a 1 litre bottle we bought in Wick, but we need to buy more. Preferably in bulk as its cheaper. 

Wind speed increased slowly, until by 0900, when we had the Pentland Firth open to starboard we had all sail up and were motorsailing. By 1240 the engine was off, and the main reefed slightly, then we rolled some more main away and changed down to the no 2 jib at 1330. By 1410 the wind had gone again and we furled the jib away as the heavens opened with a rain squall. That usually means more wind, not less, but the main kept flogging so we dropped it and ited the boom to the backstay to stop it swinging in the swell.

We did not have enough wind to sail again until 1700. We saw the stay sail was drawing, so raised the main, but we were too slow without the engine so only turned it off for five minutes before starting to motor sail again. An hour and a half later we gave up on sailing and took the main down and motored the rest of the way to Helmsdale, stowing the bowsprit on the way.

We were tied up on the pontoon at 2047, 2 hours after high water, feeling exhausted. We had given the Pentland Firth a good offing and not felt any tide problems, but there had been some nasty swells making steering too difficult for the auto-helm when the sails were drawing, and the cross swells off Clythness had been really uncomfortable.

Helmsdale is a lovely place this Sunday evening. Warm and sunny, with a shop open to buy milk for the morning tea (we'd just run out) and a Pub for a drink. Bed by 10 though, as I nearly fell asleep over my cider!