East Weddel Sound to Pierowall

Common terns roosting on Worm

East Weddel Sound is a lovely place to anchor. The bird life is really bold, and this pair of terns roosted on Worm all night.

Robinetta sat perfectly still all night and I slept solidly and woke up late. Luckily we did not need to make an early start, but Julian was hauling up the anchor at 9a.m. as soon as I finished my bowl of porridge. Our plan was to take the the last of the adverse tide north to the Copinsay Pass, after which we should have the tide with us all the way to Pierowall. As it is neap tides the added speed was never above 2 knots, but it would have made the trip painfully slow if it were against us. The morning was overcast and cold, but the clouds lifted as the day wore on.

Rose Ness, with Copinsay beyond

 

The northerly wind was too light to use, so it was motor virtually all the way, with George on the helm from Rose Ness at the exit from Holm Sound to the overfalls by The Bow at the end of Eday. The engine did get an hour of rest between Eday and Sanday, when the light northwesterly breeze combined with the favourable tide and flat sea let us sail along at 3-4 knots.

The bird life was abundant all the way, but especially so by Grey Head, where rafts of Guillemots dived out of Robinetta's way. Close by here we saw a rather odd looking vessel heading our way Julian checked it out using AIS on his phone and it turned out to be an specially built "wet well" live fish transporter. The Marsali seems to be an amazing boat designed to service the fish farms and bring their produce to market.

There are certainly a lot of fish farms in the area. We saw at least 4 in the approaches to Pierowall, and the harbour there is now a bustling place compared to the last time we visited 11 years ago. We had assumed it would be quiet with plenty of space, and we were the only visiting yacht, but the fish farm boats are now a dominant presence.

Once moored up we walked round the bay to Jack's Fish shop. This is normally a wet fish shop, but on Wednesdays and Saturdays afternoon/evening it becomes a fish and chip shop. It will fry you anything  that has been caught, so as well as the normal haddock or cod it will also cook you fish long absent from most chippies. Rock (dog fish) used to be a staple, and you can still get it here, along with rarities like halibut. Our haddock was beautifully cooked, an we ate sitting in the sun at one of the park benches outside.