Then there were three - enjoying some amazing weather

Settled weather encouraging exploration of challenging anchorages!

We are delighted to be joined by old friend (and regular crew of several of our boats), Barbara who had an interestingly challenging journey by train, (emergency taxi thrown in when the train looked like it would fail to meet the ferry on time) and ferry from mid-Wales to Lochboisdale. She has certainly delivered some fantastic weather as we are enjoying bright sunshine and chilly but moderate NE winds for a relaxed cruise northwards up the eastern side of the island chain.

Our first overnight anchorage was a place we'd visited last summer, the Wizard Pool in Loch Skipport. This time with sunshine and absolute calm in the evening, we watched the sunset and, the following morning, hiked up a rocky hill overlooking the anchorage.

The Wizard Pool

Supper time view from the cockpit

Taken at about 11.15pm - the moon is visible but the sky is still too light for any stars

Looking north up towards North Uist

Looking west, over the Wizard Pool. Maunie is to the left

Di and Barbara loving the view

After the exertion and delight of the hill climb we set off on a gentle motor of only 7 miles up to a lunch stop in Loch Keiravagh.  We had time to fly the drone to get a different perspective of the Benbecula coast.

Looking south, across Loch a' Laip

Looking east, with Skye on the horizon. There's a huge fish farm in the entrance to the loch

Dianne the drone-catcher in action

Success, and all fingers intact!

Moving on, we were delighted that we'd been told about the fishing harbour of Kallin on Grimsay by Bob, the skipper of Tequila, the only other yacht sheltering with us from the gale in Castlebay marina last week. The harbour itself is focussed entirely on fishing so can't be described as attractive in any way but we found an excellent anchorage close by and dinghied ashore to experience the Namara seafood café, run by the wonderful Olga. 

Part fisherman's chandlery, part café, It doesn't look much but...

....Olga produced a delicious selection of locally-caught seafood for the three of us

This morning we waited for high tide to navigate the narrow rocky channels back out to sea and had a great sail only a few miles north to Flodday Sound, just south of North Uist. Acairseid Fhalaich (Hidden Harbour) is somewhere that you just have to visit if the weather is settled so we carefully nosed into the tiny entrance and anchored for lunch.

Not much room to swing on the anchor

The narrow entrance

Waves from the crew

This evening we are in a wild, remote anchorage in Haunaray Sound, with the rocky outcrop of a hill called Eaval. We have seals on the rocks and deer on the little island, all watching us with interest. The breeze is forecast to drop overnight so we should have a quiet night - Haggis, neaps and tatties followed by Scottish Plum Crumble is the on-board meal of the evening.