Over-confident after tackling the most challenging legs of their trip with surprising ease? Everything seems set fine for a detour to the Hebrides...but gales are brewing and the boys face a really tough crossing to Stornoway with water breaking over the boat and lashing rain. In fact the weather is so bad that they find themselves stranded and are forced to take time out and explore the island and its magnificent mountain scenery.
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18/32 Kinlochbervie to Stornoway - our adventurers get a soaking!
Thoughts on Kinlochbervie there John?
Well the pilot says it’s the third busiest fishing harbour in Scotland. There was nothing in there when we came in but there’s lots and lots of fishware houses and trucks and things so it probably gets really busy when the big trawler.. I might just have a collision here!
I thought the rule was always pass port to port but obviously it’s different here in Scotland. Anyway, the fishing port seemed empty but I guess it’s the big trawlers that come in. It’s such a quirky place - there’s just nothing there apart from the fishing harbour and the big trucks and the big landing keep.
So we’ve just got to decide where we’re going next now. A quick trip across to Stornoway in the Hebrides does sound exciting - it would be a shame to come all this way and then not see the Hebrides, but there is a bit of a south-westerly blowing up tomorrow so we might get stuck there, I don’t know.
So what did you decide?
We decided we’re gonna head across to Stornoway. It’s about 45 miles. We’re heading a little bit into the south-westerly chop but it’s not too bad. Neither of us has ever been to the Hebrides, and it just seems so close - it’s a one off opportunity so we thought we’d do it.
Goodbye sun!
I think we’re gonna get wet Fion! I think we’re gonna get very wet!
Ah.
The castle ‘round the corner is nuts, isn’t it?
Okay Fion, tell me, where are we?
Stornoway - had to think for a minute! Isle of Lewis - Hebrides - Outer Hebrides. Thought we’d pop over, took a little longer than we thought and just got hammered by wind and rain on the way. It was pretty grim actually. Only for a few showers but at some points it was like needles going in your eye - I couldn’t see anything - I had sunglasses on, cap down, windscreen wipers on, hiding but… thought we would just have to stop and wait it out but we got here and the sun’s shining, look at it!
Shark Bay, Shark Bay, Stornoway Harbour, over.
Go ahead Stornoway Harbour, Shark Bay over.
There’s a space on the pontoons - the most southerly birth on the outboard side of the hammerhead, over.
In every voyage you’re gonna get the bad weather days and we’re stuck today on Stornoway in the Hebrides. It’s blowing at 4-6 out there and it’s just not the sort of weather you want to be going out to sea. So we’ve taken the opportunity to take a look around the island instead. It’s the sort of thing you’ve gotta do if you’re trapped in harbour - get out and have a look around the island and check it out. And it’s the first opportunity we’ve had to do some tourism - some real tourism. So we’re just gonna drive the whole island and see what we can find.
It’s an awesome island - so different, so big! I didn’t realise this particular island was so big. We’ve been up to the north so far - very different to where we are now. Spectacular mountains, big sea lochs - this sea loch comes about ten miles inland and goes - er - to the sea! But it’s deep enough - there are some sizable boats in here. We’ve seen yachts come in and fishing boats sheltering from the weather, and behind us we’ve got some spectacular mountains. So it’s a great date! Just rented a car and we’re seeing the island. Definitely worth doing - I’m not disappointed that we got stuck here.
7 дек 2011
