Sargasso Sea

Leaving Whitehills and crossing the Moray Firth we enjoyed light winds in the morning but absolute calm in the afternoon. 


This fifty-mile journey means that you head almost due north to Wick. However, a large wind farm has to be avoided so that means that we headed slightly west of north, towards Lybster, then turned due north to reach the fishing harbour and marina at Wick. With the slight haze this journey almost took us out of site of land. From the half way point, approaching the southern corner of the wind farm, we looked back towards Whitehills to see just a slim shadow of the coastal hills. Looking north we were yet to see our destination coastline near Wick, but very soon to the west the cliffs of Clyth Ness came into view. When the sea is so benign it is easy as a sailor to feel some resentment because you came here to enjoy active sailing, not sitting on an underpowered motorboat going at walking pace across a flat calm. I try my best to enjoy the moment and the sense of the sea permitting us to completely relax, despite being in a small boat far from land. Not much is happening except for a few sea birds flying by. We also motor close to a sea gull, seemingly fast asleep, floating lazily with its head tucked under a wing and not bothered by our passing or wash. Later, Mark is fortunate enough to spot a whale coming to the surface and calls me up from below. We then spend the next twenty minutes scanning the sea for another glimpse but to no avail. During the morning the swell left over from yesterday had gradually reduced to nothing and as the breeze died away the sea took on an improbable smooth glassy sheen. From midday, we pottered on towards Wick using the motor and the sails packed away. The sun came out and we read books and dozed in the cockpit. The friendly and helpful harbour master at Wick met us on the pontoon and later was helpful with advice on crossing the Pentland Firth which we plan to do tomorrow afternoon. It looks like a couple of light winds days to get to Stromness but then, based on the current forecast, there could be some good winds for two days. We need decent north round to easterly winds to get us on the long passage from Stromness to the Kyle of Tongue and then on the next day to get round Cape Wrath. On the other hand, we do not want fierce winds on those passages because there is only limited shelter on the mostly rocky 70 mile long north-facing coast of Scotland. We hope to return to The Orkneys and explore them in the future, but on this trip our aim is to get round the top promptly if possible and spend our remaining time exploring the Western Isles from Cape Wrath to Mull before reaching Oban. The harbour master has recommended a curry house in Wick and we have a nice relaxing start time for tomorrow of about 11 o’clock. We will push north against the tide for thirteen miles, the aim is to be off Duncansby Head as the flow changes from strong east-going to less strong west-going, which is round about the time of high water at Wick.

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