- This is an extract: the full account will be found in the DCA library. Edwin’s boat is a Seagull, 18ft plus bowsprit, ply built with cabin.

Monday 14th. May Canna to Loch Braccadale

Tides Ullapool. HW 1208. LW 1826 Forecast N/NE f. 4/5 oc. 6. Bar 1011

A fine morning after a very heavy shower which woke me at 0330. It was calm and the morning was warming up so I went ashore for a walk across Sanday. Back on board at 1130 there was a light breeze so I got sails and anchor up, but like yesterday it faded away and I drifted quietly north up the W. coast of Skye until 1430 when I resorted to the outboard and motored on into the entrance to Loch Braccadale and into Loch Roag where I anchored at 1730. After a meal I went ashore for a walk up the hill and as far as the Dun, (a ruined fort on the top of the hill) about 2 miles.

Distance for the day. 19 miles. 3 hr. on engine.

Tuesday 15th. Loch Braccadale to Loch Maddy

Tides Ullapool LW 0713 HW 1313. LW 1935 Forecast.Cyc f.3/4 o/l N/ NE f3 oc 5 Bar 1006

At 0800 it was dull and calm but by 1030 there was a light breeze picking up and by 1100 I had got the sails and anchor up and was motoring out of L.Roag into a light SW f. 2/3. Once past Castle Island I had a clear run across the Minch so turned the outboard off until 1430 when the wind disappeared and didn't come back with any force until I was going into Loch Maddy, when it came back from NW f.2/3.

Loch Maddy is the principal town for North Uist and is the Ro Ro ferry terminal for the island. Visitors’ moorings are provided in the lee of the pier. After a meal I went for a walk, about 3 miles. Back on board the weather not looking very promising and the barometer was down 5 mbs.

Distance for the day 31.8 miles. 4hr. l0min on engine.

Wednesday 16th. Loch Maddy Bar. 999

At 0830 it was bitterly cold with a gusty N. f.4-6 wind and the rain lashing down. I stayed on board all morning then went for a walk of about 6 miles in the afternoon before joining the local taxi/ minibus owner for a three and a half hour service run when he picked up and transported the Island's teenagers to and from school. It was a very entertaining and informative trip and it was so clear that St. Kilda could be seen in the distance. Then in the evening I met up with the crew of a yacht that had just come from St. Kilda. They had had a very rough trip and claimed to have had 40 knots of wind all the way.

Thursday 17th. Loch Maddy to Scalpay (E.Loch Tarbert)

Tides Ullapool. LW 0946. HW 1550. F/cast. N/NW. f 3/4 oc. f. 5. Bar. 1002.

At 0930 it was dull with a stiff cold NW. wind and at 1305 I cast off and sailed out with reefed sails. By 1340 I was past Weavers Point and hard on the wind heading for Rodel on the SE corner of Harris but soon found that the wind was blowing straight out of the Sound of Harris at f4-5 and I couldn't lay a course straight to Rodel so I reviewed my options and decided to head into Loch Finbay a few miles further north instead.. However by the time I arrived off L. Finbay the wind was shrieking out of the Loch at 30-40 Knots so I freed off and headed for E. Loch Tarbert being pretty sure that I would be able to get into the S. facing S. harbour on Scalpay, an Island which lies at the entrance to E. Loch Tarbert. In E.L.Tarbert the wind was easier and the entrance to Scalpay S. harbour proved to be no problem and by 1835 I was anchored in the harbour in warm sunshine.

Distance for the day. 25.7 miles. 10 min. on engine.

Friday 18th. Scalpay

Tides Ullapool. LW 1051. HW 1648. F/cast. W. f.3/4 oc.f5. Bar. 1010

I was wakened by a gusty NW wind bringing a light shower at 0830 after a calm night. The wind soon developed into heavy squalls of up to 30 knots and my anchor gradually dragged down the harbour so I laid a second one out. By 1700 the rain squalls had died away but it was still very windy and the barometer had risen 6 mb. I went ashore for a walk in the evening.

Saturday 19th. Scalpay to Stornoway

Tides Ullapool. HW 0505. LW 1144. HW 1734. F/cast. S/SW - Wf.3/4. Bar. 1021.

In order to get a favourable tide I was up at 0415 to a calm damp morning with mist on the mountains and at 0535 I got the sails and anchors up and motored out past the off lying island of Hamarsay and round the E. end of Scalpay and headed north. The wind stayed light and fitful until 0845 when it came back from the S. f 2. and I was able to make reasonable progress under sail and by 1130 I was tied up in Stornoway Marina with rain threatening. After lunch I went shopping for food and petrol a total walk of about 3 miles during which there were a few sharp showers. The weather cleared up in the evening and I went for a good walk, then headed for a pub for a pint, but after poking my head in a few pubs I went back on board for some of my home brew. The pubs were frenetic; Sunday being dry everyone was getting tanked up on Saturday.

Distance for the day. 30 miles 2hr. 35 min. on engine. Sunday 20th. Stornoway to Loch Mharabhig

Tides Ullapool. HW 0550. LW 1230 HW 1815. F/cast. SW. f 3/4 oc. f.5. Bar. 1024.

From Stornoway I had toyed with the idea of circumnavigating the Isle of Lewis but after rounding the Eye Peninsula into Broad Bay, there would be no shelter until reached Loch Roag on the NW coast a distance of at least 60 miles. However despite the high barometer I had some doubts about the weather and decided against it.

At 0900 there was a very light breeze and there were a few light showers and at 1100 I motored out of the Marina and past the piers before setting the sails and beating across the bay, then heading south. The wind kept coming and going and I alternately sailed and motor-sailed until 1230 when I came back with enough force to sail quietly down the coast until I got to the group of islands guarding the entrance to L. Mharabhig and after identifying the entry I dropped the sails and motored in, mooring off the jetty at 1455.

After having a brew I inflated the dinghy and went ashore for a walk before making a meal.

Distance for the day 11 miles. 1 hr. 10 min. on engine.

Monday 21st. L. Mharabhig to L. Bhalamuis.

Tides Ullapool. HW 0632. LW 1314. HW 1853. F/cast. SW. f.3/4 oc. 5. Bar. 1025

At 0840 there was a gusty SW wind blowing across the Loch as I cast off and slipped out of the Loch and headed South under reefed main and genoa. By 1045 the wind had eased and I was unrolling the reefs. By 1245 I was off the entrance to L. Shiel and the wind had piped up again and I reefed again, however the wind turned out to be very local and as soon as I cleared the Loch entrance it died away again. However enough remained for me to keep sailing and with plenty of choice of Lochs in which to spend the night, I chose the tiny Loch Bhalamuis which lies between Loch Bhrollum and Loch Claidh with the 9 miles long Loch Seaforth a couple of miles further west, and by 1635 I was moored to a fisherman's mooring in the Loch with only a herd of seals and a cuckoo for company.

After a meal I went ashore for poke round the ruined croft and had a walk up the valley covering 3 or 4 miles and picking up 8 deer antlers on the way, the most that I have ever seen. Soon after I had returned on board I could see deer coming into the croft fields where the grass was sweetest.

Distance for the day. 29.3 miles. 30min. on engine.

Tuesday 22nd. L. Bhalamuis to Rodel

Tides Ullapool. HW 0711. LW 1355. 11W 1931. F/cast. SW. f.3/4 oc.f.5. Bar. 1025.

At 0745 the sun was shining from a cloudless sky for a change but it was flat calm and still calm when I cast off at - 0910 I motored South until 1120 before there was enough wind to sail when it quickly got up to SWxS. f.4 and by 1445 I was anchored near the head of Loch Rodel to wait for the tide into the sheltered poll an Tighinhail. There had been a great deal of work done since my last visit. The hotel had been transformed and self catering annexes had been built, work was still in full swing and it was all due to open in July. In the evening I went for a walk westward along the coast to Borisdale and Charmaigh. I did think about walking all the way to Leverburgh and back to Rodel via the road but thought better of it and then I met the skipper and crew (brothers) of a yacht moored further up the pool, they were from Tobermory and we had met before. On returning we all adjourned to the bar where we enjoyed a couple of drinks and heard about the plans for his newly built hotel. Funded of course by Lottery, Heritage and EEC money.

Distance for the day 20.3 miles. 30 min. on engine.

Wednesday 23rd. Rodel to Taransay to Bemeray

Tides Ullapool. HW0751. LW 1436. HW 2010. F/cast. V f 2/3 Bar.1024.

A brilliant sunny morning and flat calm and a t 0930 I motored out heading for the Stanton Passage through the Sound of Harris where it was a of identifying beacons and steering compass courses. A light breeze got up for a while enabling me to sail but I was soon back on engine and by 1130 I was round Toe Head and on co. for Taransay (Of The Castaway Programme fame) where I anchored at 1315. There was a lot of activity and more houses than the BBC had led people to believe but when I went ashore I found that a film was being made and the houses were part of the set, all plywood but very realistic.

I had anchored on the S. side of the sand spit and when I went ashore I found that there was quite a fleet of boats anchored and moored on the N. side, a number of which were traditional type vessels. I was soon approached by an officious gentleman who informed me that Sabine was likely to interfere with camera shots, and although he couldn't order me to move he made it quite clear that I was in the way. So after walking along the shore to look at the area where the BBC had been involved and where a new house is in the process of being built, I went back on board and moved to the mainland side of the channel, then after a brew I decided to take the tide back through the sound of Harris and go to Berneray for the night, so I got the anchor up and motored out, round Toe Head and headed for the Cope Passage, then at No.12 buoy I turned S. and found the back way into Berneray Harbour where I tied up at 1915. After a meal I went for a walk across the island, about 3 miles.

Distance for the day. 32 miles. 6hr. 45 min. on engine.

Thursday 24th. Berneray to Loch Maddy.

Tides Ullapool. HW 0830. LW 1515. HW 2050. F/cast. E. f.2/3 oc. f.4 Bar 1028.

Another fine sunny morning and in retrospect I could have circumnavigated Lewis without any problems but would have used lots of petrol. At 1053 I cast off and motored out after getting local advice on the tides. Motoring out the log kept fouling so I hauled it in and didn't stream it until I was in the clearer waters of the Cope Passage. It remained calm until I moored in Loch Maddy at 1500 when immediately a breeze sprang up. I went ashore for a walk.

Distance for the day GPS 11.4 miles. 3 hr. 15 min. on engine. Friday 25th. Loch Maddy.

Tides Ullapool. HW 0091 2.LW 1552. HW 2214. F/cast. SE-S. f.3/4 oc.f.5. Bar. 1020.

At 0830 I was up after a bad night. I was wakened at about 0100 by Sabine bouncing about and the wind roaring and only slept in fits and starts for the rest of the night. On getting up I found that the wind was S. f.6-8 out of a clear sky and there was no chance of me getting ashore. As the day wore on the sky clouded and brought driving rain and it wasn't until 1930 that the wind eased enough for me to get ashore for a walk.

Saturday 26th. Loch Maddy to Kallin/Vallastrume (Grimsay)

Tides Ullapool. HW 0956. LW 1632. HW. 2214. F/cast. W-S/SE. f.3/4 oc.5.Bar 1014.

At 0830 it was fresh and breezy with some sun and at 1400 I cast off and motored out before setting genoa and reefed main and heading South. However by 1500 the wind had eased to such an extent that I wasn't able to make much progress in the lumpy seas and I ended up motor-sailing and at 1745 I moored at the entrance to Kallin harbour on Grimasay which was full of fishing vessels, the harbour being a thriving fishing port with its own shellfish storage and packing plant. After a meal I went for a walk across the island (About 5 miles).

Distance for the day 11.3 mi1es 2.hr on engine.

Sunday 27th. Kallin.

Tides Ullapool. HW 1043. LW 1723. HW 2305. F/cast. S.f.5-6. Bar. 1012.

At 0845 it was a bit damp and calm in the harbour with occasional gusts reaching in bringing drifts of drizzle and with the forecast being poor I decided to stay put. Out for a walk in the afternoon persistent rain set in.

Monday 28th. Kallin to Loch Carnan

Tides Ullapool. HW. 1138. LW. 1802. F/cast. SW f.4/5. Bar. 1011.

In order to make sure that I wasn't in the way of the trawler that I was tied up against, I moved out to the yacht mooring in the bay to wait for the tide to ease. By 1040 the flood had eased and I cast off and motored out, then clear of the channel I got the sails up and started beating South against a SW.f.3-4 wind which died away by 1430 and visibility dropped to less than a mile in heavy drizzle. However I was close to Loch Caman and managed to spot the Fairway Buoy, then sailed for the next one on a compass co. until I could see it, then the others came up out of the mist in turn, and by 1530 I was off the jetty where I found both visitors moorings occupied by what I found to be local yachts, so I picked up a rough looking mooring near the fish farm while I inflated my dinghy and went ashore to see if I could use one of the better moorings, however the locals weren't very obliging so after going for a short walk I went back on board just as a screaming squall arrived and I quickly rigged my CQR and Danforth anchors in tandem and anchored in 10 metres of water in the lee of the land. I had just finished when the wind and rain came screaming back making me glad I wasn’t on one of the visitors moorings which were further off shore and the yachts on them were really bouncing. At 2100 after a bit of a lull the wind came back with renewed force with the wind shrieking in at about 50 knots and I prepared my big fisherman anchor ready to drop if my others dragged. However they held firm and by 2230 it had blown itself out and I was able to think about going to bed.

Distance for the day. 16 miles. 1hr. 30 mm. on engine.

Tuesday 29th. Loch Carnan to Loch Boisedale.

Tides Ullapool. HW 1243. LW 1906 F/cast. W/SW. f.5 oc.6. Bar. 1012.

At 1000 it was bright and clear after the storm and there was a fresh W. f.4 breeze blowing. At 1300 I went to get the anchors up and found the Danforth very well dug in and I had to use the surge of the boat to gradually break it out. When I got them on board I found that the CQR had a fish food bag on the point and Sabine had only been held by the Danforth. By 1340 I was ready to sail and sailed out under reefed sails taking the South channel out. The wind remained at f.4~5 and I was hard on the wind until I was off Loch Boisedale when I had to tack to get inshore, mooring to a visitor mooring just as heavy rain began to fall. In the evening I went ashore for a walk and a couple of pints in the hotel.

Distance for the day. 20.6 miles. 10min. on engine.

Wednesday 30th. Loch Boissedale to Castlebay (Barra)

Tides Ullapool. LW 0802. HW 1353. LW 2023. F/cast. W/SW. f 4 oc.5. Bar 1013.

At 0900 it was dull and calm and I motored round to the local boat moorings to make it easier for me to get water and petrol. My bread situation was getting desperate and I had no fresh meat, but there was none to be had in the village. The nearest store was 3 miles away and I didn't feel like walking so far so I cast off and sailed out of the Loch to find the wind outside to be SW. f. 4-6 and once round Ru Melvick I was hard on the wind. I had thought about visiting Eriskay of Whisky Galore fame but it would have meant a beat to windward so I kept on my course past Hellisay, then Flodday and decided to head for Castlebay and by 1650 I had tacked inshore past Castlebay S. can Buoy and short tacked into the bay, picking up a mooring at 1855 just as a heavy shower arrived. In the evening I went ashore for a short walk and for a couple of pints in the hotels. Not having done much motoring and my battery being a bit tired I found that I didn't have much power left.

Distance for the day. 27.8 miles. 15 min. on engine.

Thursday 31st. Castlebay

Tides Ullapool. LW 0916. HW 1506. LW 2137. F/cast. W/NW. f.5 oc.6. Bar 1019.

At 0900 the morning was dull and cool and at 1030 I went ashore looking for fresh food, no problem as there are several shops. In the afternoon I went ashore for a walk up the W. Coast road about 9 miles in total. The wind was a blustery W. bringing drifts of drizzle with it.

Friday 1st. June. Castlebay to Tobermory.

Tides Ullapool. LW 1027. HW1615. F/cast W/N. f.4/5 oc/6. Bar 1019.

Up at 0600 to a grey wet morning with a gusty W. wind and at 0725 I cast off with reefed sails and sailed out to have a look outside. I was soon past Muldoaniish Island and going like the clappers, the wind was WSW f.6 and I was barely in control on a beam reach so I hove to and put another 3 rolls in the main. Having freed off again I was still surfing off the waves at up to 10 knots. My initial co. was 150m. heading for Gunna Sound at the S. end of Col with the thought in mind of going through that way and in order to make sure that I was well S. of Hawes Bank to the N of the Cairns of Col and where there would be dangerous seas running in the current conditions. The visibility closed in until it was no more than a mile and driving rain blew in. At 1040 I hove to get my position from the GPS and to have a coffee, then finding that I was clear of the Hawes Bank I altered course to port, to get N. of the Cairns of Col. The wind at this time became gusty and my speed varied between 4-5 knots and 6-10 knots. At 1300 visibility was still poor and I hove to have lunch and plot my position again. Once I freed off again I was on 090m this time as I was far enough N to clear the Cairns where the wind was. The Cairns light eventually loomed up out of the murk at about 1500 and having got well clear I altered co to get into the Sound of Mull, finally mooring at Tobermory at 1855 very tired after my long day.

Distance for the day 57.2 miles. 15 min. on engine.