Scoresby Sund Expedition 2022
Day 13. 23rd June 2022
Position: Moored, Isle Martin
Wind: SW F4-6. Visibility: Good. Sea condition: Moderate to Rough
One of the drawbacks of sailing in Britain is that we need to use the tides, so we were up again at 05:05 GMT to catch the strong stream that runs through the Kyle Rhea. There was little wind so the donker was set at 2,000 rpm and we enjoyed a calm motor all the way to Portree where we picked up a visitor’s buoy.
Now, there is no doubt that Portree is a very picturesque town, at least from the sea. Colourful houses nestle around a little harbour that could easily remind you of Tobermory. Sadly, ashore the place is a bit of a shambles. Unfortunately I got the feeling they didn’t really want any visitors.
On landing at the harbour it was impossible to find anywhere to sort out the recycling so I was forced to dump all my carefully separated glass, tin and plastics into a general waste bin.
The hose on the pontoon didn’t look too savoury either and it only provided a tiny dead slow feed.
In town we couldn’t find anywhere to eat outdoors, so we bought some rolls but then couldn’t find anywhere to sit down to eat them so we had to walk a mile round the cliff to find a grassy spot. There we watched miserable tourists pass by also trying to find a spot to rest.
The harbour walls are collapsing into the sea.
The seafront is littered with builders debris and there is a rubbish bin park right where you would expect a nice bench to admire the sea view.
I rather dread to think what the foreign tourists must have thought of the place. It is such a shame as it could be a really wonderful spot to visit.
Enough about Portree!
The following day, the weather didn’t look too bright and as we were knackered, we languished aboard the good ship while sorting out the passage planning for the following day.
On Thursday 23rd we threw off the mooring strop and set off towards Isle Martin. There was a strong wind warning in place but it was from the SW so that was a good direction for us. We started off with two reefs in the main and the Yankee but after a few hours we tucked in another reef as the wind freshened.
Eventually we rounded Rubhn Reidh under Yankee alone but were still making a pleasant 6 knots through a boisterous sea.
In the early evening we moored on Isle Martin in glorious sunshine. There was time to show Phil a few of the sights of this heavenly island before brewing up supper in the cockpit.
Tomorrow we will head into Ullapool which sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun!
Technical
We have been carefully monitoring our fuel consumption and have concluded that we use 1.25 L per hour at 2,000 rpm giving between 4.5 to 5 knots in calm water. The engine is a Beta 16 hp. For us to be able to circumnavigate Milneland it is crucial we carry just exactly enough fuel so this is very helpful information.
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