Lochboisdale to Wizard Pool

Hi everyone,
At 0830 on 17th May we departed Lochboisdale after a single overnight stay.  We waited for the ferry to depart before proceeding.  The ferry docks in town but passed close by the marina entrance - you wouldn't want to get in its way (shades of Sydney Harbour ferries)!

We had a NE 6-8 knot breeze so set full sail.  High clouds were clearing.  An hour later the clouds were gone and we had a nice ENE breeze and we having an excellent sail.  A further hour later and the wind had died so we motored in to the loch, around the fish farm and into Wizard Pool.

Heading north from Lochboisdale

Approaching Wizard Pool

Who wouldn't want to visit a place called Wizard Pool?  We anchored at 57 19.3N 007 14.4W on the NW side of the pool in 7m over mud.  Very good holding as it turned out.

Here is our 15nm track...

Friday at Wizard Pool was spent fitting the new boom brake, consolidating lazarette stowage, and stripping back and oiling the companionway hatch guides.  Weather was partly cloudy with occasional sunny spells, but cold!  The surroundings were - umm - spell-binding!  Very tranquil apart from the jets overhead at cruising altitude which were clearly audible in the otherwise silent surroundings.

Saturday at Wizard Pool was spent stripping back and oiling the teak strakes on each side of the companionway slide.  These and the companionway guides have been varnished previously and we've been gradually eliminating external varnish over the years.  A great improvement.  Weather was again partly cloudy with sunny spells, but still cold!

Wizard Pool

Ditto

Sunday at the pool wasn't the plan but the weather forecast was for a gale from the south so we decided to stay.  It was drizzly and increasingly windy during the day and evening.  The night was dramatic, with our Manson Supreme anchor once again earning our heartfelt respect.  From 2300-0200 we had 30+ knots of wind with bullets well over 40 coming down off the hills.  The anchor didn't budge but Zen Again was tacking to and fro and heeling up to 20 degrees at times.  The main cover unzipped itself at one stage, necessitating a cold wet adventure on deck.  In short it was very similar to the storm at Cocos Keeling, except the air and rain was 25 degrees cooler!  Not nice.

The track below covers our stay overall.  Prior to the gale the wind was from the SSE.  During the gale it was from the SSW.  We seem to "tack" through about 30 degrees when on a 3:1 to 4:1 scope (varies due to 4m tide range).

Wizard Pool GPS Track

Monday at the pool was spent chilling out after an all-too exciting night and waiting for the wind and rain to ease.

Wizard Island in foreground, bullet-factory in background

After the above I feel our Manson Supreme anchor richly deserves re-galvanising!

We loved our time in the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides).  Our next destination was the Isle of Skye.