 |
| Loch Nevis |
We left Mallaig and almost immediately ran into a group of
porpoises fishing in the entrance to Loch Nevis, passing Armadale we journeyed
north through the Sound of Sleat.
 |
| Loch Sleat |
 |
| Approaching Kyle Rhea |
We needed to do our homework before the next leg of our journey as the we were heading up to the west side of Skye and travelling through a fairly narrow strip (the Kyle Rhea) where the tide whistles through at 5-8 knots depending on whether you are travelling during neaps or springs. To avoid travelling against this torrent of water we had to get the timing right. There is no such thing as slack water just slacker water as the tide turns and starts to head in the opposite direction.
|
We calculated our journey time and made sure we hit the gap at the correct time. Even then there were other boats and a ferry crossing our path to contend with. Even at the slackest water there were whirlpools and obvious current marks on the surface of the sea. One of the problems is the sides of the Loch start as far away as a mile and quickly reduce down to less than a quarter of a mile, at the same time the sea bed rises quickly from 140m to less than 10m so the water really is funneled through the gap and the chart plotter details this area as dangerous overfalls expected.
The channel was picturesque and the pines forest falling down the steep sides to the water’s edge made the whole place feel unreal.
We rounded the corner and saw the Skye bridge and to mark our most northerly point we sailed under the bridge, turned around and headed back to the Kyle of Lochalsh pontoons.
 |
| Skye Bridge |
 |
| Kyle of Lochalsh pontoons |
We want updates
ReplyDeleteI have loads of pictures and entries to add but these marina wifis are rubbish
Delete