Practical Boat Owner – June 2019

moved on to Loch Breachacha for the
night. Leaving a little later than intended in
the morning, we found the tide in full fl ow
against us through Gunna Sound. The
promised south-easterly had fi nally come
in, kicking up a choppy sea against the tide.

Overtaking in style
A sail appeared astern, closing rapidly. I
thought Kalessin was going well at 5-6
knots but the magnifi cent Sibyl of Cumae
came charging past like a racehorse
overtaking a fat pony.
She is a 1902 William Fife design, 52ft
long but with less beam than the 29ft
Konsort. We met the crew later in

Castlebay, they were on their way round

Britain and heading next for St Kilda.

Sibyl appeared to be a bit of a handful

with a big asymmetric spinnaker, but for

us it was a fast, yet relaxed passage,

goose-winged most of the way, arriving in

Castlebay late afternoon.

The new marina is now fi nished, great

for those that like such things but a shame

that most of the visitors’ moorings have

been removed as there is not much space

for anchoring. The same has happened in

Lochmaddy and Lochboisdale. We

hurried ashore in case the shops closed

but found the Co-op is open till 10pm.

Moving across to Vatersay next day we

took fi shermen’s passage inshore of

Snuasimul rather than go around

Muldoanich, the Barra lifeboat helpfully

showing us the route between the rocks

by roaring through at full speed.

Uninhabited islands

With perfect timing the wind had gone

back to a light north-westerly – ideal for

the uninhabited islands south of Barra.

Mingulay Bay was the calmest I’ve ever

seen it – for once landing on the beach

was easy – but also the busiest. We

arrived mid-morning and were soon joined

by several yachts, boats running trips from

Castlebay and even a group of kayaks.

There is not much to see of the old

village and it’s hard to imagine that 140

people lived here in 1901. When I fi rst

visited in 1989, the priest’s house with a

chapel on the fi rst fl oor was still intact but

now even this is a tumbledown ruin.

We walked up Macphee’s Hill – named

for the rent collector abandoned here for a

year – and across to the west coast. As if

the view wasn’t dramatic enough, the

fi nishing touch was a sea eagle soaring

above the sheer cliffs. The re-introduction

of sea eagles is a conservation success

story and they can turn up anywhere now.

I enjoy these unexpected sightings

A grey seal playing

with fenders

buoying Kalessin’s

shore line

Puffi n colony on

Lunga, Treshnish

Isles, with Kalessin

in the background

HEBRIDES

Kalessin sailing into Mingulay Bay, Mingulay ➜