Saturday 21st may 2016

We left Scalpay and sailed in light winds towards the Shiant Islands. The wind died and we ended up motoring through a glassy calm with amazing light from a dramatic cloudy sky lit by patches of sunshine. The number of sea birds increased dramatically with rafts of guillemots, puffins and razorbills interspersed with solitary gannets.

The light reflected off the sea was extraordinary and the islands seemed to hang in the sky. We found a mooring just off a rocky beach under dramatic cliffs crowded with sea birds.

Moored in the Shiant Islands

The weather looked as though it might change at any moment, so a party of 5 went ashore immediately, managing to land safely in the surge of the swell onto the rounded boulders on the beach. Richard and I scrambled up a steep grass cliff to reach the viewpoint on the crest, looking far down to Tin Tin, and across the islands through swirling clouds of birds.

Leaving the islands behind we headed northwards to find shelter in a remote anchorage in Loch Mariveg. Anchoring required several attempts, and in thinned we laid a second anchor out to control the bots swing between rocky cliffs. The evening was very calm with a lovely sunset glow and we enjoyed rowing and clambering up the surrounding hills.

Loch Mariveg