Just in case it's not been a mistake and you are still interested in our progress, Vagabond and I arrived in Wick harbour (the inner basin) at about 17:32 today (Sunday) after an 8 hour (30mile) passage from Helmsdale. Compared with the passage from Inverness, it was quite uneventful, periods of no wind interspersed with periods of Southerly winds of up tt an estimated F4. * The set of the waves was uncomfortable at first, still calming down after the previous days' exertions, but eventually all was relatively calm as we sailed, or motored along on, following the coast on our course of about 050.
The sun shone, the threatened rain kept off. I could see it moving up the coast astern of us but (to quote the bbc weathreforecasts) 'it petered out' before it reached us. Oil (or gas?) rigs slid past on the easterly horizon. The minland basked in the sun, sparklingly clean after the heavy overnight rain. Squadrons of puffin flew urgently across our course, either out to find fish or inward to unload it on their young. Young birds sat on the sea, waiting for food; they either swam away or dived to safety as we approached. Total other vessels seen in the day - 3**. No of castles perched on imposing cliff tops - 2.
Eventually, we passed a headland and turned due north. Then Wick bay hove into view, the appropriate buoys and leading marks were identifed and we pottered into harbour.
But, I hear you ask, what happened yesterday? All will be revealed in the next installment of this thilling periodical.........
Meanwhile, here are some photos I took today:
Yachts that pass
Entrance to Wick
* Force 4 on the Beaufort scale. Check it out on Wikepedia, I think it means about 15 miles an hour
** This is either a comment on the amount of traffic or the efficiency of the lookout.
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