After provisioning and taking on 40litres of fuel, we cast off from the Tobermory pontoon at 08-45 bound for the outer Hebrides. We motor sailed with the main and C1 genneker using the engine to maintain a SOG of 6kts. By 13-55 Barra and South Uist were appearing over the horizon, and we moored in the brand new marina at Loch Boisdale on South Uist at 17-00, having covered some 53NM.
The brand new marina at Lochboisdale Harbour.
The Causeway road leading to the marina showing the facilities building, quay, and slipway.
I haven't seen many signs warning of Otters before !
More gales were forecast for the next few days, and we ended up spending 3 nights in the marina, giving us some time to explore. The next day dawned wet and very breezy, and after a slow get up we decided to have a short walk before lunch just to get our bearings. The village of Loch Boisdale was about a mile away, along a new causeway road ( part of the marina development ), and we were immediately offered a lift into the village by a passing car. The harbourmaster had mentioned that the post office / cafe was quite nice for a drink and sandwich, and was easy to find as it was painted bright pink ! We succumbed to temptation and tucked into bacon rolls ( mine with added Stornoway black pudding! ).
Whilst in the cafe we noticed that the post van had ‘Post Bus’ written on the side, and after enquiring of the post mistress ( Morag ) we decided to join the bus and see some of the Island. This turned out to be a great success - the bus wound it’s way along the small roads on the Atlantic side of the island ( stopping at each post box to pick up the mail ), over the causeway between South Uist and Benbecula, and terminated at the sorting office next door to the airport on Benbecula where we had about an hour and a half before the return journey.
One of the fine views had from the Post Bus.
Typical watery landscape on South Uist taken from the Post Bus.
After spending about half an hour sitting on a beautiful white sandy beach next to the airport we had a walk and a good peruse of a souvenir shop where I managed to replace a broken whiskey tot glass prior to the bus trip back to Loch Boisdale.
Miles of white sandy beaches on the western side of Benbecula.
Plane taking off in a strong side wind from Benbecula airport.
The following day we returned to the cafe for lunch again and had a walk around the village itself, then walked back to the marina in time to watch the CalMac ferry come in.
The CalMac ferry entering Lochboisdale.
After catching the 19-10 MSI forecast on the VHF from Stornoway Coastguard we could see that although it might be a bit ‘vigorous’ to start with, the next day looked OK to move up the coast to Loch Maddy on North Uist.
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