'Norman James' had a good boost out of Scalpay Sound by the strong tide, then spent the next 2 1/2 hours motorsailing with the blue geneker, however for the final hour into Stornoway the wind increased and we sailed with just the geneker. We were moored in Stornoway by 13-55.
As Stornoway is the major town in the Outer Hebrides we had decided to have a lay day here and get a few chores done. The port authority / marina staff were extremely welcoming and helpful, and the town itself was very pleasant with most of the facilities of a larger town.
As Stornoway is the major town in the Outer Hebrides we had decided to have a lay day here and get a few chores done. The port authority / marina staff were extremely welcoming and helpful, and the town itself was very pleasant with most of the facilities of a larger town.
Stornoway Marina from the access ramp.
On an initial recce into the town we found a Harris Tweed specialist, and I have had a hankering for a nice tweed jacket for years now, so this shop, along with a butcher who had small Stornoway black puddings in the window were bookmarked for the following day. Between the marina area and the town was a small square with an interesting sundial as the centrepiece - you stand on a central plaque with the months etched into it, your shadow then falls on the periphery with time markers showing the time of day.
What's the time ?
The following day we walked into the big Tesco to do some restocking, had a look around the Fishermens Coop shop, and bought some fresh prawns from a shop literally at the top of the marina ramp ( which were delicious ! ) In the afternoon we visited the tweed shop, coming away happy with a new jacket, then found lots of good things in the butchers which seemed to find their way into our bags! A quick chat with one of the harbour employees about getting a couple of cans of fuel resulted in being offered a lift to the local petrol station which had red diesel on a pump ( a first for me ) and then being dropped off back at the marina entrance - service with a smile. In the evening we had a walk in the grounds of Lews Castle with super views over the town and out to sea.
The marina with Stornoway town in the background.
Stornoway lifeboat with one of the fine buildings behind.
Lews Castle.
The Weather and tides were now favourable to cross back to the mainland but with the potential to trap us in port if we went via Kinlochbervie, so we decided to bite the bullet and do the 65NM passage to Loch Eribol via Cape Wrath, leaving at 07-00 in the morning to hit slack water at the Cape.
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