Overnight the wind got up and because of the easterly angle it was banging Misha against the pontoon. I think it was because it was wind over tide plus the angles but it appeared quite violent. I jumped up from bed, popped out and realised that if I put an extra spring on it would likely remove the problem. If that didn’t work it was going to mean having to move her off the pontoon to a mooring or an anchorage. The good news was that it worked and Misha sat still the rest of the night. Except! It’s a busy marine thoroughfare and about hourly a boat would pass through. Their wake would disturbed Misha and in turn disturb Martin and I. Every hour throughout the night I was up for at least half an hour!
The alarm went off at 05:30 but dawn didn’t actually break till close to 06:15. At that time we motored off the pontoon and set foresail to run out in the easterly under the Skye Bridge.
Out in the Sound of Rassay the wind steadily increased amid the rain bucket tied down torrentially. It was like standing under a cold shower. The easterly was up over 25kn and we were powering up the sound. I needed to gibe to head out towards the channel between Raasay and Rona, my gyre went wrong and we were in irons and lost our bottom main button! Live and learn!
Within 15 mins, the weather cleared, the wind died to nothing and we spent the rest of the day under motor.
After the Rona passage we saw a minke off the coast of Skye, and later after we had turned southbound down the NW corned and Martin had got as far north as he has been we saw a white tailed eagle flying from North Uist to Skye.
We eventually anchored in Loch Bay in 10m (about as deep as Misha can anchor) and put out all 50m of chain.
Dinner was Chicken Pakora, Onion Bhaji and scalloped potato chips.All afternoon the sun has been roasting us and now the wind has turned from the NE, the anchorage is very calm and we are well fed, well anchored and well knackered!