On Saturday evening after arriving in Brae we went to Britain’s most northerly chip shop – and jolly good it was too. On Sunday we explored the area around St Magnus bay – if Slartybartfast himself had been commissioned to design a cruising area then it could not be any better.
Three wide and deep voes with enchanting villages, harbours and pontoons at each end. In the middle, two islands to sail around and then off to one side Vementry island with its labyrinth of channels around the back.
We had splendid sail around Vementry – passing through the narrow channel – about 25 yards wide – between it and the mainland.
In the evening the clubhouse at Brae was alive with people – some for the football and some for Chinese night. Five people from the Kirkwall Chinese restaurant turned up in a van and started cooking in the kitchen there – we had a lovely Chinese supper. Delting is a great club – it caters for the boat club but also truck drivers working at the bgas plant and holidaynmakers staying in caravans and campervans – lovely crowd, good food, clean showers. £10 a night for the marina berth.
Today I got up early and while jill was still in bed I started out for Scalloway. Not much wind – and all that was there was on the nose. The entrance to Scalloway is through a maze of channels and islands. We are now on a rather rotten old pontoon in front of the Scalloway boat club
XC weather is not being optimistic about the next few days – winds up to 45 mph. If it gets too bad then we will shift around into the marina.
Brae marina
Delting Boat club - truck and caravan park too - and occasional chinese take-away
Harmony at rest
dead wooden yacht
genius
local yacht race
wind protections
Vementry guns still in place
marina from on high
narrow Vementry passage
brilliant cruising area
early start for scalloway
scalloway entrance
scalloway pontoon
ongoing series of ways of holding boats down
housing estate
great bank sign
flattie 1
clinker woody mobo
scalloway high street
Shetland bus memorial
house
net repair area
floating accommodation block for gas plant - home for 250 workers
Interesting signs. We’re here to help” – but go away until then!. Reminds me of one of the local sailing clubs main entrance signs – it is also very welcoming – it says “Members Only”. For sure it does not say no entrance, or go away, but one gets the message.
Very neat and clean place. Not too hard to spot Harmony with that big sign on the side and the red sail even when it is furled.
The local camera shop suggest to place the camera in a container with very dry un-cooked rice and seal the lot for a two to three days. That usually will pull the moisture out of a camera. Might get you through this venture.
Have you spent an evening in the Scalloway Boat Cub bar yet? Never mind the winds on the pontoon, just go round to the lee side and hang on!
I fear it is getting beyond that… the sound is starting to get unreliable – more music than usual in the next films. She is held together with elastic bands – she has lasted for three years under repeated abuse. Once I sell Harmony I will buy a replacement.
we did go in there – three blokes and two women – sitting staring at their pints on the bar and downing one every half hour. Mind you it was Monday night. I think we will be here until Thursday – at the moment the weather is looking good for a dash around cape wrath Friday/Sat. Fingers crossed
D
Amazing scenery and distinct from Orkney. Did you get to Saxa Vord and Muckle Flugga?
saving Muckle flugger for the next time round – it certainly is rockier with more odd hazards – beaches not as good though
Interesting sign- ‘We are here to help’ (as long as it’s only one day a week!).
It certainly looks a beautiful area to cruise.
K
Good to see that RBS have developed your sense of humour.