Evolene - Nauticat 42

Wandering around Lerwick for a few days, enjoying the windy sunshine scattered with the occasional hail shower (yes, really!) and the company of others in and around the harbour was incredibly pleasant but the North Sea crossing was ever present in the back of our minds.  We were checking the Windy weather app three or four times a day, victualling (preparing food stores aboard) and comparing notes with fellow sailors.   Hail one minute... ...rainbows the next. Mentally, I was preparing myself also.  Having had varying success on the previous two passages, I knew it wasn't going to be my favourite activity but at the same time was excited by the prospect of accomplishment and also the adventures to come at the far side, reinforced by the accounts of others who had made the trip to Norway in previous years or were on their return journey from Norway back to the UK.  Therefore, I had mentally parcelled it up in my mind as 'an endurance event', one to get through...

Shetland, for us, feels very much home from home, having both spent time here with work previously.  It is a lovely group of islands, super friendly and with a huge amount of landscape sass!  The rolling greenery ends abruptly at almost corner, with huge vertical cliffs hewn into the land, imposing, towering, looming and yet, when you look more closely, their nooks and crannies are the comforting home to a range of intrepid seabirds - puffins, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars.  It really is magical. We set sail from Pierowall, Orkney, on the 20th May with the sun rising on the horizon.  Evolene  settled into a comfortable close reach on port tack after leaving the shelter of the Islands and Stuart and I settled into a watch rhythm of approximately two hours each.  Thankfully we managed to complete most of the crossing like this but we knew that the northwesterly wind of the earlier hours of the day would gradually veer round to being on the nose and sure eno...

As we are enjoying a few slower days in the Shetland Islands whilst we are waiting an appropriate weather window to open up to cross the North Sea, I thought I would take the opportunity to capture our reflections as we have just completed the one month landmark of living aboard Evolene. I'll start with the one that Stuart immediately thought of...  'power management has been okay'!  It may sound quite simple but captures both a huge amount of preparation and organisation prior to moving aboard and also how we can 'afford' (in terms of power resource) to live at anchor for a much greater proportion of time, without rationing usage to make, for example, cups of tea that we would take for granted on the land at home.  Furthermore, through Stuart's lithium battery installation, solar panels and electric hob with electric combi-oven/microwave/air fryer for cooking, we have not had to resort to using any gas from our gas canister as yet.  (For more details - see the ...

For the past week we have been enjoying moseying and exploring around the Orkney Islands, waiting for the northerly winds to shift direction. Our first stop, for a couple of nights, was at anchor just outside Stromness ha rbour.  Stromness is a pretty little village with winding cobbled streets and a bustling fishing port.  We also treated ourselves to the delicious local ice cream (Orkney Fudge flavour no less), which turns out to be a superb cure for any residual sea sickness! Stromness main street The following day was a mini-expedition to the Old Man of Hoy.  This is when the option of the 2 stroke engine on the dinghy really came into its own and made short work of the four mile crossing to Moeness in Hoy.  With the dinghy secured we embarked on a hike around the northwest tip of Hoy Island, heading out along the Old Post Road (now track).  As we wound our way down to the coast on the far side the path meandered along a small stream with fish darting in and...

Whilst we have a few days enjoying the continued glorious sunshine and waiting for the next weather window to press on northwards  we have compiled a list of our most 'impactful' interior and exterior alterations that we made to Evolene before setting off.  They are impossible to rank in terms of preference as you'll see each have their own particular role and benefit but together have made a huge difference to how we now live aboard and enjoy Evolene . Firstly, the interior transformations... 1.  Lithium batteries and associated set-up Relatively close to our setting off date (compared to other modifications) we decided to bite the bullet and upgrade our electrical system.  It had been on our mind to do sometime over the next couple of years but we decided to press on and complete before moving aboard.  As a result it was slightly tight timewise to get over the line but completely worth it.  Stuart fully upgraded the whole wiring infrastructure for the boa...

Well, I always knew these adventures were going to have their ups and downs!   After a lovely couple of days catching up with boat jobs (fixing chain plate seals, preparing the jack stays), doing general boat prep (making a few meals with shore power that we can heat up in the microwave later), meeting more new friends who we will no doubt see again in future somewhere and doing a little bit of local exploring, we set sail yesterday to round Cape Wrath and cross to the Orkney Islands. Stornoway Marina We set off shortly after 0930 and started with a close haul on a starboard tack as we cleared the headland and then eased into more of a downwind sail as we started crossing the Minch to Cape Wrath.  Whilst it was beautiful being out and great to be on the move again, unfortunately, over the course of the day I steadily became more and more uncomfortable with the movement of the boat and eventually, at about 1700 after not being able to stomach anything to eat for dinner, I ...

As always, the Royal Highland Yacht Club muster was a great way of catching up with friends, making new connections and, particularly at this time of year, sharing plans for the season ahead which always creates excitement and anticipation! In total we reckon there were about 30 boats and around 100 people in attendance and if any boat owners who are reading this blog and sail regularly on the west coast, do have a look at their website and consider joining - Stuart and I have met so many fascinating people through this network and love being inspired by the stories shared. RHYC muster at Loch Spelve Socialising complete, for the time being at least(!), we pressed north on the Sunday (4th May), up through the sound of Mull and across to Kilchoan Bay.  Conditions were variable and we found ourselves doing a mixture of motoring, motor-sailing and sailing, but it felt good to be on way and getting some miles under the keel. Kilchoan Bay is a pretty village to the East and Ardnamurchan...

The past week has continued the very gentle and incredibly pleasant introduction to life aboard. Following the Crinan canal we motored up to Loch Craignish due to the light winds and dropped the anchor for a peaceful evening surrounded by gulls, oystercatchers and the occasional seal.  I could have sworn at one point that the gulls and the little lambs were having a calling/bleating contest such was the timing of responses from each! The next morning required a run ashore for top-up provisions in Ardfern and whilst it might be a slightly more expensive option than some of the larger supermarkets, the trade off is the most beautiful local produce that is only marginally more expensive, better for the local economy and a much more sustainable way of producing food. Our tender 'Evo' on our resupply run to Ardfern Next stop was Puillad obhrain (Pool of the Otter).  Again with light winds we motored up there and given that it was so still I decided to take a shower underway.  ...