Week 30   22 – 28 July 2019   Killybegs, Ireland– Vatersay, Outer Hebrides   173 nm   3-4 lay days

22 July Monday   Killybegs   5 km hiking
Another day waiting for the wind to be more comfortable.
We installed the rudder to the wind wane to be prepared for the long legs back to Sweden.
Did some laundry and some shopping.

23 July Tuesday   Killybegs – Gola Island   48 nm
Late start as we waited for the wind to become south east to get a better wind angle out of Donegal Bay.
Shortly before ten we left the harbor and struggled against the incoming swell out to Donegal Bay. The sea state was quite rough after several days of strong wind, but after a while we could hoist all sails and relatively comfortable sail as we eased our sheets and sailed more to the west-north west. Soon we made eight knots through water and with an extra knot because of the current we made very good progress.
The goal for today was to put us in position for the long leg to Barra, Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Finding a weather window when you first have to sail west before you turn north for hundred miles is harder than if you only are looking at one direction.
Before five we changed course and anchored behind Arranmore, on the north side of Gola.

24 July Wednesday   Gola Island   layday waiting for win  to Barra.   6,5 km walk

25 July Thursday   Gola Island.   Late departure for Barra
Spent almost another day waiting for the wind to change. We weigh anchor well before sunset and sailed north. Strong wind and steep following sea made Moon fly north west of Tory Island, but later we got a few miles with less wind.
We used the engine and motor sailed to get things going in the rough sea and less wind, during almost an hour. Then came new strong wind and we had to furl a few turns on the Yankee not fly through the steep waves.
The whole night and most of morning we had around twenty-five knots with giant waves on our starboard quarter. Gust came frequently with more than thirty knots. The autopilot worked very well in spite of rough conditions.
We made 122 nm over sixteen hours including less than a knot of following current, a fast but a little uncomfortable crossing. A clear sky with a half Moon from midnight on.

26 July Friday   to Barra from  Gola Island   122 sjömil
Very picturesque sunrise with high seas around Moon. After having reefed the Yankee a few turns last night and with bottom reefed the main, Moon made relatively comfortable speed through water, (except when we surfed down some of the giant waves when we saw ten knots on the log meter!)
We managed to sleep relatively ok, so breakfast was served to a reasonable awake crew.
In spite rough conditions it is ok to cook in the galley, situated in the centre of the boat.
At eleven we approached Barra and anchored in Castle Bay.
In the afternoon when the wind almost died we moved across to Vatersay because the anchorage in castle bay is to narrow to allow Moon to swing around.
Coming back to Scotland and Outer Hebrides the cell phone cover is poor. Have to rely on HF to get weather and e-mails.

27 July Saturday   Vatersay – Barra – Vatersay   3 nm  and a walk to Co-op and on Vatersay 4km.
Absolutely quite night. We slept almost twelve hours!
Went in to the marina in Castle Bay to get provision. Then back to Vatersay, but this time we anchored east of the long sandy beach. Took a long walk where we ended back at the beach just as the fishermen were bringing lobsters ashore. We got one for free, mainly because we had brought no money ashore. Delicious cooked the Swedish way.
We had to postpone the planned salmon dinner!

28 July Sunday   Vatersay
Late Saturday evening the rain started and did not ease until after our Sunday breakfast.
Used the furnace to get comfort indoors while outdoors was grey, wet and cold.
We stayed on anchor to wait for better conditions.
The salmon from yesterday made a perfect dinner.

Annika & Björn