2023 May 30th, Day 47. To Village Bay, St Kilda

Facebook post:

[in response to the question as I was on the way back: How was it?]: Cool (most of the time), disappointing motor sail out, spectacular scenery, quite night, left next day due to likely strong winds and host of tourists coming Wednesday, excellent reach back in F4/5, and once though the Sound of Harris little wind and sun!!! Even hot 😀😀😀. quick sailing now down the W of Skye broad reaching in F3-5 now with sun although still a cold wind.

Taransay to St Kilda

Leaving Taransay at 04:10 I had the anchor down in the Village Bay anchorage at 13:50 after motor sailing much of the way due to winds of between 5 and 7 knots which was not a lot of use with a sloppy sea and all of the crud on the bottom of the boat due to the depletion of the anti-fouling (more of that later), but I had made it on my third attempt taking 47 days to cover 933 nautical miles over the ground.

Naturally I had come prepared:

The question was which to open? The Champaign, not my favourite growers tipple which is not available in half bottles (a full bottle would not fit in the electrical cool box) but is still pretty good at the price or a particularly fine Sancerre. 

That was easy; the Champaign with a slightly late lunch and the Sancerre with dinner 😀. 

Approaching the Village Bay anchorage, St Kilda

The weather was dull for much of the day but it brightened and warmed up long enough mid afternoon for a much needed all over wash in the cockpit.

From the anchorage, the modern buildings are used by staff who
monitor the weapons testing range.

The abandoned village with a few restored.

Food would have been stored in over a 1,000 “cleitean” a small
unique stone storage structure that litter the hill sides, even
on some of the steepest parts as seen here.

51 miles in  twelve and three-quarter hours. 

A short piece on St Kilda can be found here (opens in a new window)

Click here for the return.