Two thirds of the planet is covered by water, and for much of our evolution, the rivers and seas offered a better highway than the deserts, tundra, swamps, forests and high mountain ranges.
I’ve enjoyed many adventurous sailing trips over the years, nearly all of them using Scotland as a point of departure or return, or both.
This summer I headed off for the Faroes, taking advantage of the long summer nights and milder weather.
Eight of us - our skipper, two crew members, and five paying travellers, embarked on ‘Cherokee’, a Dutch expedition yacht, in Wick at midday on June 20th, 2023. The weather on the start line was dismal. There was a near flat calm, and heavy rain. We were immediately drenched! Within a few hours the prospect changed to pleasant breezes and sunshine as we rounded Scotland’s spectacular rocky Duncansby Head (John O’ Groats) and aimed for Orkney.
That day we sailed into and across the great expanse of Scapa Flow, in superb conditions for sailing, before entering the safe and historic harbour of Stromness, to find a pub!
to be continued….