I haven't been able to get any internet for a few days but have now got an excellent connection in Stornoway, which is in the Outer Hebrides - thanks Google for this map:

I left Mallaig on Monday evening and only went a few miles, over the sea to Skye (as the song goes) where I anchored in a little bay called Isleornsay (so called because it lies behind an island called Ornsay, funnily enough). Not much there, but it was peaceful, and the scenery was good. Midges were buggers though.

 On Tuesday I negotiated Kyle Rhea, which is a very narrow gap between Skye and the mainland and through which the tide can run at 8 knots. When that is happening you don't want to be going against it (you can't, basically) or even with it as it can create quite rough water. So you time it to go through on the beginning of the tide. Four yachts had clearly done our own calculations and came up with an answer within 10 minutes of each other, so we almost went through in convoy. I had 4 knots of tide with me and Jojac was doing 6 of her own so we whizzed through at 10 knots. Oddly enough, there was a  German yacht just starting through the other way. Assuming the skipper wasn't totally incompetent, the only reason for such bizarre behaviour is the sailing equivalent of the poolside towel syndrome. Athough he will take 5 hours to get through the gap, he will still get to Mallaig, where the number of pontoon berths is limited, before the more sensible Brits who wait for the afternoon tide.

Immediately after Kyle Rhea came the Skye Bridge, pictured above, and then I made my way up to the little island of Fladday, where I had planned to anchor for the night and have dinner with friends on the island. One should never plan; inevitably the wind piped up from the south, to which the anchorage there is exposed, so I went back over to Skye and picked up a buoy for the night (buoy with a U, please note). I made it back to Fladday on Wednesday day in lovely conditions, and had a great day exploring the wilderness as well as being generously fed and watered by John and Arlette Cater, who have a cottage on Fladday. Theirs is number 3. The other two are 4 and 5. I'm sure there is a logic there somewhere. Pix below show calm seas out of Portree, the stunning cliffs of Skye, and Jojac anchored close to John Cater's Fisher Potter (the red one).

I went back over to Portree on Wednesday evening for another night on the buoy (one is never enough) and rowed ashore for a traditional Scottish Indian - everywhere else was shut. Thursday dawned, as it so often does, and I set off in calm and sunny conditions. A lovely classic schooner was struggling to make any headway under sail as there was no wind at all. Within minutes the viz was zero due to rain and the wind was 32 knots - that's almost a gale. The raindrops were the size of small cats, but the wind was going my way so I put out more sail and went with it. No choice really. The wind dropped to about a force five. which was better, and almost what they had forecast. I passed a fairly spectacular waterfall, 50 metres high, which you wouldn't want to go down in a barrel as it ends on rocks. As you can see from the photo, the sea was quite calm despite the wind - I was still in the shelter of Skye.

As I came out from Skye and crossed the Minch it got rather bouncy, which I had expected and wasn't disappointed.Then the wind picked up again, back to 32 knots, and the seas were running straight up from the south west, with the rollers breaking under the boat. So I just surfed along, picked up like a toy and dumped back down again, for the rest of the way to Stornoway, where I arrived a couple of hours ahead of schedule due to some periods of 8 knot passage thanks to the wind. Once in the harbour life got a little clamer and I was able to catch a glimpse of a seal which has obviously worked out how to order online.

Stornoway has just installed new pontoons, which are excellent. Jojac is quite happy alongside here, which is just as well as the weather looks pretty grim for a few days. Funny old thing, all the restaurants here were shut by 9 pm - even the Thai had to check the kitchen was still open at 9 30 (when their sign said open til 11). They were, and it was welcome.

 Today was the Tattoo, with bagpipe music all day and fireworks tonight.

Tomorrow is carnival night, and during the day there is a party to formally open the new pontoons. Free drinks all round.

Finally, I will leave you with this image. Those of a sensitive disposition should proceed no further. I leave it to you to determine what makes a dog happy round here. All I can say is that there are some pooches with very contented little smiles. And some owners too.