We left Loch Inver on a glass like sea, the mist in the mountains and their reflections on the water, quite special. We headed North past Stoer Point with its lighthouse on top and a little further on “The Old Man of Stoer” an impressive sea stack.

We then passed South of Handa Island, and the sea and sky filled with sea birds most of which nest on Handa, which is a nature reserve. There were Guillimots, Razorbills, Puffins, Shags, Fulmar and Skua.

Soon after, a pod of, we think, whales swam past, they were a little way off but the photos show tall dorsal fins.

Finally we reached Kinlochbervie, the west coast’s most Northerly port. A picturesque port despite it being a fishing Harbour. The Almanac telling us there are full facilities for the visiting yachtsman, pontoons with water and electric, toilets, showers, laundry, fuel, what more could you ask for. Well a harbourmaster would be good for a start. Grumpy Gary the locals call him, wasn’t in his office which I eventually found in the fish market, and he wasn’t answering his phones.

So the electric points had padlocks on, the water point was miles away, the shower was in the fish market with the ceiling caved in, with a large sign on the door saying it was forbidden to wash your dog in the shower. It didn’t look like anything had been washed in it for months. Next the Laundry – a broken tumble dryer and an even more broken washing machine held together with masking tape. The toilets were OK, they were built in 1961 according to the plaque. You remember the public toilets at the park, that’s what they were like.

Lastly where do you get fuel. Well in this case you go to the chandlery, which was closed. A passing stranger asked what I was after, and having told him, he went off to the fish market to get Pete! Pete dispensed me some diesel on the quay. How much? Oh go to the chandlers, which is suddenly now open, to pay. Then lugg 40 litres of fuel half a mile back to the boat.

Time then for dinner+ bed. 5am start tomorrow, Rounding Cape Wrath and across the top of Scotland to Scrabster

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