The morning began with a clear blue sky over Carbost, and some volunteers insisting on a quick onshore detour to the Talisker distillery to stock up for a possible change in the weather. We motored out of Loch Harport, then hoisted all four sails as we passed the fantastic pinnacle shapes of Macleod’s Maidens. Silurian made up to 7 knots in 17 knot winds with some novice sailors getting to practice broad reaches and fine hauls (“what’s that?”) under Duncan’s patient tutelage.

The sea was rougher than the first two days, which made visual monitoring much more tricky. After an initial porpoise sighting at the mouth of Loch Harport, our viewings were exclusively of the odd yacht and fishing vessel and, of course, the glorious cliffscapes of western Skye as we passed Neist Point lighthouse and The Merchant.

Taking our leave of Skye, we motored across the Little Minch aiming for the isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. During the long crossing in beautiful sunshine and strong wind, the monitoring conditions were much tougher as the boat rose, fell and swayed, covering observers with spray. Perhaps we are spoiled by the glorious high pressure zone which has blessed us so far. A barely noticed splash of water and a streak of grey under the starboard side of the hull gave us our second and last observation – a common dolphin.

We pulled into Kyle Stockinish a bit early and, after a stylishly slow meander around the “harbour”, we glided past a small salmon fishery to anchor out of the wind at the top of the Loch.

Log by Terrence