RNLI rescues stricken yacht north of Orkney

[Nick]

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Check out the video!

Why on earth would anyone set off for the Faroes with a weather forecast like that?

[cpedw]

Well, there's been a lot of south in the wind. We've been sitting in Connel for 3 days, hoping for a hint of north wind to head for Ireland.
Yesterday we spent 3 hours on the bus back from Oban to Connel (that's approx 5 miles for the Argyll non-local). No headwind but fallen trees posed another obstacle.
Derek

[Nick]

Well, there's been a lot of south in the wind. We've been sitting in Connel for 3 days, hoping for a hint of north wind to head for Ireland.
Yesterday we spent 3 hours on the bus back from Oban to Connel (that's approx 5 miles for the Argyll non-local). No headwind but fallen trees posed another obstacle.
Derek

It's going Northerly for about 36 hours from early Thursday morning, but looking like sixes and sevens in the North Channel.

[cpedw]

Yes, but they are prone to exaggerate aren't they? Source : Michael O'Leary
Derek

[Nick]

Yes, but they are prone to exaggerate aren't they?
Derek

Michael O'Leary thinks global warming is as insubstantial as the ash . . .

Inshore forecast says 6-8 - I am looking at the GRIBs, which are more like 6-7. There'll probably be some impressive gusts, but it should all be aft of the beam. Looking forward to hearing about your exciting passage if you decide to go

[Nick]

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Here's another pic of the Black Sheep:

[cpedw]

Looking forward to hearing about your exciting passage if you decide to go

Day 3 dawns windy in Glenarm ...
We moved to Oban Wednesday evening (25 May). (2 boats ashore, one just south of the sailing club, the other on Kerrera by Heather Island; Drum was afloat and looking OK from half a mile away), then sailed to Gigha on Thursday in a 6/7 NW. It was fast and fun. Overnight in Gigha was noisy. Friday morning was light SW but by the time the tide was good, it was about F4. The intrepid Blue Shifters set out nonetheless, with Sanda as a possible diversion if needed. But we plodded on and in a S 6 reached Glenarm with a sigh after 7 hours.
Since then it's been windy between W and SW so we are waiting for tomorrow's forecast N.

Derek

[Nick]

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Well done Blue Shift.

Still mad squally showers here. Still looking like the further South the better, with the promise of much more settled weather around the middle of next week.

A pedant writes:

You do realise that now you have reached Ireland you will have to start a new thread in STB - your travels are no longer eligible for posts in 'Round The Scottish Coast' . . .