There I was early in June  a few months ago in the Inner Sound between Skye and the west coast of Scotland thinking how lucky I was -hardly any boats.

Then Wednesday just gone I was scanning the horizon (about 10 miles)from a beach on a beautiful sunny day at about 11-00 am and counted about four boats and not a single sail!

So what-well apart from the fact I was looking towards Le Havre and that about five miles to the west I could see the life boat ramp at Selsey Bill and Bognor Regis a few miles to the east!!

Strange world but as my son in laws father remarked hardly anyone  one ever leaves the Marinas!(and he lives in Chichester and sails)

Phil

How many of them were the local fishing fleet? Selsey has quite a large afloat fishing fleet unless bad weather is forecast and then most of them run and hide in Chichester harbour - usually at Itchenor.

It does get busy off there in the summer Phil - honest!

W.

No doubt it was busy around Chichester over weekend-just usual effect of our strange  ways that despite modern technology most of us still work Mon-Fri and have our main holidays in the summer.Speaking of which over the weekend I was watching the sailors on the Thames-first time in over 20 years.Just could not get over a couple of boats which passed by me at Kingston-both were serious offshore power boats fitted with radar;self seeking satellite receivers etc but looked like they lived on the Thames above the tidal locks!!Was made up for though by several ordinary lads in a ancient little cabin cruiser who were slightly the worse for wear!-on the same bit of water.

Phil

Between 2nd & 14th September I ambled over to Loch Skipport, then south to Eriskay and Barra. One yacht anchored close to Wizard Pool and another on the moorings of Castlebay. Then northwards to Loch Boisdale (gale), Peter's Port and Floddaymore and saw nothing at all except a southbound ketch motoring and, way out in the Minch, another on its way south, probably to Canna.

 Where's the Fleet??

How can people ignore such a fabulous cruising area? probably the best in Europe. Why, here on Skye, there is even space to spare for winter storeage.

Or is it just a well-kept secret?

The fleet was in Loch Ewe!

Over the last couple of years we have averaged about one visiting yacht a week over the July/August period, but this year there was a visitor in the loch most days during the peak of the cruising season and there were five on one busy day.

It must be the weather. It has been a good summer up here - we had seven weeks without anything more than a few hours of drizzle. It was refreshing to hear the gloomy weather forecasts ending with "and the best of the sunshine will be in the North West Highlands"!

The last yacht I saw was in a couple of weeks ago, but looking out at the moment the loch is filling up with big Grey Ships on Joint Warrior.

I think the main problem was the weather, for may part I intended to have a 3 week cruise on the West Coast but lost lots of time getting there. had we taken head of the pessimistic forecast we wouldn't have got as far as we did. I have now changed the name of my Navtex to "Navguess"

Nearly ten days to get to Ballycastle, with a combination of bad weather and engine trouble, as far as the Highlands and Islands are concerned, alas it was not to be. Next year if the gods are kind.

I did speak to several cruisers one who had taken 5 weeks to get from Blythe to Ballycastle via the Caledonian canal. But I do know conditions have been very different the further north you are.

So you have got the gods and "met.guess" to thank for the lack of boats in the Highlands and Islands.

Ian

In early September we were berthed at Episkopi on the north side of Kalamos island in the Ionian Sea. I counted 74 yachts under sail! The Ionian has become vastly over-crowded, especially in August and September. This season we transited the Corinth Canal and sailed the Eastern Peloponese, where the numbers of boats were considerably less. The area is just as attractive, with plenty of ports and harbours, although perhaps a little more windy.

I'm not sure whether to recommend that more charterers go east or not, as I shall definitely be going back there next season. Maybe it's better to let them all stay in the Ionian.