Robin Figueirado

Last leg of our Scottish adventure. Slipped the buoy at midday and got the sails up with a couple of reefs outside Portree in a fresh breeze. Some hefty gusts up to 30kts and variable angle behind the hills. Crossed the inner sound and under the bridge into Kyle. Nice to have a decent sail on the last day.

Light winds and flat calm in the morning so motorsailed across the Minch and around Skye. Winds picked up as we approached Portree and we set sails and tacked into the harbour. some quality tacking from a now seasoned crew! Picked up a buoy (on the first attempt) for the night

20-25kts from the South and heading into it all day. Motorsailed the first few hours and then we had a better track for the wind as we headed SE and turned the motor off. Lively sail along the coast and around Scalpay with a pod of dolphins with us for a while. Under the bridge under sail and then into Tarbert

Flat calm with light winds behind us. Motorsailed across from Lochinver to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. We were joined by 4 or 5 friendly dolphins for about 5 mins playing off our bow. Otherwise uneventful crossing

Weighed anchor around 9 and headed out of Loch Eribol. Beam reach over to Cape Wrath and around Durlic Rock a little after the tide turned. F3 from the North and then rounded the cape. Wind behind us and dropped a little to F2. not quite enough to get the Spinnaker out so we had the motor on down the west coast to Loch Nedd. A pair of dolphins joined us briefly and a fair few puffins and guillemots along the way. sun came out as we arrived into Loch Nedd - a lovely spot, wooded all around and flat calm. dark waters with a muddy bottom. one neighbour with us - a local.

First day joining Elfride sailing across the top of Scotland and out to he West. today we got briefed up and prepped to leave late morning as it was blowing a F6 first thing. Motorsailed into the F4 with a very lumpy confused sea. Worst bits were as we passed the headlands along the coast and the depth shallowed, which led to big waves as we had tide with us and wind almost on the nose. The sun came out and the wind dropped as we approached Loch Eribol - our anchorage for the night before tomorrow's rounding of Cape Wrath. Alissa's first day out in a proper sea. The newest Elfrider is Piotr (Peter) who's come all the way from Malta to do the leg. Ross was on Leg 3 with Mark beforehand.

Left Chichester about 8pm raising main in harbour. With little wind motored to Dover doing watches of 3 hours. Very bright moon on first night. leaving Dover about 4pm wind picked up over night to consistent 20-25kts, came down to reef 2 and furled third of head sail, needed to motor last few hours into port due to wind direction. treated to lunar eclipse as we sailed up the canal.

Round the Island Race 2025. 0830 start and set off from Shepard's Marina in Cowes around 0715 13kts built to 18 gusting 25 by the start and throughout the day. Paul at the helm - good start beating up to the Needles, staying North and mid-channel. I took the helm for the Downwind past the Needles. 2m following sea and wind over tide, but managed to find the more favourable tides. after St Kat's, managed to goosewing and hold a steady run to Bembridge. Hugged the mark with quite a few boats bearing down of us. Handed the helm to skipper Mark who took us through the rain and squalls to the finish at 1652. 4th/32 in class ISC6C and 38th overall for the ISC ratings!