Monday 13 June

Next trip, Alan Conn and I heading North. Day dawns misty, unfavourable, shall we sail?

Quietly slip past north east pier end, light house in the mist then head east then north, little wind so motor sailing in the contracted slightly confusing misty world, land out of sight.

Some hours later the mist starts to lift and 2 miles off shore we see Amble and north Northumberland, Craster and Dustanburgh pass. 6 hours into the journey we approach the Inner Farne. Birds every where arctic terns, guillemot, razor bills and lots of puffins, seals as we enter the shelter of the “kettle”

My favourite place, 4 castles in view, 360 degree panorama, smell of guana, bird sounds, inquisitive seals, distant warning lights Longstone light house.

Swallow creaks and sways on her mooring, it couldn’t be better.

Tuesday 14 Farnes to Dunbar 43 miles 10 hours.

A day for long distance sailors. Set off with modest visibility, against the tide towards Holy island, as we past, fog mist and rain descended and persisted. Fishing boat looming out of the mist. A day you knew you would enjoy more in retrospect.

Brief relief as we past St Abs head shrouded in mist and on to Dunbar a little early to enter so some circles in the bay waiting for the tide. Mooring against the harbour wall under the Kittywakes.

Wednesday 15 Dunbar to Port Edgar 36 miles 8 hours

Another wet, wild and atmospheric day punctuated by a close look at the Bass Rock and mooring for lunch at North Berwick.

Then mist and rain steering between islands on the chart plotter to arrive at the fairway buoy and enter the northern Forth shipping channel, with its significant shipping load, full of big ships

North Easterly brisk wind running sail ending under great bridges.

Shelter on a pontoon at Port Edgar