Sailing Polarisvideo
#32 | The Western Isles: Tarbert - Shiant Isles - Stornoway
22 July 2023 · 20 min · 2K views · Western Isles, Scotland
What this video covers
The crew of the 38-ft sailboat Polaris transits from Tarbert on the Isle of Harris to Stornoway, Scotland, via the Shiant Isles.3:45 During the 37-nautical-mile passage, the crew encounters light 5-to-10-knot winds from the southwest, necessitating motor-sailing and goose-winging. Navigation near the Shiant Isles requires caution due to a reef and steep rocks located to the west. Upon arrival in Stornoway, the crew berths stern-to at the inner main pontoon, noting that the harbour’s opposite shore shallows quickly and the fairway is narrow. While waiting for a weather window to cross the North Atlantic to the Faroe Islands, the crew uses the LockGrip app to analyse GRIB files from the ECMWF and ICON weather models. They prioritise a departure that avoids both high-pressure dead zones and excessive swell, targeting a Monday morning window to manage wave heights of two to 2.5 metres. The crew also visits the Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis and hikes Clisham, the highest peak in the Western Isles.
More from Sailing Polaris
From Sailing Polaris — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.
The Sailing Directory Newsletter
One email with the fleet's best finds — the moments, boats, and stories worth your watch time. Enter your own address to get your own copy.