Sailing Polaris · video

What this video covers

The crew of the 38-ft sailboat Polaris navigates the Orkney Islands, managing tidal gates and challenging coastal passages. Departing Fair Isle for Whitehall Harbour on Stronsay, the crew encounters a strong northerly wind and rough seas, requiring careful docking at a ferry pier with protruding boulders.2:09 They utilize a fender board to protect the hull from the pier’s rough surface.4:38 Subsequent passages include navigating the narrow, shallow Vasa Sound at low water by maintaining a transit line with the Kirkwall Cathedral spire, and transiting the tidal race in Eynhallow Sound.11:10 While transiting Eynhallow, the crew records three knots of tide and standing waves despite calm wind conditions.13:55 The journey concludes with a visit to Neolithic sites, including Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, and the Ness of Brodgar archaeological dig.18:17 The crew emphasizes the necessity of using chafe protection on docking lines when moored in tidal harbors.5:24

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