We’re on the move again and shoving off from mainland Scotland. We don’t have too far to go, just a day hop from Wick up to an anchorage in the Orkney Islands.
We’ve heard these waters are supposed to be full of Orca whales, and we’re keeping a close eye out on the water as we travel. We can tell you that we do find hundreds of birds along the way…especially favoring a spot in front of Copensay Island.
Landing in the Orkneys the weather keeps us from getting off the boat to do exploring….but it does give us time to prep for our next passage to Norway!
Waiting for us in Inverness after we finished the canal, was our Chinese Diesel Heater, which we were very excited to have a place to sit for a few days and get it installed.
Here Matt goes over all the options of heating we have on our boat, which version we chose, and why.
There’s also a little segment of where Georgie goes boat shopping, preferring sitting on a neighbor’s boat to ours. (FF to 16:06 if that’s what you came to see).
This one is a little long and a little technical, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
We finish the Caledonian Canal by going through the last two locks, and begin our overnight journey to the town of Wick. We have beautiful sunny and calm conditions as we depart, but through the night, storms begin to develop off to our side.
As we continue to get even further north, 58 degrees here, the sun is up bright and early at 4:30 am. Plenty of time for us to make it into Wick in the light!
We also can’t pass through Wick without taking a tour of their famous Pulteney Whisky Distillery. There is a lot of history is this little town!
Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
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Join us this week as we do some of our best touring of the Caledonian Canal. Traveling only 6 miles from our last anchorage in Loch Oich, we land in Ft. Augustus, which has to be one of the most charming towns we’ve ever seen.
There is a flight of 5 locks to pass through here, and although many tourist come to see that…this town is also an entry point to Loch Ness!!
Early in the morning we make our decent into this famous lake, anchor ourselves next to an impressive castle, and enjoy a couple of hometown brews to celebrate Matt’s birthday.
Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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We’re really excited to bring you this week’s episode where we start our journey through the Caledonian Canal, and get to do more traveling through the Scottish Highlands.
We think our morning is going to begin by jumping right into the Lion’s Den of Neptune’s Staircase (an 8 lock staircase), but luckily there is a set of two just past Corpatch to get us familiar with the system. But..then we are thrown into the lion’s den where I have quite a rough go of keeping our boat in place as we sit right in front of the flooding gate.
But…we’re soon rewarded with a beautiful sail through Loch Lochy and picturesque green hills completely surrounding us. We hope you enjoy watching our trip through the canal as much as we enjoyed taking it!
Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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We have just left our anchorage in the Scottish Highlands to make the remaining 26 miles to the beginning of the Caledonian Canal. Winds are about perfect and we’re able to sail the entire way there, through beautiful lochs and even through a narrow channel in the middle!
Once we arrive to the canals, we’re quickly hustled inside the first lock and even though a little chaos ensues at first, we make it through and are tied up for the night with beautiful mountain surroundings.
Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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It’s time for a new video, and this week we sail the remainder of the Irish Sea up to Scotland.
Our weather on the Irish Sea goes back and forth from blissfully calm to getting tossed around by building waves…but at the end of two days we drop anchor with some absolutely breathtaking scenery in the Scottish Highlands.
We can’t get too comfortable though. The next morning it’s time for us to begin the remaining miles to Ft. William and the beginning of the Caledonian Canal. Once we can get that kelp pull off our anchor…
Much love from Scotland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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Last time we left off with our departure from Waterford in southern Ireland, with the goal to head 60 miles to the town of Arklow…and entering the Irish Sea in the process.
The predicted winds which were supposed to carry us had disappeared, but just to get the miles under our belt, we motored on anyway. In Arklow we were pleasantly surprised by not only what a cute town it was…but a few beautiful sunny days after our arrival.
We did wait out some rain and swells rolling in while north winds kept us from continuing on, and on our last night we were taken to a local brewery by one of our followers that stopped by to say hi.
Next stop….Scotland and the Caledonian Canal!!
Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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We’re still in the town of Waterford Ireland and get off the boat to do a little exploring….learn a little about the Viking history, and even take a walk-through of The Waterford House of Glass.
Then it’s time to get moving again…about 1/3rd up the coast of the Irish Sea to get there. Leaving from Waterford though takes a few steps. We leave with high tide to have it as our backs as we travel down river, and once we get to the harbor entrance we need to wait until it cycles through again. Once we’re ready to go though…the wind disappears!
Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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We loved our time in Crosshaven, but it’s time to get a move on again. Our next stop is Waterford, Ireland…a town only 60 miles away.
We start the day out with sunshine, but also with headaches thanks to an amazing family that brought us in the night before, made us pizza for dinner and gave us too much wine.
When our pounding heads did leave, the sun and wind started to as well. Our goal of making it to an anchorage at the river entrance before nightfall was quickly disappearing. Just as the sky was losing light, it was time to put the engine on to get ourselves the last six miles to the river entrance…..and then another six miles UP the river when we found we couldn’t anchor where we originally thought.
But soon enough we were tied up to the docks in the heart of Waterford, ready to get some electric heat pumping through our boat and explore this city rich in Viking history.
Much love from Ireland!
Jessica, Matt & Georgie
Thank you SO MUCH to our Patrons. These amazing supporters help keep us on the boat, our camera equipment up to date, and the videos coming. Without our patrons, these videos would not be possible.
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