St Kilda Cruises

Dates for 2011

Come back soon for dates in 2011

Lochaber Watersports are now planning flotilla cruises to The Outer Hebrides and, weather permitting, the remote island of St Kilda - broadly repeating our successful visits of the previous five years.

St Kilda lies in the Atlantic Ocean about 50 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. The island was populated until 1930 when increasing hardships caused the entire population to be evacuated to the mainland. The Ministry of Defence set up a Tracking Station which is now largely manned by civilian staff. The other inhabitants are representatives of the National Trust and Scottish National Heritage who are responsible for protecting the wildlife and the fragile environment.

Boat is the only way to get to St Kilda and there is no better way to arrive than in a sailing boat that you have helped to sail there. Our outline passage plan is, of course, entirely weather dependent and will involve an early departure from Ballachulish after breakfast on the Saturday morning - crew members are welcome to arrive on the previous evening. Our first day's cruise will hopefully take us to Tobermory or Arinagour on Coll where we shall moor overnight. The following morning we will head northwest to cross the Sea of the Hebrides to arrive at Castlebay on Barra. Continuing westward we shall pass to the north of Barra via Eriskay before entering the Atlantic Ocean for the 60 mile overnight voyage to the archipelago of St Kilda and its main island of Hirta where we shall anchor in Village Bay. You can find more information about the islands at www.kilda.org.uk

We plan to spend a day so on St Kilda before making an early departure for Lochmaddy. We expect our return to be more leisurely spending time on Harris, Skye and Mull with a scheduled arrival back at Ballachulish in the late Sunday afternoon with the option of leaving the boat on the Monday morning. In the event of unfavourable weather we shall confine our cruise to the Outer Hebrides and Skye.

Depending on demand we plan to take three yachts which will sail in company:

	FIGMENT III, our new Catalina 320 visited St Kilda in 2006 and 2007. She is fully equipped with wheel steering, roller reefing, hot and cold water, central heating, wheel pilot, refrigeration and, like all our yachts, all the appropriate safety equipment.
FREEDOM (LOA 9.8 m) our Westerly Fulmar cruised to St Kilda with us in 2005, 2006 and 2007. She came third in the sailing sections of the Magellan Three Peaks Race from Barmouth to Fort William and was third in the Tilman Trophy in the 2004 race. She is similarly equipped to FIGMENT but with tiller steering and cold water.
	FANTOM (LOA 9.7 m) is our classic Sadler 32 which joined our fleet at the end of 2005. Completely refitted on her arrival, she is a fast boat, completing the delivery passage from Cornwall to Ballachulish in less than four days. She is similarly equipped to FREEDOM but with an electric coolbox.

Each boat will be skippered by qualified YachtMaster Instructors holding the appropriate Commercial Endorsements. It should therefore be possible to complete an RYA practical certificate during your cruise if you wish.

The fully inclusive cost of this adventure is likely to be £700 per person and berths can be reserved by returning a booking form along with a deposit of £150 with the balance due six weeks before departure.

Should you wish any further information, please do not hesitate to email on enquiries@lochaberwatersports.co.uk or call us on 01855 811931.