Logbucheintrag Nr. 006.

Upon visiting Chris Wright in his beautifully furnished home on Barra, he asked us to write something on this cruise’s page in English time and again. Since we had two great days on Barra, it is our delight to follow this request swiftly.

We arrived on Barra on Monday morning, 26 July after a morning of what the Scottish would call “increased humidity” but is usually known as rain, fog, mist and drizzle in most parts of Europe.  As soon as we moored Henryke VII a stone’s throw from Chris’ house in Castlebay the sun came out and we enjoyed a port drink in the first sunshine of the day. Finn made a first visit to Chris and the island before lunch and we all sailed across to Kisimul Castle by dinghy which was unfortunately already closed at that time. Maybe we will get a chance next time round to visit the MacLean’s traditional family seat on Barra.

We spent a splendid evening at Chris’ place who offered us his self-caught lobsters from his creels across the bay and some absolutely delicious crab claws accompanied by tasteful salads. The sauces he had made and the wines he had produced from his cellars rounded up this wonderful dinner. Afterwards we enjoyed both food and drink as well as the marvelous view over the bay from his first floor sitting room unto the score of boots that was still left moored after the majority of the Clyde Cruising Club’s Centennial 150 boats had left Castlebay and Vatersay Bay only a day or two beforehand.

Amidst the sunshine of the following morning, Chris offered to take us on a tour of the island and its impressive variety of sceneries. The white sand beaches of the south coast and on Vatersay stand in stark contrast to the harshness of the rocky western shore where the Atlantic Ocean hits this outermost part of Scotland as one of its first targets after hundreds of miles of catch. The island’s 9-hole golf course is beautifully set in the green meadows atop the western shore line posing quite a challenge to the enthusiastic golfer. The north, by contrast, has long beaches and hosts Barra’s airport which is the only airport where scheduled flights land on the beach according to a tide timetable. The island tour was completed with the deep lochs and bays on the east side of the island which again stand out with the peaty grounds and heavy green hills surrounding them. Barra is indeed one of the most plentiful islands of the Hebrides and not easily challenged as the most beautiful one all this brought to us by Chris. Thank you for your hospitality and hoping to come back some time soon again!