Pentland Firth
Even among skilled sailors this name can make the hairs on the back of their necks stand up. Pentland Firth is the straight between Scotland and the Orkneys. The straight is narrow and in some areas the tidal current may be up to 12 knots. When the strong current joins the heavy wakes of the Atlantic Ocean, the sea rises violently with tall, sheer and unpredictable waves.
To be as well prepared as possible before the voyage of the Sea Stallion to Dublin, skipper Carsten Hvid and helmsmen Vibeke Bischoff and Norwegian Kjetil Sildnes were in Scotland, November 20th-23rd. Primarily to talk to local fishermen and sailor – and to personally experience the dramatic sailing conditions North of Scotland.
Wild trip in full storm
The Sea Stallion skipper, Carsten Hvid, explains: “We flew to Aberdeen and drove through the heavy rain and gale of the night to the coastal town Thurso in northernmost Scotland. The next morning the ferry to the Orkney Island was cancelled because of the harsh weather.”
Not wasting any time the group went on to northern tip of the mainland, Dunnet Head, to get at view of Pentland Firth.
“That was…food for thought. And it confirmed our presumption that the Sea Stallion is not going through Pentland Firth. The current and the sea is simply too dangerous in an open boat,” Carsten Hvid says.
“And then they call from the ferry. It is leaving in an hour…at that time the current of the straight will be appropriate, they say. Right now the storm is raging. It is a wild roller coaster ride in the high seas. In the middle of the straight the sea rises like a wall,” the Sea Stallion skipper says.
Going via Kirkwall
After two busy days in the Orkneys the conclusion is that the Sea Stallion will navigate between the Orkney Islands and probably land at Kirkwall, the main town on the windy islands at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
“The residents of the Orkney Islands are known for their hospitality, and we met many fine people, very willing to help us out, when the Sea Stallion arrives in July 2007. Our principal contact is Jack Dreyer from Friends of Orkney Boat Museum,” Carsten Hvid says.
Other contacts established during the visit include the tourist office VisitOrkney, Orkney Museums and Heritage, Orkney Sailing Club, which offered room for the Sea Stallion crew at the sailing club, for as long as it is in the Orkneys, and the port authorities, which offered free use of quay.
“We also had the opportunity to drives around the islands scouting. All is well, but we have to be wary considering the current. It is devious, and it is strong,” is the message from Carsten Hvid.
