One can take the bus to Scalloway. It is a short ride across from Lerwick. Several other sailors we met suggested this. But no, we wanted to sail there. It was 44 nm and took us eight hours. There were occasions during the day when we understood why so many of our fellow sailors opt for the bus. But once here, we did not regret going.

It was a nice enough day when we left Lerwick, no rain or fog in the morning. We set sails just outside the harbour and sailed hard on the wind, with a few shot tacks, south along the coast. For a while, we sailed in company with an English boat motoring at the same speed.

Our second tack was inshore to pass between the “mainland” and Mousa island. Partly because we expected the sea to be calmer there, but mostly to see the Mousa Broch. The 14 m high broch is believed to be almost intact and is still a prominent and impressive structure (well-marked on the chart). It turned out that not only the sea, but also the wind was lighter, and we saw the other boat well ahead of us as we left the sound.

The wind died down when we approached the southern tip of the island, so we motored. Rounding at Sumburgh Head was the first time we understood why the bus might have been a good option. We had 2-3 knots tide going out way and meeting wind and swell. This creates an “interesting” sea state that could be downright dangerous in stronger winds.

For us it was acceptable and as we were doing 7-8 knots, it did not last very long. We also had to pass Fitfull Head before we could turn north. By then the wind was back and we made good speed under sail. The head is a sheer cliff and the water outside it is quite shallow. The effect is a very confused sea. Another occasion to consider the buss but only for the half hour it took to pass the worst part.

We were surprised by the strong tide along the west coast. Good for us, as we had two knots helping us along on the nice sail up to Scalloway. And spirits were boasted by sunshine in the cockpit! The strong tides will guide our planning as we head south again, and it looks like we will have to make an early start.

Scalloway is the old capital of Shetland. It was the centre during the Viking days and they had there court (Ting) in the fertile valley behind the town. The castle still stands and today the town has a little more than a thousand inhabitants. It played a central role in the so-called Shetland Buss during the war. A few hundred Norwegian fishermen played, with their boats, an important role in transporting material and people between Norway and GB.

Nice and quiet and we think we are the only non-Shetland boat here. The two other boats on the pontoon by the boat club are from Lerwick. We also have a friendly seal visiting by the dock from time to time. The advantage of being in a place with few visiting yachts is that you get a chance to talk to local people. They come to the boat or approach you in the bar. We have felt most welcome and have had many interesting conversations, even if their dialect is hard to understand sometimes.

We have stayed for three days now. The first day was a day for rest and laundry. The machines in the clubhouse had a meter to be fed with coins. There was a £2.5 credit when we started. To be on the safe side, we put in a one-pound coin. It turned out that our three runs with laundry and two full dryers consumed les than the pound we added. Luckily, there were not so many others using the machined so we could do more  laundry yesterday and today on some of the remaining credit.

Yesterday we cycled around the bay and a bit down West Burra. Picnic on a nice beach and then a tour by Hamnawoe, a very protected bay filled with rubble from decades of activities and thus unsuitable for anchoring. It has a marina but only for local boats. It looked like cycling country with hills below 25 m, but there were many of them and we got quite exhausted, having climbed a total of over 200 m, before we were back onboard.

The boating club, where we stay, had an angling competition in the evening. They also opened the bar for the weekend, beer at reasonable prize and close to the boat. Lots of people and lots of mackerel.

Some of the fish got thrown back in the water after everyone that wanted to, was able to take some. We got a nice dinner today on fried mackerel.

Today, we walked to the lighthouse and said hello to sheep and ponies grazing on the hillsides. We also had a last cappuccino at cafe in town.