The Yachtsman's Pilot to the Western Isles

First edition 1996
 
© Martin Lawrence & Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd 2000
 
ISBN 0 85288 35 95
 
Supplement No 3 cumulative to April 2000
 
CAUTION
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this supplement. It contains selected information and thus is not definitive and does not include all known information on the subject in hand; this is particularly relevant to the plans, which should not be used for navigation. The author and Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson Ltd believe that its selection is a useful aid to prudent navigation, but the safety of a vessel depends ultimately on the judgement of the navigator, who should assess all information, published or unpublished, available to him.
This supplement contains amendments and corrections sent in by cruising yachtsmen and women, in addition to those taken from official sources such as Notices to Mariners. The author and publisher would like to thank users of the pilot who have kindly submitted information.
The updating of pilot guides is an ongoing process and the publisher is always pleased to receive information, sketch charts or photographs for incorporation in future supplements or new editions.
Page references are made to The Yachtsman's Pilot to the Western Isles 1st edition, 1996.
The last input of technical information was March 2000.
 
* denotes new amendment
 
Page 4
LH column, before heading Fish Farms add new paragraph:
Increasingly, moorings for yachts and fishing and other workboats, as well as fish farms, are being laid within established anchorages, preventing or restricting their use. Preservation of anchorages is one of the main functions of West Highlands Anchorage and Mooring Association (WHAM) who would like to hear about any apparently unauthorised obstruction; the honorary secretary of WHAM is Mike Bolton, at 8 Grianach Gardens, Oban, PA34 4LZ.
Visitors' moorings
Add:
The formerly recommended practice of rafting up two or more yachts on a single mooring is not now encouraged.
Welcome Ashore , an excellent booklet which details facilities provided for visitors by HIE, local authorities, hotels boatyards, marinas and other suppliers, is published annually by Sail Scotland, The Promenade, Largs KA30 8BQ. Tel 01475 689899
internet http://www.sailscotland.co.uk/
e-mail: info@sailscotland.co.uk/
Note, not all visitors' moorings are regularly maintained or covered by Public Liability Insurance. Future editions of Welcome Ashore will only include those which are covered by PLI.
HIE moorings
Delete paragraph on HIE moorings and substitute the following new paragraph:
All moorings provided by HIE, as well as some additional ones, are now maintained by Western Isles Council. These are substantial blue plastic buoys, equipped with pick-up ropes.
Page 10
RH column, line 3, delete 'forthcoming'.
Page 16
RH column, at end of first paragraph add: Steer 305° which is the centre line of the lit fairway.'
* North Bay
RH column, before Ardveenish Bay add: A new ferry terminal is under construction.
Page 18
LH column. Lights Ardveenish, add: centre line 305°.
RH column. At end add: '1930s, supplemented by other observations.'
Page 19
LH column, lines 2/3. Delete '1930s, supplemented by other'.
* Page 22 (plan) & 23
RH column, Dangers and Marks, Binch Rock, amend character to light buoy, Q(6)+LFl.15s. RH column, before heading Acairseid Mor add: A new ferry terminal is under construction at Old Man’s Point on the west side of Eriskay.
Page 28
Loch Boisdale plan, at Boat Harbour (upper middle) for '(see plan)' substitute '(see photo facing p.25)'
Bagh Dubh RH column, second paragraph. Add at end: 'and toilets and showers at boat harbour.'
Page 30
Plan, add caption 'Loch Eynort entrance (for inner part see p.32).'
Hidden Harbour RH column, paragraph 1, line 5, Delete 'with soundings in fathoms'.
After second paragraph, before Directions add 'Note: Rubha Rossel is shown as Russel Pt. on the plan, and En Cireach as Caray I.'
Directions In first two paragraphs, for '175°' substitute '350°'.
Approaching from north At end of paragraph 2 add: 'The shingle beach has been found difficult to identify at LW, being hidden behind a skerry.'
Page 31
On plan, amend clearing bearing from '170°' to '350°'.
Page 33
To plan, add caption: 'Caolas Luirsay and Loch Sheilavaig'.
* Page 41
Upper photo, caption, line 1, for west read east.
Page 50
Anchorages
After first paragraph add:
Anchoring is prohibited east of a line through the seaward face of the twin dolphins (concrete towers) at the outer end of the linkspan. This line continues southward through the easternmost line of visitors' moorings. Ground chains lie in a north-south alignment for the more northerly moorings, and east-west for the southerly pair.
Page 51
At Faihore, lower middle, area of shading SE of island should be 'shoal water blue'.
* Page 54
Sound of Harris, Caution
After previous amendment add:
Many marks in the secondary channels of the Sound of Harris have been altered, as detailed in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Notice to Mariners CNES 2/99, the details of which are given at the end of this Supplement. These channels should not be navigated without a new edition of chart 2642, dated later than April 2000, or at least one corrected either by NM 4030(P)99, or CNES 2/99 (as well as, of course, CNE 3/96 also included here).
* Page 57
LH column, delete para beginning ‘By now,’ and following 3 paras and substitute: Join the Newton Ferry channel, as described at the amendment for page 59, between Bhrusda and NF3 buoys.
Page 58
To plan caption add: This plan is not aligned on the meridian.
Page 59
LH column, at end add: Dredging is being carried out between ba3 and nf1.
RH column, line 1, substitute 'For Loch nam Ban steer 280°'.
RH column. Delete second paragraph.
Page 59
Other channels
NB: New marks in the Sound of Harris, taken from Western Isles Council Notice to Mariners CNE 3/96 and CNES 2/99 , are listed at the end of this supplement.
Passage from east towards Bays Loch and Sound of Berneray
After 'mile' add 'passing south of Sgeir An Iaruinn Pillar and north of Bhrusta light buoy,'
Add Lights
Narstay North perch Fl.R.2s
Bhrusda buoy Fl.R.2s.
NF3 Buoy Fl.G.10s.
NF6 Buoy Fl.R.5s
* Page 59
LH column, before heading ‘Passage from East ...’ add note Sound of Harris, Caution see notes at page 54 referring to amendments to buoys and beacons, both in 1996 and 1999.
The Sound of Berneray has been closed by a causeway joining Berneray to North Uist’.
LH column, Passage from East ... amend end of heading to ‘... and Berneray causeway’
At next para. amend last two lines to read: hand beacon and north of Narstay port-hand light beacon.
For the rest of this page including previous amendments substitute:
Pass south of Sgeir an Taruinn unlit beacon, taking care to avoid reef extending east of the beacon, then north of Bhrusda light buoy, and then follow the sequence of buoys and beacons westward from NF3 towards NF6.
After passing NF5 pass north east of the new BA3 light beacon.
To make for the Causeway and Loch nam Ban, pass south of the newly-repositioned Trench buoy, but note the drying rock charted 2 cables ESE of the buoy. Steer for Ferry slip on Berneray which is just on the chart, turn to page 60 and pass north of Eilean Fuam. Anchor as convenient.
To make for Bays Loch, after passing north east of BA3 light beacon, steer north west to pass south west of Drowning Rock light beacon, north of the new McCaskill Rock light buoy, and south of Catach unlit west cardinal beacon. To make for the north part of Bays Loch, where there are two visitors’ moorings, identify the leading beacons at the right of the lower photo on page 61, steer with the beacons in line bearing 025º. After passing through the reef SSW of the beacons, turn to port and anchor or pick up a mooring.
Page 60
LH column. Delete existing paragraph.
Bays Loch, Berneray, Plan
Delete buoy BA1 (in Cope Passage, between buoys No. 8 and No. 10) which will not now be installed.
* Page 60
Upper plan: buoy west of Drowning Rock, substitute E.car.
Lower plan: amend bearing on LL at N side of bay to 025º. At NW end of Catach add W.car. bn.
On both plans: add port-hand light buoy close NE of McCaskill Rock.
Lights (from previous amendment)
Delete BA2
Amend BA3 to Fl(2)R.8s
* Page 62
LH column, para 4: for 020º substitute 025º
Page 63
On plan delete buoy BA1.
Dredging is being carried out at Coddem.
Caolas Skaari, Coddem Channel
From 'in mid-channel' to 'west', substitute 'close north of two green perches north'.
* Page 63
Caolas Skaari
Delete paras 2 and 3 and substitute: The changes to marks in this area have been substantial, but these passages are of less use to yachtsmen and a description will be of little help.
Page 66
Leverburgh
Add:
Breakwaters are being constructed to provide better shelter and the pier is being extended. Additional caution will be needed until the work is complete.
* LH column Leverburgh
At end add: Construction of the breakwaters previously described is commencing in April 2000.
Page 67
Rodel
Bottom line: For 'page 57' read 'page 88'.
Page 78
Sound of Scalpay
RH column. After 'A bridge is . . . 20 metres.' add: 'The location of the bridge is shown on the plan.'
CLICK HERE FOR PLAN
Page 81
On caption to lower photo - for 'tide' substitute 'inlet'.
Page 85
Sgeir an Daimh
For 'probably does...' to end of paragraph, substitute 'covers'.
Page 87
Facilities
For first paragraph substitute:
Telephone box at road junction 100–200m beyond head of loch. The old-style red box in a garden on the north shore is now purely decorative.
 
Page 92
Tob Limervay, Supplies
Delete telephone.
Page 97
Anchorages, Camas Orasaidh
For 'page 00' read 'pages 93–95'.
Page 99 Directions
For 'dries...covers', substitute 'is charted as drying 4·2 metres;'.
Page 100
Stornoway Harbour
Before Chart add:
A new ferry terminal has been built extending 020° from the east shore of the Outer Harbour.
Lights Delete last line and substitute: 'New ferry terminal Q(2)G.10s'.
* RH column Dangers and Marks Chicken Rock, 3 miles ESE of Arnish Point and about ¼ mile SW of Chicken Head, 5 metres high with a beacon with a spherical topmark, is marked by a S. cardinal light buoy.
* Lights Chicken Rock light buoy Q(6)+LFl.15s
* Page 101
RH column Services and Supplies Harbourmaster; amend tel. no. to 702688.
Delete reference to Customs clearance.
Page 102
Bayble Bay
For 'Chapter IV' read 'Chapter VI'.
Page 104
On plan add lights listed below for page 105
Page 105
On plan at Shillay, for 'Disused Lt. Ho.' substitute: 'Lt Ho and framework tower Fl(2)15s19m19M'.
Photo reference – For 'page 158' read 'page 104'.
LH column, at end add:
Lights New lights make some contribution to navigation in this area, as follows:
Monach Is. at old LH 57°31'.6N 7°41'·6W White framework tower Fl(2)15s19m19M
Haskeir (57°42'N 7°41'·3W) Fl.20s23M
Whale Rock (57°54'·9N 8°00'·7W) E. Car. pillar buoy Q(3)10s.
Gaskeir 57°54'·9N 7°17'·2W
RH column, third line, after 'See colour photo' add 'facing page 104'
Monach Isles
Before Charts, at the end of paragraph, add:
This archipelago is a National Nature Reserve, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. There is no restriction on access, but visitors are asked not to disturb birds and not to leave litter.
Monach Isles, Plan
Photo reference – For 'page 158' read 'facing page 104'.
Light
At bottom of RH column add:
A light, Fl(3)15s15m10M has been installed on a framework tower beside the 'disused lighthouse' on Shillay, Monach Isles.
Page 106
Charlotte Rocks
For 'View A below' read 'View A above'.
Page 109
Sound of Berneray
Chart Delete first paragraph and substitute:
* A causeway has been constructed between North Uist and Berneray, so there is no longer a way through the Sound of Berneray, and the channels on the west side will probably silt up or, at the least, change.
St Kilda
* The waypoint longitude should read 8°35'W, not 7°35'W
LH column, last three lines: delete from 'part of . .' to '. . remainder'
RH column, for second paragraph, substitute: Army personnel are leaving the island in April 1997. For new lights on the west side of the Western Isles see new entry at p.105.
RH column. After third paragraph, add:
Access to the islands is subject to comprehensive bye-laws, displayed on a notice board at the pier. These should be studied, and in particular they prohibit the landing of dogs, introduction of alien plant or animal species, and removal or damage of any plants, bird, or animal from the islands.'
Page 110
The west side of Harris and Lewis
The following lights give some assistance on this passage:
Haskeir (57°42'N 7°41'.3W) Fl.20s23M
Whale Rock (57°54'·9N 8°00'·7W) E. Car. pillar buoy Q(3)10s.
Gaskeir (57°54'·9N 7°17'·2W) Fl(3)10s38m10M
Flannan Isles (57°54'·9N 8°00'·7W)
Aird Laimishader, at the east side of the entrance to Loch Roag LFl.12s61m8M
RH column. Delete last paragraph. (Both Oban and Stornoway have new aerials which cover this area fairly well).
Page 111
Loch na h-Uidhe After first paragraph, add new paragraph:
Take care to avoid a detached rock awash about two cables offshore, off the end of the reef which extends from Aird Vanish.
Page 112
LH column. For last paragraph substitute:
A rock which just dries lies off the pier in the main loch. Another drying rock lies off the steps built into the sea wall in front of the mansion house on the east side of the loch.
The main loch is reported to have good holding, but the bay in front of the house, on the east side of the loch, is a poor anchorage.
* Page 114
RH column, Loch Roag After first para add: Launching places for trailed boats are at Miavaig, Valtos and Kirkibost.
Bus from Miavaig and Bernera (Breaclete and Kirkibost) enables crew changes in this area by air or ferry.
* Page 115
On plan, Vuia Mor at RH side of plan, delete perch on rock on W side.
* Page 116
LH column, before Loch Miavaig add Showers at caravan site at Traigh na Berie, a sandy beach SSE of Pabay More if no swell.
The passage at the bottom right of the plan on page 115 leads to Bay of Floday, at the west end of which lies Loch Miavaig. The rock in mid channel 1½ cables ENE of Eilean Teinish, Bogha na Muilne, dries 0.9 and is avoided by keeping Liacam, the islet off the east side of Vacsay, open east of Geile Sgeir, which is 4m high and has an unpainted can on it.
Loch Miavaig add: Calum Morrison (tel. 01851 672285 / 672444) will deliver purchases to the jetty given reasonable notice. Supplies Calor Gas (propane and butane), petrol, diesel (red and white). Also Post Office.
Community centre near shop with tearoom and museum. Restaurant at Aird further 2 miles (Bonaventure tel. 672474).
Water at Miavaig jetty (SW side of Loch).
Bus to Stornoway from Miavaig and Bernera
Page 117
Bernera Harbour
Add:
The passage at the west end of Bernera Harbour (Camas Cumhany) has a least depth (at its east end) of 0·6 metres.
Page 118
Before Dubh Thob , insert:
Loch Risay 57°13'·9N 6°49'·2W. The pool at the head of the loch is recommended for a remote anchorage. A restored ‘norse mill' stands at the outlet from two freshwater lochs on the west shore, and a path from there leads to Breaclete where facilities include a phone, post office and shop, as well as a small museum. The charted fish cages were reported to be absent in 1996, although they are probably to be replaced.
* Page 118
LH column, para 2, line 2 amend to read ‘fish cages are moored east and west’. Add at end of para: Water at fish farm shed at slip on south shore. Breaclete for stores (see below) 2 miles. Bostadh Beach Iron Age Village with reconstructed dwelling ½ mile west.
RH column Dubh Thob (Kirkibost), before Lights delete Note and following sentence. Add Supplies and Services
Water at pier, public toilets, telephone.
Stores (licensed), post office, community centre with showers and local museum at Breaclete, 3 miles. Alternatively anchor at Loch Risay or Loch Beag Breaclete.
Page 122
Admiralty charts, Plan
At Loch Roag (NW Lewis), for charts 3381 and 3422 substitute 2515. Extend SW corner to Ard More Mangersta. Amend boundary of chart 2841 to extend from the islet north of Scarp to 57°35'S.
Appendix
Sound of Harris, new marks
Details of new marks in Sound of Harris from Western Isles Council Notice to Mariners CNE 3/96 , to facilitate amendment of chart 2642.
Approaches to Leverburgh – South of Killegray and via Coddem Channel
L1 Buoy 57°42'·66N 07°03'·27W Stbd hand, G con, Ra refl Fl(2)R.5s
Sgeir Chruaidh Perch 57°42'·73N 07°02'·81W RW horiz bands, tpmk ¨ , Ra refl
L2 Buoy 57°42'·71N 07°02'·04W Port hand, red can, Ra refl Fl(2).R.10s
NW Rodel Rocks Perch 57°43'·20N 07°01'·94W GW horiz bands, topmark ¨ , Fl.G.8s
L4 Buoy 57°43'·42N 07°01'·84W Port hand, red can, Ra refl Fl.R2s
L6 Buoy (unlit) 57°44'·11N 07°02'·89W Port hand, red can, Ra refl
Coddem West Perch 57°44'·91N 07°03'·78W Green, G con topmark
Coddem East Perch 57°44'·95N 07°03'·55W GW horiz bands, G con topmark
Sleicham Spit Perch 57°45'·11N 07°02'·90W RW horiz bands, red can topmark
Grocis Sgeir Pillar 57°44'·20N 07°01'·59W Red pillar, Ra refl
Grocis Sgeir Buoy 57°44'·17N 07°01'·48W Port lateral, red can, Ra refl Fl(3)R.10s
Leverburgh Reef Perch 57°44'·99N 07°01'·80W RW horiz bands, can topmark Fl.R.2s
Approaches to Otternish/Berneray via Newton Ferry Channel, Berneray Approach Channel and Bays Loch route
Cabbage Group North Perch 57°42'·02N 07°04'·25W GW horiz bands, G con topmark, Fl.5s
Cabbage Group South Perch 57°41'·88N 07°04'·18W RW horiz bands, R can topmark, Ra refl
NF1 Buoy (unlit) 57°41'·61N 07°04'·52W Stbd hand, G con, Ra refl
Narstay North Perch 57°41'·39N 07°04'·73W Red, red can topmark, Ra refl Fl.R 2s
Bhrusda Buoy 57°41'·45N 07°05'·53W Port hand, red can, Ra refl Fl.R.2 s.
Sgeir An Iaruinn Pillar 57°41'·59N 07°05'·10W Green, Ra refl
NF2 Buoy (unlit) 57°41'·44N 07°06'·72W Port hand, red can, Ra refl
NF3 Buoy 57°41'·49N 07°06'·60W Starboard hand, G con, Ra refl Fl.G 10s.
NF4 Buoy (unlit) 57°41'·47N 07°07'·15W Port hand, red can, Ra refl
NF6 Buoy 57°41'·60N 07°08'·00W Port hand, red can, Ra refl Fl.R 5s
BA3 Buoy (delete existing) 57°41'·90N 07°08'·03W Stbd hand, G conical Fl.G.5s Ra refl and reposition at: 57°41'·78N 07°08'·07W
Trench Buoy (unlit) 57°41'·96N 07°09'·42W Stbd hand, G con, Ra refl
Ardmaree Rock Perch 57°42'·32N 07°10'·48W BYB, W cardinal topmark, Ra refl
BA4 Buoy (existing) 57°42'·43N 07°09'·64W existing replaced by E cardinal Q(3)10s
Catach Perch 57°42'·68N 07°09'·50W YBY, W cardinal topmark

NB: All perches are fitted with reflective sections