Cracking Sail

I write this blog from my bunk, inside two sleeping bags, wearing socks & hat as well as the normal warm PJ's . It is cold in't north.
But what a cracking sail. We left Mallaig under a reefed main, and fairly quickly put the second reef in. We should never have tried using the genoa, or rather we should have only used the reefed genoa. As it was the wind whipped all the genoa out
and we got in a bit of a mess trying to put it away. David did well turning the reefing drum on the foredeck whilst we were romping away. We did suffer a couple of unexpected broaches and gybed, but we coped. Calviere II was hacking along. In the narrow straits between the Isle of Skye and the mainland we were touching ten knots, which is twice Calviere II's normal cruising speed.
We arrived early afternoon in Kyleakin, which fortunately is well sheltered from the SW winds. Unfortunately it isn't a nice comfortable marina with showers, laundry and electric. Calviere II doesn't have any form of heating other than a fan heater, which is why I have a hat on in bed.
We moored alongside another yacht on the pontoon and asked a local boat owner, Alan, about the available facilities and local hostelries, saying we were in desperate need of a launderette. He said the nearest launderette was eight miles away and he offered to take us there.
Not only that, after we had finished our washing, we phoned Alan and he came back up and collected us. What a wonderful fellow. David and I did wonder how one can start to repay such generosity and kindness. What would warm a Scottish yachtsman? We guessed at half a bottle of scotch. It would work for me and I'm not Scottish.
I had a nice email from Peter H, asking if we were enjoying our adventures in't north. I think the answer is yes, but it could be warmer.
In the evening we strolled slowly to the local hotel any enjoyed scotch broth followed by game pie & venison stew.