Barra Bound

There has been many a lasagna baked for various offshore ventures and I always wondered the reasoning for the repeated request. I questioned the sailors with, “Don’t you get tired of the same food, over and over again?” Now I understand! We said good-bye to Ireland at 4 am. I was up hours before wondering if in fact would we leave as the wind picked up and the rain pelted down. Another squall. So what’s new? It rains… or how aptly put by a young boy fishing on the pier just 12 hours earlier, “It always pisses here.” Thankfully though, the rain ended and the sun appeared just 4 hours from departure and now, somehow it's already dinner time. We are tired and hungry. The lasagna has been cooking for 2 hours and the aroma wafts through the cabin. The pan will soon be raided, ready or not!

Today is August 2. Today is Bruce’s father’s birthday. Soon we’ll sail in to Castlebay. As the name suggests, the bay has a castle in the middle of it, Kisimul Castle, the ancestral home of the MacNeil clan. How appropriate for us to be arriving today! Our delay was meant to be, I am sure, and wonder if Norman had something to do with itJ Bruce visited Barra in 1974 with his father. After graduating from college, they went on a two week golf tour of Scotland with a stop in Barra. Stuart graduated from college two months ago. Bruce’s great, great grandfather, Norman, was a sea captain who emigrated from Barra to Nova Scotia in 1802. There he purchased a barque named The Louisiana and sailed her around the world trading with the West Indies and various European ports. Is this sailing thing in the blood?
The Isle of Barra is small, approximately 4 miles wide by 8 miles long with a population of approximately 1300. It has sandy beaches, machair for grazing, small mountains and prehistoric ruins. The harbor was once a herring port. In the 1800's there were over 400 boats in the harbor and curing/packing facilites on shore. The castle burned down in the eighteenth century. An American and 45th chief restored the castle between 1938 and 1970. In 2000 it was leased to Historic Scotland for 1000 years. The island is accessible by ferry or airplane with the later arrival and departure times determined by the tide. Yes, it lands on the beach!

Dinner is ready. More later...