Orkney charts advice

[Rowana]

Right folks - There is a half formulated plan to visit Orkney this year, and I need advice with charts.

There appears to be the following Admirality charts -

35 Scapa Flow and Approaches
1553 Bay of Kirkwall
2162 Pentland Firth and Approaches
2249 Orkney Islands Western Sheet
2562 Plans in the Northern Orkney Islands
2568 Harbours in the Orkney Islands
2581 Southern Approaches to Scapa Flow
2584 Approaches to Kirkwall

I already have an out of date copy of 2250 Orkney Islands Eastern Sheet.

This would cost me a fortune if I bought the lot - So -

What about Imray C68? Is there anough detailed chartlets on this, or do I get this, plus a couple of Admirality ones?

What does the team recommend??




The whole trip may be up in the air anyway, as I have a sneaking suspicion that there may be a family commitment that will scupper the whole trip.

But then again, it's best to be prepared . . . .


TIA
Jim

[little boy blue]

" I already have an out of date copy of 2250 Orkney Islands Eastern Sheet."

if it is of any assistance i could lend you some, probably even more out of date, charts -
2162 Pentland Firth and Approaches 1987
2249 Orkney Islands Western Sheet 1982
1942 Fair Isle to Wick incl Orkneys 1983

[DaveS]

I have (almost) all of these, bought in an immediately post early retirement fit of enthusiasm for my 2006 visit. The navigation is sufficiently tricky that I found them to be very useful. The only one I would definitely not bother with is the Kirkwall Harbour plan: the only useful bit - the harbour itself - is available as a free downloadable Ns to Ms colour block. And they're all to WGS84 datum. Annoyingly, there's been a lot of corrections since, with a lot more shoal water than previously shown, and a number of sheets either have been or are in the process of being re-issued. I reckon we'll see more of this later. On my visit we had a real fright at the top end of Rousay Sound - getting swept along by the tide we found much less water than the HO claimed there should be, but this has not been picked up in the corrections yet.

Having said all that, I'd be happy to lend you my charts since the boat is unlikely to be in Orkney this year (though I will, but that's another story.) The only difficulty is logistics: I'm here, the boat's in Craobh, I've not seen her in 7 weeks (but that might get fixed next week) and you're in Aberdeen (?) I'll try to remember to bring back the Orkney charts if I'm aboard next week, which might be a useful first step...

[Rowana]

Thanks very much for the offer Dave. Borrowing your charts would be great.

Don't worry too much about the logistics of getting them to me. I'm sure we can work something out.

Cheers
Jim

[DaveS]

OK, I now have in Falkirk the following:

35 Scapa Flow and Approaches
1553 Bay of Kirkwall (useful fragment only - attached to 2584)
1954 Cape Wrath to Pentland Firth including Orkney *
2162 Pentland Firth and Approaches
2249 Orkney Islands Western Sheet
2250 Orkney Islands Eastern Sheet
2562 Plans in the Northern Orkney Islands
2568 Harbours in the Orkney Islands
2584 Approaches to Kirkwall

I do not have 2581.

(* You may already have this one)

Drop me a PM to arrange collection.

I really enjoyed my trip there. You've probably already found out about it, but the marina system is very good value. This site: http://www.orkneymarinas.com/index.html gives details and contact numbers, but basically you can get a multi-day ticket that covers all three marinas, various VBs, and mooring at the council owned piers.

[cpedw]

If it's any help, I can offer a loan of a 2003 CCC N & NE coast inc Orkney Islands sailing directions. We went in 2006 and it helped a lot but it's now sounding old at 5 years. It's in Edinburgh.
Derek

[Rowana]

DaveS - PM sent.

cpew - I have a copy of the CCC sailing directions as it covers the Moray Firth as well as Orkney and I find it useful for closer to home as well. Thanks anyway.

Cheers
Jim

[Telo]

I can offer a loan of a 2003 CCC N & NE coast inc Orkney Islands sailing directions...... but it's now sounding old at 5 years.

Jings! I reckon a 21st Century Sailing Directions will beat anything else here.

[claymore]

Shardiepoos
Is this you on the high seas with your mobile thingy?

[Telo]

Shardiepoos
Is this you on the high seas with your mobile thingy?

Naw.