CHARTS, PILOTAGE AND WEATHER

Our local chart is No. 3281 (North and West), and 3295 gives you a close up of Gruting, Walls and Swarback’s Minn. You might also want 3283 (South). The alwaysexcellent CCC Sailing Directions are issuing a new Orkney and Shetland edition in May. Our tourist board printed a Shetland Marinas guide, which is worth getting hold of, and there’s also a website: shetland.org/plan/marinas

Prevailing winds tend to be north or south but gales can come at any time of year. May often has better weather than June. July is regatta season.