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Contacts
Lochboisdale Port Manager  Donald Currie  07586 787678  VHF 80
Caste Bay Marina   +44(0)7932 748 077  or +44(0)1871810925   VHF #80

Lochboisdale and Castle Bay Marina are harbours in the Outer Hebrides which have risen to the opportunity offered by the cruising sailor. All Pilot Books and charts, published prior to 2015 are out of date and could be misleading.

Castle Bay is on the South end of Barra. Scroll down to the Further Berthing and Anchoring section for details.

Lochboisdale at the Southern tip of South Uist facing East is a deep water loch which is also the terminus of the Mallaig to Lochboisdale ferry. This, basically, was its raison d’être; there were a few visitors buoys and sheltered anchorages within the loch and precious little ashore in the way of provisioning or bunkering.

In the last couple of years they have built a causeway between Rubha Bhuailt and Gasay via Cap Rock and built two protecting breakwaters forming a sheltered marina with an entrance facing North into the loch.  The green SHM inside the Sgeir Rock remains in place.  They’ve flattened the west end of Gasay to form a service area for the marina which is being developed and at the same time piled the spoil from that on the East end of Gasay providing even more shelter from Easterlies.  Those in the know have already purchased long term berths here because, with a ferry link directly to Oban, it has suddenly become a desirable place to base one’s boat for exploring the West Coast especially as there are plans for a boatyard here as well.
The marina opened in 2015 and is still under development. Basic services are already in place and they are working on things like provisioning as it is nearly three quarters of a mile walk (no public transport) to the nearest shop round the bay (which does very, very basic provisions) and a £10 return journey to the local “super-market”.
It’s an ambitious project but already the equal of any marina on the English Channel. 

There are plans to replace the existing ferry terminal and this will involve new building work on the South side of Gasay which they hope to be completed by 2023.  This should not affect the marina but I would imagine there will be a fair amount of construction traffic on the road from the village

Their website can be found at  www.lochboisdaleharbour.com

Approach to LochBoisdale

The Channel to the North of Gasay Island has been declared as Rule 9 and vessels over 20m in length or 3m draft should be considered as "constrained by their draft".  This includes all the Calmac ferries to and fro the Roro jetty.  All vessels to which Rule 9 applies will broadcast their intentions on #16 and smaller vessels should give way to them. In addition the PHM on the marina breakwater has been augmented with Red traffic lights. When these are at red no vessel may leave the marina.

An approach from our waypoint on 265°M will keep you clear of any hazards until you can see the Calmac pier which you can then head towards until the marina opens to port.  The SHM (Fl.G.3s) is very prominent and a good aiming point if you can pick it up. You will have the usual problem in this part of the world of distinguishing the “openings” and islets against the background of towering hills. There is a sector light in the vicinity of the Ro-ro pier which may be of help.
You will not be able to see the masts of yachts in the marina during the approach until they start appearing around the North side of Gasay in the final part of your approach and you can run in from the SHM. Ignore the 1.5m sounding off the marina entrance on old charts - that’s now part of the marina breakwater!!

Further out if you are coming from the North lay a course well outside Stuley Island to avoid the off lying dragons (I know there’s a lovely 16m high sector light on Calvay Island, but in broad daylight the edge of that island is indistinguishable from the background until you are well past Stuley) but, in good visibility there’s no reason you can’t hug the coast whilst at the same time making sure you miss that little rock and it’s tail called Tripach.
From the South, unless you are absolutely convinced by your electronics, lay a course for the waypoint we have provided.  If you are coming up from somewhere like Castle Bay on Barra you will have been aware of the off-lying dangers and the difficulty of identifying the various bits of rock on that littered bit of coast (especially if it is drizzling as it often does!!) where there are any amount of lumps to tickle your keel.  Once you have identified McKenzie rock and Calvay (with its 16m lighthouse) there’s no reason you can’t go between the two and cut the corner, but do be careful of the rocks in the bay to the north of Rubha na h-Ordaig

That’s simple, there’s a marina!!  Berths here will cost £2.86 per metre per night with reductions for two days.

The marinas have all the facilities expected of them; there is shore power and water to all the pontoons and an amenities blocks which include  laundrettes. Supplies will be the main problem at Lochboisdale as they are still adapting to and improving what was available whilst Castle Bay has a Co-op within carrying distance.. There are diesel tanks at Lochboisdale  At the moment Lochboisdale has no Gas or Gaz refills but Calor (not Caz) can be obtained locally at Castle Bay
There is now a small cafe with a few basic supplies at Lochboisdale but the only way to get serious stores there is to hire a taxi (about £10)

There’s only a hotel at Lochboisdale. Barra has at least one bar/hotel and an Indian restaurant near the ferry terminal

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