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 All Pilot Books and charts, published prior to 2015 are out of date and could be misleading.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.

CASTLEBAY MARINA (BARRA)
Contact     Marina Office  +44(0)7932 748 077  or +44(0)1871810925   VHF #80

Castlebay has long been known to a few of the more adventurous cruisers as a place on their bucket list. In 2018 (the summer before Covid hit) they put in a pontoon here and since then they have increased the berths to today when they can take up to 16 visitors with a maximum draft of 2.5 metres (more on the outer attenuator)

Approach   Way Point    56 55.68N  007 23.01W  The passage in to Castlebay is well buoyed for the Calmac ferry but, if you look outside the buoyage, you'll see that the depths and rocks close to are just as much of a hazard to the leisure yacht as the hulking great ferry.
From the East and SE there are no hazards to worry about, but from the NE we suggest that unless you are very certain of the positions of those rocks awash etc inside the 20m contour you should stay a good couple of miles clear to the East of Barra until you have identified the SCM on Bo Vich Chuan. If coming from the West you'll have to go down round Vatersay and through the Sound of Sandray (keeping an eye out for those rocks at the Eastern end of the Sound). We would suggest that old and wise would probably elect to go around the outside of Muldoanich - it's an extra mile but the scattering of shallows and rocks between it and Creag Mhor could hide dragons. Alternatively, you can come through the Sound of Barra. This has a marked route for deep draft vessels but there may be shorter routes through depending on your craft's draft - but remember it's a fairly low tidal range here and at LWS there may be only an extra metre to add on to charted depths. Also, search as I might, I can find no records for the tidal streams here.
Wherever you start from pick up the 283(T) line to head between the two lateral marks at Castlebay South. As you pass between these marks alter to 270(T) and track towards the sector light on the "Channel Rock"  To the South West of this rock, towards Vatersay, there is a ship graveyard of rocks and shallows; and to the North of it is the SHM on Sgeir Dubh. At this stage look to the NW towards the south coast of Barra and identify the orange and white lead in marks with blue flashing lights on top (the higher one is the rear mark). These two marks are very distinctive white structures with orange boards facing SSE towards you. When you have identified them head toards them on a heading of 295(T)  You'll then pass between the third set of Lateral marks and be able to see the Marina due North  of you to the left of the Kismul (MacNeil's) Castle in the Bay which is leased by Historic Enviroment Scotland from the MacNeil of Barra
Berthing and Anchoring

When you first look at the UKHO charts you'll see an lovely, inviting anchor between the RoRo pier and the marina;  If you anchor your pride and joy here you will a) be very unpopular and b) have an extremely uncomfortable stay because the Calmac on it's arrival swings round to PORT and then manoeuvres astern into it's berth  (and with any wind those beasts are a blighter to steer astern.) If you click on our thumbnail it will expand into a readable chartlet with a diagram of the pontoon layout.  There are no longer any visitors' buoys and any buoys left  in the bay are privately owned and serviced.
 

Facilities
They have gone to town here; there is water and shore power (16 and 32 amp) on the pontoons with an amenities building ashore  which has showers toilets and a laundry. The Marina also has electric bikes for hire at £30 a day!!  There is a Co-op store and other local shops close by and a local bus-stop  (during the summer there is a four times a day programme which circuits the island.) Calor Gas refills can be obtained locally. There is, of course, the legendary beach airport (The fare is about £85 each way to Glasgow but you need to book well in advance)
The Marina website is a mine of info - click on this link

Marina | Castlebay Marina | Castlebay Isle of Barra  ( Opens in a new window)

The prices are in line with the rest of the West Coast.

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

THE 10 BEST Restaurants & Places to Eat in Isle of Barra Tripadvisor

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