On the day that you were born, the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true…..
They sprinkled star dust in your hair and in your eyes so blue
I knew her when she used to rock and roll.
Now I have been accused of doing many things in my time, but crochet? Don’t believe the rumours.
Here are the protagonists. Not a skipper in sight.
Day off.
Troops left on evening ferry passing the new group headed north somewhere in the North Sea.
Just print picture and hang around the garden in assorted positions.
Will also keep small children from the fire.
Waited a while….
…..but no one came….
Woke to a text from the departing troops to say the ferry couldn’t get into Aberdeen cos of the fog but it was a lovely day here: sun and clear skys.
New group arrived in dribs and drabs obviously split between those up at dawn and raring to go and those wanting a lie in/breakfast on the ferry. Anyway we set off at 12 with a light SE and snuck a couple of dives in.
Bunny boating so single handed.
First dive in severe thunder storm, lightning and heavy rain.
Second in thick fog.
Great.
Angus bagged it for Orkney..
Less noble, I just did it “cos it was there”.
….a boat load of women comes along wanting an extra body to help pull.
The ginger bearded lady charmer stepped up to the ockey.
He is now just off (28th July 06) to the doctor for drugs to set things right again.
Well it was rude not to.
And I couldn’t help myself. Being a numbers spod, I nipped an extra bit north.
The troops dived the east then west side as the tide swung. The latter was probrably the more impressive being a deep (30m) gully lined on either side with soft colourfull fauna.
We then headed back round the point and I put a shot on the E49 in readiness for the morning.
Happy days.
…now off to search for the elastic band lake.
We picked up a late starter and away to repeat the Gwladmena that she had missed on the first day.
The weather was fantastic, Shetlands Finest.
Compare and contrast Sunday with Monday…
We seized the moment and steamed north to Balta Sound.
I dived the Jane enroute to tie a shot to the wreck. She lies in around 20 m of water on her port side and shows her age: there is no metal left, just solid brittle rust as though she had been constructed from the iron ore itself. Delicate in this state, the only reason she retains her structure and integrity is due to the infrequancy of divers visiting and the tiny resulting impact.
Knew as soon as the shot dropped that it was a good un.. spot on the wreck and in a decent place. This is one I have missed before, largely through having used a flat plate as a weight which dropped like a leaf, fluttering down and missing the wreck. Twice. With two groups. But that is how reputations are made.
Good freinds out today. There is nothing better than returning a favour to people held in affection.
Not all the troops photos came out…..
…for a number of reasons.
The fog came down in the afternoon and diving was curtailled. It was to set a theme for the week.
Dragged the troops kicking and screaming thru the first day: they got off the ferry first thing expecting a quiet first day but I put them in twice to make hay while the sun shone.
The fog receeded to low cloud by about 10ish but the sky never turned blue. Still, there is not a breath of wind so I aim to make the most of it while it lasts.
I think something is brewing out in the atlantic, ready to stike at me as I have had two good trips now.
First home from Skye:
And then the run from Stromness to Lerwick today.
Fair Isle
Looking south to Sumburgh Head
And into Lerwick
Apparently I am the “hotest thing in tight jeans”.
You heard it here first.
Dear Rear Admirable Anderson,Did You Leave Something Behind?
I note your recent visit to my Islands - The Shiants.
I would like to draw your attention to a number of complaints that I have received subsequent to your visit. Visitors to the islands, some well respected friends of mine, have been horrified to be confronted by a terrifying apparition. It appears that by accident or design you left one of your party stranded.
He or ‘it’ would be a better description, a kind of Caliban!!. seems to have taken up residence and is now intent on terrifying any and all comers to the islands.
Commodore Zebidee Manson (no relation) managed to take this rather blurred picture of the ‘thing’ as it made it’s attack, which I enclose. If it means anything to you I would request, nay demand, that you return to the Islands at once and remove the thing using whatever method is necessary, and return it to Sycorax it’s mother.
Should you fail to comply, I will have no option but to refer the matter to the Procurator Fiscal, whose motto is ‘Fear and Speed’.
I need say no more.
Some weeks stay in the memory for a long while and this was a week that threw up quite a few good anecdotes. A couple of the protagonists have been back but the main man just popped by today with some photos.
It was five years ago, in my first season, but still funny. Hadn’t appreciated how much water has gone under the bridge in the interim so it was good to reflect.
Are you still out there JC?
Normally it takes 4hrs to clean the boat: it has to… that is usually all the time between one group leaving and the other arriving.
So far it has taken two days to clean just the fridge: it wasn’t grubby, just a lot of people have been by for tea etc. A lot of fat chewed, a little fridge half cleaned.
Oh well, at least the batteries are getting recharged. Planning away thurs night.
