The South Pacific is seeing one tropical cyclone after the other this season. After Oli, there is now Pat. This system, a strong category I hurricane, will pass through the South Cook Islands, along the 159th degree longitude west. Northwest of American Samoa, another tropical disturbance is brewing up and I wouldn't be surprised to see yet another cyclone on the maps by this time tomorrow.
The South Pacific is home to a scattering of small islands, but in the three or four years that I've been monitoring hurricanes, there have never been this many systems passing through. The reason is the current El Nino situation, which brings elevated seawater temperatures in the western and central Pacific Ocean. El Nino is now abating - which is not good news for the Atlantic hurricane season. The strange coincidence is that El Nino tends to suppress the formation of hurricanes in the Atlantic, so 2010 might see a more lively season than 2009.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Tuesday 9 February
Today is the fifth anniversary of my stint here in Stornoway. It is a bright day, but we already had a shower on one side of the house. Our regular ferryboat, the MV Isle of Lewis has returned from its refit. The relief boat Clansman is on its way across from Ullapool. Will see whether it will also do the afternoon / evening run; probably will.
Two years ago, a British Airways Boeing 777 crash landed at Heathrow Airport due to the formation of ice crystals in its fuel systems. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. The pilot, who no longer flies, tells of his experience. It was indeed miraculous that there were no casualties.
Having had pretty extensive flying experience in the past 21 months, albeit on small planes and short routes, I am of course aware of the inherent risk of flying. As I was waiting for my first flight last Tuesday, the television screen at Amsterdam Airport showed footage of plane crashes. I think I left a comment on Twitter, saying that is not something I prefer to watch while waiting for a flight. However, back in 1987, the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sank at Zeebrugge. A few months later, I was due to cross the North Sea on another ferry service, and people asked me if I wasn't scared to sail. No. If anything happens, it will, and it is safer to take a ferry, or take a plane, than it is to cross the road or drive a car.
More later.
Two years ago, a British Airways Boeing 777 crash landed at Heathrow Airport due to the formation of ice crystals in its fuel systems. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt. The pilot, who no longer flies, tells of his experience. It was indeed miraculous that there were no casualties.
Having had pretty extensive flying experience in the past 21 months, albeit on small planes and short routes, I am of course aware of the inherent risk of flying. As I was waiting for my first flight last Tuesday, the television screen at Amsterdam Airport showed footage of plane crashes. I think I left a comment on Twitter, saying that is not something I prefer to watch while waiting for a flight. However, back in 1987, the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry sank at Zeebrugge. A few months later, I was due to cross the North Sea on another ferry service, and people asked me if I wasn't scared to sail. No. If anything happens, it will, and it is safer to take a ferry, or take a plane, than it is to cross the road or drive a car.
More later.
Monday, 8 February 2010
Crunch
The Isle of Arran ferry collided with the pier at Kennacraig, on the Kintyre peninsula, at 9.30 am last Saturday. The 14 passengers were disembarked safely, and nobody was injured. Damage was said not to be severe, and the ship was able to make its own way to the Clyde for repairs. Flickr user md93 took pictures. Not severe??
Automatic door
Is this truly an automatic door? I'm being pernickety here, but in my mind, an automatic door opens when you approach it...
Stornoway Library
Stornoway Library
Monday 8 February
A bright but cloudy day (the two can occur at the same time!) here in the Western Isles. It is cold this morning, but not a lot of wind. Whatever wind there is comes from the east, and it will blow in more cold this week.
This morning, I listened to our local radio station Isles FM to hear the local news. There was no local news. So, I looked up my local news website Hebrides News, which did list some news. However, I suppose it is no great deal that the secondary school here is narrowing the choice of courses for its senior pupils.
The South Pacific is spawning one tropical cyclone after another: today, Pat is brewing up east of American Samoa and will be threatening the Cooks Islands as well as French Polynesia. Pat will reach category I on the Saffir Simpson scale.
More later.
This morning, I listened to our local radio station Isles FM to hear the local news. There was no local news. So, I looked up my local news website Hebrides News, which did list some news. However, I suppose it is no great deal that the secondary school here is narrowing the choice of courses for its senior pupils.
The South Pacific is spawning one tropical cyclone after another: today, Pat is brewing up east of American Samoa and will be threatening the Cooks Islands as well as French Polynesia. Pat will reach category I on the Saffir Simpson scale.
More later.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Sunday 7 February
A bright and at times sunny day, but feeling cold in the wind. Went for a walk in the Castle Grounds (see previous post), where things were still very much on a wintry footing. The snow has only been gone for a few days, so very little to see in terms of crocuses or snowdrops. Afterwards, a lunch at a local restaurant. By 3pm, it was homeward bound. The streets were Sunday-deserted - although it was past ferry departure time. In the hour or so before 2.30pm, people who are travelling to the mainland will have passed through the town. It appears we had the best weather in the country; there will be snow in the east this week.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
Saturday 6 February
Nice sunny morning with gentle easterly breezes and a reasonable 7C on the thermometer. That's a lot better than the east coast of the US, which is warned of a snowfall of 2½ feet and more in Washington DC. If you're there, please take care.
The BBC is pulling the plug on its active involvement with the Island Blogging site, to which I contributed myself under a nom de plume - which I tend not to refer to. We were warned in December 2008 that this was going to happen, and as of Friday 12 February, no more postings or comments will be able to be left on the site. Virtually all the bloggers have gone over to their own blogs or to a new Island Blogging site. It is a pity that the Beeb could not be bothered to furnish us with an improved blogging service, but such are the vagaries of the licence fee recipients; it's more important to stuff fat cats like Terry Wogan than to serve Johnny Public.
The BBC is pulling the plug on its active involvement with the Island Blogging site, to which I contributed myself under a nom de plume - which I tend not to refer to. We were warned in December 2008 that this was going to happen, and as of Friday 12 February, no more postings or comments will be able to be left on the site. Virtually all the bloggers have gone over to their own blogs or to a new Island Blogging site. It is a pity that the Beeb could not be bothered to furnish us with an improved blogging service, but such are the vagaries of the licence fee recipients; it's more important to stuff fat cats like Terry Wogan than to serve Johnny Public.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Friday 5 February
Not seen +8C for a while, but that's the current temperature at Stornoway Airport just now. We're having a mild interlude, and even the sun is putting in an appearance - if a rather milky one. After the weekend, the weather will turn colder from the east, which does mean that we in the west are more sheltered from the worst of its effects.
In recent times, a fierce discussion has raged in these parts on the location for a history centre for St Kilda. Hiort, as the archipelago is known in Gaelic, was evacuated in 1930 and now stands derilict some 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. Three locations in the Western Isles vied for the honour of hosting the centre, which was finally allocated to Mangersta, in Uig, western Lewis. The village of Leverburgh in Harris and a hilltop site in North Uist (Cleitreabhal) lost out. Accusations of foul play and shifted goalposts marred the process, and neither losing contender has taken their defeat lying down. Cleitreabhal may yet be the site of a rival centre.
A resident of South Uist has written to local news website Hebrides News, stating that the heritage of the St Kildans is used as a football between various agencies for the sake of money. Read for yourself.
In recent times, a fierce discussion has raged in these parts on the location for a history centre for St Kilda. Hiort, as the archipelago is known in Gaelic, was evacuated in 1930 and now stands derilict some 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides. Three locations in the Western Isles vied for the honour of hosting the centre, which was finally allocated to Mangersta, in Uig, western Lewis. The village of Leverburgh in Harris and a hilltop site in North Uist (Cleitreabhal) lost out. Accusations of foul play and shifted goalposts marred the process, and neither losing contender has taken their defeat lying down. Cleitreabhal may yet be the site of a rival centre.
A resident of South Uist has written to local news website Hebrides News, stating that the heritage of the St Kildans is used as a football between various agencies for the sake of money. Read for yourself.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Thursday 4 February
Overcast today, but not as cold as of late. The mercury is now at 6C / 43F, and any remaining ice and snow is melting fast. The difference, some 5 degrees above yesterday's high, is quite noticeable and welcome.
Locally, plans to fill in part of the Inner Harbour here in Stornoway have been rejected by the Pier and Harbour Commission. The upper part of the Inner Harbour would have been put to other use, but the P&HC have declared that the scheme would alter wave patterns, jeopardise the safety of adjacent quays and increase the likelihood of flooding. The northern part of the Inner Harbour does not look very appealing at low tide (mud).
In Cambridgeshire, a man who called for the out-of-hours service of his GP surgery was unlawfully killed by the locum doctor that turned up. The patient was administered ten times the recommended dose diamorphine for kidney stone pain and died as a result. Dr Ubani, who works at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Germany, appeared hesitant when confronted with the choice of painkillers available to him. Diamorphine (abused as heroin) is not commonly used in Germany. The inquest into Mr Gray found he had been unlawfully killed by Dr Ubani, who has since returned home. It was his first ever call-out as a locum in the UK, and he is ruled to have been incompetent. One of Mr Gray's sons, a medical doctor himself, said that checks on overseas doctors coming to work in the UK should be tightened. More details here.
My personal opinion is one of shock, that the checks currently in place are so woefully inadequate. As you all know, I am a Dutch national who has worked in the UK for a number of years. When I applied for my last job, a good command of the English language was one of the main conditions for me getting the job; after professional competence. It would appear that locum doctors are not checked on those criteria. I hope the coroner's recommendations are acted upon by the relevant authorities as a matter of urgency.
Locally, plans to fill in part of the Inner Harbour here in Stornoway have been rejected by the Pier and Harbour Commission. The upper part of the Inner Harbour would have been put to other use, but the P&HC have declared that the scheme would alter wave patterns, jeopardise the safety of adjacent quays and increase the likelihood of flooding. The northern part of the Inner Harbour does not look very appealing at low tide (mud).
In Cambridgeshire, a man who called for the out-of-hours service of his GP surgery was unlawfully killed by the locum doctor that turned up. The patient was administered ten times the recommended dose diamorphine for kidney stone pain and died as a result. Dr Ubani, who works at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Germany, appeared hesitant when confronted with the choice of painkillers available to him. Diamorphine (abused as heroin) is not commonly used in Germany. The inquest into Mr Gray found he had been unlawfully killed by Dr Ubani, who has since returned home. It was his first ever call-out as a locum in the UK, and he is ruled to have been incompetent. One of Mr Gray's sons, a medical doctor himself, said that checks on overseas doctors coming to work in the UK should be tightened. More details here.
My personal opinion is one of shock, that the checks currently in place are so woefully inadequate. As you all know, I am a Dutch national who has worked in the UK for a number of years. When I applied for my last job, a good command of the English language was one of the main conditions for me getting the job; after professional competence. It would appear that locum doctors are not checked on those criteria. I hope the coroner's recommendations are acted upon by the relevant authorities as a matter of urgency.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Wednesday 3 February
Awoke to a cold and icy morning, but for a while, the sun was out. This has now disappeared behind a thickening veil of cloud which is moving up from the southwest. As I was waiting in a shop, I caught sight of a TV screen where a weather forecaster was warning of more of the white stuff. The pavements here are icerinks a lot of the time, and there is no improvement imminent.
Locally, the council have announced they intend to close 18 primary schools over a 7-year period, ending in 1918. No, I'm not joking. The last line in the article on Hebrides News states that "... schools to close in 1918".
Locally, the council have announced they intend to close 18 primary schools over a 7-year period, ending in 1918. No, I'm not joking. The last line in the article on Hebrides News states that "... schools to close in 1918".
Tuesday 2 February
My journey to Stornoway was uneventful, if I'm honest. I managed to catch an earlier train than planned, as the taxi turned up early. The 5.46 am service brought me to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport in good time for the flight at 9.20 am. I make a point of being there two hours before departure, as you never know how busy it might get. It wasn't busy. The check-in area for my flight was deserted. I proceeded to gate D16 and settled down with a cup of coffee. The plane took off on the dot at 9.20 sharp.
On the way to London Gatwick, I couldn't see a thing, as we cruised through cloud all the way. Landed 15 minutes early, and disembarked at gate 55. Worked my way to the front of the terminal, then back in again through security and that rigmarole. Had to wait until about 11.40 before my onward connection to Edinburgh was posted as departing from (you guessed it): gate 55, door C. Waiting is a major part of airtravel, even when everything runs according to schedule. The plane took off at half past twelve, more or less on time, and this time we ascended to 34,000 feet, above the cloud. There were some chinks in the cloud above England, but I could not see anything until we approached Edinburgh, where the cloud cover disappeared. In a large curve, we swung round to land in a southwesterly direction at Turnhouse Airport.
As I disembarked from the plane, I caught sight of the departures board. This stated that my onward connection to Stornoway would leave from gate 23, which (oddly and erroneously) was marked as closed. Not bothered by that, I proceeded to check in for this flight and had some lunch. After that, I joined the 20 minute queue for security which, like Gatwick, you need to pass through before reaching the gates. At 5.15pm, we were taken outside in the dimming light of dusk and bussed to the aircraft. This was de-iced after passengers boarded, and then it took off. It was a turboprop plane and it flew us northwest at a good rate. Light faded from the sky as we approached Stornoway, and we bumped our way through a few rogue showers. For 20 minutes, we circled around the airport whilst another aircraft landed. Then we were smacked onto the tarmac and hurray, we were there.
Upon leaving the plane, passengers were warned to be careful as there was sheet ice around it. Made the terminal in one piece, then found an empty taxi which took me to Stornoway for £5.60. The fare to the station in Arnhem, which is a similar distance from my father's house, was the equivalent of £15.
On the way to London Gatwick, I couldn't see a thing, as we cruised through cloud all the way. Landed 15 minutes early, and disembarked at gate 55. Worked my way to the front of the terminal, then back in again through security and that rigmarole. Had to wait until about 11.40 before my onward connection to Edinburgh was posted as departing from (you guessed it): gate 55, door C. Waiting is a major part of airtravel, even when everything runs according to schedule. The plane took off at half past twelve, more or less on time, and this time we ascended to 34,000 feet, above the cloud. There were some chinks in the cloud above England, but I could not see anything until we approached Edinburgh, where the cloud cover disappeared. In a large curve, we swung round to land in a southwesterly direction at Turnhouse Airport.
As I disembarked from the plane, I caught sight of the departures board. This stated that my onward connection to Stornoway would leave from gate 23, which (oddly and erroneously) was marked as closed. Not bothered by that, I proceeded to check in for this flight and had some lunch. After that, I joined the 20 minute queue for security which, like Gatwick, you need to pass through before reaching the gates. At 5.15pm, we were taken outside in the dimming light of dusk and bussed to the aircraft. This was de-iced after passengers boarded, and then it took off. It was a turboprop plane and it flew us northwest at a good rate. Light faded from the sky as we approached Stornoway, and we bumped our way through a few rogue showers. For 20 minutes, we circled around the airport whilst another aircraft landed. Then we were smacked onto the tarmac and hurray, we were there.
Upon leaving the plane, passengers were warned to be careful as there was sheet ice around it. Made the terminal in one piece, then found an empty taxi which took me to Stornoway for £5.60. The fare to the station in Arnhem, which is a similar distance from my father's house, was the equivalent of £15.
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