View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Sunday 17 January 2010

Sunday 17 January

Today started sunny, but turned wet mid afternoon. It feels cold, although the mercury has risen to 8C.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is coming to the Western Isles to celebrate her summer hols in North Uist and adjacent Berneray this year. She has requisitioned the small cruiseliner MV Hebridean Princess, the converted ferry MV Columba of yore, to tour the islands. Anyone who had booked a cruise at the same time that HM is going to the islands has been notified that their holiday has been cancelled. 

In Haiti, a small number of survivors are being extricated from the rubble of Port-au-Prince and surrounding towns. The death toll is likely to rise into six digits, whilst the aid effort is grinding along, severely impeded by the collapsed infrastructure of the country.