View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Friday 1 February 2013

Thursday 31 January

Quite a change after two wild days, with a sunny start followed by a gradual increase in cloud cover. The rain followed by the end of the evening. Ferries are sailing according to schedule again, and things seem to be back to normal. Just that the Stornoway Gazette (also known as the Two Minutes Silence) was not in the shop yet. It is usually on the shelves on Thursdays. Two Minutes Silence? Well, it takes people not more than two minutes to read (not my words or sentiments).

By 9pm, the lights started to pulsate at 1-second intervals. Strange that you get electrical problems when there is no wind. Later, I learned that two electrical poles had started arcing in Portnaguran, which is 10 miles away in Point. They were consequently off supply until midnight, and Ness, 25 miles away, was also in the dark for a while.

The post office branch in Bayhead was due to be relocated to the filling station on Sandwick Road, but the people in the north of Stornoway registered their opposition, and the Post Office withdrew the plan.