Saturday 6 December

Morning all, it's windy here this morning, and that is not likely to change until Thursday of next week. The forecast is for almost incessant high winds right the way through the next couple of days. This afternoon, our new ferry, the MV Loch Seaforth will put in a brief appearance in port for 'staff familiarisation'. She cannot dock, as the quay isn't ready. The delay to that work is breathtaking: 4-6 months.

It was actually very funny in Stornoway this afternoon. The MV Loch Seaforth did three loop-de-loops in the harbour, and everybody was running back and forth to Goat Island in their cars. She went out, and everybody toddled off - only to turn on their heels when the LS turned round and came back in again. Newton Street, which leads towards Goat Island, was chockablock with traffic trying to worm its way down the single-track road to the Coastguard Station. Meanwhile, camera flashes were going off at Holm Point, Arnish Point (on the other side of the harbour) and around Goat Island, where I took the majority of my pics - whilst holding my nose against the stench of rotting fish. The MV Loch Seaforth is bedded down for the night in Ullapool - thanks for highlighting some of my pics and video. My pic, showing the boat passing the Arnish Lighthouse, got 72 likes the last time I looked.