Saturday 14 August

Today fell into two segments: first of all a visit to an art gallery in Barvas, 13 miles from Stornoway, and secondly a visit to Luskentyre and West Harris in the afternoon / early evening. The weather was grey, and later drizzly. It was not really cold. The contrast to my previous visit to Luskentyre, exactly a week ago, could not be greater. Whereas on the 7th, my father and I lounged in the dunes, my companions and I were today chased off the beach by a fine drizzle - and the presence of a dead, drowned rabbit in a nearby river. The beachscapes on the Westside of Harris remain as spectacular as ever.

In reverse chronological order

Ardhasaig


At the Luskentyre road-end


Between Seilebost and Horgabost


Luskentyre


Luskentyre Beach (looking north)


Luskentyre Beach, looking southwest to Taransay


Tarbert


Above Maraig


Arivruaich


Morven (Barvas): Prince


Inside Morven Gallery, Barvas

Friday 13 August

Friday the 13th today. Well, it hasn't been any happier or unhappier than usual - still 40-odd minutes to go, so am furiously knocking any bare wood within reach. Black cats never bothered me, had one for 15 years.


Thomas passed over the Rainbow Bridge in 1988. His successor, Strider, was with us for 16 years.

I am building an index for the Napier Commission Report of 1883, which covered the whole of Scotland. I am now halfway through, at question 26,500 or thereabouts, and some 450 witnesses have passed in front of the Commission. Next stop will be Lochinver, a small village across the Minch, some 30 miles north of Ullapool.

Overboard - update

Jozef Foliant, aged 49, has been named as the man who died after falling overboard from the Hebrides ferry at Uig, Skye, last night. Mr Foliant, a Dutch national resident in Aberdeen, was reported to have been in an argument from the moment he arrived at the ferry terminal in Tarbert as well as right the way across to Skye up until the moment he went into the water. When passengers reported Mr Foliant going into the water, the ferry went hard around and launched her rescue boat. He was rescued 15 minutes later, but died. Northern Constabulary have stated that there were no suspicious circumstances. Police interviewed witnesses on board the ferry until 9.30pm last night, after which the Hebrides completed the final sailing of the day, to Lochmaddy in North Uist.

I would like to extend my sympathies to Mr Foliant's relatives and friends at this very sad time.

Thursday 12 August

After a cloudy and wet start, the afternoon has brightened up, although the sun is still at a premium. Following the advent of brightness, at around 3pm, it has grown a little warmer. The mercury at the airport rose from 12C to 15C since midday.

On matters astronomical, the Perseid meteor shower is set to peak tonight - which should make a nice display, with up to 100 meteors (or shooting stars) visible per minute. Let's hope the cloud disappears in time for darkness, around 11pm tonight at my latitude.

Still on matters astronomical, we're having a springtide today. Following a high tide at 5.3m (17 ft 8 in) at 9.19pm tonight, the ebbtide will flow at just 0.1m (4 in) at 3.57 am tomorrow morning. Large springtides tend to occur a month before the equinox, which is of course only 6 weeks away now. The weather is calm, in terms of wind, so out here, no major problems are expected. Please note that the graph (linked to in the first line of this paragraph) will only show the tides from the moment you view them. This entry was posted on August 12th.

Today is the Glorious Twelfth, meaning that lots of people in tweed or camouflage jackets will be roaming the hills and moors of this island blasting their guns at grouse. I once had the pleasure of cycling along a public road, with hunters in an adjacent field taking potshots at pheasant flying overhead. One of the birds was hit, and as it crashed to earth, it nearly landed on my head.

Overboard

A man has fallen overboard from the ferry sailing from Tarbert in Harris to Uig in Skye. He was seen falling at 5.45pm this evening, just as the MV Hebrides was approaching the quay at Uig. The ferry launched its own rescue craft, and the Coastguard helicopter from Stornoway was also summoned. In spite of all the efforts, the man died on the scene. The police are now contacting the next-of-kin, and the Hebrides has remained tied up at Uig pending the completion of investigation. The evening sailing to Lochmaddy in North Uist has been delayed until further notice.


Approaching Uig from Tarbert, 11 October 2007

Wednesday 11 August

After a couple of days with decent weather, we're back to mist and drizzle. Why did my father have to take the nice weather away with him? Anyway, good to see you, nice surprise and glad you arrived home safely.

As the weather is not inviting for going out, I'm inside, chasing up some more WW1 casualties. And I found this old email from December last year, in which Frederick Cyril Crocker is suggested as a WW1 casualties whose roots lie in Stornoway. And so they do. He was born at 18 Newton Street on 22 December 1888 to Lieutenant John Crocker. of Claremont. Portishead, Somerset, formerly of Lerwick and Stornoway. R.N. Divisional Officer of Coast Guards, Southend Division, who was married to Annie, daughter of the late James Bardsley. Cyril was educated at Wexford, and Andemon Institute, Lerwick, Shetland, and prior to the outbreak of war was an Officer of Excise at Gateshead. He married at Glasgow, 10 June, 1011, Janet, daughter of Peter Macleod, of Stornoway, and had two daughters.: Patricia Joan Mary, born 28 April, 1912; and Annie Valerie, born 4 Feb. 1915.

Cyril joined the Northumberland Fusiliers at the beginning of 1914. volunteered for Imperial service when war began, was severely wounded in action at St. Julien, 26 April, 1915, while leading the platoon in a bayonet charge after his platoon officer, Lieut. Garton, had fallen, and died in the East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich 1 June, following.

With thanks to Alastair Macewen and Anne Brooks' Genealogy. 

Tuesday 10 August

Today, my father is returning to Holland. His flight wasn't until 3.45pm, so we had the whole morning for a final walk. Destination: the local war memorial. This sits on a high hill, 300 feet above sealevel, above the northern end of Stornoway. It consist of a tower and 23 bronze plaques outside. These were taken out of the tower after water ingress caused a deterioration in the structure of the tower, rendering it unsafe. It is a nice sunny morning, but there were a few shower clouds in the vicinity. We stayed dry.

Pictures in a following post

Monday 9 August

Although the morning started off wet, we did go off on the 10.30 bus to Ness (North Lewis). The rain had ceased just before we set out, and in spite of some drizzle on the Barvas Moor, it continued to brighten up as we headed north. After some overseas visitors took a long time to extract tourist information from the bus driver at Eoropie, we reached Port of Ness by 11.40. After a cuppa with a local resident of my acquaintance, we set out on a moorland walk to the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, 3 miles to the west. It was wet underfoot, and you have to be cautious due to the proximity of cliffs. Not terribly high, but 100 feet is high enough. There were lazybeds about, and that's not the sort of beds you lie in at night. They are strips of land with drainage channels in either side, meaning that you are going up and down by one or two feet every few yards. Along the way, we called round at Dun Eisdean, the former home of Clan Morrison, now just an offshore islet. Finally reached the lighthouse at 1.30pm. A fair few tourists about there. Had some lunch at the Eoropie (pronounce Yoropee) Tearoom, then ambled to the nearby beach before the bus was due. This blasted past at 3.20, but returned on schedule at 3.40pm.

In reverse chronological order 

Eoropie Beach


Butt of Lewis lighthouse


Port Sto


At Dun Eisdean


Along the north coast


Port of Ness harbour

Sunday 8 August

Overcast and increasingly breezy as the day wore on. As I'm typing this, the rain has commenced. Nonetheless, I took my dad on a walk to the Arnish Lighthouse, 4 miles away on the other side of the bay. Takes an hour and a half, going through the Castle Grounds and down the Arnish road. We had a look round the lighthouse and the keeper's cottage; its occupant (a private person, not associated with the Northern Lighthouse Board), died recently. The internal shutters were all closed. The grass around the lighthouse was not cut. We had a long, leisurely lunch nearby, then went to the gun emplacements just to the south of the lighthouse. These were erected in the Second World War, but are presently slowly rotting away. A visit to Charlie's Monument closed proceedings. We returned to Stornoway in 90 minutes again. Will put up pics later.

Friday pics

Iolaire memorial


Holm Islands


Cows, Sandwick


Callanish Stones


Callanish


Bragar, Whalebone Arch


Arnol Blackhouse


Derelict house, Arnol

Friday trip

In the morning, my father and I walked to the Iolaire Memorial, about an hour's walk down the coast. After leaving a stone on the cairn, we returned through the nearby village of Sandwick, but heavy traffic on East Street prompted us to divert into Lower Sandwick and the Old Cemetery. Once on the shorepath, we heard a corncrake "crexing" in the tall grass. This one is a bit late; their mating call usually sounds in May or June. After a quick cuppa we went to the bus station. The driver didn't know what we were talking about when asking about a "round trip with two stops", but finally it was translated into a two-stop rover ticket. First call: Callanish. The Harris mountains were wreathed in rainclouds, but strangely enough the rain did not make much northward progress. After lunch at the visitor centre, we had a look at the famous Stones, then walked down the village back street towards the main road near the church. As we headed south along the A858, a coach and a bridal car headed in the opposite direction. Before the next bus arrived, pipes could be heard from the direction of the church, and a large number of vehicles were parked at the church. A slow journey took us to Arnol in 60 minutes, and the sun came out on the way. At Callanish and Carloway, it was raining. Had a look round the Arnol Blackhouse, which I've seen before - my father did not. Upon return to Stornoway, we had a nice supper.

Will post pictures at a later stage.

Friday 6 August

Yes, it's my birthday today. My father turned up unexpectedly last night, and I don't have the time to post regular updates. So, I'll catch up by the middle of next week. Suffice to say, nice day today and I'll try to post things on Facebook by text.

Wednesday 4 August

A big controversy in Scotland today about a cloned cow, no a bull, that had ended up in the foodchain, contrary to regulations. Cloning animals is not an easy science, as the resulting animals often have very severe health problems, if they are viable in the first place. Dolly the sheep eventually succumbed to arthritis. However, eating cloned beef is without risks, or so say the experts. It is a novel food, so no more bull on the menu. Bull. Right.

It is a changeable day in Stornoway, with frequent showers passing through on a brisk wind. No cruiseliners today, but the ferry has just come in on its first of three calls on Wednesday. The other calls are at 6.25pm and 12.45am. It is the season for the island agricultural shows. I am not attending any in person this year, but am posting images from the Point show in 2006 to give y'all an idea.

Sounds familiar?

Another system [...] is the letting of farms to non-resident tenants, from which great evils have arisen, and that consists of good farm-houses now occupied by uncultivated menials, instead of gentlemen and their families, who possessed these farms at one time, and who were not only an acquisition to society, but a great credit to the country at large.

This is a quote from Appendix XXXIII of the Napier Commission Report, and I just wonder if the Reverend Macrae of North Uist had a point. Leaving to one side the use of terms like "uncultivated menials", which is doesn't help the debate. Those in the north of Scotland are aware of the current debate (and I'm now talking 2010) around crofting - a debate that to my mind equates to tying the horse behind the wagon, or locking the door when the horse has bolted. Many a croft lies unused, or feud off to infinity for house building or (more accurately) property speculation.

Tuesday 3 August

Returned to the town centre today for a few purchases, and found that the European market, on until this Saturday, continues to draw the crowds. I had seen what I wanted to see yesterday, and quickly made my way back. It is not a terribly nice day; it was raining in the early hours, with a bright interval following until about 2pm. We are now back to fine drizzle. What has cheered up is the presence of another cruiseliner; the Mona Lisa, a regular visitor to these parts.

The local hospital is presently without a television service for its patients, following the switch-over to digital on July 21st. In spite of the fact that an extensive publicity campaign preceded the switch-over, NHS Western Isles did nothing. Most people have either got a new TV set, a Freeview box, a satellite dish or something like that; the NHS here waited until all the screens went blank before they realised something had to be done. Fifty-five tellies are now awaiting installation.

Monday 2 August

Not a bad day, although we had to do without the sun. A large cruiseship, the Delphin Venture, lay anchored off the Arnish Lighthouse, whilst its passengers were taken ashore for tours of the usual suspects - the Callanish Stones, the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village &c.

Today saw the start of the Continental Market in the centre of Stornoway, with many stalls of food and craft items on display and for sale. It was very busy.

On Saturday, we'll have the annual Stornoway Carnival, in which a procession of floats and people will proceed from the Caberfeidh Hotel down Bayhead Street to South Beach. There, a funfair is currently being constructed, which will give entertainment to young and all.

In the meantime, I called into the An Lanntair arts centre, where world-renowned photographer Murdo Macleod has an exhibition of, amongst others, the rich and famous. From Gordon Brown and Tony Blair to David Cameron, from Amy Winehouse to Giles Brandreth. And no blushes spared.

Sunday 1 August

The first day of the last month of summer. Not that we've seen much of summer up here in the Hebrides, but that's part and parcel of life at 58 degrees north. After a day or two of dry weather, rain is set to return tomorrow afternoon.

Further on the weatherfront, but far away, a tropical cyclone appears to be forming midway across the Atlantic between the Cape Verde islands and the Lesser Antilles. NHC now puts the likelihood that a tropical depression will form at 80%, high. It is anticipated that warnings on what could become tropical storm Colin (if the current trend of development continues) may be initiated later today. Cape Verde hurricanes, which have plenty of time and warm water to develop, can be among the most devastating in the Atlantic basin.

After a spring with temperatures in excess of 50C / 120F, Pakistan is now being devastated by flooding, caused by monsoon rains, which have claimed more than 1,000 lives. July and August is the time for the monsoon to move north from the Indian Ocean to bring rain to the Indian subcontinent every year.

Bloglist

When I looked at my Dashboard panel on Blogger, I found several dozen blogs on the go. Time to list them and categorise.

Personal blogs
Atlantic Lines, this blog - my personal blog, updated every day
The Shell Gallery - updated when I'm in Holland
Atlantic Light - picture a day blog, work in progress
Recipe Book - updated if and when
Jokes off the seawall - updated if and when
Northern Trip - archived blog, predecessor of Atlantic Lines
Northern Trip (the start) - archived blog, early stages of Northern Trip
Lewis Lines - diary excerpts from Northern Trip (2004, 5, 6 and 7)
Minch Views - opinionated excerpts from Northern Trip
Heather Isle Views - pictures of Lewis villages (incomplete)

Events
St Martin's Storm 2005 - report of a force 12 storm on 11 November 2005
Mod 2005 Stornoway - report from the Royal National Mod
Hurricane Ivan at Madagascar - report of the impact of an Indian Ocean cyclone
Tropical Cyclones - hurricane updates, updated when required
Tropical Cyclones 2006/7 - archived

Napier Commission transcripts
Napier Commission in the Isle of Skye - work in progress (at time of posting)
Napier Commission in the Outer Hebrides - completed

World Wars I and II
Lewismen in Canadian service - completed
Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery - completed
Vlieland War Graves - completed
Wargraves in Lewis - completed
World War II Tribute for Lewis - completed
Harris War Memorial - completed
Faces from the Lewis War Memorial - completed
Iolaire Disaster 1919 - completed

J-land
Call for Support
J-land Central
Call for Support - AOL archive (entries until October '08)
Ye Olde English Posy - a few entries from a blog by the late Sylviam4000
J-land Anniversary blog - 5th anniversary of J-land, just before its shutdown

Saturday 31 July

Far from summerlike is an adequate summary of today's weather. Like yesterday, a lot of drizzly rain about, which puts paid to any outside aspirations. So, I busy myself with completing the website on Lewismen in Canadian service during WW1. It has some unexpected spin-offs, as it allows one of my contacts to add further details to their family tree. Another website is commenced, with transcripts of the Napier Commission Report, and this time from the Isle of Skye. Two years ago, I tidied up the transcripts, but did not put them on-line - so that's what I am doing now. The Commission started its work in Skye, later to move on to the Outer Hebrides. I will also prepare an index for the whole report, which is 4,000 pages long. It is not my intention to transcribe all of that.

Friday 30 July

In spite of the unfavourable weatherforecast, we did set out on a bustrip to Leverburgh in Harris, 55 miles to the south. Promptly, upon setting out at 9.15, did the rain start. And it never stopped all day. Nonetheless, we paid our £8.80 for the return ticket, sat on the bus and relaxed. Visibility was poor all the way to Tarbert, 37 miles to the south, but sufficient to get your bearings. Arrived into Tarbert at 10.40, but our usual coffee place was shut for a wedding. So we went nextdoors to the hotel for a cuppa with a scone. We had a browse in the tourist office before jumping on the bus to Leverburgh - the one going along the eastern shores of the island of Harris. It is a 19 mile journey along switchbacks, humps, tight corners, blind bends - in driving rain. When I say 'rain', I should actually call it drizzle. Taking pictures was virtually impossible. Arrived at Leverburgh at 1pm sharp, and according to the schedule. Nipped into the Anchorage restaurant for some fish & chips, whilst watching a helicopter at work from the Pharos, the lighthouse service vessel. The weather briefly improved, allowing us a view of Boreray in the distance, but when the round hump of that island disappeared behind Ensay, the game was up again. The return bus departed at 2.40pm along the westside of Harris, where conditions were slightly better than in the east. I was able to take pictures, but they are still not brilliant. After a brief stop at Tarbert, we were taken back to Stornoway. To my great surprise, the sun came out on the pass below the Clisham (the highest hill in Harris at 799 metres or 2640 feet), but it was soon back to dreich & drizzle. Nonetheless, in spite of the poor weather, a nice day out.

Photos in reverse chronological order


On the bus


Loch Seaforth from the Lewis / Harris border


Loch Seaforth at Ardvourlie


The ferry to Skye at Tarbert.


One of the beaches on the westside of Harris


Sound of Harris ferry at Leverburgh


Helicopter and the Pharos


The Bays of Harris on a very wet day


Tarbert


Driving in the clouds below the Clisham

Thursday 29 July

Today, I was observing how two tugs with a large barge in tow each were maneuvering around Glumag Harbour all day. In the end, the Fairplay 31 left its barge (presumably at Glumag) and docked at no 1 pier in the town centre. The Pegasus docked alongside Glumag, with barge and all, in preparation for the loading of I don't know what. The weather was non-descript, a bit of light rain, temperature about 15C.


Fairplay 31 and barge


At dusk

Pictures post - 28 July

The tug (Pegasus) + barge, approaching Stornoway Harbour



Tug Pegasus


Cruiseliner Marco Polo


Yachts passing the Fabrication Yard

Wednesday 28 July

Summer is supposed to be at its peak, but we in the Hebrides only catch fleeting glimpses of it. All we can espy on an average day is a lot of mist and driving rain. With the odd sunny spell, but then the midgies (no-see-ums) make it less than pleasant. Meanwhile, I've been keeping myself occupied with ships and boats of every description today. The day started with the tug Pegasus heaving into view with a large, bright orange barge behind it. This is presently maneuvered alongside the Arnish quay, presumably for loading with renewable energy paraphernalia. Not long after, the cruiseliner Marco Polo dropped anchor in Sandwick Bay, just round the corner from me. Today is Wednesday, which means we have three sailings instead of two on our ferry, and as per usual this summer, it is running more than an hour late. During the afternoon, the oil products tanker Sarnia Liberty came in to deliver petrol, diesel and kerosine to the island. It is really strange to find that this ship also delivers petrol to Scrabster and Inverness, where fuel prices are several pence lower than here. Finally, there was some sort of yacht rally, with bright white sails moving out of port. To close on a maritime note, sailing girl Laura Dekker, who is a 14-year old from Holland, has been given consent to start a round-the-world solo trip on board her craft Guppy. Last year, Laura was denied permission by her mother and concerned child welfare agencies. Yesterday, she was given the go ahead, and the youngest round-the-world solo sailor could be en-route within a fortnight. A previous attempt, by 16-year old Abby Sunderland from the USA, failed when her yacht was dismasted in the Indian Ocean.

PS: I do have pictures, but not yet uploaded. Will post them tomorrow.

Tuesday 27 July

A pretty horrible day, weatherwise, with spells of drizzle and no sun to speak of. And the temperature was nothing worth writing about either - 14C. To continue the moan, we had  a lengthy powercut this morning. I am a late riser, so I was not inconvenienced by the fact that the Waternish substation in Skye decided to throw a wobbler at 7.30 am. The result was a blanket black-out, from Barra all the way up to the Butt of Lewis. The power company switched on its anxillary generating stations to get people back on supply, but some were without electric for 3 hours. This meant no cooked breakfast for the tourists in the B&Bs, no coffee or tea for the office workers and the Town Hall clock firmly stopped at 5.40. Do I have anything positive to report?

Well, I managed to get through my check on the Lewismen who served in the Canadian forces during WW1 - a list of about 300 (out of 678). More checks to follow. Right, it's 9.20 pm, here's the last couple of hours of the day.

Monday 26 July

After a very wet start, the sun is beginning to come out. I've just been going through the blogs on my Google Reader for the first time in what looks like a month. I'm not promising, but will make an effort to check round a bit more frequently than that.

This weekend, 19 people were crushed to death in the German city of Duisburg. They were headed for a music festival which had attracted a million people. Crowd management had failed, meaning that too many people were trying to push through an entrance tunnel. I remember vividly the 50th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 2002. A crowd of 1 or 2 million had gathered outside Buckingham Palace to hear a concert by various pop bands and singers. I moved to the front of the throng, but the atmosphere there was aggressive, with people insisting on moving to the very front, being excessively nationalistic - and this poor old couple being led away by police. I don't like big crowds.