Thursday 28 July

It is a busy time on the tropical cyclones front. Tropical storm Don is headed for southern Texas, and two other tropical storms are lurking in the Western Pacific; Nock-ten is headed for Hainan Island in China and Vietnam after that. Muifa is slowly getting its act together more than 1,000 miles south of Japan, which may yet get more of this storm.

I spent an hour or two in the library, copying tributes from the Stornoway Gazette for 1939, the first year of the Second World War. The most prominent losses were those incurred through the sinking of HMS Rawalpindi on 23 November 1939 (see this tribute). As in the First World War, the majority of casualties were serving with the Royal Navy, or the Royal Naval Reserve.

As I was walking into town, just after 2pm, the ferry was getting up steam for its afternoon sail to Ullapool. You could have fooled me that this was SS Isle of Lewis, rather than MV Isle of Lewis.

Hurricane update - 28 July

Tropical storm Don is moving across the southern Gulf of Mexico and will make landfall in central Texas in the early hours of Saturday. The exact location where it will come ashore is as yet uncertain. Don is not expected to be at hurricane strength, due to unfavourable atmospheric conditions, but the winds near the centre could be up to 55 knots, which equates to force 10 to 11 on the Beaufort scale.

This is a summary of warnings and watches, which are being updated every 3 hours on the NHC website. Please refer to that source for up-to-date information - this post is only a heads-up.

A tropical storm warning is in force for the Texas coast from Port Mansfield to San Luis Pass.
A tropical storm watch is in force for the Texas coast from south of Port Mansfield to the mouth of the Rio Grande

A storm surge of 1 to 2 feet above normal tidal levels will occur near and to the east of the point of landfall. This is likely to be accompanied by large and damaging waves.

Rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches, locally up to 7 inches are possible from central Texas into south central Texas.

Wednesday 27 July

A nice warm, sunny day, which saw the mercury up at 21C / 70F at 2pm. We were even able to sit outside in the sun and have lunch, after which I cut off bits of a tree which were impinging on the suntrap where we sit. By late afternoon, cloud moved across from the west and rain followed in the evening. It remained dreich and wet all evening.

I finished the transcription of the Napier Report for Poolewe in Wester Ross, and as of tomorrow, I'll be heading south in the transcripts, to Shieldaig. After that, only Balmacara and Dingwall remain in the Ross-shire transcripts.

There were a number of unusual boats in today, such as the survey vessel James Clark Ross, which hovered just south of the Arnish Lighthouse before heading away again. The yacht Northern Spirit is anchored in the shipping channel off Goat Island. A vessel with brown sails also put in an appearance. Although Stornoway is not a busy port, there is sufficient traffic in summer to keep the interest going.


James Clark Ross

Tuesday 26 July

A bright and sunny day, but that northeasterly wind made it feel quite cold. Sitting out of the wind and in the sun - brought out the midges. So, it was a no-win situation. I went over to Sandwick to take pictures of previously unnoticed war-related gravestones, which did not take me very long. There were quite a few people out and about, walking through the cemetery and along the 'community path' that links Lower Sandwick to the Battery area of Stornoway.

The Norwegian authorities have named the 76 victims of the twin attacks in and around Oslo last Friday. Meanwhile, the lawyer for the mass murderer Anders Breivik has suggested his client is insane. Sounds plausible.

It is a favourite pastime in this country to let off Chinese lanterns into the night sky. When you do that near the coast, it could be mistaken for an emergency flare from a vessel in distress. And when they come down into fields, a farmer could mow up the grass and the metal frame could end up in animal fodder - causing serious injury to lifestock. The Coastguard and the farmers would be pleased to see an end to this practice.

Monday 25 July

A nice day with high cloud and some reasonable temperatures; we managed 16C / 60F this afternoon. It is enormously busy with visitors at the moment, as shown by the multitude of languages overheard in the supermarket. There were quite a few boats coming in and out of the port, with a large cruiseliner passing on the horizon. It is high summer, in spite of the moderate temperatures. Last night's excitement with the ferry ended when our poor boat chugged into port at 5 am this morning. Only to go out just two hours later. I'm just finishing processing the pictures of previously unnoticed war-related gravestones that I found in Sandwick Cemetery yesterday. I went down twice, as I discovered from old notes that I had overlooked 5 gravestones. Only one I was unable to find, as I had apparently recorded its position incorrectly. I also found a walled enclosure belonging to a family called Ryrie. It had a gate, but the gate had rusted shut. Tomorrow, I'll look into their history and post it on the Pentland Road blog.

Oslo and Utoeya

This is a translation of a blogpost on a Dutch-language blog which I published today.

I am writing to express my horror at the attacks in Norway. Anders Breivik has admitted responsibility and has stated that his political views have prompted his actions. Breivik has also described Dutch politician Geert Wilders as a "good guy". I am going to discuss that in this blogpost.

Over the past few years I have watched in revulsion at what has been produced by Mr Wilders. His movie Fitna has underscored his hatred of Islam and the attendant intolerance. The Netherlands has a problem with immigrants, integration and ethnic minorities. In the years after the Second World War, these subjects were practically taboo, as you would immediately be accused of discrimination. The late politician Pim Fortuyn brought the subject into the open. Geert Wilders' party PVV has made major gains in last year's parliamentary elections for the same reasons.

Mr Wilders is now supporting the Dutch government, as any legislation that the government wants to introduce has to be sanctioned by the PVV. It means that the views of Mr Wilders and his PVV are shared by the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Even before the last elections, in June 2010, Geert Wilders had the tacit support of the previous government, led by Mr Balkenende.

Back in February 2009, Geert Wilders was refused entry to the United Kingdom as his views could cause civil unrest. Following the bomb attacks in London in 2005, a lot of work has gone into improving relations between the various ethnic groups (including native Britons). The revulsion against Islam, as expressed by Mr Wilders, could have undermined all that has been achieved since 7/7. Upon his return to Holland, after being refused entry to the UK, Mr Wilders was afforded a hero's welcome, with the Dutch government expressing its disapproval of the British government's decision to refuse entry to a prominent politician from a friendly nation.

Geert Wilders has spoken out to condemn the attacks in Norway, which was good to hear. He has given the impression that the extreme-rightwing views, as held by Anders Breivik, are supported and condoned up to government level. That's why Geert Wilders was described as a "good guy" by Anders Breivik.. That's why I express my sharp condemnation of Geert Wilders in what he has done in his political career, both before and during his indirect involvement with the Dutch government.

Delay

Our ferry left on its customary Sunday run to Ullapool at 10.20pm tonight. That was a mere eight hours late. Yes, eight hours. This means that it will be in Ullapool just after 1 am, and back in Stornoway at 4.30 am. I don't think I would like to be on either crossing. The ferry had developed two faults, and it took them all that time to fix the problem. Just as well - it is extremely busy at the moment, and the cancellation of the crossing would have led to colossal backlogs that would never have cleared.

Sunday 24 July

The day started with the most upsetting scenes from Oslo, as the Norwegian nation mourned its nearly 100 dead. The focus was on the cathedral in Oslo, and when the mourners filed out, even the most hardened TV reporters were upset by the scenes of weeping and wailing youngsters. The perpetrator was clear of mind, but evil in purpose and intent. I am extremely angry with politicians like Holland's Geert Wilders who, in promoting their hatred of Islam, gave Anders Breivik the notion that he had support in the world at large.

This afternoon, I headed for Sandwick Cemetery, a 20-minute walk away, and started to log all the 80-odd wargraves with my GPS. This will allow anyone who is looking for a specific wargrave to pinpoint its location within 5 metres (or 15 feet). I intend to do the same for the Eye Cemetery, 4 miles away, which has even more wargraves. I also discovered four more graves, dedicated to the memory of those lost in the two world wars.


Lower Sandwick from the cemetery


Hello puss - this one was very skittish

Saturday 23 July

A cold day, with the mercury only in the mid 50s Fahrenheit (lower teens Celsius). Nonetheless, I was able to sit outside for a while to read a book - with my coat on.

Norway continues to come to terms with the loss of more than 90 lives yesterday, in two apparently linked attacks in and near Oslo. Seven people died in a massive bomb blast near the government headquarters in the capital. 85 people, mainly teenagers, are known to have lost their lives as the culprit went to an island in a lake outside Oslo and started shooting them on sight. The total death toll is still uncertain, and there is talk of a second gunman. No motive has been established, but initial investigations seem to point to right-wing extremism. The suspect, a 32-year old man, is said to have referred to the right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders as "a good guy". Mr Wilders, to his credit, has denounced the atrocities in Norway as utterly repugnant to all decent people. I don't have a lot of time for Mr Wilders, but feel he has reacted appropriately to this revelation.

A tragedy of a different kind and scale was enacted in the Kyle of Durness yesterday. This is a river estuary some 12 miles east of Cape Wrath [the most northwesterly point of the British mainland]. Sixty-five pilot whales became stranded at low tide; the Kyle virtually runs dry as the tide ebbs. Fifteen of the animals died, the others were helped out to sea by Coastguard and Royal Navy personnel who happened to be on exercise in the area.


Kyle of Durness, 29 August 2004

Cat claws at dawn

One of my local Twitter contacts is rueing the moment they decided to step in to break up a catfight. Doing that is like having a wrestling match with a roll of barbed wire. Both cats went for either forearm, and wounds inflicted by both claws and teeth of a cat tend to get very nastily infected.


I recall having a similar experience some 25 years ago, when my sister had left her two kitties at my parents' house for a week or so. Bear in mind that at the time we had our own cat, an un-neutered tomcat called Thomas (above), in the house. Territorial was the name of his game, so when someone left a door open I found myself with Thomas to the right and the guestcat (whose name I cannot reveal on here) to the left. Thomas went into fighting mode, ears back, crouching into attack pose, whilst the guestcat ambled in, tail up and almost saying "C'mon, let's have it out then". I stepped in and put out a hand to push each cat away. Thomas thought the other cat had jumped out at him and lunged into my forearm - only to immediately recognise his mistake. He disappeared. I bundled the other cat behind the door where he should have been all along. I found Thomas sitting in the window of the nearby sitting room and he rubbed his head against my hand, almost as if to say: "Sorry about that, boss, didn't realise it was you. You could have fooled me it was another effing cat". I had a deep wound of one of his claws, but it was only a fleshwound, nothing serious.

Thomas has made me ill on one occasion, but again, not his fault. He tended to be infested with fleas, and one day I was given the job of powdering the cat. Neither of us liked it, and I used rather too much powder. Thomas looked white, rather than his normal black and within a few hours I started to feel feverish and quite unwell. Anyone who has ever dipped sheep with the old organo-phosphate sheepdips will know the feeling.

Friday 22 July

Quite a nice day, during which I completed another batch of transcriptions from the Napier Report. I am currently looking at the submissions, heard at Ullapool, on 30 July 1883. The next locations will be Poolewe, Shieldaig, Balmacara and the Ross-shire hometown of Dingwall. The Napier Report is an important document in the history of the Highlands and Islands, documenting the conditions in which crofters and cottars had to live during the latter years of the 19th century. The Commission also heard from landowners and interested parties, such as church ministers and fish curers.

I was shocked by the double attack on Norway this afternoon, with a carbomb in Oslo and a gun-attack on a youth camp in Oslo Fjord later. The city centre attack claimed 7 lives, and more than a dozen in the island attack. One man has been arrested on the island. He was dressed as a police officer. 22nd July 2011 will go down as a dark day in Norway's history, but the country's leaders have vowed that they will not be beaten down. I am posting the Norwegian flag on this blogpost as a mark of respect to the victims of this attack.

Thursday 21 July

Can't really say that today stood out in any fashion. The weather was not too bad, with bright and occasionally sunny spells. Did some work on the transcriptions of the Napier Report, finding the quote of the week: "My house would be none the worse for being better". And the Lochinver lifeboat, which was coming to Stornoway for its bi-annual refit and repainting, had to divert to the cruiseliner Crown Princess to take a sick passenger off the boat. I later saw the vessel passing in the distance, as a fata morgana, floating above the horizon.

Hurricane update - 21 July

There are four active tropical cyclones around the world, but none of them are directly threatening land.

The Western Pacific is hosting the decaying remains of typhoon Ma-on, with winds of no more than 30 knots (force 7), to the south of Japan.

The Eastern Pacific shows a category IV hurricane, Dora, off Cabo Corrientes in Mexico, headed for Baja California. The storm will not directly impact the peninsula, but its outliers may bring high winds, rain and high swells.

The Atlantic has two tropical storms, Bret and Cindy. Bret is located between Bermuda and the Carolinas, but poses no threat to mainland USA; Cindy is 1200 miles west of the Azores and 900 miles east of Bermuda.

Development aid

I am going to use a blogpost as a rebuttal to a Facebook post that is doing the rounds at the moment. I am very fond of my American Facebook friends, so am not prepared to offend anyone by posting this rebuttal on their Facebook wall.

This is the post I take exception to:
BREAKING NEWS: We need to send money to the following country: USA. There are many without food, shelter, and clean drinking water (...and without jobs). Residents are going without heat for the winter, health care for the sick, and proper education for children. Stop sending money overseas. We have people here that lack… basic human needs. Do you have the guts to re-post this?? I just did, AMERICA FIRST!!

How about the victims of the famine in Somalia? Would you not send aid for the more than 4 out of every 10,000 children that die every day of starvation? For the innocent that suffer because of a war that they did not want, start or willingly participate in, and because of the cruelty of mother nature who has denied them growing rains?

The US has a disgraceful record in caring for its needy. During my years in J-land, and since, I have seen dozens of examples of that. Being resident in the UK, I am privileged that I don't have to pay much for medical care. In the States, you are required to make large contributions, and even then you may not get all the services you require - without forking out an awful lot more. If you can't pay, you don't get the care. Your credit card is more important than your medical condition.

The United States of America is rich enough to provide all its citizens with the basic necessities of life. It is a disgrace if anyone goes without food, shelter, and clean drinking water. Residents are going without heat for the winter, health care for the sick, and proper education for children. Even after sorting out all those problems, there is still enough to spare to send aid to every developing country around the globe. 0.1% of its Gross Domestic Product is a colossal amount. Uncle Sam can afford it, and still look after its own people.

Don't deny the innocent the right to life, just because your own government has its priorities wrong - and has had for decades.

Wednesday 20 July

A cold day, with the mercury only up to 12C / 54F. Yes, it's a northerly wind that's blowing. I pity those in the States that are sighing under a heatwave at the moment. This afternoon, we went on a trip round the West Side of Lewis, starting out along the Pentland Road to Carloway and having lunch at the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. The hostel there closed down last May, see previous post. Afterwards, we headed east to Shawbost to visit the beach. No, you don't go swimming in the sea here - it's even colder than the weather.


Machair flowers at Shawbost


Shawbost beach


Purple seaweed


North Shawbost




Gearrannan


Inside the museum at Gearrannan


Along the Pentland Road

Gearrannan hostel closed

I visited the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village today, but was sad to see the notice in the window, advising all that the hostel there has closed permanently. The proprietors, the Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust have posted the following message on their website, which I copy below. If you are asked about hostel accommodation in Lewis, please do NOT refer anyone to Gearrannan.

The Isle of Lewis has, to my knowledge, four hostels, namely at:
Stornoway (Heb Hostel and Fairhaven)
Kershader (Ravenspoint)
Galson (Galson Farm, South Galson)

Please use a search engine to find further details - I do not (as a rule) promote commercial enterprises.

STATEMENT BY GHHT
It is with regret that the Gatliff Hebridean Hostels Trust announces that the hostel at Garenin is permanently closed.  It will not reopen.

We apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment this will cause.

Our lease on the building expires on 31 March 2012 and we have to vacate the building on that date, leaving the building as it was when first leased to us.  This closure will allow us to fulfil our lease obligations.
If you should hear from any other source that the building is open, please inform us immediately so that all sources may be made aware of the correct position.

Please note that the SYHA hostel handbook for 2011, which states that Garenin hostel is opening from 1 April 2011, is not the current information in respect of the hostel.  (The SYHA handbook was printed before the heating issues arose.)  The SYHA is aware that the hostel is closed.

Please also note that Garenin village continues to operate normally.  Details are to be found at the Gearrannan website.

This notice was issued on Monday 23 May 2011.

Ich habe es nicht gewusst

This expression in German can be translated as "I didn't know about it". It was often used in the aftermath of the Second World War, when certain people in the former Nazi empire were held to account over the slaughter of Jews and others in concentration camps.

Rupert and James Murdoch also claimed not to know about anything, because they were not told. I have reached the conclusion that top-level management that does not know about such serious issues as blackmail, bribery, phone-hacking and corruption is unfit to be at such level. It displays a disturbingly cavalier attitude from the Murdochs, to the effect that they did not care how the stories were got as long as it generated newspaper sales. It points to a culture of complacency and indifference, which no expression of regret can exponge. It shows not an ounce of compassion with those whose lives were ruined or made hell by the actions of employees of the Murdoch empire.

It has also become clear that the Murdochs were overtly manipulating the political scene in this country, by switching their allegiance to whichever party took their fancy. And what is even worse, the leaders of the two main political parties at Westminster pandered to their game. Rupert Murdoch was invited to (enter through the backdoor) 10 Downing Street to receive the personal thanks of David Cameron when the latter became prime minister. Cameron's appointment of Andy Coulson, a former editor of the now defunct newspaper News of the World, is today reported to have alarmed senior officials at Buckingham Palace.

The motive of the Murdochs is clear: make money - which in itself is not something I will fault anybody on. But their methods were morally and legally wrong, and I hope they and their malodorous empire will go under post haste. We can all do without them. As for our politicians, they will be held accountable at the ballot box. I hope the opportunity to do so comes soon.



Maybe someone could procure a tin of this stuff for the Murdochs and our esteemed political leaders (image courtesy Flickr user Popdoctor.

Hurricane update - 20 July

Typhoon Ma-on has been downgraded to tropical storm strength as it passes just to the south of Japan. One village was deluged with 850 mm of rain (that's a puny 34 inches) in just 24 hours. The storm will move out to sea and not be a further threat to Japan.

Hurricane Dora is paralleling the Pacific coast of Mexico and will blow up into a category III storm. At present, it is more than 200 miles offshore, but its course will bring it closer to the Mexican coastline and later to Baja California. By that time, conditions will become unfavourable for the hurricane and it will weaken.

Tuesday 19 July

An overcast day with occasional drizzle. I spent the afternoon watching the Murdochs being grilled by MPs in London about the phone hacking scandal. A model of contrition and of hands-off management. "But we ain't done nothing wrong", seems to have been the buzz word, and "we didn't know what was going on in our own company". Don't know if it was a three hours well spent, and the incident with the shaving foam distracted rather than anything else.

Don't think I'll be watching that much TV again tomorrow, as I'm now having to shift a headache. Also because it was so boring. 

Monday 18 July

Today started with dense fog blanketing the harbour; I could not even see Goat Island at 10 am. The cloud lifted to an overcast, wet and misty day. It was not particularly warm when I ventured into town to buy more stamps for Postcrossing. Having suspended that for my Swiss holiday, I am now back into full swing with it. One card going to Finland, and another to Germany.There were still some ships in port who had been there for the Tall Ships event over the weekend.

The news is ruled by the ongoing phone-hacking saga, which is beginning to lap at the door of 10 Downing Street. Two senior police officers at Scotland Yard have resigned, and tomorrow, Rupert and James Murdoch face a parliamentary committee. I somehow don't see David Cameron in office by this time next year. And I hope this will be the end of tabloid journalism as we know it. I can't stomach it.

Sunday 17 July

Rain, rain and more rain today. The festival goers piled on board the two sailings to Ullapool (as opposed to the normal single one at 2.30pm) to go home. The last of the Tall Ships left port and headed for their next destination, Kirkwall in Orkney or Lerwick in Shetland. The busiest week of the year is over, although there will be a similarly busy week in October, when the Royal National Mod descends on Stornoway.

Collapsed

You don't need to understand the Dutch to appreciate the dramatic scenes as this 1,000 ft high transmitter collapses to the ground. On Friday afternoon, a fire broke out in the upper reaches of the structure as rewiring work was in process. The cause of the blaze is not yet known. Together with technical problems at the main transmitter at Lopik, 120 miles to the south, this has left large areas of Holland without radio or television reception.

Hurricane update - 17 July

Typhoon Ma-on, currently some 700 miles south of Tokyo, is beginning to head towards Japan. The storm will peak at 120 knots by this time tomorrow. Ma-on will then veer northeast and slowly pass just to the south of Japan. There is considerable uncertainty over its proximity to land, and any weakening which will result from passage over land. The storm will be well above 65 knots (the lower threshold for typhoon strength), and is expected to be between 90 and 110 knots as it passes near or to the south of Honshu, Japan. Below image courtesy wunderground.com.

Saturday 16 July - picture post

South of Arnish


Mir


RNLI Lifeboat "Tom Sandersen" between Arnish and Sandwick


Outside the Keepers' Cottage, Arnish


Two replica Sgoths, traditional fishing craft


Sailing ship Prolific






Pelican of London


Coastguard tug Anglian Sovereign


Coastguard helicopter


Arnish Lighthouse

Saturday 16 July

Quite a nice, sunny and at times warm day. When I say warm, I mean that the mercury was in the high 60s. Today, the Tall Ships left Stornoway. The first, the Dar Mlodziezy sneaked out of port at 7.30 am. Her sistership, the Mir went just before five. She had been due to depart at 3.30, leaving large numbers of people waiting and waiting along the seafront in Stornoway and at Arnish Point, as well as Holm Point (on the other side of the water). It was all a bit of a damp squib, with only one other Tall Ship, the Pelican of London departing before the Mir. However, the sun was out, it was nice and warm, and I had ensconsed myself at Arnish, with another dozen people or so. The contingent at Holm Point was even larger, as that is much easier to access. Arnish Point requires a 5 mile drive from Stornoway, followed by a 15 minute walk - or a sump-bashing drive down a rough track.

I shall post the pictures tomorrow, as I am uploading them at the moment, and there are 140 of them.

Friday 15 July

Apart from the Mir, (see previous post), we also had the Pelican of London and the Lord Nelson in port - together with a collection of smaller craft. The Pelican was tied up alongside pier no 2, which is an area of the port that is normally off-limits - it is the point where oil- and gastankers are discharged. The weather, like yesterday, is not very pleasant: it is overcast, dull, with a penetrating breeze and low temperatures (for July). At the moment, we're only in the mid-teens celsius. The Hebridean Celtic Festival is also in full swing, but I am giving that a wholesale miss this year - nothing tickling my fancy.

Pelican of London

I am very pleased with developments in the phone-hacking saga. The Murdochs have conceded to giving evidence to a committee of MPs, the Americans are hopping mad at allegations that 9/11-victims' phones may have been hacked by News Corp employees, not to mention Australians and other nationals. News International CEO Rebekah Brooks has finally decided to fall onto her sword and resigned - and it just gets worse and worse. For them, that is.

On board a Tall Ship

This morning, we were greeted with the magnificent sight of the Russian tallship Mir (peace) on the near side of the ferry pier. The vessel was open for the public, so I went on board and had a walk round its decks. I am posting some pictures of that visit below.

Thursday 14 July

The day started early, with the arrival of the first of the more than a dozen Tall Ships which are due into Stornoway over the next three days. The Eendracht (a Dutch vessel, its name means Unity) passed the Arnish Lighthouse at 7.15 am, followed by the British vessel The Swan a little later. The majestic Polish three-master Dar Mlodziezy pulled in just after 10 o'clock to anchor in Glumag Harbour, right across from my position. A number of smaller vessels also arrived, but they were more difficult for me to track. I monitor shipping traffic around here on AIS, and vessels of 350 tons or less are not required to carry a transponder. In the afternoon, I went into town for a snapping spree. It was decidedly cold and at times wet, so I did not stay long. Later in the evening, it cleared up, providing me with some stunning images of the Polish vessel contrasting against dark skies.


Eendracht






Dar Mlodziezy


The Swan (R) and Alba Endeavour (L)

Tall Ships

Today sees the arrival of several Tall Ships in Stornoway, and the first turned up at 7.15 this morning. The Dutch Eendracht was first on the scene, followed by the British Swan and the Polish Dar Mlodziezy, which now lies anchored in Glumag Harbour, right opposite my position. A fourth ship, the Alba Endeavour, sneaked past my position and tied up at Esplanade Quay a little while ago. At the end of today, I shall post pictures. Meanwhile, the Polish vessel is attracting a lot of attention from sight-seers in cars on the causeway to Goat Island.

Wednesday 13 July

Another nice day, and quite warm (for these parts), with the mercury reaching 20C / 68F at one point. The sun put in a good appearance, although the wind picked up through the afternoon. But a force 4 isn't worth mentioning in the Hebrides.

Went to the library after lunch, and heard the pipes playing in the Narrows. I also caught sight of some youngsters performing a dance by the Pyramid - which they will be doing every day this week. I did not go to take a picture, as I have previously been advised against taking photographs of minors without their parents' or responsible adults' consent.

The collapse of care home operator Southern Cross has also had repercussions in the Western Isles. I refer to the article on Hebrides News. It means uncertainty for vulnerable, elderly residents.

Ma-on

This is the name of the 8th tropical cyclone of the Northwestern Pacific season. The fact that it has a name shows it is at least at tropical storm strength, with winds currently blowing at 55 knots (that's force 10 to 11 on the Beaufort scale), but forecast to increase to 110 knots by next week. This strength would place Ma-on at category III on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale.

At the moment, Ma-on is more than 600 miles from any land and will not threaten any land, apart from Iwo Jima and Chi Chi Jima, for at least five days. JTWC (the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii) specifically warns that the storm will not follow the most common scenario, namely of veering northeast and being swept away in a much weakened state by the mid-latitude airstream. Japan is currently experiencing a heatwave, with temperatures between 90 and 95F (32 to 35C). The set-up in the atmosphere which has brought this extreme heat will also permit Ma-on to approach Japan unrestrained, and don't be surprised to hear of a category III typhoon (if not worse) making landfall in mainland Japan next week.

Tuesday 12 July

A reasonably nice day with some sunshine. Another cruiseliner, the Christopher Columbus, was in port today. It lay anchored in Glumag Harbour, right opposite my position, and departed for Greenock (near Glasgow) by late afternoon. I went into town to try the library again; this time it was open and I could trawl old copies of the local paper for WW1 tributes to Harris men. I only found 4 for the whole of 1917, and 1 for the island of Berneray. None for the Uists or Barra. The total number of Lewis tributes for 1917 and 1918 stands at 250. The reason may be that communications with the Southern Isles in those days were poor; also, Lewis was part of a different county (Ross & Cromarty) than Harris and the Southern Isles, which were part of Inverness-shire.

It is with grim satisfaction that I am watching the wheels coming off the Rupert Murdoch wagon; the main parties in the Westminster parliament have united to call for his takeover bid of broadcaster BSkyB to be abandoned. Even in the States, his News Corp business has come under scrutiny and criticism. As I have stated twice over the past week or so, I find it iniquitous that a media man should have such tight control over political figures. Who cares that a trash newspaper like the Sun can state it supports this party or that, and its dumb readership then votes for that party?

Glorious Twelfth

In Scotland, the Glorious Twelfth refers to August 12th, when the grouse shooting season opens. It is as much a pointless exercise as July 12th, which is a date of note on the calendar of Northern Ireland. As one of my Twitter contacts put it tersely: "Northern Ireland's Festival of Sectarianism is well underway again. When you mix orange and green you end up with shitty brown". On 12 July, the Protestants in Northern Ireland celebrate the accession to the English throne of William III in 1688, as well as his victory at the battle of the Boyne in 1690.

In 1998, the Good Friday agreement was signed between the warring factions in Ulster, to put an end to the civil war there, euphemistically referred to as the Troubles. The IRA and its protestant counterparts decommissioned their weaponry, but small "dissident" extremist factions have remained active, and the confrontation between the two sides has flared up in recent weeks, culminating in today's Orange marches. I wish they would just ban them. It would also help if Northern Ireland's politics would cease to be demarkated along the lines of religious convictions, rather than that of political conviction.

I have to say, as a Dutchman, that I am deeply ashamed that there is a strong Dutch connection in this unholy saga. William III was William of Orange, the King of the Netherlands in the 17th century. His strongly anti-papal convictions continue to echo through the ages, and have contributed in no mean fashion to the civil strife in the north of Ireland. His role in Scottish history is equally ignominious, in that it was on his orders that the 78 Macdonalds were killed by the Campbells at Glencoe in 1692.

Monday 11 July

A day of varying fortunes in terms of sunshine. A cloudy start was followed by bright sunshine in the afternoon, although the boundary with the cloud lay only a matter of miles to the west of us. The cruisepassengers from the Marco Polo certainly had a chance to see the town smiling in the sunshine.

I was intending to go to the library this afternoon, but was confronted by a locked door and the notice CLOSED. For the past few months, the library has been closed on a Monday, apparently due to cutbacks in service. I have heard several people grumbling about this when I mentioned it on my Twitterfeed. Wish they had publicised these altered opening times a bit more prominently. The town centre is a mere 10 minute walk from my position, but others will be driving in for up to 40 miles to reach Stornoway.

The phone hacking saga, with News International papers allegedly hacking into people's phones, medical records and what not, continues to mushroom. It is with a degree of grim pleasure that I note the mounting discomfort of the likes of Rupert Murdoch and his ilk. His bid to take over BSkyB, to my mind, is dead in the water and his empire in the UK looks in peril. I hope this is the beginning of the end for garbage journalism in this country.

Sunday 10 July

Those two pictures say it all for today. Wet and miserable. As I type the wind is getting up and it seems to be getting colder only 14C today. We're having a northerly wind, so no surprises there. This week, we are having the Hebridean Celtic Festival in town, and the rush will start by the middle of the week. Enjoying a short lull before mayhem breaks loose. Our wee town of 9,000 will have to cope with an influx of 15,000. The Tall Ships will entice more visitors, so the ferry will be bulging at the seams this week. Sorry if I seem to be moaning, but I wouldn't mind a ray of sunshine up here.

The Press - II

Everybody is wailing, tearing out their hair and grinding and gnashing their teeth in despair at the end of the News of the World. I am pleased the title has been taken off the shelves of the news agents', as it is one of a category of papers we can all do without. I, for one, am not interested in the antics of Z-rated celebrities, people in the news and what not. But it is the people behind the tabloids that really need to be tackled.

I find it wholly unacceptable that a newspaper proprietor, like Rupert Murdoch, can dictate who gets into government. It is the job of a journalist to talk to politicians to elicit their true views on the issues of state. It is possible for a journalist to influence his readers by taking a certain slant in his questioning. However, I am disgusted with papers like the News of the World, the Sun and others, who I do not think carry news. And it is garbage like that which is being gobbled up by the masses in their millions; the NotW used to carry a readership of 7.5 million.

Worse than that, the politicians pander to the likes of Murdoch, who is widely despised in this country, by cosying up to him or his acolytes. An example is Rebekah Brooks, who proudly declared to be a friend of David Cameron, the Prime Minister; and I seem to remember that Ed Miliband, the Leader of the Opposition is similarly cosy with one of the Murdoch empire.

I sincerely hope that a lot is going to change with The Press in this country; it is not just the printed press I am not happy with. The General Election of 2010 saw the Prime Ministerial debates, and it was the inclusion of Nick Clegg that brought us a coalition government, which is widely unpopular. "I agree with Nick", was the quote of the first debate, and it elevated Clegg to the same level as the main party leaders, Cameron and Brown - a level that he cannot be on.

The media, as a whole, have a role to play in society. The demise of the NotW has shown that this role needs to be cleaned up, redefined and polished. The government of this country cannot be determined by a businessman, whose sole interest is making a profit. The government of this country will be determined by the voters, who will be guided by their own judgment, aided by responsible journalists.

Saturday 9 July

I am pleased to report that Blogger in Draft is in working order again, after the main problems were sorted out. Give it a whirl, you'll get a pleasant surprise. I hope they implement this version.

It is quite a pleasant day here in Stornoway, although we have not had much sun. It is fairly bright, and quite a contrast to the downpours that have been plaguing areas further south. All play at the Scottish Open Golf at Castle Stewart, Inverness, has had to be suspended as the course had become waterlogged if not completely washed away. Flooding is also reported from the vicinity of Inverness. I'm glad to be in the right place at the right time, weatherwise at least.

This afternoon, I went for an amble to Lower Sandwick, a walk of about 2 miles in total. It is a nice walk, which runs along the shore of Sandwick Bay for the latter part of its length. I returned through the cemetery, then back along the shoreline path. As I was heading back, the ferry sailed past, on its way out to Ullapool.

Next week, the Hebridean Celtic Festival starts, which is a local music and culture festival. Stornoway will be bombed out for it, even more so on Thursday 14th, when the Tall Ships come to call. I have not booked tickets for any of the Hebcelt events (none of them jumped out at me), but will be present at the shore to watch the tall ships approach on the 14th.

And I've made a start with The Count of Monte Christo, by Alexandre Dumas. I have watched a movie about this gripping yarn, and I hope the original story will be just as good if not better. The local bookstore sells classics like this (running at 1,000 pages) for just £2.

Friday 8 July

Quite a nice day today, during which I continued to sort out a variety of things. I have been busy with that this week, but I'm not going to bore you with details. It was in part an exercise with a broom, sweeping away dust from the past. Other bits are shifted less easily, and it may take weeks to clear everything up.

I have resumed my activity regarding witnesses from the Napier Commission of 1883, which had kept me busy until I went on holiday 5 weeks ago. I am now looking at people from Barra, who gave evidence on 26 May 1883.

Until earlier this week, I was using Blogger in Draft, in which Blogger tests out new features. I had to leave the programme, because the latest version was full of bugs. I had to start implementing work-arounds to avoid dud links and other problems, so I switched back to the proper version of Blogger.

The Press

The News of the World newspaper will be closed down after Sunday, 168 years after its first publication. Its 200 staff are to be laid off, although they will have the opportunity to apply for jobs elsewhere in the parent company. The newspaper will be shut down on account of serious misconduct by previous management, under the aegis of the same parent company.

That company, News Corp or News International, is interested only in making money, which in itself is not a bad thing. The methods they deploy through their various pieces of toiletpaper, otherwise known as tabloid newspapers, are. Who the h*** do they think they are to announce that they will support this or that political party, thereby determining the outcome of a general election? But then, it was a piece of television journalism that led to today's subtractive coalition government in London, by placing the Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, on the same platform as Labour and Conservative Party leaders Brown and Cameron.

In principle, I have nothing against journalists as a group. I have a lot of respect for newspaper, television and radio journalists who, through uncomfortable questioning, elicit responses from (e.g.) politicians and others to eke out their true intentions and opinions. But to use illegal methods, such as phone tapping, is not acceptable. It does not matter whether we're talking about people in the limelight, or about victims of crime or war. The law is the law, and those that sanction such methods should face the consequences. And that goes as high as the Murdochs, whose empire I am ranting against.

It's not the News of the World that should be shut down. It's the Murdoch empire that ought to be ditched.

Thursday 7 July

Today is 6 years ago that four suicide bombers detonated their devices on board three London Underground trains and a number 30 bus at Tavistock Square in London. Fifty-two people were killed and hundreds injured. This atrocity was to be followed two weeks later by a similar series of attacks which, with good fortune, were all abortive. Today, my thoughts are with the families of the deceased, and with those who were injured or otherwise affected by what has become known as "7/7".

Wednesday 6 July

Quite a dreich day, with overcast skies and occasional drizzle. The news was full of allegations about journalists hacking into people's mobile phones, including victims of crime, terrorism and war. The political twist is never far away, particularly as one editor is a good friend of the Prime Minister. I have never held British journalism in high regard, as they just don't know when to stop. The word "Morals" seems to be erased from their dictionary, with sales figures being more important than actually doing your job right. They claim to supply what the readers want; I think that should be changed into "what they think the readers want". Eugh.

Locally, the closure of Sandwick Road, the main road heading east out of Stornoway, is over, and the diversion past my position lifted. But there is a suggestion, to be investigated by Scottish Water, that a drain has collapsed under the weight of all those lorries whizzing round the corner here. There is now a distinct smell, and not a terribly pleasant one, in this area. Lorries come past here at any rate, as the marshalling yard is just up the road. The HGV's do have an alternative route: down Sandwick Road. Let's see what transpires.

Srebrenica

As General Mladic was walked out of the courtroom amidst acrimony at the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague yesterday, a court in the Netherlands ruled that that country was responsible for at least three of the deaths that occurred at Srebrenica in 1995. The town was a UN safe-haven until it was overrun by Gen Mladic's Bosnian Serb forces. The Dutch, who were responsible for the protection of the safe haven, claim they were not given sufficient means to do the job, and that they were abandoned by the UN. It will be a singularly bitter day for the men of Dutchbat, some of whom I know personally.

At the end of the day, nobody was responsible for the 8000 dead of Srebrenica but the Bosnian Serb forces commanded by General Mladic. One Dutch soldier is still kicking himself that he, and his comrades, did not empty their machineguns into him as he was talking to their commanding officer.

Monday 4 July

I hope my American friends have had an enjoyable Fourth of July, it being 235 years since the Declaration of Independence. I am pleased to note that public debate is raging fierce and free in the Land of the Free, with no holds barred.

I have not got much else to say about this day, as it was a singularly bad one for me. At some future stage I may tell more about it, but don't hold your breaths.

In Glacier Country

That is the name of the travelblog for my Swiss adventures; in case you didn't get the link from the Shell Gallery, here it is again: In Glacier Country. I am currently putting up entries, so it's still work in progress.  

Saturday 2 July

Quite an acceptable day and a tad warmer than yesterday. The cruiseliner Astor is in, anchored off Sandwick Bay, and I took a walk to the Battery to take a picture or two. Astor has been in quite a few times before, so the images are just for my own record. My photography is a form of pictorial diary, nothing fancy or posh. Although the solstice is now nearly two weeks ago, the long nights are still here. Sunset is about 10.30pm, and it gets light again after 3 am. Takes a bit of getting used to if you've spent several weeks at lower latitudes, like Holland and Switzerland which sit at 52 and 46 degrees north respectively. Stornoway is at 58 degrees north.

Friday 1 July

Today was a day with catching up, and dealing with the shampoo incident. Trying to find a shop in Stornoway that sells small, analogue, alarmclocks took me a minute or two. I should explain that this town is unusual, in that not many shops are part of large chains; there is a Boots and a Superdrug store, but that is about as far as it goes. The last shop turned up trumps, even giving a battery with the clock. It was nice to be round the familiar shops again after a couple of weeks.

The weather is cool here, with a thin but complete cover of high cloud. We reached 16C, but the wind made it feel a bit cooler than that.

Death of shampoo

When I unpacked my case upon returning to Stornoway, I found a disaster lurking in my toiletbag. The shampoo bottle (300 ml) had emptied itself into the bag, flooding everything with sticky goo. This included my poor wee alarmclock, which had stopped at 6.47. It is an analogue one, so it was hard to tell whether it had given up the ghost as I walked to the bus early in the morning, or on the flight to Inverness in the evening. Changing the battery and cleaning the poles did not help.

After walking in and out of all the shops in Stornoway (caution: exaggeration), I found myself a new clock for a few quid, so I can be up and about on time. Did I ever tell you that is usually around the 10am mark?

Thursday 30 June

Today, I travelled back to Stornoway from Holland, after an absence of 3½ weeks. The journey went fine, although I nearly went cross-eyed with boredom as I had to wait for four hours at Edinburgh.

Let me start at the beginning though. At 6.52 am, I caught the first bus to Arnhem station, using the new chip-card which is being phased in across most parts of Holland today. You can 'check in' at the commencement of your journey on bus or train, and 'check out' again at the end. An amount of money that has been loaded onto the card is used to pay for the journey, prices depend on the distance travelled.

I joined the 7.30 Intercity to Utrecht, where I had to sit on the balcony because of my large case. That was fine. Things deteriorated on the train to Schiphol Airport, which was packed and I had to stand all the way (30 miles) to the airport.

Got there at 8.45, and found myself a tad pressed for time to get myself checked in and to the gate. Fortunately, I was in good time and so was the plane: we took off after a 4½ mile run along Schiphol's taxiways and got ourselves into Gatwick at 10.20 local time. Whizzed myself across to the departures lounge for a cup of coffee, then to gate 55C to join the very full flight to Edinburgh. I use a GPS device to track my journey, but was asked to switch it off as it might interfere with the aircraft's systems. Well, it doesn't, it's a receiver, i.e. it does not transmit. Hmpf. On subsequent flights, I kept it in my pocket, where it still worked.

Arrived into Edinburgh just after 1pm and on entering the airport building, I turned left into the departures lounge. I could have gone into Arrivals, but that would have been a pointless exercise - going through the entire security rigmarole whilst I already had been checked twice that day. Settled down for an excruciatingly boring four hours. Except for the group of teenage school girls who were headed for Boston - better referred to as a chicken coop in action.

The Stornoway flight took off at 5.15 and landed at Inverness half an hour later. It was fairly cloudy over the Highlands, and also the onward flight to Stornoway. On the latter leg, we got no coffee. Wish the dishwater on the Edinburgh leg had been at least hot. Anyway, got into SY just before 7pm on a bright and fairly sunny evening. I was given a lift into town and was back on post by 7.30pm.

Posting

Just to reiterate that I am currently blogging on my other blog Shell Gallery, until July 1st.
See you over there.

Sunday 5 June

Quite a nice, sunny day with a breeze, but not very warm - again, it's only 13C on the thermometer. I am busy with preparations for a trip to the continent, as of tomorrow morning. I'll be updating on the progress of my journey to Amsterdam by mobile phone through tomorrow. I have long waits at the intermediate airports (Glasgow and Gatwick), so I have plenty of time to finish Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and make a start on Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. Next weekend, I'll be on a train for 10 hours - and you'll have to read the Shell Gallery blog to find out where that is going to take me. I already dropped hint yesterday, with the factor 50 sunblock.

The next update here on Atlantic Lines will be made on Friday 1 July, after my return to Stornoway.

Saturday 4 June

Quite a bit cooler than it was yesterday, with the mercury only reaching 13C / 55F. Cruiseliner Lauren L  was in port today, presenting a handsome sight alongside the ferry pier. Went into town to buy a book, a paper notepad and some factor 50 sunblock. Keep abreast of postings on my blog, and you'll find out what I need those for.

Times change, and they certainly have over a period of 150 years. I came across a newspaper article from 1863, which described the loss of life following a severe storm in the Minch. Nowadays, you get ample warning of bad weather, usually several days ahead. More than enough for mariners to get to the safety of a port, and for fishermen not to venture out. Furthermore, in a modern motorised vessel, even being caught out in a force 10 need not necessarily be life threatening. It was in December 1862, when a sudden storm caught a group of two dozen fishingboats at the Butt of Lewis, and blew them right across the Minch to the coast of Wester Ross and Sutherland. The wreckage lined the shores from Gairloch to Lochinver. Although the article calculated the loss of life as 120, the eventual total was "only" 31. A huge loss to the community of Ness, in the north of Lewis, without a doubt.

Friday 3 June

Another bright and sunny day, but still windy. The mercury made it up to 19C / 66F, but the wind made it feel a good deal cooler than that. Later tonight, a cold front will march in and push the mercury back, closer to 10C on Saturday. The contrasts elsewhere in Scotland will be even greater, with Aberdeen having peaked at 26C yesterday.

General Mladic made his first court appearance at the war crimes tribunal in The Hague this morning. Why do I keep referring to this? Well, read this article, and you'll get some idea. Furthermore, at the time I was working for the Dutch MOD [or DOD], and got some first-hand accounts of what happened. As described in the article.

I have completed the research into the witnesses at the Napier Commission in 1883, that is, the witnesses that were heard in Harris and Lewis, as well as St Kilda. In July, I shall continue with the witnesses from Uist and Barra, to complete the picture for the Western Isles.

Thursday 2 June

Quite a nice day, with no rain for a change. There was a steady force 5 wind going all day, but there was plenty of sunshine to be had. Turning on the computer elicited no response this morning. It turned out that the fuse in the plug had overheated and melted. Had to throw the powercord out, which had a smell of burning about it. The local computershop had a new powercord.

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay (Charles and Camilla) were in Harris today, doing their bit to promote the Harris Tweed industry. I hope it has some success. Following its crashing decline over the past decade or two, it would take a miracle to bring it back to its former glory times. The BBC's Reporting Scotland programme did not pay any attention to it; I don't know if the commercial broadcaster did.

I nipped into the An Lanntair arts centre this afternoon, and was confronted with a collection of Time and Tide bells, an exhibition by Marcus Vergette. He is installing a dozen of the bells around the UK coastline, and one of them stands at Bosta. Last time I was there, it was not working, unfortunately. I had to tap the bell in An Lanntair to hear its tone. Apparently, the one at Bosta needs tuning. I'm bemused by that, because you usually tune a bell before it leaves the factory.

Wednesday 1 June

Not a nice day in terms of weather, you wouldn't believe it was June. Wind and driving rain. Quite unpleasant.
Ratko Mladic, the commander of the Bosnian Serb army, has arrived in Holland to face the International War Crimes Tribunal on the former Yugoslavia on Friday. I personally know one or two people who came face-to-face with Mladic at Srebrenica in July 1995, who will be able to pierce the lies he is telling.

The North Atlantic hurricane season starts today, and we promptly have a tropical disturbance homing in on Florida. 93L was given a 30% chance of developing into a formal tropical cyclone, but fell apart after crossing the Sunshine State. Two other disturbances in the Western Pacific also fell to pieces, so nothing left to write about on the TC front.

The island of Taransay is for sale, and one of the Castaways has expressed an interest: Ben Fogle. I wish him well in his endeavours; I could think of worse potential buyers.

Tuesday 31 May

Quite a nice day, in terms of weather, with fluffy clouds and good sunshine - until late afternoon, when clouds roll in and we're back to wind and rain in no time. I am feeling a lot better today, but am still on the inhaler at regular intervals. It works a treat, takes effect in seconds. Enough of me.

The island of Taransay, off the west coast of Harris, has been put up for sale for a mere £2 million. The last permanent residents left the island in 1974, but during the year 2000, three dozen people set up camp there trying to build a community for reality television series Castaway 2000. The two main buildings in the island have been done up. Taransay looks beautiful on a day like today, but you have to provide your own transport links. It is only a mile or so from Horgabost, the nearest village in Harris. The below picture was taken from Luskentyre, a few miles north of Horgabost.



This evening, the Bosnian Serb warcrimes suspect Ratko Mladic was extradited from Serbia to the International War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. An appeal to prevent extradition on the grounds of Mladic's ill health failed, and he was promptly flown to Rotterdam Airport, 15 miles from The Hague. Proceedings against him are expected later this week.

One person was killed in the Cuillins in Skye today, when a boulder was dislodged by a member of a group of climbers. The rock fell down onto another climber, who was killed as a result; three others were injured. One of them had to walk off the mountain to raise the alarm, injuries and all.

Monday 30 May

Not a good day, although it started OK. Nice bright weather, sunshine and fluffy clouds, not too cold. However, after I did a spot of work with a carpet cleaner, I began to feel out of breath. The machine has a hoover component, which blasts air (containing copious amounts of dust, even on hoovered carpets) back into the air. Which is what went for me. Seriously.

So, after suffering for 7 hours through the afternoon into the evening, when I could only breathe comfortably if crouched forward over a table, and the muscles in my chest were in pain for straining to breathe, I decided that enough was enough, and dialled NHS 24. For my non-British readers, this is the Scottish out-of-hours medical service, which you can ring up if you feel unwell and it can't wait until morning. After being grilled on my personal details and the exact nature of the problem, they sent for an ambulance. I was put on some oxygen during the 10 minute drive across town. At 8.30 pm, I turned up at A&E at Western Isles Hospital, on the northern edge of Stornoway, where I was put on a nebuliser. This handsomely did the trick, as I expected. Had to wait for an hour or two before the doctor could see me, but he was quite happy to send me home with an inhaler and some anti-histamine pills. On return home, I crawled into my bed straightaway; it was 11pm by that time at any rate. The problem was identified as an allergic reaction to dust - something I had worked out myself beforehand. The doctor wanted to see the carpet cleaner, but that is just a soapy solution.

Typing this the following morning, I can add that I feel back to almost my normal self. The inhaler works a treat; one puff and everything is open straightaway. I'm also quite happy that a number of people turned up at the hospital to see how I was, and at the door this morning. I am on a promise not to identify them openly on the Net, but they know who they are.

This is the end of the medical bulletin!

Sunday 29 May

Although the day did start out with some showers, it turned into quite an acceptable Sunday in terms of weather. There were only a few spots of light rain and we had some sun. In the afternoon, I decided to take a walk to Sandwick Cemetery to try out the GPS. It performed as expected, but when I downloaded the track onto the computer, it showed last Sunday's walk with some very strange perambulations. Project onto Google Maps, it looks as if I had been calling into each and every house on Bayhead Street! A more reasonable explanation would be that the machine lost sight of some satellites along the way and got it ever so slightly wrong. It does indicate the margin of error, and when it starts to go to 20 metres and above, it's decidedly inaccurate. Here in the house, it suggests that I have been walking for hundreds of yards. Lying still.

Anyway, I went to the graveyard and had to divert around it. The entrance from the shore was blocked by a flood, caused by a blocked drain. There was about 4 inches of water on the ground, caused by the run-off from the morning's showers. It had even flooded the entrance to the cemetery itself. There were several manhole covers with water flooding out of them, as well as out of a hole in the ground. On return home, I rang the water company to report the problem.

Saturday 28 May

Half Marathon day here in Stornoway, but the weather is not as bad as I feared in yesterday's blogpost. There were blustery showers, but as the runners passed my position (at around 10.15 am) it was dry and even a tad sunny. I'm continuing to monitor typhoon Songda, which is headed for Japan. The storm will weaken to below typhoon strength before reaching there, but severe gales are likely to batter the south of that country on Sunday.

The Isle of Harris will be visited by the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay on Thursday 2 June. Charles and Camilla will visit producers of Harris Tweed, and representatives of the industry at a community centre in the Bays area of the island. Prince Charles gained a degree of notoriety in 1961 when, as a 14-year old, he ordered a cherry brandy in a Stornoway bar. Charles has since been back and forth to Berneray, south of Harris.

I was pleased to learn that fellow researcher Direcleit was offered (and has accepted) a position of part-time researcher for the Berneray Historical Society. Over the past 15 months or so, I have noticed a steady progression in his work (as shown on the blog), and I have been happy to learn from parts of his work, and to have been of assistance in some small measure along the way. I wish him well for the future in his new post.

Friday 27 May

Pretty awful. That is in two words the description of our weather today. The passengers on the cruiseliner Silver Explorer (pictured below) were barely able to see anything, due to the continuous rain. The cold wind added further misery. As I type this, the rain appears to have moved away east, but it certainly was a wet day.



I received the cables to connect my GPS to the PC, but that did not include the software. The mini CD contained no useful software, and I had to Google my way round the internet to get the necessary. I think that Garmin, who made the GPS device, should include cables and software with their product. However, the thing is now connected, which is all that matters. I'll give it a whirl this weekend, if and when the weather decides to dry up.

The typhoon season has fired up in the Pacific Ocean, and supertyphoon Songda blew up to 140 knots (160 mph), gusting to 170 knots (200 mph) yesterday. The storm gave a glancing blow to the north of the Philippines, and may give southern Japan a spot of bother, but only as a stormforce low pressure system. I am posting the latest updates on my Tropical Cyclones blog.

Thursday 26 May

The weather today is very cold, wet and breezy. The mercury can barely manage double figures, and coupled with a northerly wind, this makes for an unpleasant day outside.

It is also been a bad day for Ratko Mladic, but otherwise an excellent day for the rest of us. Mladic was the commander of the Bosnian Serb army in the early 1990s, when Yugoslavia fell apart in a brutal war. He is alleged to have masterminded the three-year siege of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, in which civilians were continually shelled. He was also present in Srebrenica, when this UN safe haven was overrun in July 1995. Subsequently, 7,000 men and boys from the town were taken away into nearby woods and shot. Mladic forced UN personnel to assist in the operation. Like his political leader, Radovan Karadzic, Mladic had assumed a false name. The cynical approach could be that Mladic was handed over to facilitate the entry of Serbia into the European Union.

The arrest of Mladic has been heralded with delight and relief across the world, not least in Holland. It was the Dutch Battalion of the UN peace keeping force that was present in Srebrenica when Mladic's forces invaded. I personally know several members of the Dutch armed forces who were there - at the time, I was working for the Dutch Ministry of Defense. Back in 1995, there was severe criticism of the commander of Dutchbat, who was seen to be meekly surrendering to the Bosnian Serbs. However, what choice do you make when offered the alternatives of collaborating with Mladic, or being shot?

Wednesday 25 May

My new camera arrived today, and I spent some time getting to know the basics of the device. My old camera finally packed in over the weekend, after more than 5 years and 31,600 pictures and videos. I also received a carry case for my GPS machine - a carry case that did not fit. It went straight back to the manufacturers for a refund.

The weather was quite unpleasant with grey clouds and occasional rain. Although the wind has died down, it remains cold.

There are reported to be counterfeit banknotes in circulation in Stornoway. Although none of the local banks have confirmed this, one shop has put up a notice saying that it only accepts cards or coins; no banknotes of any description. The police state that they have not received any reports of counterfeit money. Some shops say they lost hundreds of pounds of income, after notes turned out to be fake. It is strange that no confirmation can be obtained.

Tuesday 24 May

Quite a blustery and showery day, with even some hail thrown in for good measure. Cars here in Stornoway are all covered in a thin layer of ash (if the rain hasn't already washed it off). The ash, from the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland, has stopped all air travel in Scotland. Planes in Orkney and Shetland were found to be covered with a layer of ash as well. An echo of the disruption from April last year (the below picture shows some of the ash on a car roof).

The high winds have caused havoc on the mainland, but these islands did not get off scotfree either. A lorry overturned off the A859 Tarbert to Stornoway road, about 7 miles north of Tarbert. The driver was airlifted to hospital in Stornoway with serious injuries. Judging by the state of his cab, shown on TV images, he is lucky to come out of that alive.

Local people were alerted to a scam letter, where the residents of a house were advised that a relative, named Gilbert [surname of resident], had died in China, leaving $9,8m. And of course you have to email, fax, write to some dodgy address in Hong Kong to claim your cut. I'm used to seeing that c**p in email, it does not regularly turn up here.

Cruiseship NG Explorer, entering port this evening

Monday 23 May

Although the calendar says late May, the weather was more like November today. After lashing rain overnight, the morning cleared to a rising gale. Winds got up to 40 mph, gusting to 70 mph; but down at Malin Head, the northwestern cape of Ireland, there was a 60 mph storm, with gusts to 80 mph. In central Scotland, countless trees and power cables were brought down, leading to serious travel disruption and powercuts. Here in Stornoway, we lost power between 7.15 and 7.50. One person died when his vehicle was crushed by a falling tree. Ferries were cancelled up and down the west coast, although our ferry ploughed on through the force 8 winds, eventually arriving at 9.30 this evening, more than an hour behind schedule.

Although the weather was severe here, it was nothing as compared to the tornado that devastated Joplin, MO, in the USA. More than 100 people are now known to have been killed, and more than 1000 injured. The town is largely destroyed.

So Obama sipped a pint in a pub in Ireland. Volcanic ash clouds prompted his early departure for England. Tomorrow, there will be no flights from Stornoway Airport in the morning, or from any other hub outside the Central Belt [Glasgow / Edinburgh]. We're back to April last year, in other words. Hope this stops soon; I'm due to fly in a fortnight's time.

Sunday 22 May

A slightly better day than yesterday, with good sunny spells - interspersed with showers. Still breezy, and that will only get worse. Tomorrow, we are on warning for galeforce winds with gusts up to 80 mph. I think the Philippines can expect a bit more than that by the weekend, with the north of Luzon Island going up to 125 mph gusting to 155 mph. The name of the typhoon is Songda, the first of the 2011 season. However, it won't be the winds that will be the killer in the Philippines, it will be the rainfall and attendant floods and landslides.

Went for a walk around town to try out my new GPS device, which dutyfully logged every step I took. It also claimed I walk at the breathtaking pace of 4.1 mph. Now, I do walk fast, but I also stop to take pictures. Nifty machine, and you can actually download your walked routes onto the PC. As soon as I have all the pieces of kit in place, I'll give that a whirl - hopefully by the end of the coming week. Which is also when I hope to have my new camera as well. The old one died on me this weekend, so I'm using a borrowed one until the new one arrives.

Saturday 21 May

Once more, a day of atrociously bad weather. Nothing but wind and rain, and very low temperatures. I'll have to wait for better weather to try out my new GPS device. And I've ordered a new camera, after my trusty old Olympus showed signs of imminent breakdown yesterday. I hope this Panasonic will do the job just as well. The Olympus took more than 31,600 pictures and videoclips over a period of 5 years and 3 months, and doesn't owe me a thing, even more so after two previous repairs.

A huge furore over a footballer (not my favourite breed) who objects to having his extra-marital romps put out to view on Twitter. Well, Mr CBT, you should have thought before humping the female in question. It has posed a question for the legal eagles of this world, because Twitter is on the Internet - like this blog - and therefore internationally viewed. Worse than that, the Wikileaks saga has taught us all that you only need to copy and copy and copy, and it is completely out of anybody's control. So, can the Internet be gagged? Nope.

The pilot whales in Loch Carnan appear to have gone there for a feed of octopus and a burp, and are now thought to be on their way out to sea. Hopefully.

Friday 20 May

Although we're moving into the latter third of May, the weather is more like March. I went to the shop around midday to buy a set of rechargeable batteries + charger, and it felt positively wintery. Later in the afternoon, hail and even show lashed against the windows. The cruiseliner that was promised for Tuesday actually did not turn up, and with the gale warnings in force for Saturday, the Lord of the Glens may not appear either.

A man from Aberdeenshire, Malcolm Webster, has been found guilty of the murder of his wife in 1994. At the time, he said he had crashed off the road, and the vehicle had caught fire. He had managed to escape, but his wife had not. In fact he had pushed the car into the undergrowth after drugging his wife, then set light to it. Webster tried the same trick to his next wife, in New Zealand, which proved to be his undoing. She lived to tell the tale of feeling drugged before that particular staged accident.

A pod of pilot whales, which normally roam the high seas, have turned up in Loch Carnan, South Uist. There are about 100 animals in the narrow loch, and some 20 are injured. It is thought that pilot whales beach themselves when injured or sick; and their strong family bonds mean that the others in the group will follow suit. Last year, a similar group was freed from Loch Carnan, but turned up dead on a beach in County Donegal, Ireland a few days later. Donegal is about 150 miles south of the Hebrides.

Thursday 19 May - evening notes

The day has turned into a very windy and cool affair, with occasional heavy showers. The TV news reports from Stornoway on the subject of coastguard reform showed the weather conditions beautifully.

I apologise in advance for any distress caused by my comments, below, on the subject of rape.
The UK Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, has been trying to remove the foot from his mouth, where he put it yesterday. Mr Clarke suggested that there were some forms of rape, which were less serious than others. One example was of a girl of 15 (below the age of consent), who would willingly have sex with an older man - which is technically rape. However, there was a huge outcry of the suggestion that rape be downplayed under any pretext. Mr Clarke was attacked in parliament on the issue, and has been asked to apologise and even resign. He has done neither - he has only said he could have chosen his words better. Mr Clarke seems to be unaware of the extreme distress caused by rape to the victim, and as he is the man responsible for the administration of justice, he really should apologise. Or quit. I have very little time for government ministers who show themselves so far removed from the reality of life away from Whitehall.

Thursday 19 May

A morning post, just for a change.
The route that the Olympic Torch will take across the UK next year was announced yesterday. The Isle of Lewis will see it on July 11th, but the relevant page on the London 2012 website only highlights sights-to-see in the town of Stornoway, and omitting the Callanish Stones - although a picture of them does feature on the page.

Osama bin Laden has spoken from beyond the grave. Well, Al-Qa'eda have released a video of him recorded before he was killed on May 2nd. An analyst has pointed out that Al-Qa'eda and the USA both wanted to get rid of the tyrannical regimes of Egypt and Tunisia - but the outcome desired by the protagonists is vastly different. The USA is hoping for western-style democracies (see that happening in a hurry??), Al-Qa'eda wants strict Islamic laws introduced (see that happening in a hurry??).

The Select Committee on Transport is currently sitting in Stornoway, to hear evidence about the proposed changes to the Coastguard service. Only for the UK Transport Secretary to announce that the proposals have been ditched, and something else will be thought out. Goes to show what pester power can do - an long-running campaign has been fought against the reduction in CG services.