Saturday 3 July

Not a very good day in terms of weather - intermittent showers although the wind is slowly decreasing. The sun was out. Last night, our freight ferry Muirneag did not sail due to the unfavourable weather conditions. The result is, as always, empty shelves in the shop. Yesterday's ferry schedule was in tatters as well, when the late sailing by the Isle of Lewis was more than 2 hours late - it docked at 3 am! The next sailing was due out only 4 hours later. Just as well they have crew rotation on those ferries. Worse disruption exists on the Oban to Lochboisdale and Castlebay routes, 100 miles to the south, after the Clansman sprained its crankshaft, necessitating a lengthy spell in dry-dock. There aren't really any relief vessels, and what is available only has very limited capacity.


Muirneag


Isle of Lewis


Clansman

Friday 2 July

A very breezy day, with the wind blowing at force 5 to 6. A fishingboat had to be towed to safety by the lifeboat after losing power near Goat Island. Without assistance, the boat would have drifted onto the ferry pier, according to the Press & Journal. In the afternoon, I went to Sandwick Cemetery to photograph one particular grave momument - one that stands 8 feet tall. I previously only pictured the section that referred to a war casualty. The graveyard had recently been mowed, which made it look nice and tidy. Many of the gravestones are losing the legibility of their inscriptions. Back here in town, a gardening company has filled some of the tubs with nice flowers.

By the way, I prefer Stornoway's 19C to the 35C that my father is "enjoying" down in Holland. 


Flowery boat, Newton


Memorial at Sandwick Cemetery


Sandwick Bay