Friday 26 October - picture post

Friday 26 October

A very cold day, with the mercury barely at 5C / 41F, and flurries of snow in the morning. As the sun attempted to warm things up, these turned to hail and finally ceased after lunchtime. At time of posting (10pm), there is heavy snow in the northeast of Scotland, with hazardous driving conditions reported from the area around Braemar.The highlevel route over the Clisham, in North Harris, was also quoted as being under a thin layer of snow.

The east coast of the USA is preparing itself for the arrival of hurricane or tropical storm Sandy, which is presently leaving the Bahamas. It is feared that the storm could bring winds of 70 mph and around 6 inches of rainfall - damage of $1bn is anticipated.

So, you have this old tin of rabbit poison. If this comes in touch with moisture, it will release cyanide gas and that could kill you. How do you get rid of it? Contact a depot and they advise you to wrap it in plastic and send it off to them. Let's vacuum wrap it and then it's all secure. Hitch up the vacuum cleaner hose to the plastic bag containing the tin. Woops, the vacuum draws out the powder from the cracked lid and blows it right into the room you're in! The rest, as they say, is history.

Warning of winter

The last leaves gently float down from the trees
Their dried out husks rustle along the ground
in the cold autumn wind, gathering up
in sheltered corners

Proud stand the clouds, with their white crowns
Robes of white and grey flowing
Rain? No, hail and snow, bitterly cold
The north wind carries a deep bite

Slush in secluded corners from
forgotten hailstones, which have omitted
to melt and will freeze
after the setting of the wan sun

A ribbon of black slopes gradually up
angling over the broad shoulders
of the dark grey mountains
No slush here, just a layer of snow

Go carefully, follow the tracks
if not already filled in by new snow
Here where it's high up, winter has come
But it's yet shy of the seashore

Up by the tops, wearing a trial bonnet
of unwashed white
the winds howl unimpeded
shouting an early warning

Come morning, autumn will have returned
No whites, just dark greens, browns and greys
But for how long?
Until winter truly comes.

Thursday 25 October

Last night, someone at Uig Lodge in Timsgarry (some 35 miles west of here) decided to get rid of some old rabbit poison (containing cyanide), but got into contact with the stuff. He was driven towards town, but was intercepted by the emergency services, who set up a mobile decontamination unit in the middle of the road between Achmore and Leurbost, forcing traffic to divert along the Pentland Road. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

Today saw a transition to markedly colder weather. Although we have the sun back, the moderate northerly wind made the 7C / 45F we had on the thermometer today made it feel a lot colder.

Down in the Caribbean, hurricane Sandy claimed two lives (one in Jamaica, another in Cuba) as it strengthened on passing over both islands. Maximum sustained winds are at 105 mph. The storm will now weaken, but still be a hurricane as it bears down on the Mid Atlantic states and New England in the USA. Oops.

Today's poem (Bridge to Bosta) is a reference to a true story associated with Great Bernera. I wrote it in cooperation with the lady's family, and have their permission to publish the photograph on the entry on this blog. The pic is also shown on my Facebook feed (which has restricted access), but not on the Facebook page on which I publish the poems.

The bridge to Bosta

Two planks across the rowing boat
A motor car perched precariously
The ferryman rows ponderously
Across the narrow strait with fast flowing water

To work she came, the new nurse for Bernera
Only just on the island an urgent call came
To the house by little Tobson
A young lad lay drowned, claimed by the sea

To no avail did she work to bring him to life
The spirit of life was long gone
A sadness enveloped that house
Close by the double beach

Four times they have tried now
Ever foiled by the tidal currents
Will it work this time round
To drive the bridge’s pillars into the seabed?

The bridge is in place, its engineer proud
The ferryman’s out of a job
Cross the narrows to the Tir Mor
With dry feet and no fear of water

The bridge engineer took the nurse as his wife
And took her far far away
Over the bridge to Tir Mor
And beyond the shores of this land

Never would she reside there again
However much she yearned to one day
Cast her gaze over the wild beach at Bosta
And once more call it home

From the Southern Cross to North Star
Was her last journey beyond this life
The road ended at Bosta
Where now her spirit remains

In memory of Peggy Macleod, 1927-1989

Tir Mor is the local name for the area of “mainland” Lewis south of the Bernera Bridge, containing the villages of Lundale, Crulivig and Earshader.

Hurricane update - 25 October

Hurricane Sandy is leaving Cuba behind, having dumped more than 3 inches of rain in parts of the island. The storm passed directly over Santiago de Cuba at 0400 GMT today (8 hours ago at time of posting), with barometric pressure at 960 mbar, the official reading also quoted by the NHC. The Cuban weather service shows winds of 140 km/h (just below 90 mph) at Cabo Lucrecia, 60 miles north northwest of Guantanamo Bay.

Sandy will now proceed north to the Bahamas, which are on warning for a storm surge of 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 metres) above normal tidal levels. The 90 mph winds at Cabo Lucrecia suggest the storm has not weakened and could reintensify further en-route to the Bahamas.

The US state of Florida could get a side-swipe from Sandy as it passes 100 to 200 miles to its east.

Three-hourly updates through the NHC.

Hurricane update - 24 October

Hurricane Sandy passed within 5 miles of Kingston, Jamaica, at 1900 GMT today. Winds of 80 mph occurred in the vicinity of the centre, and the storm will maintain that strength during the 200 mile crossing to Cuba. Having weakened due to the effects of land, Sandy will then reintensify over the Bahamas before transforming into a non-tropical depression. Whether this will affect the US east coast is as yet uncertain.

Tropical storm Son-tinh is passing through the Philippine islands, but once clear of those landmasses will balloon into a typhoon with winds of 90 mph. This system will continue on its present northwesterly course, and will make landfall near Hanoi, Vietnam, in 4 days' time.

Tropical cyclone 01A has formed east of the Horn of Africa, and will make landfall there tomorrow with winds of 55 mph. The rain that this storm brings will be most welcome in the Somali desert around there.

Wednesday 24 October

Overcast with only a few chinks of brightness amongst the clouds. Consequently, no nice cloudscapes, just drab, grey ones. So therefore not dozens of pics of them today. Tomorrow should be better, but a lot colder than the 11C we had today.

At the moment, hurricane Sandy is blasting across Jamaica, with its capital, Kingston, taking a close-up view of the storm. The system will continue north towards eastern Cuba, the Bahamas with the southeast of Florida getting a side-swipe. There is debate among forecasters what will happen once Sandy transforms into a "normal" depression; it is feared that it could head north and strafe the US east coast with force 11 winds.

The annual poppy appeal has been launched, to coincide with the 94th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice. This year, November 11th will fall on a Sunday, making it a true Remembrance Sunday. I am continuing with my compilation of information on the WW1 casualties from this island; the work is not complete (I'm about halfway); and even after I have completed my look-ups, there is still more information that could be added. I have suggested in certain quarters that the Roll of Honour for this island could be republished, but I don't know if that will be taken up. The original Roll, published in 1921, is not free of errors and oversights, but would take a monumental effort to revise, requiring input from the various historical societies in Lewis. The problem there lies in money and manpower. I would think that a small share of the £50m allocated to the WW1 centenary in 2014 by PM David Cameron might be helpful. However, that's not for me to decide.

Bosta

Deep blue seas hurrying through
a narrow channel to the next island
None left there as permanent residents
Only the markers to those gone before

The village in the sand was stirred
by violent winds from the present age
what did it look like, they wanted to know
only guesswork

Yielding an edifice that's stood
the test of time, but failed the one of modernity
Above the sands and past the river
None now live there, others come admiring

A dark storm looms from the northwest
The islands fade in the squalls of winter
Reappearing in blinding clearances
in a white wreath of flying foam

From small to larger the people were moved
To the township southeast, round the minister's manse
Further southeast more ancient a temple
Not to the sun but for observing the moon

Long gone have the people who erected the stones
Long gone are those driven away
At the whim of a minion, not caring
but for his master's pocket

Only the beach now remains
With the islands beyond
And the memory of those gone before
At Bosta

Hurricane update - 23 October

Tropical storm Sandy formed yesterday and is now moving north towards Jamaica. At present, the system is still 260 miles to the south of that Caribbean island, but will reach it tomorrow at hurricane force, with winds in excess of 75 mph. After traversing Jamaica, it will be the turn of eastern Cuba, parts of which are (with Jamaica) on a hurricane warning. Sandy will then move over the Bahamas, which will see the storm below hurricane force, but there is not much difference between winds of 70 and 60 knots.

Tropical depression 24W (locally named Ofel) has formed to the southeast of Manila in the Philippines. The system will reach tropical storm strength as it passes just north of Mindanao, through the Visayas and past southern Luzon. Although the winds do not appear to be much of a problem, rain will be. The mountainous terrain of the Philippine islands tends to lead to flash floods and mud slides which are life-threatening.

Somalia should be keeping an eye on a tropical disturbance (95B) which is slipping across the Arabian Sea from southern India and has a high (> 50%) likelihood of becoming a tropical cyclone. If it does, it is likely to die a death over Cape Guardafui (also known as the Horn of Africa) which is a desert area. Like in the adjacent Arabian peninsula, tropical cyclones tend to be welcome in northeast Africa for the rain they bring. 

Tuesday 23 October - picture post

Tuesday 23 October

The day started off quite foggy, but this lifted after sunrise, 8.30 am. Afterwards, it stayed bright and sunny right throughout the day. Even when darkness fell, there was hardly a cloud in the sky.

Over on the mainland, an accident closed the road between Inverness and Ullapool, from where the ferry to Stornoway sails. This resulted in delays to traffic seeking to catch the 5.35pm ferry. Calmac showed consideration by delaying this sailing until 8.30pm. It is now due in at 11.15pm. Three hours late, but better late than not until next morning.

I omitted to mention that last week saw the 120th edition of the Royal National Mod in Dunoon. At that event, the schools in the Western Isles did very well, scooping up several awards. The 2016 Mod will be held here in Stornoway, after visits to Paisley next year, Inverness in 2014 and Oban in 2015. It is a showcase for Gaelic culture, not just singing or music. The Mod programme also includes shinty matches and readings of prose. As far as the singing goes, marks are not only awarded for the musical qualities, but also Gaelic pronounciation.

Gaelic is a language that is only a distant relation to English, but several Gaelic words have crept into common usage in English. The word galore (gu leoir) is the best-known example. I do not speak Gaelic, and only know a handful of words. I am familiar though with the Gaelic version of placenames in Lewis and Harris. Although these may appear like a bad bout of alphabet soup (e.g. Gearraidh na h-Aibhne), if you know the rules on pronounciation and can manage the guttural CH (as in LOCH) you'll do fine. To me, the Gaelic names make more sense than the Anglicised versions.

Foggy morning

Wreathing in white and not a sound
Except the intermittent blaring horn
Damp and dank, hiding all
Visibility nil, humidity high

Light increases from the dawn
A wading bird's warbling call
The steady chugging of an engine
But not a thing in sight

The eastern horizon turns golden
The sun arises, and in scorn
rips a tear in the pale white blanket
showing a nearby hillside, part exposed

Slowly, steadily the tears increase
As familiar landmarks reappear
A ship closing in to dock
The quayside with its bollards too

Last to reemerge for distance
The monument on the hilltop yonder
Whilst the lighthouse in bemusement
Watches over the dissipating cloud

Quickly now the wisps disperse
Hiding in the moorland's folds
But even there the sun will come
Victorious into a golden day

The BBC after Jimmy Savile

I just want to put into words my sentiments after the recent revelations of Jimmy Savile, late TV personality and newly discovered predatory sex offender. Apart from the complete destruction of Savile's reputation as a fund-raiser of impeccable morals, it has also inflicted serious damage on the BBC's reputation - succinctly summarised by the organisation's byname of "Auntie Beeb".

Jimmy Savile, who died in November 2011 aged 86, is now known to have abused (vulnerable) children over a period stretching from the late 1950s until near the time of his death. Allegations, suspicions and rumours were never far from the star, and questions were asked - even to Savile himself - but never fully investigated or followed up. I cannot imagine what his victims had to go through over the decades to watch their tormentor persuing his career (both charitable and predatory) with impunity. Shortly after his death, an investigation by the BBC's Newsnight programme found creditable evidence of Savile's wrongdoing - but was inexplicably shelved at a day's notice. A few weeks later, on Boxing Day last year, a massive tribute was broadcast. But it was not until ITV broadcast the investigation that the BBC's Newsnight was barred from airing, earlier this month [I did not see it as I was in Holland at the time], that the cat finally came out of the bag.

To my mind, there was an attitude around (not just at the BBC) that Jimmy Savile was invulnerable, nobody could touch him - as he himself said in one interview. It does not say much good about attitudes at the broadcaster that this was allowed to continue for five decades. However, I have heard of at least one other person with a similar 'aura': Ratko Mladic, the erstwhile commander of the Bosnian Serb forces when overrunning the enclave at Srebrenica in 1995. Although there were dozens of armed UN soldiers around, nobody was able to put a bullet into Mladic - on account of the personality he radiated. And the same applies to Jimmy Savile.

This comes hard on the heels of an investigation into an event during the 1984/5 miners' strike, when a picket at the Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield was violently dispersed with excessive force by South Yorkshire Police. This was condoned by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who referred to the strikers as 'the enemy within'. At the time, the BBC faithfully broadcast a version of events that has now turned out to be biased against the miners.

In the 1980s, I regularly listened to BBC Radio 4 on longwave, living in Holland at the time. The BBC World Service was another source of information for me, and it had a reputation for unbiased, free and fair reporting. I extrapolated that to the whole of the BBC's output, but I don't think that was quite justified. The attitudes towards Jimmy Savile, compounded by the Orgreave revelations have damaged the broadcaster's integrity. The performance by the Director General, Mr Entwistle, this morning, did nothing to assuage my misgivings, in fact strengthened them.

Monday 22 October

7 am this morning, and the string of lights to the right is the ferry departing for Ullapool. There was a beginning of light in the sky to the east, but this had not yet spread further. An hour later, another gorgeous day had broken, with bright sunshine and only a little cloud.Out of the wind the sun is still warm, and the thermometer peaked at 13C / 55F this afternoon. Put some bulbs into pots for next spring, and let's hope that the oncoming cold spell doesn't do them any harm. By the end of the week, we'll be deep into single figures (around 40F) with snow on the mountains, and no immediate end in sight to some cold weather.

The promise

As colour fades from the evening sky
A promise of renewal the next day
Whether sunny, cloudy, rain or snow
Colour will return another morn

The last leaf drifts down to earth
Nuts litter the woodland ground
A promise of renewal the next year
Life will return another day

Winter cold approaches from the north
As daylight hours diminish by the day
Soon white will dominate the land
Accentuating what colour is left

As snow blankets the sleeping soil
And fierce winds strafe the land
Green curtains flow in the distant north
And stars are seen for longer than the sun

But when winter's grasp seems fiercest
Unbreakable it would seem
Green tips pierce the frozen soil
And delicate blooms emerge

From underneath the warm white layer
The promise is fulfilled
And soon the winter cold takes flight
With light and colour restored

Eventually day and night equal in length
The snow retreats to the mountain tops
Life recurs, gambolling in play
As lambs fulfil the promise of life

Sunday 21 October

Another cool but bright day, after some overnight rain. The leaves are falling off the trees now, having turned all shades of green, brown, yellow or red in the process. Went for a short amble over to Goat Island and round the power station this afternoon, and even on that relatively treeless stretch came across a few expressions of autumn. The forecast says we can expect a foretaste of winter by the end of the coming week, with snow on the hills and sleet at lower levels. Well, November isn't far off now, and summer a distant memory. The ferries and buses in our neck of the woods have now gone to winter timetabling; no major changes on the ferry to and from Ullapool, but there are fewer buses around. Usually. The problem is that the winter timetables for the buses have not yet been published. Yesterday was the last day of the Royal National Mod in Dunoon, across the Clyde from Gourock (west of Glasgow), which really signals the end of the season. From now on, all will be hunkering down for winter, and once the clocks go back next Sunday morning, the winter half-year will really have started.

In the below pics, the black and white boat is the local pilot boat. It has been laid up on the slipway since about July, when they found her to be springing a leak. On Friday, I discovered that the Monaco (last reported sunk at her berth) had been refloated alongside the Cromwell Street Quay.

The boat

Sailing the waters of the far northwest
Braving the elements, fair and foul
Guarding the lives of all on board
Bringing their livelihood safely to shore

Aided by motorpower, perhaps earlier sail
A net from the stern, or a line athwart
Hooks to catch mackerel
A creel for some crabs, or a lobster

Within sight of Suilven, Stac Polly or An Teallach
The Clisham a beacon, high up in Harris
Bowing for the blue men of Shiant
Or bucking in the Atlantic swell

Hastily brought in for that storm of a lifetime
Tethered on a mooring, in safety they thought
Found crashed on the boulders
When the storm had blown itself out

Many's a time I walked by on Goat Island
Ever more pieces went missing each time
Until only the bow remained on the strand
And finally only its soul, winging away to the Minch

Dusk

The crescent moon rides
high in the sunset skies
cloudstreams far above
appear motionless

Reflected in the sea
not ruffled by movement
winking into the night
a reassurance from the lighthouse

A bird slowly glides past
looking for its last meal of the day
Nothing to be seen
darkness is nigh

Wisps of mist slowly drift by
gliding over the water
ghostly appearances
from the now faded day

The hunter now rises
chasing the bull
his two hounds faithful
close by to his east

As he moves to the west
will daybreak ensue
But what will that bring?
Only time will tell

Saturday 20 October

A beautiful, sunny day but not feeling very warm. The daytime max was 11C, but as I type this (9.30pm), the mercury has plummeted to freezing. Hope the bulbs I put in pots will keep well, although said pots are right against a wall. Things are quiet in the tropics, except for the Caribbean Sea where a tropical disturbance (prosaically named 99L) is threatening rain to the islands of Hispaniola, Cuba and the Bahamas over the next few days.

Today was good for cloudscapes, so I'll share a few pics of those.



Apart from clouds, these pics clearly show the great weather we're having at the moment. Leaving the temps to one side, what's that, autumn?

 

The internees

It seemed like such a good idea
Sign up for the reserves
Already at sea most of the time
An old salt could learn new tricks

More out than in past Arnish
Down by the Shiants
Up near Rona
Sidle up to the Atlantic, unbeatable

Go on exercise every once in a while
Get a nice sum every year
A retainer for being ready
To drop all for king and country

Well, they shot that man way out yonder
And now the world's gone mad
I've got to go down to England
Train up for the real shooting stuff

What's this, I'm told, we're in a Division?
Not at sea but on land
Mr Churchill says so, he's our boss
Down to old Antwerp, halt Jerry Hun

Not in your wildest dreams, we're going back west
Where's that train, oh dear we've missed it
The CO says go north, boys
Let's take our luck, head up into Holland

So here we are in the land of the level
An old city, kind folk
They've got as little food as we get
Horsemeat is about the best we can expect

No fighting for us, we're interned
Some have escaped, back to Blighty they went
Others were let out to help with harvest at home
Came back, as they'd given their word

Hurray! war is over, peace for our time
But we haven't really fought, have we
Our kinsmen and friends fell valiantly
Whilst we chewed the cud in the Low Countries

No, won't mention this ever again

Friday 19 October

A nice, calm day after a very cold day. We went right down to freezing overnight, but awoke to bright sunshine.



In the afternoon, I went for an amble round the Castle Grounds to see how the autumn colours are getting along. Well, things are colouring nicely.



And the poetry is coming along nicely, thank you. The last one was inspired by the Lady Matheson Memorial overlooking the Outer Harbour.

The proprietor

A cupola and statue
Not far from his castle
Looking out east over the harbour
A man who made his mark

Now a marker of Remembrance
then a token of wealth
ruthlessly accumulated
the seedbox of the poppy, and its dried sap

A war was fabricated
in the distant Orient
over the trade in this soporific
this analgesic - this addictive

The benefactor, so hailed by some
Made many an improvement
But selective who would enjoy it
If you were in arrears, off in the boat you went

Decided by his managers
wearing more than thirty hats at once
an impressive act of balancing
an abuse of powers never seen before or since

An arbitrary power of eviction
not always based in law
exercised by those in his stead
compassion and empathy were alien to them

A mixed view from the modern times
of what some term a drugs baron
Others, one who put the island into modern times
Money talks, even to this day

The mill

Moved by the wind or the flowing of water
Grinding of corn, after dark
A meeting place for many in days long ago
None of them left, but in ruins or display

The water still flows, but passes them by
even restored, their wheels stand still
Not now do the villagers need their grinding done here
Far off machines supply all that they need

Only approved would they be allowed
If not, their stones to be broken
What more, the distilling of spirits
The water of life, from the black pot

Suddenly illegal, well, who is to stop
The still by the stream
In the back of the house
Don't breathe one word

Thursday 18 October

The day started with heavy showers and a strong northeasterly wind, but after midday, the rain ceased and gradually the sun started to come out. After sunset, the new moon was visible low over the southwesterly horizon. I read twenty pages from the Qu'ran and about 30 in my new chronological account about the First World War.

You'd think people would learn from an incident, but reports from the Coastguard in Essex would suggest otherwise. Near the town of Colchester, it is apparently possible to drive to Mersea Island, off the coast, via a causeway called The Strood. The only problem with this is that it gets flooded at high tide during springtides, which are occurring at the moment. So, yesterday someone got overtaken by water on The Strood, got out of their car and was swept away. Someone else managed to save the driver, but another seven vehicles also got into difficulties. The same happened today.

Looking on Streetview (see below), I could see no signage warning of flooding on this road, but I can only reiterate the Coastguard's advice to always heed the tides when near the sea.


View Larger Map

The storm

Dark grey and ominous, scudding by low
Sun breaking through, blinding brightness
Parallel lines streaking southwest
Pockmarking the water, running with tide

High in the sky towering tall
Deep freeze above, chilly below
A puddle now forms, where the drain is blocked
The pavement is washed, by each passing motorist

Tide rising high, through sun and moon opposing
Wind rising too, the equinox past
Angry white riders, rearing up tall
Crashing in fury, augmented by wind

The watery road is closed, as the spume flies
Tied up by the pierhead, lights dimmed
Wind rising higher, beyond Beaufort's scale
Soon triple digits, even in imperial

Stones, pebbles, spray, clatter from shore
The walls resonate with the onslaught
Are they still safe, will they keep us
No

Fleeing the elements into the darkness
From which they will never emerge
Sweet and salt water combine
And swept off to oblivion, five they were

That was a bad one, thank heavens it's daylight
My roof's gone, the barn's a wreck
Trees down, power is off
That's nothing.
Where are the five?

Wednesday 17 October

That was the start to the morning, and it stayed fairly bright all day. The northeasterly wind did nothing to warm things up, and we barely managed double figures. Overnight, the mainland saw a hard frost, with -9C / 16F being reported from deepest Aberdeenshire. Five hundred miles to the south, in London, the overnight low was 15C / 59F. The UK is a comparatively small country, but can certainly see some dramatic differences in weather. The Cairngorms (a mountain range with peaks over 4,000 feet, 30 miles south of Inverness) had their first covering of snow over the weekend. It's mid October, and we'll know about it.

It is also the week for springtides, which causes trouble for the ferry between Leverburgh and Berneray, 55 miles south of here. It cannot sail at low tide during springtide, because there is simply not enough (or just plain no) water in the channels of the Sound of Harris. At one point, the boat comes to a near full stop, makes a 90 degree turn on the spot, then proceeds. It is that tight. Low tide also offers me the opportunity to go down to the bottom of the basin across the way from me, and look for shellfish. Like in previous years, I did find some, but unlike previous years, they did not jump up and down on the tray. Scallops move around on the seabed by quickly opening and shutting their shells. These did not budge. Although not all of them will have been scallops (probably queen scallops), I was not going to chance eating them. You see the amount of growth (both seaweed and barnacle), so the content would have been decidedly off.



Earlier this week, the British Prime Minister and the Scottish First Minister signed an agreement to hold a referendum on independence for Scotland before the end of 2014. I have previously made my position clear on the issue: NO.