Another day of gradually changing weather, starting grey with some showers. Oh wow, we had some rain (0.03 inches). However, we are due some serious rainfall on Sunday, when the normal weather patterns finally return, after an absence of three months.
Today is the day that the weekly papers are published, and one of them had an interesting article, about a place called Tormore in Skye. It is a farmhouse, that was once home to the factor of landowner Lord Macdonald - and an unpleasant piece of work he was to his underlings. The historical appraisal started in 1920, but my interest goes back to the decades before 1883, when Lord Napier went around Skye to investigate the condition of the crofters and cottars there (as well as in other parts of Scotland). Lord Macdonald gave up his lands in 1920, by which time his factor had long gone the way of all flesh.
I have made steady progress through the Qu'ran. The English translation of the Muslim Holy Book that I have leaves me with the strong impression that it is a follow-up to the Bible. I'm not making that up; in one of the sura's [chapters], the Prophet states that God gave Man the Torah and Man did not take heed; then, God gave Man the Gospel, and Man did not take heed; God gave Man his teachings through his Prophet, and Man still is not taking heed. Furthermore, the Qu'ran quotes the same stories that occur in the Biblical Old Testament, refers to the same prophets and the same events. Why can't we regard the Qu'ran as a Third Testament? However, after more than 1400 years of ill feeling between Christianity and Islam, I don't think there is much chance of that.
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Wednesday 18 July
A cold feeling day, with this cold northeasterly breeze keeping the mercury down at 13C / 55F. And it really was the wind that made it feel very cold. Not a very welcoming climate for the cruise passengers on the cruiseliner Deutschland, which anchored off the Arnish Lighthouse this morning.
I have been amazed at the sudden interest in the UK in the Tour de France cycling race. It is a competitive race by professional cyclists, all over France. The reason is that the man in the yellow jersey (in first place) is a Brit. Well done to him. There is only a couple of days left of the race, which will terminate on the Champs Elysee in Paris on Sunday.
I am now approaching the one-third mark in my quest to find out, using my limited means, further information on the nearly 1300 men from the Isle of Lewis who lost their lives in the 1914-1919 war. The information is compiled into a website, supplementary to my main tribute site, Faces from the Lewis War Memorial. I am pleased to note that I occasionally find further information on some of the casualties. Tomorrow, I shall look into the men from the village of Aird Tong, numbering 15, who were lost. Aird Tong is a tiny hamlet on the outskirts of the slightly larger township of Tong, due north of Stornoway, on the far side of the Cockle Ebb, as shown below.
I have been amazed at the sudden interest in the UK in the Tour de France cycling race. It is a competitive race by professional cyclists, all over France. The reason is that the man in the yellow jersey (in first place) is a Brit. Well done to him. There is only a couple of days left of the race, which will terminate on the Champs Elysee in Paris on Sunday.
I am now approaching the one-third mark in my quest to find out, using my limited means, further information on the nearly 1300 men from the Isle of Lewis who lost their lives in the 1914-1919 war. The information is compiled into a website, supplementary to my main tribute site, Faces from the Lewis War Memorial. I am pleased to note that I occasionally find further information on some of the casualties. Tomorrow, I shall look into the men from the village of Aird Tong, numbering 15, who were lost. Aird Tong is a tiny hamlet on the outskirts of the slightly larger township of Tong, due north of Stornoway, on the far side of the Cockle Ebb, as shown below.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Tuesday 17 July
Quite a nice day, with some spells of sunshine, which served to lift the mercury to all of 17C / 63F. Compared to the stifling heatwave in the USA, this is of course nothing. What does remain a prominent feature of our weather is the lack of rain. Nothing today. The weatherman are suggesting that the jetstream may shift north, propelling rainbearing weathersystems our way. Well, seeing is believing. I'm not expecting anything major until the weekend. However, it is nice not having your flowers, shrubs and trees blown to bits by a gale, and it's even nicer not to have many midges. Those pests have been kept down by the lack of moisture, which has served to dry out the island's bogs.
I was horrified to hear of the find of a car under a landslip, which occurred 10 days ago in Dorset, SW England. The vehicle had been flattened by the landslip, which left it encased under many feet of mud and rubble at the entrance to a tunnel near Beaminster. Nobody had known that the car was under there, until its occupants began to be reported missing.
This evening, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my internet contacts in the flesh, after my help was enlisted by one of his friends who had a spot of bother making mobile phone contact. I had been in touch through the local blogs for several years.
I was horrified to hear of the find of a car under a landslip, which occurred 10 days ago in Dorset, SW England. The vehicle had been flattened by the landslip, which left it encased under many feet of mud and rubble at the entrance to a tunnel near Beaminster. Nobody had known that the car was under there, until its occupants began to be reported missing.
This evening, I had the pleasure of meeting one of my internet contacts in the flesh, after my help was enlisted by one of his friends who had a spot of bother making mobile phone contact. I had been in touch through the local blogs for several years.
Monday, 16 July 2012
Monday 16 July
Although the day started out a bit grey, the sun came out in the afternoon and as I type this (9.30pm) it is quite sunny. Once again, we're left with very little rain and the drought continues unabated. We need weeks and weeks of heavy rain, and it's not gonna happen in a hurry. The salmon should be running up the rivers at the moment, to spawn, but they are stuck at the tideline. Down at Garynahine, some 15 miles from Stornoway, the salmon are swimming round a pool, unable to get up the river.
My attention was drawn to a "Peace Camp" which will be in operation at Cliff Beach, Uig, Lewis, from July 19th to 22nd. The camp consists of a large number of tents with lights inside positioned at remote locations. The installation is accessible between sunset and sunrise, and here in Lewis that means between 9.30pm and 4.30am. You need to book a slot (of an hour) and present your booking slip at the gate. You must also bring outdoor gear and a torch. There are several other locations around the UK hosting peace camps, which are celebrating love poetry and landscape, to quote the website. It is possible to contribute poetry, imagery or music to the Peace Camp project. I'm not sure if I'll be traipsing the 35 miles to Cliff in the middle of the night to view this installation.
My attention was drawn to a "Peace Camp" which will be in operation at Cliff Beach, Uig, Lewis, from July 19th to 22nd. The camp consists of a large number of tents with lights inside positioned at remote locations. The installation is accessible between sunset and sunrise, and here in Lewis that means between 9.30pm and 4.30am. You need to book a slot (of an hour) and present your booking slip at the gate. You must also bring outdoor gear and a torch. There are several other locations around the UK hosting peace camps, which are celebrating love poetry and landscape, to quote the website. It is possible to contribute poetry, imagery or music to the Peace Camp project. I'm not sure if I'll be traipsing the 35 miles to Cliff in the middle of the night to view this installation.
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Sunday 15 July
A quiet day, as per usual on Sunday. The Hebridean Celtic Festival is over, the last performances took place last night. The big tent remains on the lawn of Lews Castle, but will probably be taken down tomorrow. The area around it is fenced off and closed to the public as all the equipment is still on site. I went for a walk round to the Castle, and was able to walk down the shore road to Cuddy Point. It being Sunday, the area was busy with walkers and cyclists.
Tributes have been flooding in since yesterday in memory of Fr Calum Maclellan, the parish priest of Eriskay. Although he is known to many as one of the three priests featured in the Island Parish TV series, his achievements span many of his 86 years.
The drought conditions have sparked another major wildfire, this time just outside the village of North Tolsta, some 15 miles northeast of Stornoway on the east coast of the island. In contrast to the rest of the UK, the Outer Hebrides are crying out for rain, which has been in short supply since the middle of May. We have only had about an inch of rain over two months. A month ago, four wildfires wreaked havoc in the Castle Grounds.
The fire was in the area of woodland, shown at the centre of the map below.
Tributes have been flooding in since yesterday in memory of Fr Calum Maclellan, the parish priest of Eriskay. Although he is known to many as one of the three priests featured in the Island Parish TV series, his achievements span many of his 86 years.
The drought conditions have sparked another major wildfire, this time just outside the village of North Tolsta, some 15 miles northeast of Stornoway on the east coast of the island. In contrast to the rest of the UK, the Outer Hebrides are crying out for rain, which has been in short supply since the middle of May. We have only had about an inch of rain over two months. A month ago, four wildfires wreaked havoc in the Castle Grounds.
The fire was in the area of woodland, shown at the centre of the map below.
Saturday, 14 July 2012
Saturday 14 July
Happy Quatorze Juillet to all in France; 223 years ago today, revolutionaries stormed the infamous Bastille prison in Paris, and razed it to the ground. It commenced what later became known as the French Revolution, which ended up devouring one of the men that started it, Robespierre. The last King and Queen of France lost their heads in the Revolution - through indecisiveness, as it later turned out.
Today is the last day of the Hebridean Celtic Festival, and the town is bustling with people playing the bagpipes, a harp and what not on the streets. Tonight, another set of bands will play in the big tent on the Castle Lawn; yesterday's performances were part televised, but I was underwhelmed to be honest. Until last year, Festival Saturday was also the date of the Lewis Highland Games, which were held in the village of Tong, 4 miles outside Stornoway on the road to Tolsta. Unfortunately, the organisers could no longer afford to meet the legal requirements and decided to pull the plug on the Games at their AGM last January.
When you live in an island, you have to be inventive. That was in evidence in the first week of July, when the gangway to the ferry broke down. New parts were needed, so people turned to Ebay to get these; other parts were fabricated by Lews Castle College. So, now foot passengers can walk on board via the covered gangway, sheltered from the rain (what rain???); rather than via the vehicle ramp.
A little while ago, the sad news reached me that the parish priest for Eriskay, Fr Calum Maclellan, has passed away at the age of about 84. Fr Calum served Eriskay for many years, and featured in two series of An Island Parish on BBC television. He was a man of character, hugely respected and loved in the Southern Isles. May he rest in peace, now that he has gone home.
Today is the last day of the Hebridean Celtic Festival, and the town is bustling with people playing the bagpipes, a harp and what not on the streets. Tonight, another set of bands will play in the big tent on the Castle Lawn; yesterday's performances were part televised, but I was underwhelmed to be honest. Until last year, Festival Saturday was also the date of the Lewis Highland Games, which were held in the village of Tong, 4 miles outside Stornoway on the road to Tolsta. Unfortunately, the organisers could no longer afford to meet the legal requirements and decided to pull the plug on the Games at their AGM last January.
When you live in an island, you have to be inventive. That was in evidence in the first week of July, when the gangway to the ferry broke down. New parts were needed, so people turned to Ebay to get these; other parts were fabricated by Lews Castle College. So, now foot passengers can walk on board via the covered gangway, sheltered from the rain (what rain???); rather than via the vehicle ramp.
A little while ago, the sad news reached me that the parish priest for Eriskay, Fr Calum Maclellan, has passed away at the age of about 84. Fr Calum served Eriskay for many years, and featured in two series of An Island Parish on BBC television. He was a man of character, hugely respected and loved in the Southern Isles. May he rest in peace, now that he has gone home.
Friday, 13 July 2012
Friday 13 July
Friday the 13th. Well, it certainly wasn't a good start of the day on Highland roads. A lorry went up in a fierce blaze on the A9 near Aviemore. The A835 Inverness to Ullapool road was blocked at Aultguish for a couple of hours following an accident, prompting a detour of 100 miles through Gairloch - not good for ferry traffic. Because today is the second day of the Hebridean Celtic Festival here in Stornoway. About 15,000 people have descended on our wee town, but to be honest, the line-up doesn't do it for me. I am typing this, watching live coverage on the Gaelic TV channel BBC Alba. And I'm singularly not impressed.
Rangers FC of Glasgow look set to play in the lowest division of the Scottish football league in the new season, which starts in August. They were demoted from the top flight after going bust - as a result of not paying tax. They were more than £100 million in the red.
I was saddened to hear of the death of nine climbers on Mont Maudit (near Mt Blanc) in France. They were killed in an avalanche yesterday morning at 5.30 am local time. At the time, there had been high wind conditions, which are known to be a contributing factor for avalanches to occur. Those on the climb were experienced and well equipped mountaineers, and the 9 deaths are attributed to an accident. I know, from my own experience, that mountains should be treated with respect, and any hazards anticipated and their risk assessed. But still, even the most experienced can get caught out - one of the dead was a former general secretary in the British Mountaineering Council.
Rangers FC of Glasgow look set to play in the lowest division of the Scottish football league in the new season, which starts in August. They were demoted from the top flight after going bust - as a result of not paying tax. They were more than £100 million in the red.
I was saddened to hear of the death of nine climbers on Mont Maudit (near Mt Blanc) in France. They were killed in an avalanche yesterday morning at 5.30 am local time. At the time, there had been high wind conditions, which are known to be a contributing factor for avalanches to occur. Those on the climb were experienced and well equipped mountaineers, and the 9 deaths are attributed to an accident. I know, from my own experience, that mountains should be treated with respect, and any hazards anticipated and their risk assessed. But still, even the most experienced can get caught out - one of the dead was a former general secretary in the British Mountaineering Council.
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Thursday 12 July
Quite a nice day, with good sunny spells. A northeasterly breeze did not prevent the mercury from rising to 15C / 59F. As I type this, the sun has just set, and cloud appears to be increasing. But no rain is in the forecast. Our drought continues.
Three hundred and twenty-four years ago today, the Battle of the Boyne was fought in Ireland. It was basically between Protestants and Roman Catholics, and the strife continues to date. King William of Orange, who had come over from the Low Countries to assume the English throne, had made it his life's work to fight the popery - and his good offices (sarcasm alert) continue to reverberate in 2012. In Northern Ireland, the day is marked by marches by the Orange Order. I refer to this Wikipedia article for further details.
The wee house on Shell Street has disappeared, and is now just a small heap of rubble. Lorries arrived by mid afternoon to cart it all away, and very shortly, it will become an area of hard standing for tanker lorries on the adjacent fuel depot. I don't think the Maclean family, who inhabited the premises between roughly 1861 and 1891, would have expected their domicile to be reduced to a pile of rubble at any stage.
The pictures I put up yesterday were in demand by the local paper today, as their own photographer turned up after the last walls had been knocked down.
Three hundred and twenty-four years ago today, the Battle of the Boyne was fought in Ireland. It was basically between Protestants and Roman Catholics, and the strife continues to date. King William of Orange, who had come over from the Low Countries to assume the English throne, had made it his life's work to fight the popery - and his good offices (sarcasm alert) continue to reverberate in 2012. In Northern Ireland, the day is marked by marches by the Orange Order. I refer to this Wikipedia article for further details.
The wee house on Shell Street has disappeared, and is now just a small heap of rubble. Lorries arrived by mid afternoon to cart it all away, and very shortly, it will become an area of hard standing for tanker lorries on the adjacent fuel depot. I don't think the Maclean family, who inhabited the premises between roughly 1861 and 1891, would have expected their domicile to be reduced to a pile of rubble at any stage.
The pictures I put up yesterday were in demand by the local paper today, as their own photographer turned up after the last walls had been knocked down.
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Wednesday 11 July
You may wonder what the connection is between these two pics, but it has to do with the house on the right in the left-hand picture (taken in May 2011). This, as planned, is now being pulled down as well. It has very thick walls, and in the early part of the 20th century stood right on the shoreline. There were steps leading down from the frontdoor.
It was a mainly overcast day today, with occasional showers and not too cold. Went for an amble around town, but found it not to be overly busy this afternoon. It's the Hebridean Celtic Festival this week, and its first concert is tomorrow, Thursday. I do not have tickets for any of the concerts, as none of it really tickles my fancy this year. The main stage is inside this striped tent, located outside Lews Castle (which you can see in the background)
I happened to pass the Festival Office on Church Street, where festival goers were queueing out the door to get tickets. Admittedly, the shop is a small affair, even smaller than the premises they had rented last year. If memory serves, it is actually the Jehovah's Witnesses' place.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
Tuesday 10 July
The day commenced grey and overcast, and we had a spell of drizzle for an hour or so between 11 and 12. This started just as the competitors in the Sail Stornoway "Coronation Cup 1902" set sail for Cromore and Bayble. When I went to the Coastguard Station to take pictures, I could hardly make out the white sails against the grey sky, so the pics from the house have to suffice.
Tomorrow will see a Sail in Company to Bayble, some 5 miles east of Stornoway, followed by a barbeque on the beach and the adjacent pier.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is set to take off on Thursday, with quite a few well (and not so well) known bands playing in the big blue tent by the Castle, and in venues across town. This is the 17th edition of the festival, and once more, many thousands are flocking to these shores. I expect tomorrow's three sailings from Ullapool to be packed out, and cross my fingers that the ferry doesn't break down. It's been doing that a few times too many of late.
Tomorrow will see a Sail in Company to Bayble, some 5 miles east of Stornoway, followed by a barbeque on the beach and the adjacent pier.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is set to take off on Thursday, with quite a few well (and not so well) known bands playing in the big blue tent by the Castle, and in venues across town. This is the 17th edition of the festival, and once more, many thousands are flocking to these shores. I expect tomorrow's three sailings from Ullapool to be packed out, and cross my fingers that the ferry doesn't break down. It's been doing that a few times too many of late.
Monday, 9 July 2012
Monday 9 July
A bright day with sunny intervals and some 1-minute spells of light rain. We have had the grand total of 9 mm of rain this month so far, whereas Edinburgh had nearly 100 mm in the same period. In other words, our drought conditions basically continue.
The main event of the day was a bit of a damp squib, with the Entrance of the Fleet consisting of barely half a dozen sailing craft assembling near the lighthouse, 45 minutes late. I was installed on Goat Island at 4pm, but there was this chilly northerly breeze and no boats. OK, to give them credit, here is my best pic.
I suppose I'm disappointed because, a year ago, we had sights like this moving up and down the harbour.
The main event of the day was a bit of a damp squib, with the Entrance of the Fleet consisting of barely half a dozen sailing craft assembling near the lighthouse, 45 minutes late. I was installed on Goat Island at 4pm, but there was this chilly northerly breeze and no boats. OK, to give them credit, here is my best pic.
I suppose I'm disappointed because, a year ago, we had sights like this moving up and down the harbour.
Sunday 8 July
An overcast, grey and very wet day today. Not much to write about, apart from Murray mania, which ended at 6.15pm when the Dunblane-born tennis star was eclipsed by his Swiss opponent. He'll live to fight another day. I watched a few more episode of Star Trek - The Next Generation, which I always like to watch. I'm normally averse to 'crap science', but I make an exception for this series, which presents it well. I also sometimes watch cop shows, in which cameras ride along with police officers on the beat. High-speed car chases, drunks and booze-fuelled mayhem - but one episode also showed how officers from Wiltshire police accompanied a hearse, carrying a fallen serviceman, through the town of Royal Wootton Bassett en-route to the final resting place. Wootton Bassett was awarded Royal status after its residents turned out in force to pay homage to the dead servicemen who had been repatriated to RAF Lyneham - each and every time. The casualties from the Afghan war now come through a different airfield, but Wootton Bassett quite rightly gained royal approbation.
This week will see the Hebridean Celtic Festival, and the ferry was bulging with festival goers on Saturday. Musicians have flocked to the Festival as well, and will be playing in jam sessions across the town through the week. The Heb Celt Fest runs concurrently with Sail Hebrides, and on Monday, we'll have prime position to witness the entry of the fleet [of sailing ships] at Glumag Harbour. Long term readers of this blog will realise that this body of water lies a quarter of a mile away from my position, within line of sight from the front window.
This week will see the Hebridean Celtic Festival, and the ferry was bulging with festival goers on Saturday. Musicians have flocked to the Festival as well, and will be playing in jam sessions across the town through the week. The Heb Celt Fest runs concurrently with Sail Hebrides, and on Monday, we'll have prime position to witness the entry of the fleet [of sailing ships] at Glumag Harbour. Long term readers of this blog will realise that this body of water lies a quarter of a mile away from my position, within line of sight from the front window.
Saturday, 7 July 2012
Saturday 7 July
An overcast, windy and very cold day. Well, the strong northeasterly wind made it feel cold, particularly as there was no sun. 12C is not that fantastic either. Tomorrow is going to be worse, as we're going to have some rain. Although, after two months of virtually no rain, I should not complain about some wet weather. People in the south of England have much more reason to complain about the rain, after the dramatic scenes of severe flooding in places. The weather is topsy-turvy at any rate; the hurricane season in the Atlantic has been going for some 5 weeks now, and the first hurricane is yet to form. There have been some low grade tropical cyclones (tropical storms) so far. The Eastern Pacific basin, southwest of Mexico, is the scene of hurricane Daniel and tropical depression 5. No land is currently under threat.
7 years on from 7/7
On Thursday morning, 7 July 2005, four suicide bombers headed into central London and proceeded to detonate their devices on board three Underground trains and a bus. Fifty-two people died, and many more were injured. The attacks came the day after London was awarded the Olympic Games of 2012, which are due to start in three weeks' time.
This post is dedicated to the memory of the 52 innocent lives lost that day.
This post is dedicated to the memory of the 52 innocent lives lost that day.
Friday, 6 July 2012
Friday 6 July
So Dunblane boy Andy Murray is playing in the final at Wombledon. Well done. Now he's got to beat the other guy in that final on Sunday.
It's been a foggy day here in Stornoway, with haar rolling in from the Minch. As I type this, visibility is down to a quarter of a mile. The tanker ship Sarnia Liberty is off the port, blowing its horn to warn nearby vessels of its presence. We did manage to get up to 14C / 57F. I'm not complaining, by the way: there has been serious flooding in parts of northern England, and feel very sad for those whose property has been ruined by floodwaters.
The fog played havoc with the air service at Stornoway Airport, with no planes in or out until 1.30pm. Our mail and papers arrive on a plane at 7 am, but they were obviously delayed. I had to go to the shop at 8 pm to get my daily rag, the Press and Journal. Can't do without the paper, can we?
It's been a foggy day here in Stornoway, with haar rolling in from the Minch. As I type this, visibility is down to a quarter of a mile. The tanker ship Sarnia Liberty is off the port, blowing its horn to warn nearby vessels of its presence. We did manage to get up to 14C / 57F. I'm not complaining, by the way: there has been serious flooding in parts of northern England, and feel very sad for those whose property has been ruined by floodwaters.
The fog played havoc with the air service at Stornoway Airport, with no planes in or out until 1.30pm. Our mail and papers arrive on a plane at 7 am, but they were obviously delayed. I had to go to the shop at 8 pm to get my daily rag, the Press and Journal. Can't do without the paper, can we?
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Thursday 5 July
A bright day, but during the afternoon the fog in the Minch crept ever closer to and onto the shore. Nonetheless, we managed 17C / 63F. I gather from my American friends on Facebook that they started the day somewhere between 80-90F (27-32C). I think I prefer our temperatures. There was a 20 mph breeze from the north, which took the edge off the temperature.
Our ferry seems to be back to normal, after returning to port at 3.30 am (two hours late) this morning. The only thing hampering her crossings today are fogbanks in the Minch. The ferry between Harris and North Uist is on an amended timetable due to the springtides - it can't sail at low tide as there just is no water in the channel at certain key points in the journey.
Two Tornado jets collided in mid-air between Inverness and Wick on Tuesday. Fog in the Moray Firth has hampered rescue efforts. Two airmen were recovered alive from the wreckage, but two other remain missing presumed dead. One of those saved later died in hospital of his injuries. The RAF base at Lossiemouth, near Elgin, is in mourning for its lost personnel. An investigation is on-going into the cause, which could take some time.
Be careful around spell checkers. The Stornoway Gazette on-line posted this line:
Our ferry seems to be back to normal, after returning to port at 3.30 am (two hours late) this morning. The only thing hampering her crossings today are fogbanks in the Minch. The ferry between Harris and North Uist is on an amended timetable due to the springtides - it can't sail at low tide as there just is no water in the channel at certain key points in the journey.
Two Tornado jets collided in mid-air between Inverness and Wick on Tuesday. Fog in the Moray Firth has hampered rescue efforts. Two airmen were recovered alive from the wreckage, but two other remain missing presumed dead. One of those saved later died in hospital of his injuries. The RAF base at Lossiemouth, near Elgin, is in mourning for its lost personnel. An investigation is on-going into the cause, which could take some time.
Be careful around spell checkers. The Stornoway Gazette on-line posted this line:
MV Isle of Lewis set sail for Ullapool this morning (Thursday 5th July) at 7.00am, just 10 minutes later than secluded, after overnight repair work.Methinks that should have read scheduled.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Wednesday 4 July
A warm day again today, with good spells of sunshine and the mercury up to 18C / 64F. Had lunch outside, admiring the cloudscapes of cirrus. Not a harbinger of good weather, as they gradually took over the sky and thickened. Fortunately, no rain ensued.
Our ferry sailed today, but as I type this, it is running very late. What should have been a 19.45 departure incurred a 2-hour delay. At this rate, it will be returning to Stornoway not much before 4 o'clock tomorrow morning; only to have to go out again at 7. There is a sneaking suspicion that these continual breakdowns might be down to a change in fuel oil. Cheap is nasty, it would appear. As I type this, an update has appeared on the local news website, indicating another technical fault. Well, if this happens next week, when the very well attended Hebridean Celtic Festival is on, we can expect chaos on an unprecedented scale. On average, 15,000 people attend the festival (roughly double the resident population of Stornoway, yep, we're that small).
I have previously written about the trials and tribulations of Rangers FC of Glasgow. The club was in severe financial difficulties, and its business has been wound up - and relaunched as a "newco" Rangers. Today, the 11 clubs in the Scottish Premier League voted against Rangers being readmitted to the SPL. In fact, Rangers could be made to resume in the lowest (3rd division) league.
Rangers is one of the most successful football clubs around, with 54 league titles in its 140 year history. The "Old Firm" matches (against fellow Glaswegian club Celtic) are legendary, but not always for the right reasons. Rangers and Celtic are always numbers 1 and 2 in the SPL, and the other clubs in the Scottish Football League deeply resent this, as they never stand any chance. With Rangers now dumped to the lower divisions, this would give other clubs a chance.
Our ferry sailed today, but as I type this, it is running very late. What should have been a 19.45 departure incurred a 2-hour delay. At this rate, it will be returning to Stornoway not much before 4 o'clock tomorrow morning; only to have to go out again at 7. There is a sneaking suspicion that these continual breakdowns might be down to a change in fuel oil. Cheap is nasty, it would appear. As I type this, an update has appeared on the local news website, indicating another technical fault. Well, if this happens next week, when the very well attended Hebridean Celtic Festival is on, we can expect chaos on an unprecedented scale. On average, 15,000 people attend the festival (roughly double the resident population of Stornoway, yep, we're that small).
I have previously written about the trials and tribulations of Rangers FC of Glasgow. The club was in severe financial difficulties, and its business has been wound up - and relaunched as a "newco" Rangers. Today, the 11 clubs in the Scottish Premier League voted against Rangers being readmitted to the SPL. In fact, Rangers could be made to resume in the lowest (3rd division) league.
Rangers is one of the most successful football clubs around, with 54 league titles in its 140 year history. The "Old Firm" matches (against fellow Glaswegian club Celtic) are legendary, but not always for the right reasons. Rangers and Celtic are always numbers 1 and 2 in the SPL, and the other clubs in the Scottish Football League deeply resent this, as they never stand any chance. With Rangers now dumped to the lower divisions, this would give other clubs a chance.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
Tuesday 3 July
A warm and fairly sunny day, with the mercury shooting up to the princely value of 20.5C / 69F. In the meantime, the ferry is out of action with engine trouble - no sailings to or from Stornoway at all. This means that all traffic is diverted 40 miles south to Tarbert, from where the MV Hebrides plies its route to Uig in Skye. Uig is 170 miles by road from Ullapool... Fortunately, Calmac made the announcement fairly early in the day, and put on an extra sailing which is currently en-route between Harris and Skye. It is due back in Tarbert at 23.40 tonight. This is the second time within a few weeks that the MV Isle of Lewis is laid up with technical problems, leading to awkward questions from Western Isles Council to Calmac, and Calmac admitting to being red-faced over the issue.
Two RAF jets have crashed into the Moray First, north of Inverness. Two of the four crew involved remain missing, and a search is on-going for them.
This afternoon, I went on a 3½ mile walk through Stornoway and the adjacent Castle Grounds. It was pleasantly warm, sunny and very green. The return leg took me across the Golf Course (one of the hilliest in the country). I post some pics for (hopefully) your enjoyment.
Two RAF jets have crashed into the Moray First, north of Inverness. Two of the four crew involved remain missing, and a search is on-going for them.
This afternoon, I went on a 3½ mile walk through Stornoway and the adjacent Castle Grounds. It was pleasantly warm, sunny and very green. The return leg took me across the Golf Course (one of the hilliest in the country). I post some pics for (hopefully) your enjoyment.
Monday, 2 July 2012
Monday 2 July
Quite a nice sunny day, except for this cool breeze. We seem to be bucking the trend nationwide, with our mainly bright and sunny weather. Over the next day or so we should see slightly warmer weather, but only for a few days. It was reported today that June was the wettest on record, with many places having more than double their normal monthly totals. Here, we only had half the normal rainfall for June.
The Big Minch Swim has now collected £15,000, after a successful weekend of fundraising in the pubs of Stornoway - more than £1,000 on Saturday alone.
Yesterday, we all lived a second longer, when a leap-second was added to our time. This was necessary, as the earth's rotation is continually slowing down. However, it is reported that certain major websites tripped over this extra second and crashed out. Google circumvented the problem by adding milliseconds through the day. 430 years ago, Pope Gregory ordained that 12 days should be omitted from the calendar.
The Big Minch Swim has now collected £15,000, after a successful weekend of fundraising in the pubs of Stornoway - more than £1,000 on Saturday alone.
Yesterday, we all lived a second longer, when a leap-second was added to our time. This was necessary, as the earth's rotation is continually slowing down. However, it is reported that certain major websites tripped over this extra second and crashed out. Google circumvented the problem by adding milliseconds through the day. 430 years ago, Pope Gregory ordained that 12 days should be omitted from the calendar.
Sunday 1 July
We've passed the halfway mark in 2012, and the days will start to draw in very soon. Sunday is always a quiet day, and today started likewise. Although it had been wet in the night, the day ended with bright sunshine as we passed the sunset hour of about 10.30pm.
I spent a little time trying to make a start with building an index for the Napier Report, but have to think carefully how that is going to pan out. You can categorise in so many ways, and the devil lies in striking a balance between too much detail and too little. The Napier Report being a session of 46,000 Q&As, you have to read carefully to determine how each question should be filed. I went as far as #150, but probably have to start from the top. So far, there are 46 headings for the index; there will be many more as I progress through the report.
I spent a little time trying to make a start with building an index for the Napier Report, but have to think carefully how that is going to pan out. You can categorise in so many ways, and the devil lies in striking a balance between too much detail and too little. The Napier Report being a session of 46,000 Q&As, you have to read carefully to determine how each question should be filed. I went as far as #150, but probably have to start from the top. So far, there are 46 headings for the index; there will be many more as I progress through the report.
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