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Saturday 27 January 2018

Calmness.



I took this short video of the waves on the shore at Sandside on Wednesday.  It was a beautiful still day.  Unlike today when the wind is raging outside.  It is due to get up to 70mph later.  I'm nice and snug indoors with Button and quite happy as long as the power stays on.... or only goes off for an hour or two!



So enjoy some relaxing sounds on Sandside beach in Winter....



Friday 26 January 2018

Coastal erosion



All around the UK our island is getting smaller, and the wee island of Graemsay is no different. Not shrinking in the rain, though sometimes it feels like that, but being battered by the wind and the waves.

Just around Christmas we had a gale with winds from a Northerly direction and high tides.  The beach at Sandside took quite a battering.  Over the years the local authority have used various methods to try and protect the "main road" that runs round the island.  It is very vulnerable at the beach at Sandside and has been undercut once or twice.  With this storm there was quite a bit of damage to the coastal defences as can be seen in these pictures.  They were taken by Graeme of Imperfect & Tense.  He and Mrs G were out visiting for the day and we took a bit of a walk.  But it was too windy for me to stand up, never mind take photos.  So he valiantly set forth to do them for me as the local council office needed the evidence.  He's kindly allowed me to share them here too.

Above were giant sandbags in a kind of hessian/plastic sack.  These have burst completely.

And here you can see that the metal cages have started to disintegrate and stone has spilled out onto the shore.



You can see it better here maybe....


And here too....


And again the sand bags further along the shore have also taken a battering.






The road was flooded from choked drains too.....




Nature certainly is a powerful force!

Thursday 25 January 2018

Beach walk......



At least with the snow there was little in the way of wind and some days it was quite pleasant being outdoors.  As long as you were well wrapped up!

In the Winter and poor weather Button's usual place is either here, under the table in her nest....


Or here....


But when the weather is set fair she'll come for a walk with me as usual.


\It was lovely and calm down on the coral beach.


This panorama distorts the landscape a bit but it gives you an idea of the view....


Button enjoying the view...


Hmm something has caught her eye!


A bit of rock climbing is in order.....


The MV Graemsay sailing by


And Charlie the barn cat was also enjoying the calm sunny day and soaking up some rays....


And then the sun was setting again.....


A clear sky meant another cold night....











Wednesday 24 January 2018

Sunsets.....




There was the most glorious sunset about a week ago.....  The sky changing over a period of a few minutes....


The sky is on fire!


You can see the sundet reflected on the water...




And a still evening followed with the lights of Stromness reflected in the water....


Tuesday 23 January 2018

Snow pictures



Just catching up on photos taken this year.  As I said before we don't often get snow and this year we didn't get much of it but more than we've had for a few years!  It stayed around a while with temperatures around freezing for several days.  Our roads were icy as the local council didn't send out salt to be spread on them.  I stayed indoors most of the time as the snow and ice aren't particularly good for my breathing or my fragile bones.  But I did take a few pictures from the doorway and garden!  So here are a few.....

We had some very dramatic skies.....

Snowing over Stromness


More incoming snow...


Snow clouds over Hoy High


Most of the time I watched through the window....


And the garden, as I was feeding the wild birds daily....


The end of the driveway looking over to the Orphir hills.


The snow sticks to the stone.....


Bright and frosty outside. 


And the sun setting behind the Hoy hills....


Snowy Hoy Hills....


More snow heading our way!


Snow on the Stromness hills too.




Before the snow....



These pictures were taken at the start of January but I never got round to sharing them, so here they are now.  Above misty around Hoy.  All still in Sandside Bay.

These chaps showed an interest in my walk.


As indeed, did their pals!


Looking over to Garson and Quoys


Looking back at Sandside and Hoy High


I love this long marram grass that holds the sand dunes together...


And there we are nearly home....


Sun getting ready to set...


Button and the girls - the welcome home party!