A walk to the coral beach

I've been so busy recently I've not had time to go for a walk along the coral beach.  Yesterday the weather was glorious.  A truly lovely Autumnal day, a frosty start to the day but the sun was warm on my face.  So Button and I took a wander down to the shore...  Above, Sandside bay at 2.30 pm - sun quite low in the sky.  It will set between the Hoy hills about 3.45 pm. 

Button happy to be out on a walk again.....

The silvery shape on the rocks is actually a grey seal having a snooze!

Looking across the rocks to Stromness

I like it when the sun is low in the sky, I look tall!  Well my shadow does....

Two grey seals keeping a watchful eye...

Button on the coral beach...  There were some seals playing (or courting) in the water just offshore and making a lot of snorting noises.  She's obviously used to them as she paid them no attention. 

The white ship in the distance is the Hamnavoe ferry in Stromness harbour.  It sails daily over to the Scottish mainland.

It was so still and calm.

The Hoy hills across the bay.....

Seals close to the pier.... keeping a watchful eye on us, but not really bothered....

I popped down to the pier at lunch time to deliver something to the ferry.  A neighbour was getting heating oil delivered.  It will be trundled up to the house on a trailer and pumped into the household tank.

And there's been quite a bit of activity over the weekend with big machinery delivered.  The council are doing some work on the coastal defence by the main road on Graemsay that is being undermined by the sea.  There have been various defences put in place over the years but the most recent didn't last long. Hopefully these last a bit longer! The white bags contain stone that will be put into cages along the shore.

One of the diggers - there are other large bits of machinery I seem not to have taken a photo of!

And earlier in the morning Button came to help feed the hence and decided to stop off for a bit of hunting.  "There must be mice in this pile of stones... I just need to wait...." she's thinking.....  Hmm don't wait too long Button there is a rain shower coming in behind you!  And a rainbow stump too!