Click on pictures to see them enlarged in a photo stream. Comments: word verification on to allow anyone to comment but try and deter excessive amounts of spam! I LOVE getting comments!
These photos were taken last week, but again we are in the teeth of a gale. 50mph winds at least, with hail and sleet battering the windows at regular intervals. Thankfully Button and I are indoors......
And while I am warm and cosy indoors, there is some drama going on further down Scapa Flow at Lyness Pier where a container ship, "Vega Scorpio", has broken her moorings in the gale. Two of the council tugs (Odin and Einar) and the pilot boat (the John Rae) are in attendance trying to bring her alongside. Hopefully "all hands" will be safe.
I had a lovely encounter with a Common (harbour) seal (actually less common than the Grey seals that are usually around Sandside). S/he followed me up and down the sandy shore when I was walking there last week. S/he was quite inquisitive and came into quite shallow water to accompany me. The seal was silent - but I chatted away quietly. I was hopeful it was a Selkie of the legends, though I had no intention of following it into the very cold water! Photos below were taken with a zoom lens...
I love the whiskers!!
And a few second video of a very small blob bouncing on the water - my companion!
This time it's a wander on the sandy beach, from whence Sandside Bay gets its name. You have to be pretty fit to get onto the beach, either down a steep track or via a slide down the sand dunes! I tend not to venture here much as I usually have Button with me and it means accessing the road. I know she MUST go along the road but NOT when I am with her! I know we have little traffic, but still...
Anyway here are some photos taken last week when we had some beautiful weather. Today is chilly and dreich, with rain showers and breezy. So it's lovely looking back at these.
In the photo above you can see the Manse on top of the green hill, and the Community Hall to the right. Hoy Hills on the horizon.
Stromness over the water....
There are a number of creel boats that lay creels (pots) in and around the bay to catch partans (crabs)
The soft sand sculpted by the wins and waves...
Birds have been feeding along the shore
Looking out to the mouth of Hoy Sound - Graemsay on the left and West Mainland on the right.
Sunshine on the sand.... gentle waves...
The old lighthouse pier. Orkney Mainland on the horizon
My home looks as though it has a lighthouse sticking out the chimney! Hee hee!
This was a common (harbour) seal that followed me up and down the beach as I walked. They are often quite inquisitive when folk are on the beach. Creel boat further out and Stromness in the background.
Hoy High lightouse and Sandside
Zooming in to Stromness Harbour and town...
Where the shore gets rocky...
Heading out West
The road home.... sand dunes on the left....
Skeletal cow parsley....
Heading home.....
A short video of the common (harbour) seal who kept me company
