Tuesday 19/07/05

Awoke to the spectacle of two cruiseliners in the harbour, one at anchor off Arnish, the other docked at Pier 1. The Deutschland, off Arnish, is a massive vessel, which is using its lifeboats to ferry passengers ashore. I'd have to find out how many sail in her. When I go into town later in the day, I find the smaller Black Prince tied up alongside the pier, with poor old Muirneag shunted out to pier 3, where the ferry normally docks. A piper stands at the bottom of the gangway, continually playing the same piece. The weather is showery, and apart from a stint on the library computer, I don't have much on the agenda. Showers pop across the Arnish moors, reducing visibility markedly. Although the sun doesn't set until 10.15 (we've lost 20 minutes since the solstice), it gets very gloomy at 9 o'clock. The cruiseliners leave at 8 pm. The Calmac ferry has to wait for the Deutschland to leave before it can dock. We have 3 guests in; a lady from Uist up for a hospital appointment and a jolly elderly couple from Angus, who have frequently visited the islands over the years.