Wednesday 29/03/06

The day starts with a clear sunny morning, as I watch the ferry leave port at 7.25. Later in the day, a sleet / hail / snow shower (or two) passes. There is a total solar eclipse, of which I take images from TV, computer and through welding goggle glass. Over at Arnish, the Danish vessel Barbara is delivering 900 tons of steel plates for wind turbines, destined for Holland. The eclipse is one of the best seen for years. Here in Stornoway, occasional showers do no more than provide pretty pictures of anvil clouds. At 4.30, I go for a walk to Battery Point, behind the Coastguard Station and to Somerfields along Bells Road. A hailshower passes in the distance, leaving a rainbow behind. I provide mrs B in the evening.

Solar Eclipse - 29/03/06

Today, a total solar eclipse is visible in a track from Brazil to Togo (West Africa), then northeast to Libya, Turkey, Russia and ending on the Mongolian border at sunset. Here in Stornoway, the maximum percentage of the sun that is obscured is 15%. In the southern UK it's 25%, at 11.30. A live feed from southern central Turkey is available on the internet, from which I take a number of pictures. I join it the moment it starts at 10.30, as these links tend to reach capacity pretty quickly. Maximum in Turkey is reached at 11.55 BST and lasts for just under 4 minutes.

Tuesday 28/03/06

Today, the Council staff are all on strike - which is UK-wide industrial action. There are no buses from Point or Tolsta to Stornoway. No refuse collections, offices and libraries closed. The Town Hall and some schools are shut as well. The elections to the Stornoway Trust have to be transferred from the Town Hall to the Estate Office in Percival Square. The 10 trustees represent the residents of the parish of Stornoway. This stretches from Arnish to Tolsta and from Point to the moors. The parishioners of Stornoway were the only ones to accept the gift of the lands of their parish from Lord Leverhulme. He sold the island in the 1920s, and gave the islanders the rights of refusal. Bar Stornoway, all three Lewis island parishes exercises said right. Barvas, Uig and Lochs fell under private ownership, to their disadvantage. The day starts fairly bright, with the odd spot of rain. The MV Isle of Arran will take over from the Muirneag when that boat goes for its refit. The road outside is being tarred this morning. Only to be churned up again by the lorries. Just after 3pm, the Norwegian marine research vessel G.O. Sars turns up for a crew change. This boat monitors the amounts of different species of fish. I take pictures of her as I go to Somerfields. Sunset at 8pm, it's a nice evening.

Monday 27/03/06

Drizzle continues unabated as the day opens. The Muirneag comes in at 11 a.m., some 4 hours late. The radio reports the usual litany of misdeeds. Watched a program on BBC1 last night about the funding crisis that's hitting the NHS nationally. It would serve to explain some of the financial problems besetting the NHS Western Isles, £3m shortfall. The feedback from viewers on the issue quickly flooded in after the program finished. Today's weather includes a cold northeasterly wind. Contrasts sharply with a temperature of about 18C further south in East Anglia. Visibility is poor, can only just make out the Arnish hills across the water. The wind falls away as the day goes on, but the rain continues. Go to Somerfields at 6 for shopping. At 7.40, I head into town to attend a meeting of the Stornoway Historical Society. I introduce myself to the Treasurer, who quickly puts me on to the Secretary, with whom I've been corresponding by email. The Chairperson invites me to speak for a few minutes after a 1 hour presentation by the Royal Commission on Historical and Ancient Monuments Scotland. They record the above sites from past and prsent. After a short break, I do my little talk about the work on the list of Iolaire victims. The Secretary's grandfather died in the disaster. An appeal is issued for information, pictures etc. I'll leave a copy in the library and will send a letter to the Gazette next week. The meeting finishes at 10 pm.

Sunday 26/03/06

Today starts fairly bright, but is isn't long before the rain pushes in. It soon turns into a misty affair with a steady drizzle. I start the Orange theme with carrot and ginger soup and a roll. Later in the afternoon, one of mrs B's sons calls in with members of his family to celebrate Mothering Sunday. A couple of glasses of wine help proceedings along, up to a point. Dinner is also Orange, but the picture didn't do it justice. Carrots, potatoes, onions and beef burgers. Sweet consists of orange jelly with mandarin oranges. Goes down well with mrs B. Am also still working on an illustrated list of Iolaire victims.

No Smoking

Since 6 a.m. this morning, March 26th, all smoking in public places in Scotland is BANNED. This includes restaurants, clubs, pubs, bars as well as offices. Please take heed.

Follow the link to this site by the Scottish Executive for more info.

SUMMERTIME

Last night, the clocks went forward an hour. We're now on British Summer Time, BST.

Saturday 25/03/06

Overnight, mrs B and I were kept awake by the intermittent beep of a smoke detector with a flat battery. No, there was no fire. We turned off the power, removed the battery and went back to bed. At 9.15, I went into town to buy a new battery. Expensive things, they're £3.65 each. Once the heating is back on, the house rapidly becomes comfortable again. The ferry was 2 hours late leaving Stornoway this morning, and does not catch up through the day. She's back at 3.15, and leaves at 3.55. Still two hours behind schedule. Not warm today, just 6C. Went to the supermarket, which was empty of bread and milk. Prepared the meal for mrs B and myself, which consisted of a spicy chilli con carne. Forgot to mention the roadworks in Newton Street. The surface has been dug up and replaced by a new layer of tar - only to be churned up by lorries going from Island Road into Newton Street. Why they can't go along Sandwick Road, the main road into town, nobody knows.

Friday 24/03/06

Very hazy morning due to a lot of high-level clouds. Suggested to mrs B we go to Ness to visit the place at 10 Callicvol (Port Nis), but family problems put paid to that idea. Shame though, as it's turning into a fairly sunny afternoon. In contrast to recent days, the ferry is now on time, coming in at 1.15. Earlier this week, it was about 20 minutes early. The lifeboat went out yesterday to assist in a fire on board a fishing boat. The Coastguard are kept busy at the moment. Hop down to Somerfields for some bits and pieces. Write another piece on the Lighthouse blog relating to the failing industries in Lewis. On the subject of the NHS saga, I don't understand why the local MSP is not putting pressure on the Minister for Health to be more pro-active. On the contrary, Alistair Morrison is taking pressure OFF, rather than standing up for his constituents.

Thursday 23/03/06

Helen and Peter leave for Inverness on the 7.15 ferry. Tomorrow, they aim to visit Peter's ancestral village of Arday in Sutherland, having visited Helen's ancestral village in Skye. Mrs B and I rise rather later, at 10.30, with the after effects of too much wine still very much in evidence. The snow is still lying in the backyard and on the higher reaches of the Arnish hills (upwards of 50 m), but melts during the day. The morning starts grey, but brightens up nicely through the afternoon. On BBC Island Blogging, the spoof dating extravaganza at Dell Fank gathers momentum - it's due on April 1st. By late morning, the unfamiliar outline of the Isle of Arran pulls into port, apparently on its way through from refit at Aberdeen. It's not clear what it's doing in Stornoway. The Isle of Lewis is running as per timetable, if not 20 minutes early. After lunch, I go into town for a snapping spree of boats. The Hordafur has been rusting away at no 2 pier for nearly 2 years now. The pilot boat and a very delapidated fishing vessel are dwarfed by the Muirneag on no 1 pier. I find a cargovessel, Ronez, moored along the King Edward wharf, as well as the Isle of Arran. Find Lazy Corner empty, all the boats will be out to catch up with lost time due to bad weather. Buy food in the little Coop up Cromwell Street, as well as papers in two shops. It's a pleassantly sunny afternoon, with a temperature of 6C and little wind. Read in the Press and Journal that the snow caused a lot of disruption to schools yesterday. In Harris, the buses could not take pupils home from the secondary school in Tarbert (the Sir E Scott school), so the local hotel had to provide food for the youngsters while they waited for transport home. The road over the Clisham foothills was closed, and buses were stranded in drifts. Fortunately, no passengers were on board. The stowaway I mentioned last Friday should have been removed from Lewis yesterday. And the infamous Morsgail estate in West Lewis has changed hands. Its previous owner conducted an alleged campaign of harassment against a tenant crofter to force him off the land - unsuccessfully. See my entry of March 9, 2005. Keep a quiet evening.

Wednesday 22/03/06

Overnight lowest temperature was -4C in Stornoway. The snow has melted after daybreak, but flurries continue to fall, and it's getting worse as the day progresses. The forecast mentions drifting, blizzards and accumulations up to 7-12 cms (3-5 inches) deep. The easterly wind is bitterly cold as I venture out for shopping in the afternoon. The ferry is in on time, in spite of the conditions. The snow starts to settle after 2pm and it sticks to any surface exposed to the wind. Down in Skye, there is trouble on the roads. Visibility becomes so poor that I can barely see the causeway and the Coastguard Station, which are just 200 yards away. Daytime temperatures: 0C. Today is Helen's 56th birthday, and mrs B lays on a party with cake and wine. As night falls, the snow begins to relent. The lights at the Arnish Yard loom up ot of the gloom. The snow stops after nightfall. The atmosphere inside is rather warmer, and Peter plays the pipes. Leaves my ears ringing. He's good though. Mrs B's brother-in-law is invited along for the evening, which is a pleasant diversion for him. I have nice chats with Helen amongst others. We all stagger off to bed at midnight. There is much milder weather on its way in to southwestern England, but 600 miles further north, it's wintry.

Tuesday 21/03/06

Awake to the sight of snowshowers with temperatures barely above freezing. In Lerwick, the mercury is stuck at -4C. Although it's now spring, the weather has turned firmly wintery. The Kiwis are staying until Thursday morning, but were getting worried about getting stuck under the Clisham. No such concerns were called for, the road was clear and open by all accounts. They were made very welcome by local folk. Up here in Stornoway the wintery theme continued, in spite of this being the first day of spring. It's quite a contrast to a month ago, when the flowers were all out - look back to 25 February. I am once again being spoiled by mrs B who very kindly provides dinner for me. After nightfall, the snow settles and by midnight it gives quite a nice image. There is trouble on the Hebrides related messageboards, with people leaving abusive and destructive comments.

Monday 20/03/06

Rather colder than yestterday, with temperatures of just 5C. Occasional glimpses of the sun. Health Board saga continues apace, with the Health Minister once again declining to become involved. Sounds as if he's in league with the management, quite a deliberate wrecking exercise, over the heads of patients. Write quite an acerbic piece about it on the Lighthouse blog. Weather remains changeable. We have two guests in from New Zealand, who came up from Harris and reported sleet under the Clisham. They are in the country to look around ancestral home villages. Tomorrow, Helen and Peter will be going round Harris, and Ness the day after. The lifeboat goes out in the morning; the man who had gone overboard off Shetland on Saturday has not been traced. Apparently, his dad was lost in the same area and in the same fashion 27 years ago.

Sunday 19/03/06

Forecast was well out for this morning. Awoke to fog over the hills, followed by rain at 9 or 10. The sun comes out by 11. At 8, a large fishing boat came into port. She ties up at no 3 pier, opposite the ferry. Very nice cloudscapes behind the frontal passage. Lifeboat canters out at 1130;. It's a mainly sunny afternoon, but with occasional bursts of drizzle. Although it's Sunday, boats go in and out, including a yacht. Sunset just after 6.30, after a chickendinner with mrs B. Day was mild outside, with temperatures of about 9C. Darkness after 7pm. Next week BST (British Summer Time) will be on. Another 3 hours will be gained on the sunset side from then on.

Saturday 18/03/06

The boat carrying the wavepower units has left for Portugal. It's another bright day. The ferry is very early, coming in at 12.55. In the afternoon, I watch a rugby match. Now, I'm not a rugby fan and know very little about the game. Although it's very physical, it seems to be better regulated and the players work with the referee (and vice versa) to keep the game within the rule. Works better than in football. The referee carries a small microphone, which allows viewers to hear what he shouts. England loses to Ireland 24-28. Late in the evening, a fisherman is reported overboard 75 miles southeast of Sumburgh, Shetland.

Friday 17/03/06

Another sunny if cold day. By the end of the morning, I notice a large ship at anchor behind the lighthouse. I cannot see much of it, as I look into the bright sun. Radio Scotland informs us that it's the Russian bulkcarrier Alexandr Newski, bound for Murmansk. Last night, they were off the Mull of Kintyre, northbound from Newport (Wales) when they discovered a stow-away on board. The captain immediately contacted the Coastguard, who put them in touch with police. They advised him to put him ashore at Stornoway. The harbour here cannot accommodate vessels of this size (20,000 tonnes), so she's anchored off Arnish. At 2.30, I amble down to the Coastguard Station to view proceedings. A coastguard cutter is heading for the ship to take the stowaway off. I later learn he was barefooted and jacketless. He was put ashore behind Amity House, in the presence of police and coastguard officials.
Meetings have been taking place today between health unions and staff regarding the management crisis in NHS Western Isles. Staff have passed a motion of no-confidence in the Chairman, Chief Executive as well as the Medical Director. The unions are taking this to the Scottish Executive, with the recommendation that the aforementioned officials be removed. The other guest with Mrs B has been out cycling today, the 40 miles to Callanish, Carloway and back via the Pentland Road.

Thursday 16/03/06

Very nice sunny morning, hardly a cloud in the sky. Isles FM reports a sheep loose in the town. Might be going to Woollies for a shop. Typical. Barometer very high, reading 1040 mbar, but high pressure system is in transit to Greenland. More cold weather next week, sigh. Just after midday, I head off on the bus to Tolsta to picture more headstones of Iolaire victims in the graveyard. The bus is full of shoppers, who get off at various points along the way. I alight outside the church in North Tolsta and amble down the road to the cemetery, which is situated near the beach. I find the 9 headstones within half an hour, which leaves me with 75 minutes to spare until the bus goes back to Stornoway. I walk down the Traigh Mhor / Long Beach towards its northern end. Nobody around, except for a few seagulls. Head up the road at the end, and myself followed by some sheep. Bus comes at 2.30 to take me back to town. Two young mums with toddlers in prams get in along the way. Nice evening, good sunset. The Pelamis wavepower thing is still being loaded over at Arnish. I receive a guest on behalf of mrs B while she's away to town. Nice moonlit night.

Wednesday 15/03/06

Hear that the boat at Arnish draws 15 ft of water. Very important news on Isles FM, innit. Nice sunny weather, but with dark clouds to the north. Forecast suggests another northerly blast by Sunday. Barometer is rising steadily. Hear that 6 men who took part in a drugs trial suffered an extreme reaction and are now in the Intensive Care Unit of Northwick Park Hospital, London, with multi-organ failure - a life-threatening condition. Cloud takes over after lunch, rendering it a very boring afternoon. Until 5pm, that is. The lifeboat returns with a fishingboat in tow, which suffered mechanical failure and is slewing from side to side. By the time the two reach the Glumag, the lifeboat ties the other boat alongside and slowly brings her in. We have a new guest in today, who will be here for 5 days. Mrs B's nephew plus his wife call round for a visit at suppertime. Watch The Apprentice on BBC2, what a load of rubbish. It's a program in which a wealthy industrialist, Sir Alan Sugar, selects a candidate who he will take on as apprentice from a group of 12. Over the course of 12 weeks, candidates are fired one by one as they are found to be wanting in management skills. The lot that are on the program this run are all pretty awful, which is acknowledge by Sir Allan.

Tuesday 14/03/06

Morning dawns overcast but quiet. The wind dropped away overnight. Mrs B's other guests had their breakfasts quite early, but I'm rather later. Some quite hilarious emails, and the story of the Navy ship disputing passage with a lighthouse being used in an ad for navigational equipment. The file is too large to upload, else I'd put it on the Web. After a nice lunch, Mrs B's nephew takes her and myself over to the Arnish Yard. Since this morning, a large ship lies docked there, ready to take three wave generators (for electricity) to Portugal. She came to the area yesterday, but had to seek shelter in Broad Bay due to the gale. The transportation of the wave generators was mentioned on the early morning bulletin of Radio Scotland's Highland News. From Charlie's Monument, the views are spectacular. It's a clear day, and the departure of the ferry is a complete contrast to yesterday's. Return to town at 2.30, and everyone piles into Somerfields for shopping. There, two lorry loads of goods are being unloaded. On Monday, the Muirneag did not sail, and the lorries were unable to get up the A9 from Perth due to snow. Temperature here at 9C. This contrasts sharply with the 3C in the east of the country. I forgot to air the video of yesterday's conditions on time. One of the local councillors was blogging on Blogspot, but he pulled his blog. Pity. I reckon he doesn't want to blot his copybook as he wishes to stand for MSP next year.

Page 1000

I have reached

Page 1000

in the written diary. I started handwriting the diary in January 2005, when the computers in Stornoway library were off-line for weeks. I have since transcribed the diaries onto this weblog.