Stranded

Last night it became apparent that the ferry was likely to be storm-bound today.  I'm in Bishopbriggs near Glasgow.  It's about 5 hours' drive to Ullapool for the ferry.  The ferry is unlikely to sail.  That would mean an overnight stay in a hotel in Ullapool.  I'm a good sailor.  Anna's a terrible sailor.  Even if I go Anna will not be accompanying me.  So I decided to re-book for tomorrow.  All bookings are closed until Thursday.  So, in theory, I'm stranded on the mainland until Thursday.  Arghhhh.  

It's hard to believe that a few days ago we were bathed in sunshine and the hottest October day ever recorded in the UK was logged. 

August Gales: At Force 8

Late yesterday afternoon the gale struck with full force and the sun shone and it was warm! How bizarre was that?  The Stornoway to Ullapool ferry made two crossings and then returned to Ullapool where it weathered out the storm leaving.  That meant that a lot of people were stranded on the ‘wrong’ side of the Minch.  In the middle of winter we are used to that (well those of us who winter on the Island!) but in August it’s rather dire.  In any case fewer people travel in the winter.  I was over the other side of the valley at Pat and Dave’s for dinner during the storm.  This is the view from in front of their house at the height of the storm.  I actually had considerable difficulty standing whilst taking these photos.

August Gales: Before The Storm

It has to be said that even in the Outer Hebrides full-blown gales in August are unseasonal.  Yesterday was unseasonal!  Yesterday we had a full-blown gale.  And some.  The previous evening we were warned that the weather front was moving North from England and Southern Scotland and that when it reached Northern Scotland it would be a low pressure with whirling gales as it tracked North.

We were warned – gales were coming

The weather changed from the sun of Thursday as the front came North.  At this point the front is yet to come from the South (to the left of the picture)

The sky lightens and then darkens

And then the front came through

     And the sky darkened

And then the rain came up the Minch

I'm Back Again

Hello.  I'm back in Blogland.  Apart from a few minutes yesterday when I posted a quickie on a news item I've not really had the opportunity to read or write much since Sunday morning.  I've had friends for dinner every evening and the days have been equally busy.  Yesterday we had a storm with gale force winds and the sea in the bay below the house boiled:

 

  

Today the sun shone.  The washing dried on the line in a stiff breeze and I cleaned all the windows to get rid of the salt - I can now see through them again.  In the afternoon it was warm enough to be in the garden in shorts trying to clear more weeds and prune back some of the bushes.  My decision as to what to do with some deciduous trees I'm growing but which will eventually obscure my neighbour's view was partly taken for me when the storm snapped the top two feet off a 9 ft high tree. And down in the bay the lobster fisherman tended his creels.