A Wee Trip

A week or so ago I decided that I would take a wee trip on Wednesday to Glasgow to see a friend for a few days. That involved an 0500 start. Why is it that for the previous two mornings I had been up well before 0600 but on the morning that I had to get up I didn't really want to? That's a rhetorical question (complete with ?) but it is always thus. Mind you the second I'm up I'm good and raring to go. I decided that I would go on deck for the leaving of the ferry, MV Loch Seaforth, from Stornoway's No 3 Pier. It was a cold but pleasant morning.

A few people have suggested that they would like to see more of the Island upon which I live so this summer I shall try and do more posts of the Islands. This is a start showing the town of Stornoway as we sail out of the harbour.

A few of the landmarks

MV Isle of Lewis berthed at No 1 Pier
We have three ferries here at the moment. I'l post about why on another occasion. 

Part of the South Beach Quay with the Lews Castle Grounds as a backdrop.
No 2 Pier is used for the fuel delivery ships and 40 years ago was covered, in season, with barrels being filled with salt herring.

The long-closed Caledonian Hotel where, back in the 70s, friends and I gathered on a Friday evening.
The first night I ever stayed on the Island was spent in the bedroom with the window second from the left on the top floor.

The old Harbour Master's Watchroom. The door behind the white van also led decades ago to the chair of John the Barber.

The Stornoway Town Hall. No longer used as a proper town hall but still a civic building.
The Stornoway Town Council met in the Council Chamber on the right of the building on the first floor.
It was in a committee room on the first floor to the right of the main entrance that I was offered the job that brought me to the Island.

MV Isle of Lewis with the recently renovated and restored Lews Castle. 

Lews Castle. At the top right of the picture can be seen the top of the Stornoway War Memorial

A Rather Unpleasant Journey

David and Molly the Collie left last Tuesday after a visit which I enjoyed very much.  David came up when I knew that I was going to have The Thing removed from my neck.  It was good having the company and David is a very good cook!  The weather was pretty atrocious for most of the time they were here and given the gale force winds combined with an unfavourable tide I was surprised that the ferry left Stornoway for the morning sail.  As it was it was rough.  You always know that it's going to be bad when the ferry, MV Isle of Lewis, comes past my house going North up The Minch.

Travelling North

Turning South to run with the wind and tide to Ullapool

I am sitting in my Study this morning looking out over a glass-calm Minch to the Scottish mainland with not as much as a whisper of air so that I can hear nothing but the gentle lap of the sea on the shore in the bay below the house.  It is hard to realise that a few days ago this was the scene as the ferry, MV Isle of Lewis, came North up the Minch past the house.  If she does that then it's rough out there and she is sailing into the sea before sailing South across the sea with the running sea on her stern.  This reduces the length of time that those on board have to endure the obvious discomfort.

A Rough Morning At Sea

This morning broke after two days of gales from the North with the wind still from the North and still very strong. When those conditions prevail and, depending on the tide, the MV Isle of Lewis sets out from Stornoway for Ullapool and sails North parallel to the coast of Lewis past my house. I can't see her from my house when she sails on her usual route. This morning the setting was very dramatic. The shots of the vessel as she negotiates the swell appear, in my experience, more dramatic than they are on board and at least are simply in one plane ie unlike the MV Suilven before her she does not corkscrew - that singularly unpleasant motion which tests even the hardest stomach.

Crossing the Minch: M V Isle of Lewis

MV Isle of Lewis is the largest of the ferries operated by Caledonian Macbrayne Ltd (Calmac). As with every ship ever operated by Calmac she has her admirers and those who dislike her. I'm one of the former. Partly I suppose because the MV Suilven whom she replaced in 1995 despite being a robust and seaworthy vessel was also pretty horrible from the passenger's point of view being slow, cramped and having a wonderful ability to corkscrew on the calmest of seas.

The cafeteria

Examples of the etched glass dividers in the cafeteria

The view from 'my' usual seat

The upper lounge

Entering Loch Broom

The after decks

Ullapool under a heavy sky

The Leaving of Lewis: Revisited

When I blogged about the leaving of Lewis I didn't have the photos from my Olympus. Now that I am back on Lewis I have downloaded the photos I took whilst away (all 458 of them) and so here are some of the ones I took as I left Stornoway:

No 1 Pier. All the buildings have gone! And I didn't even notice.

A very clear, still morning at0715

No 2 Pier

Harbour entrance (or, in this case, exit)

The jetty from which we've just left

The Coastguard vessel

The Leaving of Lewis

The MV Isle of Lewis is the Island's lifeline with the mainland of Scotland and, consequently, the rest of the world. Sounds dramatic doesn't it? It is. The ferry is something we take so for granted but, believe me, if it doesn't run the disruption to our life is very considerable. So on Wednesday I boarded her for my latest skirmish into the wilds of the mainland.

MV Isle of Lewis berthing at Lewis

MV Isle of Lewis, bow doors open for loading

Ready to disembark

Driving off in Ullapool

The journey starts - Quay Street, Ullapool