A Day of Swells This Time.....

Must be the calm before the storm!

The wind that has been battering the island for some time now abated for a while yesterday............ and the sun came out!!!

A quick hike across a swamp brought us to the "Ness" on the North East corner and a good chance for some piccies.


Please click on these and bring them up to full size......you can almost hear the noise!

Today, on the other hand, has the island being battered by another strong gale with no chance of a snap............ or a ferry.






Until next time.................






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A Day of the Turbine...s

And a chance meeting on the beach!

A fine day today as we did our "Round" of the island.

The three new turbines helping to power the water pumping station do look a bit of a blot on the landscape here. 
You can't help thinking that if they were green you would hardly notice them, someone might pick up on that one day.

A random shot of the sun drenched fields.............. alongside the water drenched track. 

It is winter after all.

Another Turbine!

This is one of the three experimental ones that were placed on the island many moons ago.

All three no longer work and are due to be taken down in the near future.

Given the size of them that will be no mean feat.

This one is the "Community Turbine", this generates electricity for the grid and cash for the island.
This cash can then be applied for as a grant for projects that will benefit the community. 

Some say they are monstrosities, but......given the right light.

These are the other two stoically awaiting their fate. 

Random picture of a nice day.

Although there was very little wind, a fair old swell was still chewing on the North East corner of Papa Stronsay.



Driving back we spotted something on the beach.

A frantic swapping of lenses later accompanied by the oft heard prayer "Don't fly away, Don't fly away, Don't fly away....................and

Got him/her.

A Cormorant (I think).

If you can bring this picture up to full size and zoom in on the eye, you can see me taking the picture in the reflection.

You come one step closer..............

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Until next time.....................








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A Stronsay Evening Sunset...

The sky was alight!

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Or had a bomb gone off?

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Until next time...........................

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Christmas Came!!

And Went Again in the Blink of an Eye.....

"Santa", complete with Elves, arrived outside the Hotel one night on a genuine Bavarian Sleigh. 

He popped in for a while to accept letters and hand out candy.

He managed to leave me a nice new telephoto lens for my camera whilst he was here,

so....even though the light was terrible and it was a bit breezy, you still have to play with a new toy don't you!

I captured one of the local fishing boats earning their money as they rolled in the swells.

They were a good mile or more away from the camera but the strange thing is that those turbines are on the neighbouring island of Sandy, not on the other side of that hill, they have got to be at least three miles away.

I can see there will be lots of fun to be had with this.




Until next time......................






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