Wednesday 31/05/06
Nice morning, fairly sunny, but with a veil of high cloud moving across. Rain is expected for later today. The Swiss guests go off on the early ferry. The Dutch ones are heading out to Callanish for the morning, before leaving on the lunchtime boat. The gentleman used to work for the same shipping company that mrs B's late husband used to work on in the 1950s. At 11 a.m., a group of 4 Canadians come in, who have come to seek out long-lost relatives in North Tolsta. As in, go to the Post Office and ask around. Directed them towards the right roads and generally a nice chat was had by all. As the Dutch folks had left their luggage in the bus station, they are not coming back to Newton, so I meet them as they come off the Callanish bus at 12.15. It's windy and cold outside. The sun slowly disappears behind the veil of cloud, which presages the arrival of a weatherfront from the Atlantic. Rain is expected before 6pm. I go out to post a delayed letter at the Sandwick Road postal depot. Rain arrives at 4.30. Read that the ferry on the Armadale - Mallaig route is out of action. As a result, the Small Isles ferry has to take over, before and after its scheduled runs to Eigg, Rum, Muck and Canna. She cannot carry coaches. The Canadians return at 10.30 pm, having traced their relatives in Tolsta and Stornoway. In order to celebrate, some Canadian whisky is brought out. A good time was had by all, until after midnight.
Monday 01/05/06
May Day Bank Holiday
Today I'm doing a Video Extravaganza through the webcam. A different video every hour on the hour. Day starts horrible and wet, pouring with rain. This moves away by 2.30, to be replaced by cumulus clouds. Not very warm, only 9C. In the south of England, temperatures are expected to reach 24 C by the end of the week. Isles FM blandly denies that there is any local news today. Read yesterday's entry. The afternoon ends breezy but sunny. Pictures on the Lighthouse Blog fail to show, don't know why. Get papers and shopping in after 6pm. The Local History File on Isles FM mentions mrs B and her relatives by name.
Today I'm doing a Video Extravaganza through the webcam. A different video every hour on the hour. Day starts horrible and wet, pouring with rain. This moves away by 2.30, to be replaced by cumulus clouds. Not very warm, only 9C. In the south of England, temperatures are expected to reach 24 C by the end of the week. Isles FM blandly denies that there is any local news today. Read yesterday's entry. The afternoon ends breezy but sunny. Pictures on the Lighthouse Blog fail to show, don't know why. Get papers and shopping in after 6pm. The Local History File on Isles FM mentions mrs B and her relatives by name.
Sunday 30/04/06
I'm out of bed after everybody else has left for the day, or for their next destination as in the case of the Canadians. Forgot to mention that bird flu has surfaced in Norfolk. Several farms have an infection with the H7N3 strain, a less pathogenic form of the disease. BBC Countryfile has started a photographic competition related to the weather, which will last until September 8th. Have a look on www.bbc.co.uk/countryfile. Open to UK residents, max 4 pics per entry. Weather today is singularly uninspiring and it gets worse. By the end of the afternoon, it comes on to rain. This morning the lifeboat went out, heading south. The helicopter followed not long after. It turned out that a support boat had reported 3 divers missing, who had gone drift diving, whatever that be. The three turned up before the rescue services did. Mrs B cooks the Greek lamb dish, which turns out quite magnificently, have a look in the gallery. People drive past on their way to church, the ladies adorned with their hats.
Saturday 29/04/06
After a late start, we watch the clouds breaking gradually. I help mrs B by digging a little bit in the back garden, but this is such a huge job actually, that a small excavator might be more use. The wheelbarrow I used yesterday collapsed because of rust, and I nearly collapse myself. Make a foray into town for papers and stationery. On my return, mrs B's sister and her husband turn up for a visit. I head out to take pictures of the boats on Goat Island. The Cuma is still on the slip, without a propellor. Other people are getting their boats ready for the summer. Find big patches of lichens on the causeway seawall. Two sets of guests turn up: a couple who are here for the weekend for a family reunion. Later, two Canadian ladies roll up from the ferry. They are on a whistlestop tour of Europe. Mrs B has lasagna for supper.
Friday 28/04/06
Cloudy but dry morning. All guests are leaving today. The Dutch couple went to Harris, the lady to Ullapool on the 1.45 ferry. The tide dips to another low at 2.30, leaving the bottom of the basin exposed. Two boys try to cross the outflow on their bicycles, but get stuck. They have to hurry to disengage from the quicksand. I head out to the shops for a few bits and pieces. The weather is overcast and very boring. The vessel which has been loading the Pelamis units has departed overnight. Yesterday, the Stornoway Gazette carried a sample letter of objection to the windfarms. We'll have to await the decision of the Scottish Executive on this.
Windturbines
I referred in an earlier entry to the Lewis Windfarms.
This is extremely controversial in the island. I have written extensively on it in my Lighthouse Blog (see linklist), and not hidden my disgust at the prospect of 190 turbines, each standing 135 metres / 450 feet tall in the middle of the most beautiful wilderness areas of Scotland. There are two windfarms proposed for Lewis, one in the north, stretching 60 km / 40 miles from Ness to Stornoway via Bragar; the other in Eishken, a depopulated district in the southeast, on hills overlooking Loch Seaforth.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local council, approved the planning applications for both windfarms last June. This gave rise to a huge storm in Lewis, with councillors being called to account in acrimonious meetings in the various village halls. A ballot was taken in Ness, Airidhantuim [pronounce: Aree an Hime], Laxdale and Kinloch. 50 to 90% of respondents declared their opposition. The application is currently in front of the Scottish Executive.
In order to take the power off the island, a large subsea cable needs to be laid from Arnish to Ullapool. From Ullapool, 200 ft high pylons will be marching 180 miles south to Denny near Falkirk. This is all deeply resented by people in the Scottish Highlands.
The Lewis windfarm was, as I say, approved in the face of 4000 objections. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has stated that the turbines will slaughter the resident population of eagles. The continual flicker of the blades, the illumination of the towers at nighttime (compulsory for any tall structure), the disturbance of the 20 ft layer of peat and destruction of habitat by the construction effort.
The Comhairle has hailed it as a major boost to the island's economy. It now looks likely that the turbines will be fabricated at the Arnish Yard (often featured in my pictures),which will create jobs for 3 to 4 years. Last time they recruited for Arnish, they had to draft people from outside the UK in as nobody could be bothered with short term contracts. The lease of the land on which the towers stand, as well as a cut in the proceeds of the electricity have switched the poundsigns on in the eyes of those who wield power. They have ignored those who have to live with the bl**dy things.
Another argument against is that new technologies, such as wave and tidal power, have been developed to such an extent that Portugal has recently taken delivery of several units of wavepower generators. These are basically interlinked tubes that float on the surface of the sea. The movement of the water is translated into power. The tubes do not have the major environmental impact that the turbines have. This has been pointedly ignored by Downing Street and Holyrood (British and Scottish governments). They want nuclear energy, for goodness sakes. And the waste issue will be dealt with by chucking it into a deep hole in the ground, probably on either Fuday or Sandray, both islands near Barra. In recent times, I've stopped believing what I hear.
Anyway, the Executive will take a decision this summer, and then we shall see what we shall see. Follow the story through the Lighthouse Blog.
This is extremely controversial in the island. I have written extensively on it in my Lighthouse Blog (see linklist), and not hidden my disgust at the prospect of 190 turbines, each standing 135 metres / 450 feet tall in the middle of the most beautiful wilderness areas of Scotland. There are two windfarms proposed for Lewis, one in the north, stretching 60 km / 40 miles from Ness to Stornoway via Bragar; the other in Eishken, a depopulated district in the southeast, on hills overlooking Loch Seaforth.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the local council, approved the planning applications for both windfarms last June. This gave rise to a huge storm in Lewis, with councillors being called to account in acrimonious meetings in the various village halls. A ballot was taken in Ness, Airidhantuim [pronounce: Aree an Hime], Laxdale and Kinloch. 50 to 90% of respondents declared their opposition. The application is currently in front of the Scottish Executive.
In order to take the power off the island, a large subsea cable needs to be laid from Arnish to Ullapool. From Ullapool, 200 ft high pylons will be marching 180 miles south to Denny near Falkirk. This is all deeply resented by people in the Scottish Highlands.
The Lewis windfarm was, as I say, approved in the face of 4000 objections. The RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) has stated that the turbines will slaughter the resident population of eagles. The continual flicker of the blades, the illumination of the towers at nighttime (compulsory for any tall structure), the disturbance of the 20 ft layer of peat and destruction of habitat by the construction effort.
The Comhairle has hailed it as a major boost to the island's economy. It now looks likely that the turbines will be fabricated at the Arnish Yard (often featured in my pictures),which will create jobs for 3 to 4 years. Last time they recruited for Arnish, they had to draft people from outside the UK in as nobody could be bothered with short term contracts. The lease of the land on which the towers stand, as well as a cut in the proceeds of the electricity have switched the poundsigns on in the eyes of those who wield power. They have ignored those who have to live with the bl**dy things.
Another argument against is that new technologies, such as wave and tidal power, have been developed to such an extent that Portugal has recently taken delivery of several units of wavepower generators. These are basically interlinked tubes that float on the surface of the sea. The movement of the water is translated into power. The tubes do not have the major environmental impact that the turbines have. This has been pointedly ignored by Downing Street and Holyrood (British and Scottish governments). They want nuclear energy, for goodness sakes. And the waste issue will be dealt with by chucking it into a deep hole in the ground, probably on either Fuday or Sandray, both islands near Barra. In recent times, I've stopped believing what I hear.
Anyway, the Executive will take a decision this summer, and then we shall see what we shall see. Follow the story through the Lighthouse Blog.
Thursday 27/04/06
Nice morning, fairly sunny and dry. Mrs B's nephew takes her and myself out for a spin at midday. First we go to the Lewis Crofters shop down Island Road, for spuds and compost. The fishmongers have not had any fish in, probably due to adverse weather. Next we head out to Aird Tong for a spot of housesitting, read: plant watering. The plants are in a sorry state as they had been forgotten. The house is in a very attractive location, overlooking Coll Beach, Muirneag, Broad Bay and Point. A large number of new properties have been built in that village on croftland. Whether the crofts are being used as such is actually a bone of contention. Liked Aird Tong, not been there before. We also went to the top of the road at Newmarket. A diversion up Laxdale Lane and Guershader brings us back to town. We're finally taken to the Woodlands' Centre for lunch, which knows how to serve a BLT baguette, in sharp contrast to An Lanntair. On return, the tide has turned so low (only +0.4m) that the old stepping stones across the Inner Harbour are exposed. The Thursday papers are very interesting. The windfarm project in North Lewis has been reduced to 190 turbines, from 234 initially. Big deal. Another Western Isles news item relates to the dumping of nuclear waste, which may take place on Fuday and Sandray, either side of Barra. The evening closes nice and sunny.
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