What a wonderful week of weather just past, certainly gives us a Spring in our step and with so much rain over the winter it is good to get out without waterproofs and get something done outside. However, yesterday (Sunday) was a ‘normal service resumes’ day with a steady wind increasing to near gale all day, just a reminder, I guess.

First Chance To Get Up There

First job of the week was to fit the roof tiles that blew off in the big gale, with the new roof ladders it was safer than normal for sure, but I must be getting old as I am getting a wee bit uncomfortable up on roofs nowadays.

Early Risers

At the beginning of the week with the sun streaming through the window I was awake early so thought I’d take a run down South for a ‘nature walk’. it was a fabulous morning and so good to be out, the deer thought so too with plenty of them enjoying the early morning sunshine.

Spot the Stag

I saw a stag or two out on the Islands between us and Raasay, there is some good grass there and they don’t mind swimming back and fore for it. Simon’s passing fishing boat did not even make them raise their heads. We had had Dan out on the catamaran on Sunday and Kenny was coming off the cradle at Kishorn after their winter re-fit with his South Boats Cat’ so he took advantage of the calm weather and stopped in for a blether, good to see the boats re-appearing.

MV Seaflower Dropped In

With the weather so good I wanted to get our boat back in the water, which is always too early but it has to be done sometime. With the high equinox tides it is an ideal time.

Must Get The Boat In The water

The engines have been stored inside this year (again) and various bits replaced so I was hoping for a trouble free start.

Water Shortage

The water had been a bit slow in the house in the morning and when I finished for the day, Wednesday I think, L reported that the water had ‘just’ stopped. So back on with the wellies and up to the water treatment shed. Sure enough, half an inch of winter peat sediment had fairly choked the sand filter in no 1 tank. Nothing for it but a changeover to the emergency supply then plan tomorrow’s cleaning.

Another Good Day

In between filters and cleaning sand the boat was on standby waiting for the tide and with the warm sun on the deck it was a pleasure to be outside working on the boat.

Wedding Prep’

L meanwhile was prepping for the big day on Monday the 30th, lots to do and the freezers are filling up. Fingers crossed for the weather.

Parked Up

Again, dry weather and the list just gets longer. This is not a dry car park for the wedding car, just a car park!! All winter and for many years this area turns into a bog, so at last I’ve managed to get a couple of hours and scraped off the mud, replacing it with some hard stone soon to be finished with a top dressing (if I can find it).

Of course everything stopped for the Eclipse.

We had to watch it

The clouds were very kind, saved trying to find the welding googles.

The Clouds were kind

Of course just at the critical moment the clouds were not kind, too thick.

All Over

But all too soon the excitement was over, it had gone very dark, very cold and very very quiet all of a sudden. But soon returned to normal. Even the sheep new there was something up.

Floating At Last

back to the grind and the boat got launched. But only onto the mooring ropes. Next day I hoped top get it onto the pontoon, to finish.

Flotsam

Dan had been on the phone looking for pipes to rest the MV Stardust on when it is on the beach, we are happy to oblige with the feed pipes and fish farm walkways that end up (often) on Rona.

Too Low To Sit Alongside

The tides remain extreme and for the first time I had to move our wee boat onto the face of the pontoon, again another sunny day which was ideal for working on the boat.

Our New Guests

Saturday our guests arrived, Marc and Nicola back for their annual spring migration North, that’s not them on the decking.

They Are Seats…….honest

All the boat needed now on Saturday afternoon was to find the ‘stuff’. Lifejackets, radios, paperwork etc etc. With that out of the way we can turn our attention to the wedding plan, with up to 40 coming to Rona for the 30th of March we need to have some ingenious arrangements least of all for the weather. I was dispatched to find 10 clean prawn creels, they are for sitting on, I’m told, better catching prawns!!!!!!!