Summer is making a brief appearance, Wednesday afternoon, but it is very windy 25mph+ SW so Claire should be ok out on her rock. We have not had a SOS yet.

I was out early this morning looking for deer, saw plenty but not one for the pot. It was pretty breezy which was good and dry, even better but the Black Back Seagulls were warning everything for miles. Quite interesting to sit on a hill with seagulls squawking above you and watching deer running away all around, even deer a long way away. They seem to hear from the gulls ‘the wolf is coming’ and they make themselves scarce.

Promising Morning

It was quite calm over on the East side with lovely clouds over the Torridon range. Venison sales are going strong and running out as we get it into the freezer, despite the weather and less visitors this year we are selling plenty of it. When I was out prowling I noted that  the path running down to the East side was needing strimmed so that was to-day’s job.

A Long Walk

Not the worst job in the world but it is a long one. Handy to carry the string and fuel with me (plus the water). When I got back to Dry Harbour the heavens opened and I had to take shelter in one of the cottages. Back to Base and the crew of Yacht Rona 2 were in the utility room having showers and washing after a week at sea. They were happy with there holiday but asking ‘is it always as cold as this up North’, they were from Oxford!!

Back to Monday, after a day of computers and paperwork on Sunday, I had an early start looking for deer, not a lot to see, just a few hinds and this years calves which is always lovely to see. The gulls on this morning left me alone. However as I was heading South I saw a Cuckoo, I though that they would be well on their way to Africa but no this one was still here, very strange. On the way back as I was spying for deer it appeared again and clumsily landed on a rock in front of me. A Pipit arrived and proceeded to feed it, it was obviously a very late chick. Super to see and incredible to think that it will soon be on its way South too. Round the corner and three crows were mobbing a peregrine, again it was a young one. But the young Peregrine was having none of it, it turned on them whereupon one crow landed and the Peregrine landed on its back. Of course I only had the ‘wee’ camera for both incidents, so no pics’ I’m afraid.

At 10am Craig came over with the family for a fishing trip. This time we were going to do a ‘Cook What You Catch’ boat trip. We have done them before but this was their first time for lunch.

November Lady

On the way out we got a big wave from Ian and Davie from Troon, Ian has been coming to Rona for many years and was one of my first visitors I met when I arrived here 13 years ago. Always good to see them, they are always full of fun.

Hungry Chap

We visited  Castaway Claire and got her news, then had two hours lifting creels, rod fishing and looking for the missing whales and dolphins. We did quite well, plenty Coleys but no Pollock (or whales). With some squatties and crab we headed in, sorted the catch under the watchful eye of my new pal, the hungry seagull.

Cleaning Crabs

Back to Rona Lodge’s kitchen where we cooked the crabs and dressed them out, made some Mayonnaise, cooked it all up and had a lovely lunch together, with fresh bread and a glass of wine. Just a typical Monday on Rona!!!!!!! The rest of the day passed quickly and first thing Tuesday it was back to the grind  servicing  both gennys. The Big Harbour genny has 19600 hrs since new (it came when I came) it is now 13 years on Rona. With the windmill, the batteries and the little solar power, the system is going well. Everything was going good for me too yesterday morning until I dropped the oil out of the machine and forgot to put the cap on the waste oil tray, disaster, now I have a very oily black floor. I had some oil absorbing granules but there was too much so a quick trip over to Big Harbour to get some and the clean up was underway. Both are back up and running and fingers crossed for a trouble free period.

Serviced