To-day, after a week of 20+ degrees heat and sun it is another day at the coalface of Rona. 7am this morning it started: This is the way it was, more about last week later but here is a day in the life of us………At last the the landing craft, The Spanish John, was coming from Mallaig. The digger and building material was on board ready to make a start on the new road/house.
Saturday night only one yacht in, it was nice and quiet before the busy day ahead. A nice couple on the yacht,they came up to the house paid their mooring fee bought venison and headed off, Yacht Suzalah? Now on their way to Harris.
Getting Ready For the Landing Craft 1
Busy morning getting organised, first thing gathering together the bits and pieces for the landing craft.
Getting Ready For the Landing Craft Loading Old Fuel hoping to empty the IBC
Had to empty the spare kerosene as we needed the IBCs for more fuel coming.
Filling The Lodge Fuel to make space
Just as well, the Lodge tank was almost empty when I had a quick check. I was aware that it needed a top up but we must have been burning a bit more than usual.
Down the pier with the third IBC
Two on the tractor and one by JCB down to the shore.
In Between Times, loading Creels
Kenny MV Seaflower was coming so I got some creels to the pontoon hoping he would put them together in between IBCs and tractors.
Changing Gas
When I was loading the fuel in to the tank behind the Lodge I had a check of the gas and one of the bottles was empty too, another job out of the way.
Sorting the Bothy For Hugh, the Digger Driver.
Sorted out the Bothy for Hugh coming, we had it set up for the ‘Crew Pot’ meals we are doing so it had to go back to accommodation. I had an idea the road pipes would be loose so I put posts up just in case they were.
Just In Case
12.30pm the Spanish John arrived, all of a sudden the harbour became very busy.
Here it Comes.
Kenny and Gemma’s passengers had had their lunch and headed off, we got on unloading the landing craft.
Spanish John Arrives rush to chase the tide.
It is always a rush to beat the tide but it all went quite smoothly and we got the cargo off in good time.
Ready to Unload.
Despite Hugh’s plastercast (he had done a bit of damage to his tendons) we quickly got the material up the shore, the landing craft was empty and heading off.
Half Way There
No worries, we have a good team.
The Fencing
We always try to load up the Spanish John. All the projects start coming together following a delivery.
Kenny Setting The Creels
Kenny was setting up my creel line all the while we were unloading which was a great help.
The Drainage for the new Road
The road pipes were well tied up so the posts I put in were redundant.
Kenny Gets Press ganged into Creeling, but happy at his work.
I had asked Kenny to have a look at repairing the creels but he very quickly put them together for a wee string of 6 for around the bay. Years of doing it makes for an easy task, whereas I would take forever and it would not be as tidy, for sure.
Spanish John Leaves the Island
All the excitement was over quickly and Jamie headed off with the landing craft for a calm sail back to Mallaig.
Visitors Heading to the Rona Shop.
In between distributing the load the visitors had asked about the shop, so a quick break from the JCB and I put on my shop assistant hat.
Hugh on his way to the Site, spot the crutch!!!!!!
Finally the digger got up to the front of the Lodge and was parked up ready for Monday morning.
The New Jeep, At Last.
I had gone to Portree a fortnight ago, on the way there I called Micky from M2 Motors and he pointed me in the direction of the Isuzu jeep. It was ideal for Rona and was very pleased to get such a good car. We were getting a wee bit tired of getting soaking in the winter and got the Diahatsu a few years ago but it has done very well and a replacement was really needed. Hopefully this one will be as good.
Fencing Loaded, ready for tomorrow.
Late on in the afternoon/early evening there was a few jobs left to do and a welcome beer at the end of it. The fencing had been loaded and it will go up top to fence off the Scots Pine that the deer like to eat.
Creels on the boat.
I finally got round at the end of the day to loading the creels and hope to get them out Monday afternoon.
Finally, Mowing the Lawn.
And finally let the sheep in to mow the lawn (saves fuel and energy) , just another day on the Island, PHEW.
