Most years we have a landing craft. This years delivery had a different feel to it altogether. After months of looking for a couple to join us on Rona we finally had success and on the 26th May 2022 the population of Rona doubled. From 2 to 4.

Zoe and Richard had visited us for interviews and to see how Rona would suit them (and they would suit us). All went well and they upped sticks and left their posts in Orkney to come to live on a much quieter and much more interesting Island (Not that I am biased).

Plans were made, the landing craft was booked and it slowly started to fill up. Even when we were building ‘Tigh na Creag’ we did not have such a big load, heavier, yes but not ‘big’.

Another big surprise was that Zoe had two horses and the horses came too. Plus 1 years feed!!

Landing craft days are always fraught, weather is king, does it come or not. It has to be really bad for it not to sail and with two horses, feed, hens, ducks, vehicles, coal (for Fladda) oil, building material, and, and, and………There is always a feeling of what have we forgotten, will it get here, will the tide be right?

As it happened on the day everything went pretty smoothly. The weather could have been better. We had some really heavy showers just before and especially after the delivery but all in all everything went to plan.

But it does not stop there, almost for a week after we were shifting things around, finding storage for all the supplies delivered, accomodating the horses. Delivering coal to Fladda. Kerosene and derv to the various tanks on the Island. On it went. But looking back now it looks a bit daunting but we took it in our stride and here we are settling down and getting stuck into the long lists of work to do.

Bring it on.