The countdown has begun, retirement beckons. To-day a session with the good guys at Pensionwise, an interesting hour for sure. We are retiring in the Autumn and in the next post, perhaps there will be news of where we are going and what is happening on Rona. But life goes on and the year has gone in a flash, these last 4 weeks have been far too fast.

But back to tonight, 1am , here is the reason why I am still up: I can’t sleep, that will be the Lions Mane jellyfish I swam into this evening. Not good and certainly stings.

But not as bad as (from my facebook post): Tonight the harbour in Rona was thick with sewage dumped from visiting yachts, all gathered at the shore but I could not swim out of it so turned back then…………………

I have never seen it so bad. So before we slag off working fisherman providing food for the nation as is the case this last week take a moment to consider we are just one wee harbour in the West Coast, awash with sh*t, I kid you not. There will be hundreds of yachts in anchorages such as this doing just that, some dumping their sewage, flushing their toilets straight into beautiful anchorages like ours. Shame on them.

The ocean is tough and healing but there comes a point when the leisure industry, must look at itself and consider making onboard sewage tanks mandatory, even in old boats, no exceptions. Discharging in tanks ashore, just the same as the plague of Camper Vans with their onboard sewage tanks are supposed to do.

Back to the end of May into June. The beautiful Spring weather ended and no hope of a very hot summer, maybe just as well but some of the weather lately has been diabolical but as of tonight we have had 100 yacht/Motor Vessel visits so far this year.

Kayakers have been about lately, although they missed the best of it with few passing in the Spring.

Work goes on, it will never stop with so much needing maintenance and attention, sadly one of MV Rona’s long serving outboards packed in, we were out fishing when it started to make a horrible noise, we suspect a crankshaft roller bearing. Too much for me to deal with and no passing mechanics at the moment but it is in the shed, waiting, just in case. Strimming, cottage woes and rubbish from the fishfarm, it all takes time and passes the days.

I took up a new hobby last year archery. I had not much time to practice before but I have been doing more since my teacher, Brian, was up in April, he is the Archer, it is good fun and good stretching exercises. I was in Inverness at School sports by accident early May, I had a meeting to go to but school sports takes precedence when you get the call. I had a big surprise there bumping into Jeff at Bucht Park one of the old chefs from the Base, it was good to catch up. Check out my bow and the audience in the first photo!!

Venison was in short supply and as much as I disagree with Nature Scot/Scot Gov and their drive to change the Deer Seasons, the only part I can agree on is changing the Male season to cull late Spring/early Summer stags 6 weeks before July. I was out one fine morning and managed to get one, a good stag with plenty fat having had time to recover after the rut and winter. It was a great day and for the rest of the day as the WiFi had been playing up, I sorted out a few loose ends but found more problems than answers. The mast had snapped a stancion and a scaffolding clamp had rusted meaning a return later in the month.

The month moved on, the weather was up and down but on a day like this there was nothing for it but to cool off in the sea. The water was crystal clear, no seals, no crap. The best time to swim before the hordes arrive. That will take us up until the 10th of June.

Just to finish as I see these photos are next in the library, we had a wonderful hot day last week and there was such a hatch of Pearl Bordered Fritillary by the road on the thistles, lovely to watch and smaller ones too. Fascinating.