isleofronalog

To Hell in a Hand Cart!

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Bill Cowie

To-day has been one of these ‘Rona’ days. We had a VHF call from Claire last night but could not get back to her, so first thing I went out ‘fishing’ but would call to see how she was doing. As we did not manage to connect I would go onto her Island to say hello and go through a procedure for touching Base everyday if need be.

What I found on Claire’s camp was a bit worrying, her tent did not look familiar and when I got close I could see that there was a serious problem.

Flattened

Anyway, more on Claire’s Castaway page go to Castaway Claire’s Page for to-day’s excitement.

Customs n Excise

I got Claire sorted out with a promise to touch base at 9pm, then went fishing and returned to Big Harbour at 12ish. Kenny from Shieldaig had appeared on the horizon and he had bait for me so I headed in to the pontoon to see them. I was sorting out the catch and chatting to Kenny when this RIB with four on board arrived, for all the world like the Customs and Excise, but it was just the four florescent jackets they were wearing that threw me, not that I had anything to hide!!!!!!!!!

The visitors had come from Gairloch, they were on a fortnights holiday, enjoying the flat calm but not seeing any wildlife, possibly more than home in Denny!!

I eventually got away from the pontoon and got my lunch late. In between visitors buying post cards and venison we quickly went to Dry Harbour, L wanted to get on with the cleaning. I asked her to take pictures of the daisies which were covering the garden, I left her to it but then she put her hand in her pocket and realised she had left her keys to the cottages at Dry Harbour!!!!! Senior moment!!!!!! So she took the pics’ then enjoyed a walk home.

Daisies Galore

Paul from Arinish had been on the blower earlier, his new neighbours that bought his old house had problems with their Trace inverter, we have two duds, ‘Would I give him one to try and get some parts to sort them out’? No problem, have two I said and when I got back to Big Harbour I found Paul and his son Ross coming up the path. We jumped into the jeep and headed over, Ross took up the rear with the ATV. Half way across we blew the exhaust, Ross ran out of petrol, less haste more speed. We got that sorted out after another half hour we then removed the Trace inverters from the wall in the genny shed where they were mounted and took them over to Big Harbour.

Heavy Load

The load on the boat does not look much but I can assure that they are pretty heavy, fingers crossed Paul can make something of them, check out his blog on Life at the End of the Road but he is pretty busy and has been off line for a while. Horrendous to think that just over 10 years ago these two inverters, state of the art, then, cost around £3 to £4,ooo each, the price of living off grid, great. One had a lightening strike, the other just died. Good luck Paul. To-day has passed in a flash, only one yacht in and they came ashore with fleeces on all buttoned up, it certainly is not a normal day or year all round.

Fishing

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Bill Cowie

After the excitement of Mondays delivery of our Castaway, it was back to business of taking our visitors out fishing and catching some. Blair, Fay’s youngest always bakes cakes when they visit Rona. This year it was Minions? Tasty they were too. He presented me with some cakes when I went over to Dry Harbour to tell them the departure time for their fishing trip.

YUM!!

I like a cake, too many in fact so that is why we do not have them, but it is nice now and again to have one, Thanks Blair.

The fishing went well, in as much we caught two small Mackerel, some crabs and Squatties. The Sea Eagles was about , as always, the wind was making the sea a bit bumpy so we sheltered, fishing, for a while. But with nothing much else happening and seals around the boat we headed in. Dinner was sorted for everyone and it was looking kind of greyish coming from the North so time to call it a day. Just before we set of we spotted a Gannet resting in the water, so we motored over, it was unimpressed and just turned away, it had obviously been feeding, we could not find the fish though.

Trying To Ignore Us.

OK, I’ve had enough

When I got ashore we had a call from Andy, Dan one of our ferryboat skippers to ask if they could visit Rona that night. It was not a particularly inspiring evening but a run up to the Kilt Rock and over to Rona was the plan. They arrived just around 8pm and were with us for half an hour. We showed them Janet MacKenzie’s Cottage (The Widows Cot) and told them the story and a little of Rona’s history. The trip went well but half an hour after their visit the wind got up and they escaped a bumpy ride home. The report from the visitors was good, despite no whales, Dolphins, otters!!! They particularly enjoyed the Rona stop.

Late Visit.

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Full On.

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Bill Cowie

After our jaunt to Fort William and then overnight in Kinloch it was great to wake up to another blue sky day. Hard to believe after all the terrible weather, but great to at last have summer. We headed back to Rona after a busy day on Skye, visiting forests, shopping and not losing anyone.

Late Home

We got home to find a busy harbour, I’d had a call from Marshall on Motor Boat ‘Westlin’, booking the mooring. He had reported that there were quite a few yachts heading into Acarseid Mhor and I told him the ‘Mooring Booked’ sign was out so they would be fine. As it happened Yacht Tornalune picked up the mooring earlier and was none too pleased ‘with our mooring policy’ when he was asked to go to anchor!!

Mis-spelt, hey ho!

I’d sent a text to Calum with the boats name ‘Westlin’ but the iPhone had other ideas!!!

A Cod For Cod’s Sake

Next day Thursday it was a late breakfast then out fishing for the day, we picked up our creels and had quite a catch so that was dinner sorted but we had to have a shot with the rods, no Makerel or Pollock but quite a surprise for Mike to catch a fish and even bigger surprise to see it was a Cod. Not the most plentiful about here but a good sign.

Cleaning Crabs With Help From Yang and the Midgies.

Back to Base and the cooking began, with lots of crabs to cook and prawns it was very hot for a while in the kitchen, Yang, Mathias’ partner got stuck into the body of the crabs but we were very quickly swamped by the Midge. Once peeled open and cracked Yang got stuck in to the feast.

Crabs Chinese style

Next day was a cracker and after another late start and everyone heading off for a walk we caught up with a few chores, as it was so hot I thought I would sort out the fleet of creels that Simon had picked up for us, down on the pontoon. I thought it would be a straight forward build up of the fleet again but the rope was in such a mess it took forever. After a while everyone was wondering where we were so they came looking and joined in. We were very happy to let them.

Sorting Creels

Isobel on Yacht ‘Glance’ was in, it is a lovely yacht, built over 100 years ago and still going strong. From the Ringhaddy Yacht Club Northern Ireland where we have quite a few friends. It is a lot of work to maintain but good to see that some are prepared to do it. Even after breaking her leg on it last year, Isobel managed (with a little help from her friends), to get it into the water this year.

Glance

I commented on the very corroded leg (not her leg) of her outboard on the dinghy after sneaking out for a GnT at 5 o’clock, I was quickly told you don’t want anything new and shiny lying about where we live!!!!!!!

No Expense Spared

We were out of the kitchen (again) on Thursday and were presented with another lovely meal that evening, the highlight was the sweet, a Pavlova which Johanne made. Delicious.

Grand finale

All too soon our Danish visitors were sorting out their cases and laundry, getting ready for departure, I went over to the cottages and it was threatening rain but we got them all away dry.

Back To Normal

Fay and her two kids had arrived on the ferry for their annual escape to the ‘Escape ‘ cottage from Edinburgh (no TV’s, iPad’s, MacDonalds and people!!!). Unfortunately the heavens opened and for a few hours it poured.

Getting Better

But by mid day it was drying again and we could see the Torridon mountains once more.

After a deep breath it was back to normal on Sunday, no visitors, loads of yachts, lots of interesting conversations!!!! Best place was up at the larder cutting up the stag for sale to next weeks visitors. The freezer is almost empty so once again it is catch up.

Really Back To Normal

At the end of the day it was done and dusted, minced up for burgers which we did to-day. Now we have a full freezer for a week at least. Better get another one.

Castaway Claire arrived to-day, her blog page is next thing to do but we better head out to see if she is set up and we will then leave her to it. I’ll update her page later.

Eilean Garbh Looking Good.

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Holidays

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Bill Cowie

We are off for a few days to meet Dorte, Arne and Family. The weather (at last) is shaping up but looks like from one extreme to another. Yesterday it went up to 25 degrees, to-day it looks like 25+ now we will moan about it being too hot………

Last week we had quite a few yachts in but mostly from abroad, in fact if we did not have the foreign visitors it would be really quiet. I guess most local or UK sailors can choose to head for home when it is a poor sailing season. But they are upbeat the ones that come and are quick to come up to Rona Lodge to say hello. The Silurian was in (The Hebridean Wildlife Trust research yacht) but I did not see them.

European Visitors

Lars Larsen the Swedish skipper of the yacht in front of them came up to the house, sailing on his own across the North sea at 70+. A really nice guy and we had a good crack with him.

Lars Larsen

When these yachts were in we heard shooting around the harbour at around 10.30pm on the 25th, I was so concerned I called the Police then spent a long time late at night trying to explain the unexplainable. One of the yacht skippers suggested a sonic boom, which may be the explanation, who knows. But still quite frightening.

Sheep sorted.

Next day it was back to work and an overdue job at last got done. The sheep needed a second dose of Bravoxin and a checkover, as they all appeared in the field first thing we captured them and sorted them out, only two missing, the usual suspects.

The Tup and Friends

Next day it was the turn of the Tup and the male sheep, usually it is a bit of a rodeo to catch them up but for once they went straight into the pen and very quickly we dealt with them. It was a real surprise and bonus that the sun came out and stayed out for a whole 3 hours, it was so nice we sat out, midgie free and had a very nice bottle of red!! During the week I had been seeing ‘floaters’ in my right eye, the morning after the sheep sort I started to see flashing which was quite disturbing. I was speaking to one of the yacht skippers about the crew member that had fallen in the previous week and was saying how lucky they were to have a Doctor on board. Half an hour later he was back at the house with the retired Doctor, still on board. A quick consultation later and the diagnosis was a ‘Vitreous Detachment’. It is great to have Doctors on call in the summer!!!! His recommendation was a visit asap to the Optician, who would see for sure it was nothing more serious. I was very grateful as the flashing was becoming very regular.

Doctors Surgery, Rona Lodge

The ferry had been in and we had a visit from the local Police, not to check up on the mysterious shooting on Thursday night but to check my firearms certificate, quite a procedure nowadays.

Duncan The Bobby

Once the guests were settled into their cottage and the police check was over we set too and got ready for our visit to Ft William to meet our Danish visitors. The forecast for Sunday was for wind but dry. as it happened it was very windy, the bay was busy so as we were leaving we decided to transfer at sea rather than risk being blown onto the pontoon or another boat with MV Aspire. Kevin arrived with the boat and in the glorious sun (for a change) we did an at sea transfer in the lee of the South of the harbour.

Kevin waiting in Shelter.

It was very breezy but no problem and any thought that it was going to be a rough sail were quickly dispelled as it turned out a very pleasant crossing.

A Quick Change Over

Just outside Portree, Lorraine shouted out ‘Dolphins’ and from there on in we were accompanied by a big pod of Dolphins showing a lot of interest in the boat.

Catching us Up

Caught Up

We had a room booked in the pier Hotel which was looking good after a recent refurb’. Of course we went to see Donald in the bar and then enjoyed a good nights entertainment with Dan, Joan, Ann and Niel (Too good)!!!!!

The Harry Potter train

Next day we headed leisurely off to Armadale to get to Fort William to see the optician, MacBraynes let us down and we missed our bus, we queued for two hours in the hope of getting tickets on the Steam Train and we were so lucky to get a ticket from a visitor from Alaska who had heard me telling the guard about my eye. The eye was quickly forgotten as we steamed into Fort William. We were coming back on it the next day but this was a bonus and I have to say I was very impressed with the whole experience and it was unusual to see so many happy faces on a train, usually everyone looks glum. as it happened the optician was not there but we got an appointment for the next morning first thing. (Spot the stags head/antlers).

The Spanish John

Our guests arrived from London after a twelve hour drive and we enjoyed the ‘Lime Tree ‘Bed and Breakfast in Ft William (highly recommended/good food too). After a frantic wait for the optician who was held up in traffic, I had an examination which confirmed the Doctors diagnosis, that was good, a sigh of relief. Lorraine had a taxi waiting as we were very tight for time for catching the train, but no worries, the taxi drivers wife was on it and he had to give her some keys. We had a lovely run (again) back to Mallaig on a full train 360 people!! The sun came out and the mercury hit 23 degrees at once. I had a mooch round the harbour and enjoyed a good blether with Greg Milligan and his son from the Spanish John, our landing craft that delivers Hugh, fuel and bits and pieces.

Cannot Keep Away From a Harbour

We were on the boat (on time this time) over the Sea To Skye and installed in Kinloch Lodge for the night.

Back to Rona tomorrow.

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Castaway Claire!!

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Bill Cowie

We get a lot of email requests but when Claire Calder’s email dropped into our mailbox we were quite surprised to read it. It certainly was one of the more unusual requests.

She wondered if it would be possible to become a castaway on one of the small Islands around Rona. The plan was to spend an entire month on her own, camping with no one for company just her two ‘wee’ dogs. She would take all her equipment and stores, supplement it (hopefully) with what nature provides on or off the shore of this small island. The reason, to raise money for her chosen charity.

In 2002 Claire’s 8 year old daughter suffered severe burns during a camping holiday. It was her first holiday away from home. The Scottish Burned Children’s Charity Theburnsclub.org supported Claire and her daughter during this time.

So, to raise awareness for this charity and to raise funds, Claire is hoping to survive for one month on this wee Island ‘Garbh Eilean’ at the mouth of our harbour (Acarseid Mhor) with her two dogs for company. I’m sure there will be plenty wildlife to keep her company and many passing yachts, boats, kayaks and who knows what to pass the day.

Checking out the Campsite/Looking Back to the Harbour Mouth

The proposed campsite above, there is a green patch, nice and flat and sheltered from the SW wind, which we get plenty of for sure!!! And to get away from the midge, the hill behind will be ideal to sit up in the breeze, which we get (most of the time).

We will endeavour to put a few posts together during Claire’s stay and hopefully this awful weather will improve for her kick off day which we have set at the 6th of July.

If you have Facebook then click on this link for more information. Claire Calder on Facebook.

So far there has been quite a bit of interest with the local press featuring Claire’s Challenge. West Highland Free Press-Claire .

Good Luck Claire, we look forward to having a Castaway.

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The Summer Struggles on.

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Bill Cowie

Everyone is talking about it, the weather of course. Everyday the forecasts promise sunshine and every day it is grey, cold and invariably wet. When it is not wet and windy the slight rise in temperature gets the midgies going, they are not so bad this year which is a plus , but, when they do come they are making up for lost time.

Despite the weather the visitors still come, to-day it was the Brigadoon from Portree with a group of 10 walkers and the local ranger John Philips. They were here for a visit to Church Cave.

Unloading 11 Walkers, Lunchtime.

The Yachts are arriving in dribs and drabs, this Swedish yacht was here last night and was telling us that the weather was very much the same in Sweden. We were intrigued to see him put his chimney up to heat things up!! It is mid summer after all.

Summer Central Heating

We were on our way out to Yacht Etoile, Jeremy, Cath and their dog Meg had invited us to dinner. Meg was our old spaniel, well we only had her for a short while and tried to get her to work but she had been too badly treated in a previous life. Cath’ offered her a home so as a pet you could not get better.

Jeremy (Bailey!!)

We were up at the cabin watching ‘Moby Dick’ late afternoon, it was the 1956 release, before going out to dinner on their yacht, well worth a re-visit. We all enjoyed it and remark as to how well made it was for a 60 year old film. I hope they see whales on route to Stornoway to-day?

Closed.

Jeremy and Cath’ had kept us company for a few days, as the weather was grim, better to have a few days on Rona rather than sail in the dreich weather.

Wifi/Phone signals Galore.

This is the spot where the phone signal is at its best, many grind to a halt here.

Last Sunday we had the Stardust with the Highland Biological group for a look around Rona too. Kenny was in on Tuesday with twelve from Shieldaig on the Seaflower, so the visitors are still coming. After this year possibly the knock on will be less people coming next year, who knows. As I write I see we have 5 yachts in the bay now, all just arrived, the last one the Hebridean Wildlife Trust is coming right into the anchorage. It has been sailing about all week I guess looking for whales.

The Biologists, looking Happy despite the Midge!!

The Biological Group had a long day, Sunday on Rona, it was flat calm all day with plenty midgies to keep them company. Dan appeared on Stardust late in the day and quickly took them back to Portree.

Dead Sea

Dan delivered the Sunday papers which was great to get on the correct day for a change, they are usually a week late with the post, we had a quick chat, they turned around and went quickly home, no word of any wildlife out in the Sound of Raasay. Just a few Puffins.

Back To Base.

There was not much more to do but clear up in the larder where I had been butchering all day, a good job with the door shut keeping the pests away, the radio on, perfect peace.

Now the Tidy Up.

We are going off to meet friends in FortWilliam then returning mid week so the head is down trying to get everything up to date before our guests visit. Roll on the summer (when it comes).

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It’s all about the Weather and All for Free.

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Bill Cowie

Sunday it was a good day, best day of the week and what a week, so far.

This Was The Summer. So far.

We had good company with the arrival of our friends Dave and Alison on their motor boat, ‘Baron Kelvin’. We had a dinner together and caught up on the winters events and were all agreed that 2015 has had the worst spring/summer for many years. It is so cold, even on this day if you were out in the little wind there was, it was not warm.

The Baron Kelvin Crew.

Monday promised calm and it was good day to scrub the barnacles from the bottom of the boat, amongst other boat jobs. As I landed on the shore with the boat the oyster catchers that have been making all the noise in the bay appeared out of the seaweed with two chicks, very protective they were. I took a few photos’ but the minute I got nearer the adults started the injured/broken wing routine and quite impressive it was too.

Oyster Catcher + Two Chicks

I stopped taking photos’ and the family continued to feed away just where I was working, quite happy I was not bothering them.

Follow Me, I’m Injured

Simon had called in the morning to tell me that my creels were all in a ball, my small creel hauler would not lift them so he offered but not to-day, he was busy and I was on the beach.

Barnacles

I really need anti fouling paint but am awaiting a delivery so will just have to put up with lying on the beach on my back scrubbing the bottom with a bent hoe, sooner rather than later in the year. Most effective the hoe, but better if the paint was not so thin.

I was just about in the water as the tide was rising when two motor boats sped into the harbour upsetting everyone with their speed. They announced they were here to have a picnic and started to moor up to where I park my boat. So a quick exchange and they had tied up on the side left for them. When I mentioned a landing fee there was no rush to pay but pay up they did so I left them too it!!

Where’s the Picnic

They were looking for Church Cave but as far as I could see they went the wrong way. Later one of the visiting yachts was telling me they were none too happy having to pay to land, such is the joy of running a commercial Island enterprise. Hey ho!!

The Only Calm Day

Moira and Malcolm had come in earlier in the week on their wee yacht ‘Feshie’. They have been coming for a long time to Rona and it is always a pleasure to see them arrive despite all the weather. The yacht to the left ‘Celtic Oyster’ was up in Scotland after a few years in the Med’ I bet he is wishing he was back there. The wind blew up Tuesday into a real filthy day, rain, low cloud, cold, grey, horrible. Not expecting any visitors to arrive on Rona I thought I would give the larder a quick paint. The first covering was getting a bit ‘washed’ so a couple more coats would spruce it up for the season. I planned to go out Wednesday morning for a look around to see what was doing with the deer. They should have had some calves by now.

Painting Again.

In between the showers I got a few outstanding outside jobs done, which just about got me up to date

A Good Day For Tidy up

Everything on Rona is ongoing, a bit like the Forth Road Bridge. I came up for lunch and got an email with pictures from John, who helped when we did this last week. Here we are sorting out the anchor for the reef warning buoy. The reef on the West side of the harbour that catches quite a few yachts (three so far this year) is tidal. Everyone knows it is there but it is easy to forget. So after pulling the last yacht off last month, I decided to put a mark on it, someone did mention that it will probably be picked up as a mooring, I hope not.

Setting Up the Reef Warning

Back to Tuesday night, the weather really closed it, no new yachts arrived and no surprise. But in the morning I was surprised to hear from Malcolm about a small cruiser (very small) had been flying about at 5.30am in the morning getting blown about the bay, but they were now anchored.

Brave

I went down to the pontoon for a look, it was early in the morning when I took this but you can see it is not the biggest and it turned out that it came in the previous evening at 9pm. When the wind was probably about 30knts (gusts). They had gone out early to head round Skye but thought better of it. (Good plan) All day it blew and it was a bigger surprise to have another three yachts join the ones in the bay later in the evening.

Lorraine had an even bigger surprise when 5 kayakers turned up looking for the bothy (bunkhouse). When they were told that it was £60 (for 5) for a warm bed, wood burning stove, cooker, showers and drying facilities they said we have no money and that “we will just camp”. At that moment the rain came in, the mist came down and it got dark. Good decision, camping sounds like real fun in this weather. I guess once you have bought the kayak, the go pro camera, the i phone, etc, etc, there is not much left for a back up plan if it goes sour with the weather!!!!!!!

Trying to generate an income on Rona has always been a struggle but the small charges we do have are certainly not over the top and every where we go from Rona we expect to pay, so, why is it that we this problem (only with the minority I hasten to add) although the shop on Canna reached new heights on non payment this week past, I see. The Canna Shop Raid certainly hit the headlines but I’m not surprised, we have CCTV, lock everything and don’t have many problems, sad it is that we have to do that but that is what we have had to do.

Finally Richard from Skye Express who carts all or most of our stuff to Portree for on going to Rona said to me to-day (Thursday), it is only three days until the longest day/mid summer (21st June) then the nights will start to draw in, cheers Richard!!!!

Posted in Daily Doings, Kayaks, The Views and of course the weather, Wildlife, Yachties | 1 Comment

At Last a Hint Of Summer.

Posted on June 13, 2015 by Bill Cowie

If you ask our guests, Roy and Shirley if it was a good week, their suntans should say it all. It has been a very good week, no rain!!!! But going off to-day the wind is out of the North and in the picture, no one is in T shirts!!!

Leaving Rona, Suntanned!!!!

The pictures a bit squint, but you get the drift.

Rona Whisky delivery

Calm in the bay this morning (Saturday 13th June) but a good force 3 to 4 running outside, giving some interesting conditions. We have had Kayakers in already to-day and they headed North up the West side into the North swell but they were quite upbeat. They had stopped for some fresh water and a look at the bunkhouse. Then off they went, but I do not fancy a paddle up at the North of Rona just now. (See footnote) Talking about paddles, Calum lost his paddle in the gales the previous week when were off. When I came up from the ferry there it was in front of the bunkhouse, where most of the debris lands, it must have been floating about all week.

The Lost Paddle

What I did not see lying beside it until the kayakers pointed it out was a seal pup, dead of course and it had been for some time. What is surprising is that we do not see more with the population around Rona growing to huge numbers, this winter I guess we had around 200 in the bay on particularly stormy days. This year (spring) there is a distinct lack of sea birds, the cliffs at Dhu Chamas are bare of birds, a handful of cormorants are there but no Fulmars. Of course plenty Black Back Gulls who are very good at nest robbing.

Heading off North into A Force 3/4

Back to last week, the first day back at work I was conscious my creels had not been looked at so as it was calm I took off to lift them.

Grey Outlook

It was very grey and no sign of the promised sunshine on Monday.

Lots of crabs in the creels and best of all I spotted an antler right beside the shore on neigbouring Eilean Tighe, I was close in and there it was sitting up. A quick scramble ashore and we added it to the collection. I caught an Octopus too who was going all shades of colours until I had time to put it overboard.

Sitting Up

Back to Base and on with the big pan, then next morning I had an hour or so dressing crabs with the company of George the cat, looking for tit bits.

Crab for T

After dressing the crab I thought it was so dry I would go up North to retrieve some firewood from last years road line. But as soon as I got into the settlement I found the path to be just as wet as it had been all winter. One pass was about it and I got a trailer load for home. Whilst I was there I took a walk through the forest to check on trees blown across the track. That filled the trailer for a second time.

Well Seasoned

It had been a long day and the evening was very warm, calm and clear. A promise of a good day coming.

The best day yet

Next day it was not as clear as promised, in fact it was very overcast. I had taken a film camera to the wedding in Applecross instead of the digital. I wanted to try out the old camera and to see how the pictures came out. The night before (late) I developed the film and that next morning I scanned a few negatives. I had not done it for a while so there is a ‘lot’ of work to do but it was good fun and I was very pleased with the old style of photography. The digital is great for sure but there is just something about the film medium. More when the bride and groom come back from honeymoon and see the results first!! MV seaflower was coming from Shieldaig on a trip so I was spurred on to get as many ‘proof’ prints done as possible. Mid day Thursday they arrived and we enjoyed a good few hours over lunch catching up on the wedding.

Paula’s Project

The Rona wool at the moment is not worth sending away, the fleeces are patchy so we were happy to see one of our better fleeces going away to be ‘worked on’. It is good to see them being put to some use, especially with a lot more coming this year.

Spinning

This week has been patchy with visitors, Sunday night we had 9 yachts in but it has been dribs and drabs since then. There are two in the bay at the moment but we have had a few nights with an empty harbour. This ‘Wayfarer’ arrived on Thursday having circumnavigated Skye. They had a very good sailing week with no surprises although coming round the North tip of Skye was exciting!!!!

Tented Up

I cannot imagine what facilities are available to the overnight stay on the dinghy, quite compact for sure, but I am assured there is everything you need!! They were certainly glad to see our showers.

The Spring Clean

At the end of the week I finally got around to doing some serious work outside and started cleaning the stackyard. It has been a bit untidy this winter no thanks to the gales now it is a bit calmer it is good to get going and to think about the summer projects.

Spot The Sandpiper?

Down at the pontoon to-day I had a very irate Sandpiper trying to lead me astray with the broken wing routine, for sure her chicks were not far away. That was good to see and the Wheatears are still as plentiful. It seems that it is only the sea birds that are suffering this spring, on Rona. We have now three if not four sets of Greylag Goslings, eating their way through the sheep park every morning when I get up. So although the weather has been weird and very unseasonal, somethings carry on regardless and the nesting birds around the Lodge are very busy.

The kayakers are on the radio finding it a bit rough up at the North end of Rona, I hear suggestions to turn around but they are having trouble keeping in contact, sounds like fun………………………

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Here We Go Again.

Posted on June 3, 2015 by Bill Cowie

That was what I was going to call the blog last Sunday. When I planned to write it at home. We have been battling against the winter weather more this year than ever before. Every time we have a plan to get off Rona and do something (like a wedding) the weather has other ideas. We have cancelled appointments left right and centre with doctors and dentists and after 6 months we really needed to get off yesterday to catch up. However, on Saturday with everything looking fine on the computer for weather the following week we were quite relaxed. Only when Kevin when the MV Aspire arrived, mentioned that there might be a problem did we realise how much of a problem we really had. Yet another very low pressure was building and heading our way. No word of it at 7am last Saturday but by the time the weather man on X C Weather had updated it the whole picture had changed. Decisions had to be made and Saturday turned into a whirlwind as we tried to complete jobs and get organised for MV Aspire to come back Saturday night to collect us. The future a weeks holiday dodging about the North of Scotland, we would have been happier going for a week to the South of France but it was better to make the decision and get these appointments up to date.

Before we left I had the new sheep fank almost finished so here we were on Saturday afternoon (running out of time) knocking in posts ‘Rona’ style.

Saves the Muscles

The sheep on the other hand took advantage of the gate being left open and went straight into the garden to cut the grass.

Organic Motors

The weather all week had been up and down, we had two big yachts in for four days, they were going to leave Sunday but thought the better of it as it turned nasty, but it turned even nastier as last week progressed.

Frank and His Pal

When I took this photo it was very bright and sunny but the cold showers were not far away. The grass is growing at last but ever so slowly. The geese of course have turned up and are ‘helping’ themselves to the sheep’s feed. We did scare them off but then they turned up with their goslings, so we are giving them a chance.

On The Run.

The gander we try to keep away and they are keeping the grass down at the holiday cottages, but they do leave quite a mess.

Having A Look Late in The Evening.

They come in low over the sea to land but got quite a surprise hen I popped up from behind the hill in front of the house. Apart from that, last week was good for getting up to date and the lack of visitors meant interruption free days. We got on with a lot of ‘wee’ jobs. A new shelf for the lobster pots, wedding presents, a bit of painting, new cold frame. It all adds up to make the job busy and interesting.

The New Shelf

The Cold Frame

I wonder if it is blown away with the gales, I did not get time to load it up with trays!!

Wedding Presents.

We are also going to a wedding in Applecross this Saturday coming, Kenny and Linda’s daughter Iona is getting married to Gordon and we are looking forward very much to the day.

Back to this week, with an enforced holiday, nothing for it but to get onto Booking.com and see what was available. The better weather was in the East so we headed for Aberdeen, once again a great choice. Thainstone Gouse, a Crerar Hotel, great Hotel, staff, facilities, food and price, we’ll be back. Sitting outside in the hot tub at 7am, blue skies, quite surreal. But hey ho, good for the soul.

Thainstone House.

So it is not all bad or frustrating and good to get away before the visitor season gets really underway, supposing the weather ever improves.

Very Quirky Hotel

As I say it is not all bad.

A Different World

The weather was good, cold but dry. Aberdeen was a bit tired but we did find a genius who is fixing the old MacBook. Also quite a contrast between the East and West, driving into Aberdeen we saw that the farmers had already had a first cut of silage and in the West some are still feeding the stock. It is certainly a difficult year in the West Coast for weather, farmers and crofters.

On the way back to Inverness we visited the home town, Buckie to at last see the Buckie Fishing Heritage Museum, a must if you are interested in fishing boats and to chat with the retired fishermen who man the exhibition.

Roll on the summer.

Posted in Daily Doings, The Views and of course the weather | Leave a comment

Now, Let Us Get Up To Date.

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Bill Cowie

After the excitement of Saturday, it is time to get back to the blog I was actually going to write. We had our ferry on Friday due to the bad forecast for Saturday, so it kind of threw me a bit to have a double rescue on my hands on the supposedly quiet day, but I should have known better on a bank holiday weekend. That would be when most of the yachts would be getting going and unbeknown to me there was a kayak convention on Skye.

Kevin’s New Toy

We had no changeover on the Saturday anyway, but it is easy to load up the MV Aspire especially with no landing craft this year (yet). Kevin’s new hoist worked well and I’m sure we will put it to good use. Apart from a small issue!!!!!

The ‘Janet MacKenzie’ group.

I had been in touch with Jim Withers about a possible visit by his Australian family and friends who wanted to get to Rona to visit the house where one of the parties Great Great (Great?) Grandmother, Janet MacKenzie lived, prior to her emigration to Australia. They had booked by Shieldaig but with the chance of coming a day early on the MV Aspire, they jumped at the possibility.
History
The first Rona light was provided by a widow named Janet Mackenzie in the mid 1800s. For many years she burnt a light in the window of her cottage on the beach at Big Harbour, enabling fishing boats to clear the rocks at the harbour entrance. Legend is that she lost her husband at sea and hoped that the light guide others safely home. Many fishing boats owed their safety from storms to the widow’s lights. She received £20 from the Northern Lighthouse Board as a reward for her ‘praiseworthy exertions’.

I will find more about Janet MacKenzie some time soon but it is deep in the PC hard drive (always a mission to find anything there!!!!) She emigrated after she received her pension and I think she was around 70 years plus and in the 1840’s!!!!!

Unloading The Fuel

Once they had all left it was down to putting the delivery away, the tide was good, the bottom of the boat needed a scrub so it was a busy time.

Adjusting the guardrail

Kevin’s small issue was a dent in his guardrail, not to be outdone I did exactly the same, I forgot the forks were down on the front bucket and it rested oh so gently on the rail, putting an almost identical dent in my rail!! Hey Ho.

Checking out the Campsite

Once the boat floated I headed round the bay to give it a run and to check out the camping possibilities on the Island at the mouth of the harbour. We may have a camper wishing to stay there, more later. It was a lovely evening on Friday night and we hoped it would stay over into Saturday.

Saturday’s blog has already been and gone, so no sense in repeating it here, suffice to say it was not sunny just very windy with Frank my new German kayaking friend arriving in force 4 winds.

Sunday Night

Sunday night I took a trip up to the Applenet BB mast which seemed to be ok. I was looking for dead deer, there had been many crows, ravens and sea eagles in the area this week and I was sure they had found a carcase but after a search around, nothing. So whatever it was that was attracting them I could not find it. Quite a few boats were in but the last one did not have enough space and tried to anchor once then left. It was MV Raingoose from Badachro so at that time of night it was not too late to get there, just grey and breezy.

Monday Morning Blues

Frank was enjoying the luxury of the Bothy and I think he enjoyed the bottle of wine he got from Tony whom we rescued on Saturday, as it was he was in no hurry to depart. The wind that was forecast did not materialise so he took off mid morning for a leisurely cruise down the West side of Raasay. He had only left the harbour and several other kayak groups appeared but it seems they only stopped for a short break and then left for the less costly Raasay Mountain Bothy Association bothy.

Admiring the Antlers

I had shown Frank our stag ‘Eric’ the night before and when he came up to settle up this morning he was intrigued to see our collection of antlers, he hopes to come back stalking some day.

It has been a funny kind of Bank Holiday Monday, not that we take them. Lots of kayakers, yachts in 6 maybe more round the corner. And 3 mysterious guys at the top of the hill, where they came from and where they went I don’t know!!!!!!!!!