Shetland

Tues. July 7 2015 Balta Sound Shetland Islands.

0330 UP! No rest for the Innocent or the wicked for that matter. Woken up by the wind or more correctly by the lack of wind!  Sally roused up and we made tracks at 0400 with two reefs in the main 0500 unfurled the Jib and at 0730 shook out the reefs  and made 6.5 knots OG (over the ground as opposed to Speed through the water) Wind freshened through the morning and at 1030 we entered Lerwick harbour and spied an open spot on a pontoon just big enough for us. We slid into it just like we knew what we were doing! Got secured. Then the rain started and the North wind picked up. Checked in at harbour office returned to boat wind started to howl and PINNED us to the pontoon! We couldn’t get out for 3 days! Had every fender we owned on the starboard side of the boat. NOT NICE.

Wed. July 8 2015 After a horrible night not sleeping and bouncing around. Sally actually went out to the settee in the Salon(Not the saloon where we probably should have spent the night). The Border Security Person ( A very nice lady) arrived at 1030 after being promised a cup of tea. Cleared us in didn’t ask about alcohol or anything ( No one brings excess from Norway so why ask?) took our passports away to be officially stamped  then returned them about 2 hours later. Went up to the tourista Office for brochures and bus times then off to the Museum for some culture. Sally had found her Good Seico watch that she thought she had lost last year.(Just put in a Super Secure Safe Place!) so we took it to a Jewlery store for a new battery and repair to the band! Battery worked band didn’t .Had a very nice lunch at the museum. I (Noel) bought a new pair of pants, work black.

Thurs. Jul 9 2015.

Wind shifted during the night! Oh Joy able to sleep!! Flat boat blown away from the pontoon. Breakfast consisted of Bacon and eggs! Whowzer Yummy!!! Went to the sailing club for showers  Mass exodus form the harbour as a short window for Norway! We’re going the other way so no window or door for that matter for us. We’re stuck again. So we took the bus to the south end of the Island to Jarlshoff. A Neolithic village site underneath and next to a later Broach(Scottish round tower only found in Scotland with an inner and out wall with passages and stair cases between the walls) and a medieval castle all in ruins. The neat part we could wander around with a recorded commentary on what we were looking at and could actually touch and pick up the stone artifacts. And enter the buildings. There was also a Viking Long house and out buildings. Very interesting. We’re becoming experts at spotting all this stuff as we sail/motor along the coasts. Maybe should get a job as an antiquities spotter?  Returned to the boat at the end of the day had dinner and off to the club for a pint.

Fri. July 10 2015 Lerwick Shetland Islands.

Still here! Wind still wrong So we fueled the boat just in case and off we went on another bus to Skalloway to the Shetland bus museum. A really interesting place all about the fishing boats going back and forth to Norway during the war and taking supplies and people in and a whole lot out.  As I learned this summer from a cousin my father either got out by the bus or by crossing overland to Sweden. Wandered around the town in Shetlandish sunshine otherwise known as their idea of light rain. (Not blowing horizontal) . Back at the boat  by 1900 and then up to club with Michael and Anna from Dalliance for a pint and showing them how to load the charts into their ipad. Earned me a pint!

Sat. July 11 2015 Guess!

Went to the Tourist Office got tickets for the cancer society bus tour caught the bus at 1000 and off we went to Eshaness headland for the view and return to the rec centre for soup and sandwiches. Got a job offer from the driver and owner of the bus company! Have been here too long!

Sunday July 12 2015. You guessed it.

Went to the Harbour Office to checkout. Checked weather not recommended to leave so we didn’t. Sally off to Kirk I had some Off Sally  strike that I meant down time.  Had a walk about and a bigg Sunday dinner.

Monday July 13 2015 we’ve had enough!!!

0930 Cast off, gone, on our way, departed and left! Motoring in a lumpy left over sea for Fair Isle. Arrived at 1700 after an uninteresting day.