March 2024

4th March – A slow start to the month as the winter storms are not letting up but we had a brief window of sunshine to go for a walk. It’s on these little strolls that we notice some of Stromness’ quaint features such as this window on the warehouse at the Pole Star pier. It’s in need of some TLC but the rust and flaking paint give it some character.

8th March – It’s that time of year again and the Orkney fairmers are having their plooin’ competitions. It’s been a very wet winter but this field seems in reasonable condition. It won’t be long before they let the kye oot fae the sheds. I think I’ve been here too long!

9th March – Sadly we are still maintaining our vigil for Gaza at St Magnus Cathedral. We’ve not missed a Saturday since early November. I think this was the warmest so far.

13th March – A sunny day but gale force winds make outside activity difficult. I carried out a couple of Shorewatches, barely managing to stand up in the wind, setting off home I was faced with the water having risen over the road!

It a flooded about 100 meters along the golf course road. I had to give the car a good hosing to wash off the salt when I got home.

Scottish Water are installing new drainage to the campsite, I imagine they took today off!

16th March – Still need for yet another vigil. One of our group has created a series of small flags, each carrying the name and age of a few of the children that have been killed in the conflict.

On a cheerier note, we were joined a group of lads taking part in an Orkney “blackening”, a ritual whereby an imminent groom-to-be is paraded around the town on the back of a truck and is publicly humiliated by his “friends” by being covered in treacle and other noxious substances. He is eventually cling-filmed to the Mercat Cross, in front of the Cathedral, and abandoned (for a peedie while).

It’s rumoured that the tradition was invented by Kirkwall Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services Co. Ltd.

20th March – Our friend, Terry, has come over from Dounby, to lend a hand with upcycling an old bed frame. We lost a fence panel in a recent storm and decided to repurpose the wooden slats to make a fence that will slow the wind and hopefully give some protection to the plant pots.

Although things are still a bit bare at the moment, I’m hoping this will create a sheltered corner.

23rd March – Gale force winds don’t deter the Kirkwall vigillers, it was wild on Saturday and windy days are tricky to capture in a photo but I think the person wrapped in a flag is a good indication of the conditions.

26th March – It looks like we’ve not seen the end of winter just yet. Woke up this morning to a covering of snow on the Hoy hills.

30th March – What a difference a few days make! Today’s vigil was held in warm sunshine and under a blue sky.

You’ll notice that many vigilistas are carrying kites, apparently 31st March is “Land Day” in Palestine and the people celebrate the fruitfulness of their land by flying kites. We were told that a few years ago children held a mass kite rally on Gaza beach and earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. After our vigil everyone went to a nearby park to fly their kites.

31st March – Did an early Shorewatch this morning, didn’t see anything as usual, but the early light catches the view beautifully. Compare this pic with the one taken five days ago.