February 2025

5th February – A nice spell of bright weather, the sunlight picks up the power of the waves coming in to Hoy Sound.

8th February – Another decent day, so H and I went for a “magical mystery tour” over to West Mainland. Everywhere is very quiet just now without the tourists and more relaxing for everyone, including these seals.

This group are in the harbour at St Mary’s, we don’t have any in Stromness now, this must be a quieter harbour.

Passing through St Mary’s is Barrier No.1, built over eighty years ago, it has lasted well and survived all the storms.

13th February – The spell of quiet, mild weather continues. No wind today and a very calm sea, enough to tempt the kayakers out.

14th February – How we captured images before smart phones. An artist does a great job keeping his work on the bench in a stiff, and chilly, breeze.

16th February – The Northern Lighthouse Board vessel, Pharos, is currently at anchor in Cairston Roads, just outside Stromness. We had always assumed that they just maintained Scottish lighthouses and bouys but we recently watched a documentary on their work and they also cover the navigation lights around the Isle of Man.

17th February – After an unproductive couple of watches at lunchtime, I received a tip-off that there were two humpback whales in the vicinity. Just managed to catch them as they passed through the Sound heading west.

22nd February – We were promised to receive, on loan, Ralph Robinson’s sculpture “Small boat in Peril on the Sea” and it has duly arrived. It’s a very poignant piece representing the tragedy of people fleeing war, famine, persecution around the world.

This is an extract of an interview made last year with Ralph, in which he gives a brief description of the work.

The full interview, made by Martin Laird, can be viewed here in the posting for July 2024.