Christmas 2010

January 2010


In typical January style the weather was mixed, including bitter cold and snow, but also stunningly bright days.	The MX5 is such a lovely car to drive, especially on days like this. It hated snow, though, and tried to dive off the road at any opportunity.	Ice on the beach, here at Orphir, is really lovely.

		17th January was beautiful and still, and Steve decided to paddle with the tide from Evie to Birsay (about eight miles)...

...while Jen walked up Costa Hill and took photos. Steve's pretty much in the centre of the first and more visible on the others.

As the wind picked up it was clear Steve wouldn't make the renezvous so tried landing part way. Once landed, though, he was swept back out to sea without boat (which was parked perfectly up the beach).

To cut a long story short, after an hour he finally contacted Coastguard who mobilised lifeboats and helicopter, and Steve spent a night in Balfour hospital with mild hypothermia. Jen met up with this Coastguard team on her way back from the rendezvous.
		In all, a bizarre and thought provoking incident. Being in the water was serious, but without radio or mobile signal far more so. Daylight doesn’t last long in Orkney and I was aware from past experience I would not last long; certainly I expected to die. Finding I had a mobile phone signal after an hour was a real shock, but calling the Coastguard on 999 felt surreal. About forty minutes later the lifeboats and helicopter were within radio range and only then was I confident of rescue. Once transferred to hospital I was warmed and observed overnight, and this is when Jen and I were reunited. Following from this was a brief media circus, started by good local reporters (Ken Amer and David Hartley - pictured) but taken up more widely. Thanks to all who came to my aid – I’d not be typing this without you.
February 2010

February ice on Harray and around



March 2010
	Jen visited Malvern at the end of March - Matthew and Rebecca happened to be there as well. Steve stayed home and prepared Peridot...
April 2010

...which, remarkably, we launched half way through the Easter holiday and visited Stronsay for the first time.

Stronsay, though, was closed for Easter and we could not buy a meal. An hour or so later we were in Sanday for a lovely pub supper.	During the night the wind picked up and we punctuated our trip home with a couple of hours in Eday while waiting for tide to turn.	The ride back was not great, with winds up to 35knots dead ahead. The engine was well used.

Jen, having successfully studied navigation through the winter, guided us home and also managed to make a coffee or two. We were pleased to arrive home to Kirkwall Marina.

Our only trip out with photographer Pam Farmer this year was to Gairsay. Stunning day.


As April ends summer is really beginning; not neccessarily with perfect weather, but long days make such a massive diference to the feel of life.

Our first lambs arrived, too; this is a splendid pair of Cheviots being fed by Rowan and Mia.		Jenny went off again, this time to Abernethy. Adam's trying to teach her the confidence to ski.
May 2010

Either little happened in May or we were too busy to take photos...
June 2010

Lambs increased in number, but 2010 was not a great year with several dying. This treatment for scour didn't succeed.		We hosted two Italian choir members and a groupie - delightful folk.
		The end of June is a fantastic time with never-ending (almost) daylight. Jen's parents visited for the St Magnus Festival, a week for brilliant music and other events.
July 2010

We finally made a trip to Shetland on Peridot. In order to catch favourable tides we had to leave at 0130. Here we're arriving at Fair Isle in the afternoon - pouring with rain.

Another place we couldn't buy supper! We decided on an early night but shortly after retiring a squall came through and we had to move the boat. A delight, really, as we met neighbours and spent the evening chatting and drinking - late bed in the end.

Another early start (0400) we left for Shetland. Cold start, but soon warmed up to a beautiful day.

A cracking sail brought us to Victoria Dock in Lerwick by mid afternoon. Peridot was the smallest boat there...

...by quite a margin. We met a few of our neighbours, including Claudia from Germany...

...and spent a few days exploring and joining in with the obsession of finding a weather window for the return trip - most of the other boats had been waiting for a North Sea crossing weather window.

Although most of these photos show sunshine, days alernated between beautiful and foul. Eventually we gave up looking for the return and simply enjoyed Shetland.

Shetland does seem to have more tombolos than elsewhere - this one's on Yell.

	After a few days we went for the contingency plan and moved Peridot to a local marina before heading home on the ferry...
		...then catching the next ferry back with car and trailer. Loading Peridot was a pain (Steve was in the water two hours while it poured with rain) due to poor slipway at low tide. Finally the next ferry took us home to Orkney. Next time we might just ferry Peridot there to begin with!
Of course, our holiday month of July had more events...

...many of which involved Peridot. Many day trips - here with Edward but we also...

...thought it might be a good idea to join in the Rousay regatta. Bridget joined us and

although we managed a fine start were quickly overhauled. We finished so far behind the fleet that we missed our lunch. Great day out, though, and we need new sails!

Bridget by Birsay's whalebone and feeding the lambs.		This platform was working on the tide generators off Eday. Here, half way up, it is the height of Kirkwall's (defunct) ice plant, dominating the skyline from miles away.
August 2010

Auskerry was the destination on a dreich day with Gairsay grandchildren, Tasha, Becky and Matt and Mum Sarah, first creeping into Hunters geo...

...but as the day cleared and wind freshened we moved to the lighthouse jetty.

Margery from Wales visited again, this time bringing her friend Maureen

	The Hamiltons made their annual trip and we had a fantastic time playing with boats.

Jude had lessons in the inflatable and took it over to the Shapinsay show in company with the rest of us in Peridot.

	Martin, Jude and Kit took the short route home...	...while Wilfred sailed Peridot back to Kirkwall.

	A new dig at the Ring of Brodgar unearthed major ancient buildings.

	Dave, an old friend from Wales, called by and we shared some very special times, including kayaking round Gairsay for the annual challenge.

Matt kayaked again and would have won were it not for a capsize. Martin, running, again beat me, Dave had very kindly accompanied me at my pace all the way, and we all enjoyed a swim at the finish.



	Croquet and cricket completed our day there - fantastic fun.
		We drove to Inverness for the Hamiltons to catch the sleeper train home. Ed, Matt and Steve had a mackerel trip in Scapa bay; our production line cleaning filled the freezer.
September

Again, very mixed weather. I never anticipated needing sunglasses for washing up.
		September is very much a "school month" - nothing bad in that, but it tends to be a time for readying for the winter.
A sunday afternoon walk with Valerie and Alec at Warbeth.	Tours were offered around this amazing cable laying ship - Steve went twice.
October - Sicily

During our October holiday we met up with Keith and Rhian, their daughters Bethan and Lynn and friends Danielle and Rosie for a sailing Holiday in Sicily on a chartered 48 foot yacht; Peridot is 22, so remarkable confidence was shown by everyone!

Most sailing time is fairly leisurely and all took turns in steering, cooking and relaxing.

We visited most of the Egadi Islands and made sure we found great places to eat - ice cream was an essential to an Italian holiday, and the "youngsters", Bethan, Lynn and Danielle helped us on the way.

The "adults", Rosie, Keith, Rhian, Jen and Steve enjoy breakfast in Favignana.	It's very unlike Keith to sail purely by instument, so I can only assume he was calling below for drinks.

We spent a couple of nights in the delightful city of Trapani and visited the ancient town of Erice - stunning location, stunning town.

Erice is perched atop a very steep hill.		We were just interested in the manouvering as the cruise ship departed.

The weather was variable, but more often than not we enjoyed warm sunshine.

Bethan and Danielle choose to be banished to the dinghy, most happily when a couple of beers were passed across!		Scopello was an amazing little bay we crept carefully in to...

...as it was uncharted. Brilliant swimming and beautiful.	A couple of meals were prepared on board by different teams - all a match for our meals in restaurants.


Our penultimate night in Castellammare and our only "whole crew" photo.	Finally back to Palermo where we wandered the city in pouring rain - but still managed ice creams.

In all, an amazing holiday with fantastic people. Thank you all so much.		Keith had discovered this liqueur and his mission was to find more!
November
		At the end of November we experienced our first snow of the season. Unusually early and severe this has led to great difficulty travelling. Two weeks on from this photo the ground is finally clearing, but even as I type this some schools are still closed. Jen is very busy with various music events, and we're looking forward to heading for Bahrain at Christmas.
Our lambs were slaughtered and again the freezer was filled.

Link to 2010 Christmas Note