Two new arrivals

I’m no fan of this messing about with the clocks carry on  but I do love it when they ’spring forward’ an hour making the day feel just that little longer. Normally it makes you feel like spring is well and truly here but with last weeks Siberian spell of north winds not even the extra daylight helped herald the onset of spring. Despite a change in the wind direction to southerly yesterday it did not seem to bring much in the way of warmth with it. In fact it gradually freshened throughout the day and became pure miserable and the painting jobs I’d foolishly started yesterday had to be postponed and I contented myself with finishing off the monthly maintenance. The grey day meant little in the way of photography, I did snap a very young stag near Brochel but it turned out pretty rubbish and my dodgy satellite connection made me give up on  posting. The lack of pictures got me reading my diaries for 17,18 and 19 years ago and before I knew it it was time for bed.

Back to black

Today came as a bit of a shock because when I awoke for work at 5:50 it was still dark and was not fully light when I set off on my pig feeding mission at 6:30. Now regular followers will know of my quest to keep these two groups of pigs apart and how I’ve been going out earlier every day in an attempt to keep them apart during feeding. On the whole and contrary to any recognized pig rearing regime this has worked very well, so when I went out at what 5:30 PMT ( porky mean time ) I figured as these pigs had not put their clocks forward they’d still be in their beds. I was, as is quite often the case wrong! and the two groups of 4 piglets came charging at me from two different directions down the road! so I dumped their food into two piles, left them to it and went to work!

First lamb?

Where the first thing I saw or to be more precise the first thing I heard was the unmistakable shaky bleat of  a new born lamb who obviously had difficulty distinguishing the  white hull of this boat from it’s mums udder!

The second new arrival

The next three hours on the ferry where a bit busy to say the least with short shipped traffic right through until 11:30 and ‘Buffalo Bill’s’ new boat not getting over until 10:25 despite being there since before 8:25

Boat on a boat

There’s nothing like the arrival of a new boat on an island to generate interest  and stir debate about hull design,  sea keeping, and all things nautical so I’m sure this fine converted ships life boat will inspire much debate and admiration over the next few days.

Work had re started in earnest at the new harbour after an early finish last week due to poor weather.

Kingston Lacy and barge

The Atlas Marine tug Kingston Lacy passing between us and the old pier sometime before lunch with good load of cement and blocks for the new harbour wall.

Cement 'pig' and concrete blocks

With 3 x 18 ton blocks and one 9 ton block clearly visible on the stern on the barge.

A hive of activity

And by the time we’d discharged traffic and tied up the ferry I’d just time to nip along to Clachan to catch her coming into the bay.

Larne

Of course whilst I was there I could not resist taking a picture of the latest addition to the Raasay Fleet, the MV Larne! The rest of the day was spent painting all the things I tried to do on Sunday and with the extra hour of daylight I arrived home just after 8:00pm without swtiching my lights on being greated by 8 piglets who had obviously forgot thye’d been fed or were just chancing it after yesterdays successful attempt to con wifey into feeding them again after I’d given them breakfast!

Racing through Saturday

Literally, it took me so long to write yesterdays effort that I’m running out of steam for Saturday’s report. I have to say it got off to a very unpromising start with snow lying on the bedroom Velux window and severe lack of enthusiasm on my behalf. After the usual half gallon of fresh coffee but without the customary bashing of computer keys I set off for work via my 8 piglets on the hill! All of whom were quite rightly in their beds.

Remnants of the gale

Although the wind had abated the sea had not and there was still a good swell pounding up the shore at the wee cove where I used to keep my boat a few hundred yards down ‘Calum’s road’ from our house. Continuing on my way southwards through the flurries of snow I again took the ‘low road’ through Oscaig to have a look at the new harbour.

Finished ramp?

And it looked to my untrained eye as if the ramp for ‘Luke skyhook’ and his big crane was finished

Harbour works 28/3/09

Being far too busy recording the progress of Raasay’s new harbour for posterity I let the rest of the crew overtake me and winch in the Loch Striven which was lying at the extremities of her many mooring ropes under the pressure of a good breeze from the north east. The poor weather yesterday and the inauspicious start today had led me to continue working down below in the warmth but apart from the bitter cold wind on the whole it turned into a bonny day most of which I spent working on the starboard upper deck and emergency battery box.

The hardiest tree I know!

Though I did go and have a look at this tree that never ceases to amaze me, growing as it does on the remains of the pier, suck out at sea with its roots in a crack between two planks just feet above the waves. Actually I went to see if I could snap a picture of the otter I’d just seen climb onto the pier whilst we were tying up at 11:45.

Glamaig in a mood

Although I never saw the otter the view of Glamaig more than made up for it and that wee tree in the previous pic is growing on the end of that pier! aint nature marvelous?