land of extremes

Iced fisherworld


The further north you go, the icier the island. I did not want to believe it, but, I left home in a glorious sun. By the time I reached my friend's crofthouse on the eastern headland, the sun had already vanished. Cold rain was threatening as we picked up A at her home at the T-junction... Heavens began to darken and by the time we travelled along da Lang Kames - this corridor of gales fashioned by the last great ice age, which ridges (the very meaning of "kames") are eroded by the long labour of the elements - trillions of snowflakes wandered as free as poltergeists... Surreal, we thought, and then we retracted the very thought, since we all knew spring on the island feels and behaves as wild as it wants. Yesterday was a classic example. Today confirmed how volatile the sky can turn.

Ronas Hill, on approach to Urafirth

Eshaness, the edge of the (dormant) super volcano, was to be our destination. On our way there, blotches of snow littered the vast peatlands from Brae to Urafirth. Ronas appeared a gignatic whale before our eyes. The rounded giant took my heart back to Glen Etive for a second, as we stopped the car for a moment. The road twists and turns so frequently it does only leaves one speed choice to any driver. The many lochans,  on each side of the single track road,  were scanned with care, although I did not expect to discover a lone rain goose (red-throated diver) so early in the season. As lunchtime loomed on the horizon, we relished the idea of a nice hot plate at Breiwick en route to the edge of our world, only to find the café closed on arrival... The view onto the Drongs, or Dragon's teeth, leave an iconic memory in your heart. Surprised though undefeated, we turned round and drove southbound, as unknown to me till we reached Tangwick, P had to deliver a fire extinguisher to a friend of her's. Lunch would wait a little longer, as P proposed we take a loop to Haylor, on the shores of one of the most impressive mini-fjords, Ronas Voe. 


And the magic began again.


I love that road in any season. Lushness of summer, bleakness, eeriness of winter,  though majestic at all times. The old fisherman's booth by the pinkish beach remains a magnet to any visitor,. I call it a gem well hidden inside the treasure chest.  By that time, cold rain overrode wet snow showers and we pushed it to the very shore. Closer to the old bod and boat. P once parked her caravan just by the beach in some past summer. I guessed the place would always turn very popular due to its sheer beauty. The old stony pier caught my eye. So many fishermen must have landed on the shores of this deep voe to download their cargo of herring and other fruits from the North Atlantic. Tens, if not hundreds of hands must have toiled to gut and pack the very fish into barrels filled with flesh and salt... The local folk from the parish must have traded wool, knitted socks, shawls, hats and gansies (jumpers) for basic commodities (bread, butter or alcohol - if not anything slightly illegal!) Today, the stones remain silent and mussel farming has changed the face of the long & narrow inlet of water.



And where did we have lunch, you may wonder? Well, we ended up inside the warmth and comfort of The Mid Brae Inn in the settlement of Brae. Although we arrived late, we were not refused a table and delicious food. Highly recommended to anyone eager to explore the northern parts of the island, together with Frankie's Fish & Chips, Busta House and The St Magnus Bay Hotel in Hillswick, should you be unfortunate enough to find the Breiwick Café "closed". 

Rain might have washed off icicles, 

it is a day to relish and treasure :-)

from merrie dancers to the haar

Not a same spring blossoms the same...  

This year's is a precocious one.


A wander round the the eastside of the island revealed not only celandine, but unexpected primrose in bloom at Fladdabister. 
Our greylag geese still grace our world, together with a plethora of summer visitors in search of a great pedestal for courtship display. The fertile pocket of lushness that is the Tingwall Valley was littered with shalders (oystercatchers), common & black-headed gulls in full regalia... Summer's definitely on its way! 

And on the theme of green...

Two nights ago, we still marvelled at auroras in much calmer conditions. Oh, not the draping, shimmering ones in my Sandwick sky, but a green glow in this late March starry night. Wonderful moment, for northern lights do remain one of my favourite earth spectacles, together with sunrise & sunset, and storm petrels trading places on the isle of Mousa during the Simmerdim. 


tied a'da noost


The Haar, as this maritime natural phenomenon is known in Scotland, has come early as this year's spring buds. Today, we reverted to summer time in white, as seafog veiled most of our shore on the eastside of the island. Every building turns a ghost shape, every silhouette, a spirit. Yesterday, west and east were heavily shrouded down. The drive to Weisdale proved an eerie journey from start to finish... Today, the Haar turns in to mist, and as I type, begins to lift around my township. 

Magic, mystical, as our world gradually warms up, we watch in white; listen for birdsong, calling gulls  and the sea in a cullen skink sky... I redesign the horizon. 


Kiss of life from our cold North Sea!


We can only hope for a sun that is strong enough to burn it. My friend Debbie, who lives in Aith, on the westside, recorded a morning of sunshine. Mind you, the Haar is a trickster, for wicks and voes vanish and reappear at will.   it wanders around each bay, and engulfs long narrow inlets of water at amazing speed! It could be called Loki... I much prefer a more feminine persona, as Lady Mist. 

view from the side of the boat

In the name of the blue


I do not leave the island very often. 

I like to smell dry rotting kelp along my shore, watch hog-weed dry in evening sun and catch rollers splash in light blue. Yet I relish raw adventures every time I flirt with sand! One year ago, I met a girl in a carpark, who loves to tame water and waves. So we gathered at The Marlex and began to share boat stories... One year ago, she spoke of yowl and coracle. Too easily new ideas fashioned in my head.


One year on and her new nomadic craft takes to water. 

Miss Macdougall can be proud of her achievements. With the help of her mentor, John Miles, and surrounded by curach lovers, she learnt to tame oak, deal and red pine; the best nails and pure calico to fashion her curach o Carbeth! Oh, yes, and tar!

Launch o the Sunfish 3 Sep 2011

Within twelve months, she packed her bags to the shore of Lake Victoria, where she pioneered the very first African-style coracle with  Ugandan visual Artist, Sheila Nakitende of @rtpunch studio...

 Returned home to work on her boat; flew south to Norwich for a Conference, where she brought in her coracle and spoke about her Humblyband. And as avid as she is with her world adventures, she visited Ireland to learn about this Irish maritime tradition, through the wisdom of experts. In between Check-in desks, the boat shed sheltered her dear nomadic craft.

Within that year, I fed her e-box with poems as a direct response of boat building stages. That creative flow of words, from my shore had somewhat turned in a lifeline! Sometimes geographical distances can hinder many things. Our geopoetical one closed such distance. From North Atlantic shore to shore of Carbeth Loch, there is only one flight! So, on the 3rd of September, I left my edge of the island and joined in the celebration. She named it Curach & Candles. What a weekend it proved to be! Ruth and her clan opened me their door with such open heart in the grand tradition of Scottish hospitality.  Within seconds, I felt at home among such uncharted surroundings. Carbeth Guthrie, on the very edge of huttersworld, felt somehow so familiar... 

By the shore of Carbeth Loch, we gathered and celebrated the beauty of Sunfish - her sheer elegance on water and shared poetics in action.  At Ruth's request, some selected verse was shared at this great gathering. Poetry specifically written on my side of the shore, and, from Donald Munro Graham, aka Donnie, Carbeth's own local bard. Wordsmiths gathered for Humblyband. Ruth Macdougall smiled and jumped on her boat after she unveiled the golden letters on transom! Her eagerness to hold both oars has now become legendary! 

I first came to Carbeth with my Moleskine and standard lens. Among this forested new world, I forged new bonds, met with Lindsay, our remaining crew member and re-united with my friend & boat builder. There I have found a bit of my dear Arcania.

Tall Ships Races Lerwick 2011

spirit of adventure


To me, it seems they never left. Forests of masts, rigging and flags clad the island every summer, and yet the only town hosted some of the world's most beautiful crafts and courageous crews from 21 till 25 July. To witness their arrival in the Bressay Sound and then alongside quays and wharves was emotional enough... To hear the myriad of languages, eyes, smiles and joie de vivre was a different kettle of fish!

We, island folk, put all our hearts in welcoming some 53 ships and endeavoured to live to everyone's expectations. We may be a small community, however, we are accustomed to world events. Lerwick rekindled its own glorious past with so many tall masts visible from the the other side of the town... An early arrival at the carpark by Market House did not guarantee space... An army of devoted liaison officers were already at work wherever they had to be. Key buildings were turned into Headquarters for crews, captains or the media. Each day began with a briefing. Each day defined new adventures! 

And then the world began to smile.
Locals, visitors and participants. So many faces all around! Shetland Showcase unveiled the very best of islands' art & crafts; food stalls alongside Alexandra Wharf unveiled world tastes for everyone. Ships open to the visitor; all felt like kids in a toy shop! The Crew Parade from Victoria Pier to Holmsgarth added colours and animated many hearts. 

And colours were needed as skies darkened with a biting north wind. A depression over Denmark even delayed the Parade of Sail and start of Race 2 (Lerwick-Stavanger) by 24 hours. However, we all held to the helm and extended that world famous sense of hospitality. Artists returned another 24 hours on stage, craftsmen back to their booths, traders back to their stalls, liaison officers, guides and all other volunteers back to their respective duties! The atmosphere remained intact till the end of The Parade of Sail. 

Project Manager Fiona Dally and her Team can be proud of their achievement. 

thank you Lerwick

I shall never forget  those five days of magic.

So many  cultures inside one harbour; you may think it's normal... I do!

So many smiles - humanity on one island,

the true spirit of  Sail Training International!

Remember, follow the fleet! Tall Ship Races 2011

...And if you liked the pictures,

please visit: Tall Ships Races Lerwick 2011 - the portfolio is in progress!

Tall Ships Races fever around 60N

electric dream


There has been a strange atmosphere around the island for a while. Folk heard of it, and then, giant placards with the very same symbol began to be hoisted in strategically selected places around  the shores inside the island's only town.

By last Friday, it became clear that we were only days away from an extraordinary event; even if all seem to be appearing as normal. Visiting sailors, moored at Victoria Pier sharing stories and advice, folk enjoying a cornet of ice-cream or delving inside a book on a bench along the Esplanade... The bustling so familiar to our eyes and hearts remained as Lerwick-style as ever.

But then, as we are now two days from this year's great event (as far as Lerwick is concerned!), we need to think about changing habits and, although we are accustomed to welcoming the world during summer (as well as during the rest of the year for that matter!) with thousands of visiting sailors and adventurers, the capital metamorphoses itself into a succulent honeypot where bees come and taste its many nectars!


Venice of The North



Not quite Venezia or even Stockholm as far as size is concerned, however,
"the bay of mud", Lerwick, as so romantically christened by our Viking ancestors, was built along that very very sheltered stretch of water, Bressay Sound. That very long stretch of North Sea that is about to welcome some ancient maritime tradition: tall ships, square meters of sails, kilometers of ropes, as floating pontoons have been added here and there... The boys from the harbour have been busy like bees ensuring all ships will be able to moor in the right places (a bit like a jigsaw), whilst The Tall Ships Races Lerwick Headquarters, under the management of Fiona Dally, aided by Louise Cluness, have been orchestrating the entire project. Lerwick is a fabulous venue for such a maritime event. 

Tall Ships Races Lerwick

To give an idea, last Friday was clad with two visiting liners - Europa, from Germany (a.m.) and Gann, from Norway (p.m.) - in addition to our mooring regulars from Europe and America. Visitors are welcome with that very gentle notion of island gentleness, as it is so felt on this latitude - but also with traditional music, either live from the Pier or recorded and then broadcasted from Brian's High Level Music shop on da Street.


Sometimes, the Lerwick Port Authority will gently ask craft owners to move around a bit during a same day to ensure everybody has a place to tie their ropes around those much after sought bollards... But it's okay and everyone understands such necessity. 
I notice that little detail, as I was meandering along the old waterbreak in order to capture a wooden marvel from Aalesund, Framstig. This Norwegian floating gem comes every summer to our shores and her beauty carved in wood and rivets (Viking-style) automatically caught my eye. After complementing her skipper in my best norsk, I stopped time and imortalised her through my lens. Within minutes, my heart was transported back into my all-time favourite novel (so ardently written by R.L Stevenson!) and then, at some point, that friendly Norwegian asked my assistance to untie her from that bollard. I quickly obliged and waved, as she was to sail away, only to realise she had found a new bollard near Alexandra Wharf! Ha-ha, I smiled. This is not the first time...
And I wonder what would happen when 56 tall ships will find themselves inside the Bressay Sound and crews landing among an already bustling harbour packed with tourists and folk alike! This promises some cases of déjà-vu in 1999 and before that, long before that, as herring fishing attracted thousands of folk alongside wharves and around bays! 


This week could be crowned as pleasure mayhem, though I must not forget to add it has already begun in Scalloway (15-18 July) and continues in the islands of Yell (16-19 July), Unst (12-19 July) & Whalsay (16-19 July) before Lerwick (21-24 July) and Fair Isle (today & tomorrow)!

I have always loved our maritime heritage and am looking forward 
to mingle among those glorious festivities ida toon!

FOLLOW US LIVE FROM YOUR ARMCHAIR!

SHETLAND WEBCAMS

Happy Birthday M/S Nybakk!

Nordic world connection reunited


Just over a year ago, I was introduced to my "West Norwegian Connection" whilst being invited on board M/S NYBAKK as part of a first celebration of Norway Liberation Day on 8 May 2010.

Budding friendship burgeoned and began to flourish over time, as we kept in touch and the ship's return on our side of the North Sea promised to reinforce the bond we began to weave in 2010.

Such return coincided with the 50th Anniversary of M/S Nybakk's Venners - the fishing boat being restored and used as a floating museum under the Nybakk family & friends - which graced the harbours of both Orcadian & Shetland shores. ...Old (Viking) habits die hard! However, M/S Nybakk's Venners also wished to use their boat as a symbol of renewed friendship between Måløy and Lerwick.


To this effect, open days were orchestrated on board the ship between 24 June till 1 July. A formal meal and official evening was also organised on the final day of June. M/S Nybakk's Venners

Officials from the Shetland Islands Council, Shetland Museum, UHI Nordic Studies and Swan Trust were notably invited on board to carve that Nordic connection further in stone and a traditional dish of lytefisk (Ling) was served with great smiles. Toasts were exchanged throughout the evening. 

This reunion was very well celebrated through that gentle Simmerdim night... 

On the following day, Nybbakk's skipper, Per Kåre Nybakk, was presented with the Shetland Crest by SIC Convener Sandy Cluness.  M/S Nybakk's crew and Shetland friends were extremely proud of such honour.

To celebrate such achievement as well as our friendship, a BBQ was organised on 1 July night.
Norwegian & Shetland hospitality mirror one another. 


Another great feast was shared that night and such moments remain precious, for this friendship is cast in stone :-)

See you again soon, Nybakk's Venners! 

It was so good be re-united this year :-)

in the boat shed

wonderworld


To enter a boat shed is like... Just ask any boat builder and their world suddenly becomes a wondrous oyster - a cave of wonders among all the marvels from our world!


As soon as you push the door, the scent of wood freshly chiseled fills your nostrils just like perfume! It has a special scent. Dust jigs through sun beams like May flies and tools litter inside and all around works in progress. A bit like a session musician inside a studio or a poet at the writing table! Your senses feed your imagination without effort. In this boat shed, Robbie Tait and his mates repair Shetland traditional boats, such as Ness Yoals... In the last few years, they even built a sixareen - or six-oared fishing boat complete with sail - that is moored inside Hays' Dock, just outside our Shetland Museum & Archives. Shetland Museum Photo Gallery

Robbie Tait is very humble about his work. He is happy to share words with visitors and smiles with humility. His love for wood, rivets and tools shines outside the building, as finished works are proudly displayed in the Boat Hall and outside. His shed speaks for the talent of the boat builder. 


I came to find Robbie Tait to share a few words about Humblyband. Ruth has the ambition to tie another string to her bow and experience the art of Shetland's craftsmanship in terms of traditional seafaring crafts. Her love for sheds, wood and tools is unbounded! Her very capable hands will feel at home on this latitude. 

So we spoke for a while. Yet Robbie Tait does not hesitate to mention Willie Mouat, Unst's boat builder, Shetland's most northerly master of their craft. 

My next visit to the most northerly edge of the realm - the Island of Unst - will focus on the Gardie Boat!

In
the meantime,

 I'll stick to my Ness Yoal :-)