Betty Mouat's Böd

A calm day, mostly cloudy and overcast. 

Another day up at 5am, and must have disturbed the sleeping.  A mouse shot through the house! Traps out again.  I've been working in the airport, and a busy day on the check-in desk.  A few walkies with Sammy, but mostly a quiet evening at home.  Eve's friend Chris, who was in my Blip a few days ago, had to leave here earlier than planned.  Has a gig of sorts with Canadian rapper, Drake, and will be playing his harp for him.

Betty Mouat's story in a nutshell.  Betty was a traditional crofter, spinner and hand knitter, who came to fame in 1886, aged 59.  On the 30th January, she was the sole passenger on smack Columbine, heading to Lerwick to see her sister, sell her knitting and see a doctor having after a stroke.  Bad weather struck, and washed the skipper overboard.  The two crew launched small boats, they didn't manage to rescue him, and left Betty alone on the boat, couldn't make it back to her.  Betty survived nine days at sea, with only two biscuits and quart of milk.  She finally ran aground off the coast of Norway at Lepsoy, near the town of Ålesund, where she was rescued by a local fisherman.  She made her way back to Edinburgh, and got a warm welcome, finally back home to Shetland.  Queen Victoria sent a letter and commanded Sir Henry Ponsonby to give her a cheque for £20.  A shawl she had knitted while on board went on display at the Shetland stall of the Edinburgh Exhibition later that year.  Elizabeth Mouat, b. 1825 - d. 1918, born in Levenwick, but later moved here.  Now a camping böd, and a fine place for lunch.  Taken at Betty Mouat's Böd, Scatness.