Tides and Shoes-Stromness Day 6

Every morning I open the blinds on the picture window overlooking Hamnavoe wondering what the weather has in store. I can hardly believe it’s another lovely morning today, early sunshine and a blue sea.

The thrum of an engine getting louder alerts me to the departure of the 6:30am ferry sailing to Scrabster. There have been times in the past when I would have been out and about to watch from afar as the boat made its stately passage round the Ness and out into the open sea, but not today. I slip back under the duvet and put on Classic FM while I doze for another hour.

Daughter#1 and I, eventually up and dressed, take the bus into Kirkwall to pick up the hire car and bring it back to Stromness but not before we have enjoyed cheese scones and tried on a few shoes in the well stocked shoe shop in Albert Street.

While Sally does a cultural visit to the local museum I take part in the fortnightly Zoom call with the Maggies kitchen table crew.

Only then, at high tide, do we venture along to the slipway for our daily dook. If the sea was lively yesterday, it is hyperactive today but we have such fun bobbing about in the rolling waves. We are joined by 5 other local ladies who are braver than us and launch themselves off the slipway into unknown seas. We manage to avoid being blown away and return safe and sound to hot showers.