As we headed back down towards the mainland from the Shetland Islands, the shearwaters started increasing in numbers again and I watch with amusement as the little ones paddled like crazy to stay away from the ship. I can understand their point; if we were a large whale we would have a pretty big tail and that could sink us a bit too deeply.
It was great to hear them and again, by 06:40 I was happily sitting on the balcony enjoying a cuppa and some early morning sunshine. Now that was a treat after the day before.
By 08:30 they were dropping the tenders once more and we then had the wait for clearance, testing and assembly. I was due out at 10:00 so I had plenty of time to watch them lower the tenders and then go for a wander on the Promenade deck.
Everyone was fully used to the routine and we waited patiently for our departure number to be called, then, like good boys and girls, filed down the gangway, showed our passes to say we had left the ship and the boarded the tenders.
I love this part, its a moment of anticipation.
Our guide was so knowledgeable and as we travelled along I must admit she told us so much its hard to remember it all, but one thing I do remember is about the sand dunes. They had to cut through a set of dunes which had moved across the intended roadway and hadn't been 'fixed' by planting marram grass. As they dug they came across a Viking settlement with much of the goods still intact. There weren't riches or treasures (the Viking tended to take that with them when they left) but broken broaches, pottery and the bases of their houses.It kept the archaeologists busy for a considerable time and the locality waited so they could create their roadway.
John O'Groats is the most northerly point one can drive to and drive they were, in their droves. Cars parked in spots clearly labelled FOR COACHES ONLY and cues congregated around the 'main' way in as it were...the shops, burger vans and of course, toilets.
Our guide was great, she said, 'everyone will go that way, so we will go round the back'. The building above is the original farmhouse that occupied this area before it became a tourist hot spot. Now its a study centre, maintenance area and rubbish collection zone.
Looking a bit like the poor man's Disneyland, we approached with caution. As we walked up the steps a man turned to his companion and said,'oh look the old aged pensioners are on a day out' I unclenched my fist and quietly walked straight ahead trying not to make it obvious this old aged pensioner was not amused by the stereotyping.......at all. Grr.....
Yeh, yeh, yeh, we took the obligatory photos and then walked a little further and looked over the coastline here. It was beautiful and worth the journey just for this view. It appears that not only is there the Coast 500 which you can drive but there is a footpath which goes round too, some 1180 miles! Mm, maybe in another lifetime.
Interestingly, none of us wanted to hang around; we had fallen into the trap of enjoying the ship and its peace and quiet; this was far too noisy and trippery for any of us.
We headed for Duncansby Head and the light house there. Now that is the most northerly point in the UK and the views were spectacular. From here we could see the island of Stroma and further in the distance, South Ronaldsay, Flotta and Hoy.
The cliffs were amazing and some of the remaining nesting birds, the seagulls mainly, swooped around the ledges. We had missed the puffins by a few weeks. I will, one day I will...
As we were about to leave the stacks were pointed out to us. They stood like the three bears; daddy bear, mummy bear and baby bear.....it made me wonder if there was another hidden somewhere called Goldilocks.
That night the sky was amazing and as we sailed towards our final destination, it lit up in colours I've not seen.
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