Penultimate (Ferry Friday)

15.4C starting with a few showers then bright and sunny. Moderate WNW breeze.

The cruise ship that was here yesterday was gone when we took Maeve the Deerhound for her last walk last night. The ferry had arrived on schedule

Apothecary7's 7am start was cancelled due to lack of staff. That means she won't be home early.

Since it was Friday and the penultimate week of the CalMac ferry service for this year Maeve and I went across the park towards Low Askomill at 7am to wait for the ferry to leave. A shower came on as we started across the park so we took what shelter we could at the side of Aquilibrium until it passed then carried on. The Ballycastle passenger ferry set off across the loch before 7.30am today so was well clear of the CalMac boat. Just before the ferry was due to leave a yacht left the marina. Not quite deja vu though, this yacht was more aware then the one that got in the way last Friday and stayed clear of the ferry as it pulled clear of the quay. There was one blast from the ferry though !

Maeve and I waited for the ferry to cross the loch and go past the shipyard before we came home. Another shower caught us when we were right out in the open so we were quite wet when we got home. Thats the first time I have had to towel Maeve dry for a while. I ended up with a felt Deerhound.

From the fish shop today ... Monkfish tail. Wrapped in bacon with Lemon zest and Black pepper. A little Olive oil and in the oven. Lovely !

After lunch I decided to take Maeve for a wander along the park by the ferry terminal and out to the grass area by the cemetery. Capercaillie (The Blood is Strong) on the Clip. When we passed the harbour there were 4 Guillemots diving and popping up. I stopped to watch. There were lots of gulls floating about too. A cargo ship was at the new quay taking on wood.

When we got to the grass area I had a seat at a picnic table and Maeve stood beside me. We watched a group of Cormorants diving near the shore just out from the floating seaweed, and quite a number of Gannets diving in different places across the loch. Several fishing boats came in through the channel We stayed for 10 or 15 minutes then came back home. Maeve had had a good blow dry by then and was looking more like herself !

Afternoon music ... Vangelis, Blade Runner (Movie Soundtrack). Jackson Browne, Running On Empty. Eagles, Hotel California.

E-PL5 f/4 1/60 sec. ISO-200 19mm