Ayress at the New Quay on a Dull Day

13.6C dull and mostly grey with a few showers. Wind SW/WSW to 21 mph with gusts to 32 mph, but mostly 15 to 17 mph (moderate).

After lunch Maeve the Deerhound and I went for the repeat of our usual morning walking route across the road and round to the park and the harbour and back along through town.

Once Maeve was back home and settled I went for a walk. Van Morrison (Keep Me Singing then Avalon Sunset) on the Clip. I went round by Aqualibrium and out onto the old quay. The harbour was almost empty today. There is one old fishing boat at the old quay that never moves and if Ayress hadn't been at the linkspan side of the new quay there would have been no other boats at all. There were of course small craft at the marina pontoons, and the harbour was busy with Eider Ducks again.

I went past the harbour and the ferry terminal and along the shore path in the long narrow park then on out Kilkerran road past the Goldsmith's house and studio to the NATO jetty at Glenramskill  and then kept going until I reached the Doirlinn then I turned round and came home. There were a few people out on the Doirlinn today but the tide was in over part of the Doirlinn so they weren't going to or coming from Davaar island. The small creel boat was out in the loch again and when I was out at the Doirlinn another boat went out through the channel. There was a lone seal out on a rock near the NATO jetty.

I came back the same way I had gone out and stopped to shelter under a tree when a heavy shower came on. I was very glad I had stopped because I noticed something dive from the surface fairly close to shore and thinking it might be a Cormorant I watched for it coming up. It wasn't a Cormorant. It was an Otter ! I stood under the tree for five minutes of so and watched it dive a few times and roll over on its back after it surfaced. The head and tail were quite visible when it was on the surface, and when it was on its back I could see its feet. I do hope I see it again sometime. It made my day !

When the rain went off I carried on back along the road but went along the street side of the park and came back home through town past the town hall and the bookshop (open).

Afternoon music ... Coldplay, Parachutes and X&Y.

E-PL5 f/6.3 1/125 sec. ISO-200 42mm