Before the Clouds Blew In

6.1C and mostly bright and clear with cloud coming over later in the afternoon. Some showers forecast. Wind SSW/SW/WSW to 29 mph with gusts to 44 mph.

After lunch Maeve 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. There were some fishing boats and some fish farm boats in the harbour today, and Viking Gripfisk was at the new quay. Loads of wood were being laid on the new quay from a fleet of lorries.

Once Maeve was back home and settled I went for a walk. BBC Radio Scotland on the Clip. I went round past Aquilibrium and the harbour and along the little park by the ferry terminal and out Kilkerran road to the Doirlinn and the 2 mile milestone then I came back.

On the way back I was passed by an ambulance, a coastguard car, a police car, then a police van. All with flashing blue lights and sirens. Next I saw the lifeboat racing out across the loch and through the channel at high speed. I waited out near the cemetery until the lifeboat went through the channel and watched it turn behind Davaar island then reappear heading across Kildalloig Bay still at high speed. What appeared to be an inshore lifeboat was following.

When I got home Maeve came along the hall to meet me which is unusual, so I took her out for a short walk. As was got round past Aquilibrium I could see a coastguard helicopter hovering over the harbour. I went along to have a look and the lifeboat was heading back into harbour at speed. The helicopter circled then came into land in the park (Kinloch Green) behind Aquilibrium and landed. When I left to come home there were police cars and coastguard cars by the green and people were gathering to see what was going on. For the moment I am assuming the helicopter was waiting to take an injured or ill person(s) from the lifeboat to a Glasgow hospital. I have seen no news reports to confirm.

Afternoon music ... BBC Radio Scotland (where there has been no news on the incident above).

E-PL5 f/3.8 1/2000 sec. ISO-200 17mm