The green bat is up

Today was the World Stone Skimming Championship on the Island of Easdale, which is the smallest inhabited island in the Argyll & Bute Constituency and indeed in the Inner Hebrides.

Despite some last minute difficulties this long standing event - which has taken place since 1997 - went ahead in great weather.

It was the first time I had attended and I certainly was no where near good enough to compete. But the atmosphere was fantastic, the food in "The Puffer" was superb and the 900 or so people who came across from Seil Island on the frequent little ferries had a wonderful time.

Donald Melville (in the orange hat) seemed to be at the centre of proceedings but most of the island appeared to be doing something to make it all a highly succesfull day out. The man who lifted either the green bat, or the red bat (for a succesfull or unsuccesfull throw) was particualrly important and was watched by everyone.

As September moves towards October the vast number of special events in the constituency begins to diminish. Next weekend, however, I have a surgery and meetings on Islay so my own Argyll & Bute diary is not slackening off !