Splashy

We got down to Granton Harbour in good time to join the Conserver for the Inchcolm works outing to visit the seal pups on Inchkeith. The Firth was quite, erm, splashy as the old hands call it. Still we arrived in good order and did a hike round the island, which involves some steepish inclines and some very rough ground. Several of us found the earth giving way beneath us and dropped into rabbit holes. We weren't challenged quite so aggressively by the seal mothers as last year, and we even spotted a couple of Bill's chickens - or descendants of same.

Back on the boat and out of the vicious wind Bill served up hot soup and pies - very welcome indeed. He decided not to go back via Inchcolm due to the extreme splashiness, so we got back earlier than expected.

Then Scobes turned up to return the telescope we lent them and we went round to Moonwake's tap room for a pint or two. Excellent beer (we tried several kinds between us) and plenty of room. Shall definitely go again. The blether was excellent, hearing all about S's woodland and hutting!

Main blip is of some shags on the east side of the island surveying the sea. Extras are: North Berwick Law doing an impression of a distant volcano; a persective on the bridges that I liked; Edinburgh in the mirk; east Edinburgh in a patch of sun (the chimney - Millerhill?); one of the massive WWII gun emplacements on the south side of the island; some of the older defences (Napoleonic wars I think); the mother and pup who were just beside where the boat had to tie up, so had to be distracted by Stu or Dave waving a boathook to allow us to disembark; a rare glimpse of Inchmickery doing its impression of a battleship; and Scobes and DaveH heading up Constitution St after our blethering.