The Noss Boat

Today is our penultimate day on Shetland, where did that time go?

We saved the best till last. A lovely sunny start to the day and as we got up the Hurtigruten Expedition ship Maud came into dock. We’ve worked out that the smaller specialist ships dock here, the bigger cruise ships at Hays Dock where the ferry terminal is. At 8.00 am a whole troupe of Vikings appeared as a welcoming committee. A bit like going in the West Highland line and there’s a piper on the platform when you get off. Looking at the pictures I took they are kids but good fun. The passengers all wore red jackets with yellow hoods, the Nat Geo ships passengers were all wearing teal jackets!

We walked to the textile museum beyond the dock area this morning to find it closed, didn’t have time to wait as it was a 40 min walk back and we had a boat to catch just after lunch so we walked back and got a coffee and a Rhubarb Kolache at the Peerie shop and cafe on the harbour. Didn’t want much to eat before our trip. At least we got our 10,000 steps in.

The trip was a seabird tour on the Noss Boat. I booked this as everyone said it was a must but though I wanted to see the birds I wasn’t so sure about a small boat. We headed off around the southern end of Bressay which is across the sound from Lerwick, passing the lighthouse and rock arches before entering a cave where Shags were nesting along with Guillemots and Fulmars. We stopped to throw a fish to a Bonxie - Great Skua and saw puffins on the water which no doubt the Bonxie had it’s eye on. The Bonxie is down 90% in number due to bird flu last year. The Gannets were also affected and the area on Noss that we headed to next last year had water strewn with bodies which of course the Bonxie ate.
Glad to say there were non this year so hopefully the birds left are immune and can rebuild their numbers. 
Noss Nose or Noup of Noss has a massive Gannet Colony. On the cliffs you could see nests with young and adults and ‘teenagers’ with black still on their wings on the lower ledges. The noise and smell you get when visiting them at Bempton (Yorkshire) or elsewhere was dissipated at sea but the sight of them in flight was magnificent.

Our guide and driver had a bucket full of fish and they were brilliant to watch diving and squabbling. The Bonxie we’re in there too. I took loads of pictures but could barely see what I was doing and the lens was getting splashed. They were so fast! 
We then set off back with the birds following the boat. It was fabulous. I chose the blip as I liked the dive and there us a Bonxie in the background. I found it almost impossible to choose for the extra collage but I’ve just put a few together to give a flavour of the whole thing. 
A truly fabulous event, probably the best bit of the whole trip and that saying something. I would highly recommended it if you are ever here.

Took the car when we got back to the Textile Museum as it closed at 4.00 and I didn’t want to miss it again.
It was great and the volunteers were very friendly and chatty, all knitting. The young man on the door had designed and decorated with laser cutting some wooden glove stretchers. I bought a post card of them, he’s hoping to market them.
On display there was a weaving loom that came from Yorkshire and some lovely Shetland knitted lace as well as hand and machine knitted garments in Shetland patterns. 
Da Muckle Gravit is a very long scarf, already 160ft, and you were encouraged to knit a few rows and put your name in a book. You can see me in the extra 2.

Oh and it’s someone else’s birthday today. Chris! 
He loved the trip too which us just as well, you can see him in extra 2 on the boat. I told you didn’t get the limelight for long!

Heading along the street for dinner now, our last night here, sniff.  

Happy Fourth of July to Chris and all from/in the US

I’ve added this mornings Vikings for Freespiral extra 2 is now a collage