The Thalassa

This is the three masted sailing schooner, Thalassa, that arrived under engine into the harbour in Stromness. It is  on an adventure cruise round the Hebrides starting at Troon and finishing at Scrabster via two days in Orkney.

It’s been a three weather day here. Torrential showers this morning, one when we were in the water, the best place to be when the rain drops are dancing on 
 the surface of the sea and beating a rythym on your bathing cap but prompting a stay afterwards in the library to read some of the biography of Billy Connelly while trying to stifle giggles at some of the things he wrote.

The rain stopped and the sun came out to dry the town in time for lunch. This was the chance to go to the pier, blip the schooner and wonder at the courage of one of the Selkies who is shortly venturing on a sailing ship from Auckland to the Falklands by way of the Cape- thousands of miles in the South Pacific.

Just as I was contemplating writing this blog in the garden, the sun disappeared behind a haze, a warm haze, but nevertheless enfolding the landscape in a murkiness. At least it’s not raining.