Staying at Borve Guest House in Benbecula, just arrived back and stepped out of the car to be stopped in my tracks by the breathtaking panorama of a star lit sky. I stood until I was so cold I couldn’t feel my feet.
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After a dreek run down through Lewis and Harris I find myself on the ferry over the Sound of Harris. The drizzle, rain and mist made the drive a viewless experience. It wasn’t a complete loss with a bacon and sausage roll from the Butty Bus at the pier in Leverburgh.
Heading the Benbecula to run a two day HSE first aid refresher course. I was hoping for a run along the machair after work this afternoon but it isn’t looking like a nice experience.
Had a great dinner at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in George Square Glasgow last night. We had far and ranging conversations; one was about Scottish independence.
One if my friends said he would be voting against it and when I asked why he said he didn’t have the time to research it to make an informed decision: I will admit to getting a little hot under the collar about this.
Surely if you aren’t going to make an informed decision you should abstain and leave those who are to vote? If you vote for things to stay the same just because that is the way they are and you don’t want to or can’t be bothered, for what ever reason, to make yourself informed are you doing democracy a disservice?
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After a week teaching powerboat navigation it is time to escape so heading out into the Castle Grounds in Stornoway for a blast on the mountain bike before catching the late flight to Glasgow.
Navigation in boats is quite tough to teach because for many people the mathematical skills needed they last used when they were a school and probably hated every moment of it now suddenly they are told you have to pass this course and use all those skills it is a bit of a mind melter. Hopefully by the end of this course and the two practical ones to follow the tough maths will become relevant.
Still to the more important matter of blast on the mountain bike …
Teaching navigation to a powerboat driver; fish farmers are generally good drivers but the paper based navigation is a class room environment and that is hard in most cases. Today estimated positions (EP) and using tidal curves, tommorow we are on to course to steer (CTS)
While the rest of the UK is gripped by the fingery grip of Jack Frost we are having balmy 10 degree days so a short run this morning was pure pleasure, it was that fresh still weather with the sound of birds which is very rare to hear here in the Outer Hebrides. Shower, pancakes and then mountain biking with the kids this afternoon.
Another stunning sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides
Another stunning sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides