Mousa Island

So after an unbelievable 2 nights on fair isle, it looked as if the weather window was to continue. The ferry we were tied up to, had to leave at 7 am and we had to gone by then. It was going to be a no wind no swell motor to Mousa 30 ish miles across a piece of sea known as the Hole. This area has a big reputation for un predictable seas and wildly strong tide and a “Roost” (race) on Sumbah point not fall Into. As the Viking would say, the gods were sleeping as we passed,quietly in the early morning fog. The foggy trip gave me the the opportunity to tune the Radar and right my post from fair isle. By the time we reach sumbagh point the fog had cleared and the high pressure gave zero wind and bright sun. WE were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a Minky Whale rise twice as with our first view of Shetland. It was so still i decided to see if I could catch tea. I dug a fishing rod out from under the floorboards I slowed the engine to nothing and with my first drop hooked a Ling (cod family) about 6 or seven pounds. 3 meals in the bag in under 10 minutes of effort. Engine on again last 5 miles to the anchorage at Mousa in glassy sea cutting conditions.

It was Saturday and the Bird reserve has no visitors on Saturday. The island was all ours. Dinghy ashore and off we set in what would be a 2 hour walk around the outside of the island. We now have a keen ear for new birds and the binoculars go everywhere with us. First new sound followed by siting was a Whimbrel. And then some weird sounds coming from inside the stone walls. We would find out what these were later. The first big thing we found was the Broch which is a building shaped like a 70s cooling tower made from stone. This building is nearly 3000 years old and has cavity walls ans internal staircases. It house small communities of subsistence farmers, apparently this one is the best preserved anywhere.もっと詳しく