EGPA - Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland, GB

World Heritage Sites Air Adventures: Whisky, Whiskey, Whales, and Gophers
Captain’s Log – DHC-5 Buffalo “Pipi”
Date: June 1, 2025

Guest Co-Pilot and log writer: George Mackay Brown
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The morning rose grey and silver over North Ronaldsay, the wind sharp with salt and the promise of stories. The Buffalo “Pipi” lifted us into the sky, island to island, each a stanza in the long poem of Orkney. Lani and Kai, our faithful crew, pressed their new buttons—“Stride” and “Swagger”—mysteries that appeared as if by the hand of some unseen jester.

At every landing, the land welcomed us with the quiet of stones and the whisper of the sea. From the hold of the Buffalo, we unrolled our two Advanced Links Command Carts, swift as seabirds across the tarmac. The carts carried us and our gear over the ancient paths, winding through fields and along the edges of the world, where the land meets the water and the sky. Lani and Kai, ever the adventurers, rode in their special seats at the aft, eyes bright, tails wagging, as if they, too, were part of the land’s old song.
We flew over the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, where the stones stand like sentinels, remembering the footsteps of giants and the laughter of children.

At Stromness Golf Club, the carts ferried us from the runway to the clubhouse, where Sir Lancelot the Brave awaited, his armor glinting in the low northern light. The challenge was a silly walk, judged by this gallant knight. We danced with abandon, Lani and Kai leading a canine conga, while the wind carried our laughter out to sea. Sir Lancelot declared us worthy, and we were handed the Ministry of Silly Walks Certificate, a token of our folly and joy. In return, we offered a bottle of Highland Park, the spirit of Orkney, and received a tin of fudge, sweet as a summer evening.

We flew on, the islands unfolding beneath us, the sea a restless companion. At Scapa Whisky Distillery, the carts once again proved their worth, carrying us and our guests from the aircraft to the distillery’s welcoming doors. We raised a glass to the land and to our companions, old and new. The dogs pressed another button—“Noodle”—and we found ourselves in Kirkwall at The Stone and Sea Noodle House, tucked among the stone-built streets. The shop was cozy and eclectic, with driftwood and nautical charms, and a jukebox playing “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith—a classic rock anthem for our quest. The steam rose from our bowls of Orkney ramen, rich with local seaweed, scallops, and smoked haddock, and we laughed with new friends as the dogs enjoyed a special broth of their own.

Throughout our travels, the Advanced Links Command Carts were more than just transport—they were our companions on the ground, swift and sure, as much a part of the journey as the wind and the waves. Their compact design and rugged capability let us weave through the narrow lanes and over the ancient stones, while Lani and Kai’s special seats kept them close to the land and the story.

As I walked the streets of Kirkwall, I could not help but notice the chatter among the young folk gathered by the harbor, some with bright, disposable vapes in hand. It reminded me of the news—Scotland’s new ban on these devices, a move to protect the health of the young and the purity of the land. The ban is not just about the air we breathe, but about the future of the children who run and play among these ancient stones. It is also about the litter that mars the beaches and the batteries that poison the soil and sea. The land and its people are one, and what harms one, harms the other.

At day’s end, we gathered in the warmth of the pub, the collectible certificate pinned to the wall, the dogs at our feet. I thought of the verse: “Carve the runes, then be content with silence.” The journey is not just from island to island, but from story to story, from one hand to another, in the spirit of Aloha and the old ways.

George Mackay Brown, guest co-pilot, signing off.
Cropduster, ever pragmatic, reminds us to check the fuel and the dogs.

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