Bryher

After an uncomfortable night we not too quick in getting up.
We were not yet up when the harbour master arrived to collect his dues.
Once I had paid him, I had to make Maeve's morning cuppa and then I turned on the engine for an hour to charge the batteries.

The wind was not right for leaving. It was looking like tomorrow afternoon before we could make a break for home so we decided to head ashore on Bryher to have a look around.

Bryher has a split personality. On its east side are lovely golden sands, on its west are many jagged rocks with the aptly named Hell Bay waiting to catch the unaware.

We walked across the island to the Hell Bay hotel but didn't go in as we only wanted to see the view of the seas crashing against the gagged rocks below.
I last visited here in 1993 on my first visit to the islands with my brother Declan and cousin's husband Noel. Hard to think that it was 24 years ago.

We followed a coastal path along the shore and rounded the southern end of the island before heading back towards the 'Fraggle Rock Cafe' and had a coffee and some delicious carrot cake.

Fraggle Rock is reputed to have the smallest bar in the world, all of 5 ft long with just enough room for two if you don't mind being elbow to elbow.
The barman was Nick, an Aussie and his female companion was French.
With Brexit on its way I wonder how the islands are going to cope as nearly everyone in the hospitality sector on the islands seems to be a foreigner.
Nick was expecting to have to move to somewhere in the EU having spent two enjoyable years on Bryher.

There were waves breaking on the shore when we got back to the dinghy and to make a long story short, just as we cast off, a couple of rogue waves caught the dinghy and Maeve ending up sitting in the water up to her waist while I had only had two water filled boots.
After much laughter we retreated to the pontoon and tried again to launch the dinghy, this time successfully.

Once we got back to Eureka, we changed and then set off for Tresco on the other side of the sound and walked the short distance to 'The New Inn' to have a pint while we waited for them to begin serving dinner at 18.30.

We ate inside as it was a little cool due to the breeze and were entertained by a couple sitting at a nearby table.
He was a teddy boy while she was a copy of Barbara Winsor. Both were still living in the 60's as far as hairdo's and clothes were concerned and were old enough to have worn them first time around.
They spent the whole night bickering, well mainly her, as he mostly just sat there appearing to listen. The only time they stopped was when they were being served and then she smiled sweetly at the server before returning to savage her husband.

There was music later that night but we wanted to get back before the tide was fully out and we sat and read in the saloon before putting our heads down in the hope it would be calm tonight.Read more