Stornoway Harbour

I arrived at the ferry terminal right on time and on a lovely sunny morning which was especially nice because as I drove across the Isle of Lewis the clouds appeared and there were even showers. All this while back home it was 40C.

The crossing was amazing actually, because the weather was good and there were unexpected sightings too. The first was just how many jelly fish drifted aimlessly near the ferry before it left. | spotted at least four varieties and couldn't help but wonder what happens to them when the propellers start. Perhaps they behave like flies in that no matter how you try to catch them, they always end up escaping. Or maybe they are resilient and when hit by a propeller blade they simply enjoy the rapid acceleration, assuming the trajectory of a pebble skimming across the water. They might skim, then explode like a dam buster, which would be silly, but in all likelihood I expect they get the same sort of treatment they would get in a food blender, making the sea around the rear of the ferry about the same consistency as wallpaper paste or, depending on the model of jellyfish, Angel Delight. Or maybe they give off a pleasant luminescence of turquoise, which you can see in the first photo as the ferry leaves the dockside. Yes, that must be it.

The first part of the journey was following the loch towards the sea, which I'm sure must also be some sort of Scottish lullaby. Soon the loch widens and it is here the second of the unexpected sightings occurred. There were dolphins and so many of them. The largest pod must have been at least thirty but it wasn't only one pod I saw, there were several scattered around so there were jumping dolphins in quantity, though unfortunately not so close to the ferry they would register on a phone photo ... I'd left my camera in the van. I had never expected to see a single dolphin and yet here there were so many.

The third of the unexpected sightings were the Summer Isles which is a cluster of small islands not far off the mainland coast. I'd seen these when I've travelled up the coast years ago but I'd never clocked that today we would be sailing through them. There were so many and at one point I even got my photo of the day (photo 4) which I really like even though it's taken on my phone.

Then it was time for a coffee and cake which I've thoughtfully photographed in the style I know Richard, who is following these adventures, absolutely loves - food, but already bitten.

The final surprise, spotted about half-an-hour from Stornoway was, I believe, a humpback whale. It certainly looked like one to me and upon checking the all knowing Google | see that in July and August there are indeed humpback whales around Lewis.

Soon we had arrived at Stornoway and after a quick visit to Tesco for milk and other bits and bobs, I headed off to find my stopover for tonight which was a site on the western side of the island and a good base for the areas I'm planning to visit with my camera. It's also only around twenty minutes from Stornoway so it'll be easy to get to see Penny (my daughter) and Tom (son in law) when they arrive as part of their sailing trip around the UK - our Hebridean Rendezvous.

On my way to the site | came across a blue shipping container with fairy lights and in the middle of nowhere, so I stopped to take a look. This was, it turned out, an authentic Italian Pizzeria and amazingly it is actually true, providing you ignore it is bright blue shipping container containing two Scottish chefs in the middle of the Scottish wilderness. I must say however, that this unexpected sighting was a real find because the pizza was truly and scrumptiously delightful.Read more