Thursday 21/07/05

Yet another cruiseliner in today, but this time the vessel is anchored about 2 miles away on account of its size. This means I cannot read its name, but the Stornoway Gazette has a list of all expected vessels. As it's 21st July today, this should be the Prinsendam, a Holland America Line ship. It costs 4 to 12 thousand dollars to go on a 14-day cruise in her. Have a look on www.hollandamerica.com. As I want a picture of this boat, I hobble down to Holm Point, about 1/4 mile west of the Iolaire Monument near Lower Sandwick. This is a 38,000 tonne vessel which is carrying 736 passengers from 23 countries. A fleet of coaches is taking the tourists on trips. They are ferried to the pier at SY on tenders. On return from Holm Point, I'm invited by mrs B & son to join them on a drive round the West Side via the Pentland Road. We proceed across the island and start our excursion on the pier at Carloway / Carlabhagh. Check the thermometer (61 F / 16 C) and the barometer (30.1" / 1019 mb). These were installed in the 1880s, as a gift from the Met Office. The fishermen I speak to are the only ones left to operate out of Carloway pier. Next port of call is Gearrannan blackhouse village. This is being overrun by tourists from the cruiseliner. Take another look round the village, which I visited on May 2, and this time I see the weaving loom, a pedal-operated Hattersley loom, in operation. "DR" from Siabost is at the pedals and is more than eager to talk about the decline of the Harris Tweed industry in Lewis and Harris. I won't go into details, but one man's greed has brought it down. Whoever is left to work in the tweed industry is happy to sell a few lengths of tweed to Nike for trainers, for goodness' sakes. One of the pet lambs died, but Annie is turning into a very handsome young sheep. You can stroke her; normally sheep take off like a rocket if you try to approach them. Some of the restored black houses are available for self-catering. Rest assured: they are not equipped with a smouldering peatfire in the middle of the floor. The sun comes out during our bit of lunch, a bowl of soup with a roll. Waitress asks if I want to pay in US dollars. No thanks. Drove off to Upper Carloway, admire a cockerel with no tailfeathers.Down to Dalmore where we inspect inscriptions on gravestones. Mrs B's ancestors are from this area, particularly Dalmore and nearby Dalbeag, and it's full of benign ghosts for her.People are surfing off Dalmore beach, which is actually a dangerous beach. The system of sandbanks promotes strong undercurrents, which can sweep you out to sea or onto the stacks on the eastern side of the beach. The cloud returns whilst at Dalmore, and it gets a bit chilly. At Dalbeg, we admire the beach, which is getting less and less sandy, and the lily-covered loch. Quite a few of the island's lochs are now covered in reeds and waterlilies. We now proceed up the road into South Shawbost, from where you can actually see the Norse Mill. Pass through to North Shawbost and Bragar, Arnol and Barvas. A short excursion up Loch Street concludes our roundtrip. On return to town at SY, news is coming through of 4 failed bomb attacks in London. Mrs B goes out for dinner at one of her other son's to return at 11.20.