All arms and legs

21Jun13

In a flat calm we slipped away from our mooring buoy and headed for Whitehall pier between Stronsay and Papa Stronsay. We jumped on the south-going stream in the early hours and were soon doing 7 knots with the engine on tickover. The lack of wind enabled us to clearly observe the twisting local tides turning the water in all directions trapping shoals of fish for the sea birds and threatening dangerous situations for the unwary on a more 'lively' day. The tidal streams around Orkney are some of the strongest in the British Isles and demand complete respect.

Whitehall, as with many of the harbours along our journey, grew from the herring trade long since gone and Stronsay is described as being 'all arms and legs' with its many deep bays which bite into the land; the small island Papa Stronsay is once again the home for Orkney's monks and their accommodation blocks can be clearly seen from the pier. Stronsay has a different 'feel' to Westray, it is now more of a farming community with its low profile and verdant landscape.

Many of these islands can be tranquil one moment and manic the next as the Ro-Ro ferries arrive, load and unload the commuting public and then disappear once again leaving the scene all within a few minutes; a vital link to the community – tomorrow is the inter-island sports meeting to be held on Westray and extra ferries have been laid on for all the children.

We are currently moored on the pier wall and making the best of the space left by a 'permanent' visitor who is using the only electric point available and making access difficult for everyone with a floating-fendered tripping line to a side anchor, cunningly disguised as a lobster pot marker; our treasured fender board is taking a bashing so tomorrow we shall head towards the south-western isles and towards Rousay and see what we can discover there.