North Ronaldsay - 10/09/04

The North Ronaldsay ferry is scheduled to leave at 9.00 a.m.. Mr Eunson very kindly drops me off at the bank and the ferry terminal, at 8.20. You'd think that arriving 40 minutes ahead of departure time leaves you plenty of time. Nope. The quayside looks suspiciously empty, and there is this fast vanishing dot on the northern horizon, which is the ferry. We speak to the man in the Orkney Ferries shed, and he says that the ferry left as soon as everything and everybody that the skipper was expecting was on board. So he upped and left, 45 minutes early. This leaves me temporarily flummoxed. I hop on the airport bus from the bus station, and when I arrive there by 10 o'clock, my partner in travelling is already there. We book seats on the 4.50 plane, for just £12 return. We return to Kirkwall to lambast Orkney Ferries. She calls for the manager, and complains that she has had to forfeit a coupon on her all-islands travelcard. No problem. She gets two free returns to any of the North Isles for BOTH of us, although I just stood there, the manager concluded that I had also been financially inconvenienced. The company were in the wrong, and they knew it. We both went outside, walked up the street and fell about laughing. Two broad grins carried on through Kirkwall and went on a walk around the foreshore. Past the lifeboat station and the housing estate to the Bay of Weyland. Yesterday was very summery - today it's cold and grey. Carry on up the coast past Craigiefield, then head back into town. Next port of call is St Magnus Cathedral, where I'm plonked in a room to view a video presentation, whilst my partner yaps away to other folk. Right. Finally, after some shopping, we head back for the airport. The plane departs nice and on time, to deliver us to North Ronaldsay at 5 pm. A jeep is waiting to take us to the Bird Observatory, a mile to the south of the airfield. The hostel is a converted byre, two bunkbed rooms, a bathroom and kitchen. The lady and I seem to have conflicting habits in hostels, so that needs some sorting out. The NRBO also has B&B facilities, with a massive dining hall. This affords a magnificent view to the south and west. The managers have a playful dog. At the back of the garden lies a compost heap. A small windgenerator whirrs away, providing electricity.