Monday, July 22

Karen, our B&B host, had shown  us a brochure advertising a 3 hour cruise around two islands (Noss and Bressay) just across the harbor from Lerwick. We looked at another cruise which cost less and showed you less and decided we wanted the long one. Instead of calling and booking, after breakfast, not the whole nine yards today, we walked down to Victoria Pier and looked around. A taxi driver tried to talk us into the shorter/cheaper tour. We think it was probably owned by his son or a relative. We stayed with the plan and talked to the captain and first mate of the Seabirds-and-Seals tour. There was a fog out in the harbor and it was cold. So, even though they had room for us on the 10:00 cruise, we decided the 2:00 one would be better. Maybe it would get warmer and clearer later.

To pass the time, we decided to wander along the main street and shop. A couple of T-shirts, some fudge, and two viking key chains later we walked back up to the B&B and read and wrote. Our place, the Alder Lodge Guest House, owned by Karen and Keith, is at the top of the hill from the harbor and town center. A quick 5 minute walk to almost everything in Lerwick.

By 12:30 we're getting hungry and leave to find food. Of course, at that time of day, everyone else is eating too. We walk into several places, but they are either full, or just not quite right. As we're walking down by the harbor, there is one of those fold-up tripod signs pointing us to the New Harbor Cafe. We turn left. It looks okay, or maybe we were just hungry, but we both eat the fish and chips. All the fish we have had here in the Shetlands is very tasty and this was no exception.

After walking around a little, we decide we should go back to the B&B and get our gloves. Linda adds layers also which will serve her well later. On the way to the boat we stop at the Queen's Hotel to reserve a table for dinner. They don't have anything until 8:00, so that it was it is. By 1:55, we're at the boat and we leave a few minutes later. As we  leave the harbor, its still overcast, cold, and just a little foggy. But, as we get farther out, the fog leaves and we start to see patches of blue sky. As we cruise along, the captain gives us a little commentary of the sites. We talk to the young first mate who has a lot of information in his head too.

We round another point on Bressay Island and the land starts rising into jagged, cliffs. A little further is the lighthouse that marks the entrance into the harbor - now fully automatic as are almost all lighthouses. As will turn out to be true of the entire cruise, we are constantly followed and circled by several different types of birds. Gannets are the majority. Next to come into view are puffins. There are some nesting on the edges of the cliffs and some floating in the water. The first thing that strikes everyone is how small they are. We thought they would be the size of small penguins, but they are 1/3 the size of penguins. We come in close to the ever rising cliffs and see numerous caves. As we approach Noss, we see gently rolling countryside with sheep roaming around ruined stone houses and walls. We learn that these Shetland sheep are just left there most of the time except for shearing once a year and birthing. The stone ruins are not ancient, but still  old. Bressay and Nos were originally one island but the sea broke through in the 1500's and made two islands. As we approach this break, we see a house that looks occupied. The captain tells us that during the summer, it is occupied by two women government caretakers. He also said that this was not the most desolate location in the park system. There are more remote places without boat traffic. As the crow flies, its only 4 miles from where we started.

As we get closer to the break between the two islands we see the seals we have been looking for. At first, even using the provided binoculars, they looked like large boulders. And then they moved. They were huge. I thought they looked more like walruses. After a few minutes, one rolled over on his back and moved one of his flippers like he was positioning an arm to hold his partner next to him. Pretty cool.

As we continue around the south side of Noss, the 1st mate decides to feed the birds who are following us. He holds out a half of a small biscuit (cookie) over the side of the boat. This crazy bird comes swooping in and grabs it out of his hand. This happens a number of times and then the 1st mate eats the rest of the biscuits himself, but the bird keeps coming back. He hovers about 4 feet over our heads on this moving boat. He's right there. Of course, by the time I aim my camera at him, he decides to leave.

Linda and I decide to climb up to the top deck using one of those straight ladders you find on boats and sit on two swivel chairs just as we enter some open water. We get a bit of a roller coaster ride for about 10 minutes. We round another point and suddenly we are up against 600' high cliffs. They are jagged, and ridged, showing different colored strata as you look up from the North Sea. Each strata contains one or more ledges and four or five different specie of bird are standing on almost every available space. Besides the different reds, and oranges, and browns of the rock, there is also the white of guano. As we get ever closer, the smell becomes profound. There is so much going on its hard to focus on any one area to watch the birds. They are just everywhere - it looks like snow flurries. The whole scene looks like a gigantic condo development. You're looking straight up cliffs that are higher than the Washington Monument and all you can see are birds. Its amazing. The captain says this is not an especially large rookery. Its only the 7th largest in the area. He goes on to say that some of these birds are migratory, but not all. Some will fly to South Africa for the winter but others will live out at sea for as long as 9 months - just flying and ridding the waves and  returning fat. Its good to remember we're at 60 degrees latitude.

We start our return trip by entering one of the caves in the cliffs. There are lines which are anchored to each side of the cave side that the 1st mate attaches to his own lines on each side of the boat. This keeps us in one place. Then they launch a small remotely controlled camera and we all sit in the cabin as the "submarine" shows us what is on the bottom. The captain gives us a lot of information on plankton that keeps "everyone" fed. Without it, the birds and fish would not be around. There are also sea urchins who are the garbage collectors. We also see a couple of crabs lurking in crevices along with starfish and sea urchins.

The 1st mate unhooks us, we pull out of the cave, and head around the corner to a cove. I get back up on top with Linda. We pass a lobster man in his little 26' boat tending his traps marked by large orange balls. He holds up a couple of  large lobsters he just caught with a big grin on his face. They were as long as his arm.

We head back for about a 20 minute ride to Lerwick. I stay up on top with Linda who is just cozy warm with all of her layers. I, on the other hand am shriving. After docking and saying goodbye to our crew we head over to The Lounge for a pint. Its the kind of place that when you walk in, everyone turns to look and notice that you are not one of the regulars. And, I've got a woman with me. A good looking blonde. I ask for a dark beer and one of the guys standing at the bar shows me what he's drinking. It looks good and I order it. I ask for a Morgan's whisky for Linda. She has found a Scotch Whisky that she likes. Plus it warms you up, even if you have a lot of layers of clothes on. While I'm waiting for my beer, I start talking to the guys about drinks and where we come from. Lots of people think we're Canadians because we're so nice. A guy who we learn later is named Craig, selects a country song on the juke box. He says he thought that we would like it. He tells us the name of the performer, but we can't understand what he is saying with his thick accent and when we do figure it out, as you might expect, we don't recognize the name. After his song is over, I walk over to him at the bar and ask him what song should I  play for him. He wants Neil Diamond. So, I put a one pound coin in the machine and get three songs: Willie Nelson, Heart, and Neil Diamond. Later, Craig comes over, and grabs Linda as she is taking a picture of me and one of the other guys at the bar and dances two twirls with her. Then he sits down at our table and tells us he may have gone to school with Robert's son, but the ages were probably wrong.

We finish our drinks, say goodbye to everyone, and return to the B&B to rest. At 8:00, we're at the Queen's Hotel and get seated by the window with a partial view of the water and a replica of a small Viking longboat at anchor. Over a glass of wine, we have a starter of a pudding sampler: haggis, white pudding (vegetarian), and black pudding. Each is a small ball served with a whisky sauce. We shared but we each could have eaten it all. The main course for Linda was a lamb shank, served in small pieces with a sauce and potato, turnips, parsnips, and peas. I selected the 10 oz. sirloin with onion rings, chips (fries),  one big flat mushroom cap and 6 or 7 large roasted cherry tomatoes and watercress. I ate my watercress. If Frank Adamson was there, he would have tried to steal not the steak but the watercress. This was a test. In the past, I have not been happy with British beef, but this piece was delicious. We think it was local. Cooked medium rare, just as I asked, it was tender and very tasty. It was a different taste than in the States but hard to describe. Maybe just a tiny, tiny bit sweet. I did not need any sauces. We indulged by sharing a cake-like affair topped with toffee sauce.

We waddled up the hill and went to bed.