The rain started overnight. A light, misty drizzle when I awoke around 3am; a wind-driven torrent coming down the open companionway when I awoke around 7am (before anyone asks: I closed the hatch). I wandered over to the Lerwick Boating Club for a hot shower and it’s just nasty out, as you can see from the “after” photo (to yesterday’s “before” shots) at right — more of what I expected weather-wise from this North Sea archipelago.
While lying in my bunk early this morning, I heard what sounded like the water pumps, indicating that someone was taking a shower on the boat. “That’s weird,” I thought. “We all showered at the boat club last night.” Must have been a dream, it seemed, because not long thereafter, I heard what sounded like a woman’s voice on a loudspeaker, issuing orders in some bizarre tongue. “That must be it; I’m dreaming.” Thing was: I’ve had some odd dreams in my life, but I couldn’t quite figure this one out. So I finally woke and went topside, only to find we had some company on the wharf…and with that company, the source of the water-pump noise (the Fram’s engines as it docked) and the voice was revealed…
(And as you can see, it’s another crackin’ day here in the Shetlands: blue sky, puffy clouds and nice breezes out of the west.)
A few quickie images after a delightful day in Lerwick. A short motorsailing cruise around the area occupied the morning, while the afternoon, after the guests had departed, was spent cleaning the boat from stem to stern. Evening meant showers (Ahh! Hot water!) at the local boating club followed by dinner — our second truly spectacular meal in two nights…and I cannot overestimate the quality of the meals I’ve enjoyed in this small town the last two days — which included a long, entertaining post-meal discussion with the Norwegian sailors at the next table over…all of which took place under the blue skies of a long, high-latitude summer day. Spectacular. Simply spectacular. This place is definitely on the “to do more of in the future” list. More details tomorrow; now…sleep.
The impossibly picturesque village of Lerwick, Shetland
Local kids powering through an afternoon rowing practice — side by side, no sliding seats, no thin rowing shell…tough stuff
The (fuzzy) view north from Lerwick Harbor at 11:45pm on Memorial Day 2011