Shapinsay and back

Its been arranged for a while that we would take a couple of sheep

To Shapinsay ,  the nearest Island and a 30 minute ferry trip



 The snow is still lying here , and the first bit of the trip, getting to the end of the drive could have been the most challenging .



But the road to the Ferry terminal ( checkin time 15 minutes before departure)  was fine

And we waited for the incoming  ferry

 And the next bit was taking the car and trailer onto the ferry.
Reversing on . Down the slipway ansd the length of ferry .
At least the only people watching were the crew,
unlike the last time I had to reverse onto a ferry 





We can see Shapinsay from the house , so we had the chance of the 'reverse' view

And 30 minutes later, Balfour village, Shapinsay came into view

 And sheep taken to join the  flock  of Borerays in Shapinsay

And coming back, you can see how the Cathedral  dominates the skyline of Kirkwall

PS Ive got a new camera - can you tell ?

And then there were 10

The existing 4 ducks

1. All survived the night and 
2.  didnt get out  of their new enclosure 

so we think its safe to get some more ducks.
After a request on Orkney Farmers facebook page , we have some more.

I had to meet the Shapinsay Ferry

 And then bring back a large cardboard box that had been transported across

Its got ducks in it, not a cement mixer - ive got one of those already

And then we released the new ducks into the new enclosure.

They will stay there for a while until they know its 'home' , and then be let out during the day to roam about and eat bugs

Midnight

The sun sets late in this part of the world at this time of the year -  not quite a day without a sunset, but very nearly. Last night   was a clear night - the first i think we have had since the longest day , so I went outside with a camera and took are series of photos , starting looking over the Bay  of Isbister  with the Island of Shapinsay  behind it and the light of the Shapinsay lighthouse, with in the distance  the receding lights from the ferry on its way from Kirkwall to Lerwick .

 And then as you look round to the North towards Rousay, the sun is just  starting to become visible. It won't officially rise for another couple of hours

Of course the corollary of this is that at the end of December its dark until  after 9am and the sun sets at 3pm.