Corn Slip & Basin

Kirkwall harbour area, taken from the top of the West Pier:

There's A Pier Around Here Somewhere!

LOL... A foggy day near the harbour in Kirkwall.

In the middle of this photo you can just see a slightly darker area... that's the pier!

A bit more to see here, but not much!

I Saw A Ship In Sight

Actually, I see this one quite often!

This is the Statsraad Lehmkuhl, a training ship belonging to a Norwegian foundation of the same name, and used primarily as a sail training ship for the Royal Norwegian Navy.

It visits Orkney a few times every year, helping to foster the close links that we still have with our Scandinavian neighbours.

Technical data

Sparred Length: 98,00 m
L.o.a. (Length of hull): 84,60 m
L.b.p. (Length of waterline): 73,00 m
Width: 12,60 m
Max. Height: 48,00 m
Max. Draft: 5,20 m
Gross tonnage: 1516 t
Sails: 22
Sail area: 2026 m2
Speed: 11 knots (machine) / 17 knots (sails)

What A Difference A Couple Of Hours Makes!

This was the view from my office window Friday morning (or maybe Saturday, I can't actually remember which):

Anyway, this was the same view a couple of hours later, with the fog lifted:

It's amazing how much prettier Kirkwall looks like in the sun... look at the colour of the water in The Basin - it's so BLUE!

Pier Plaque

A lovely series of stone plaques down Kirkwall's West Pier, just near to the Lifeboat station.

(Click for a larger image)

The wording says:

WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE NORTH, THE SKILFUL (SIC) FISHER GOES NOT FORTH
WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE SOUTH, IT BLOWS THE BAIT IN THE FISHES MOUTH
WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE EAST, TIS NEITHER GOOD FOR MAN NOR BEAST
WHEN THE WIND IS IN THE WEST, THEN IT IS AT ITS VERY BEST