Scotland Adventure 2023 - Day 7
We awoke onboard the Le Champlain in Stornaway harbor on the Isle of Lewis and Harris at the top of the outer Hebrides. There will be no more discussion of unseasonably warm weather. Scottish fall has arrived in Stornaway. The view from our balcony is overcast and the temperature has dropped at least 20°f. Everyone’s wardrobe onboard the ship has become instantly appropriate for the weather conditions.
Our first view of Stornaway and a our first cloudy sky. Stornaway was built by the Vikings in the 9th century as a center for fishing and trade.
On January 1, 1919 the ship HMS Lolaire sank at the entrance to Stornaway harbor. This was one of the worst maritime disasters in Scottish waters with the death of 205 sailors returning home from WWI. They survived the war and died anyway. Stornaway lost an entire generation of young men on that day.
This memorial was built on the waters edge in Stornaway harbor in memory of those lost on the wreck of the HMS Lolaire.
Stornaway is also known as the home of the Harris tweed made from 100% pure new wool from the sheep of the Hebrides.
Our excursion is not until 3:45 pm so Priscilla and I disembarked our ship and walked into Stornaway.
Today we are tied to the central quay in Stornaway so we can walk off the gangplank without having to use the tender. There are many shops and restaurants in Stornaway.
The restaurant called the Blue Lobster is not a restaurant but it is a coffee shop. The name creates enough confusion that they have to clarify what they do and do not do.
Here is a statue dedicated to the herring girls that worked in the fish factories processing herring for export.
In the late afternoon we took another nature tour. This time our tour was cold and rainy. More in keeping with fall weather in Scotland. We tried in vain to get an earlier time but were denied. Eight brave souls donned foul weather gear and off we went in a RIB in search of seals and sea eagles.
This is captain Gordy. He is a local and did his best to make our tour memorable.
Our tour boat, the Lily, is named after Gordy’s daughter and has motorcycle style seats. Two people sit front to back in each seat. You should definitely come with a friend.
Captain Gordy put us on the seals. Not so much luck finding the sea eagles.
A bonus stop on the tour was the wreck site if the HMS Lolaire. This is a memorial bouy anchored above the actual wreck. Captain Gordy revealed more information about the wreck. The HMS Lolaire was due to arrive in Stornaway on New Years Day. All the families were waiting at the dock. The ship was only two miles away from port at 2 am when it hit the reef. The crew launched the flares to signal they were in distress and required help. The families and authorities thought ship was sending up fireworks to celebrate New Years and announce their arrival. No rescuers were sent to scene of the wreck until much later.
A friendly harbor seal escorted us back into the marina.
The crew of Le Champlain conducted safety drills by squeezing 25 crew members into this life raft. I am sure it is much easier to get in and out of the life raft while it is on land. The crew also go fishing and wind surfing when they are off watch. It is a good life.
The seas have picked up a bit. We can feel the ship roll from side to side. Some of our fellow passengers have decided to stay in their cabins. The Captain promises a relatively flat passage. Tomorrow we will awake in Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands.