Hannah learning to cycle her bike without stabilisers, while on holiday in Port Ellen, on Islay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zn7LwSm97c
Showing posts with label islay. Show all posts
Showing posts with label islay. Show all posts
11 July 2012
Day 5: Last day in Port Ellen
As the title suggests, today was our last day in Port Ellen, tomorrow we head north. Islay has been great, as always and we look forward to visiting again soon.
Today was also the skipper's birthday - 37(!!!) - Eeek! So, like a good wife, I got up at the crack of dawn (well, 8am) and started on baking a birthday cake. First job was to soften the butter, but with no microwave, I had to be inventive. Over the vent of the dehumidifier seemed to do the trick & after some serious arm action, I had soft creamy butter, which got mixed with the eggs, flour & sugar and baked in a 1lb loaf tin. After we cut off the burnt bits (it's a gas oven on the boat - well that's my excuse anyway), the girls helped me ice, decorate & apply candles. See pic.
It was a beautiful morning on Islay, quite a contrast to what we had been waking up to the past few days. There were blue skies & sun, which gave me the motivation to head out for a quick run. My first in about 6 weeks & to be honest, I really noticed how much my fitness has suffered from my lack of activity (#lazybones) I really need to get back to training!
Back to Whisper, a quick shower, a rendition of "Happy Birthday" and a slice (or two) of cake & we were all set for a walk to Laphroaig, to stock up on Triple Wood - taking advantage of Chris' 10% birthday discount of course.
I took the Garmin, so for anyone who might care about such things, it's 1.89 miles from the marina to the Laphroaig shop.
Hannah again cycled like a pro, even making it all the way up the hill out of Port Ellen by herself. I suggested she deserved a green jersey...she didn't understand. (That's a Tour de France reference for those who also don't understand).
Successful purchases at Laphroaig & a nearly lost pair of sunglasses later and we were back at Whisper. I made sandwiches, Chris & the kids gathered up the buckets & spades and we headed for the beach. The weather was typically Scottish. Beautifully warm when the sun came out *takes off fleece* then the sun disappears behind a cloud & it's like outer Siberia *puts fleece back on*. Nothing quite like yo-yo clothing to put in an afternoon.
Picnic eaten & with a reasonably flat and hard grassy surface in front of us, we thought we'd take the stabilisers off Hannah's bike & see how she got on. She was great! After initial wobbles, she was storming up & down the grass and perfecting her stopping technique. I'll put the video on YouTube & post a link later (for the doting grandparents). She still needs practice, but she made great progress in an afternoon.
After our cycling exploits, the kids & Chris spent the rest of the afternoon fishing off the pontoons, they even caught a (very small) fish. Alas, not big enough to do us for dinner, so pasta with tomato sauce was the dish du jour.
We're now relaxing & enjoying a few episodes of Cabin Pressure - check it out, it's a highly amusing radio 4 comedy. We're VERY rock 'n' roll y'know...
Today was also the skipper's birthday - 37(!!!) - Eeek! So, like a good wife, I got up at the crack of dawn (well, 8am) and started on baking a birthday cake. First job was to soften the butter, but with no microwave, I had to be inventive. Over the vent of the dehumidifier seemed to do the trick & after some serious arm action, I had soft creamy butter, which got mixed with the eggs, flour & sugar and baked in a 1lb loaf tin. After we cut off the burnt bits (it's a gas oven on the boat - well that's my excuse anyway), the girls helped me ice, decorate & apply candles. See pic.
It was a beautiful morning on Islay, quite a contrast to what we had been waking up to the past few days. There were blue skies & sun, which gave me the motivation to head out for a quick run. My first in about 6 weeks & to be honest, I really noticed how much my fitness has suffered from my lack of activity (#lazybones) I really need to get back to training!
Back to Whisper, a quick shower, a rendition of "Happy Birthday" and a slice (or two) of cake & we were all set for a walk to Laphroaig, to stock up on Triple Wood - taking advantage of Chris' 10% birthday discount of course.
I took the Garmin, so for anyone who might care about such things, it's 1.89 miles from the marina to the Laphroaig shop.
Hannah again cycled like a pro, even making it all the way up the hill out of Port Ellen by herself. I suggested she deserved a green jersey...she didn't understand. (That's a Tour de France reference for those who also don't understand).
Successful purchases at Laphroaig & a nearly lost pair of sunglasses later and we were back at Whisper. I made sandwiches, Chris & the kids gathered up the buckets & spades and we headed for the beach. The weather was typically Scottish. Beautifully warm when the sun came out *takes off fleece* then the sun disappears behind a cloud & it's like outer Siberia *puts fleece back on*. Nothing quite like yo-yo clothing to put in an afternoon.
Picnic eaten & with a reasonably flat and hard grassy surface in front of us, we thought we'd take the stabilisers off Hannah's bike & see how she got on. She was great! After initial wobbles, she was storming up & down the grass and perfecting her stopping technique. I'll put the video on YouTube & post a link later (for the doting grandparents). She still needs practice, but she made great progress in an afternoon.
After our cycling exploits, the kids & Chris spent the rest of the afternoon fishing off the pontoons, they even caught a (very small) fish. Alas, not big enough to do us for dinner, so pasta with tomato sauce was the dish du jour.
We're now relaxing & enjoying a few episodes of Cabin Pressure - check it out, it's a highly amusing radio 4 comedy. We're VERY rock 'n' roll y'know...
10 July 2012
Day 4: A swim & a bottling
Still in Port Ellen. It's not that the weather is bad & we can't go anywhere, it's just that we like Islay & there's lots to do.
This morning started with a very respectable 8:30 wake up call from Hannah. Then after a post-breakfast pyjama dance on the deck (the kids, not us), we got dressed, made sandwiches & headed for the 11am bus to Bowmore.
First stop is the Mactaggart Leisure centre. Hannah has been talking about the "distillery swimming pool" (it's beside Bowmore distillery, not a swimming pool full of whisky) for a number of months now, in fact, since we visited here last year. There's only us and one other family in the pool & after Rebekah's initial uncertainty, we have a lovely swim. It's a standard swimming pool, nothing special, except that it's heated with the waste steam from the distillery next door & it's owned by the community. It has just celebrated it's 21st Birthday & Dave Cam would be proud of this example of "the big society", although I'm not sure he'd have too many fans on Islay, so don't rush over for a dip Dave.
Splish, Splash, Splosh!
Shower, Dry, Dress!
Then it's off to catch the bus to Bruichladdich. Bus is perhaps an exaggeration, it's the post office minibus & it seats 8. There are 11 of us at the bus stop. We sit the kids on our knees & leave one poor soul behind. A sign states that "Seatbelts must always be worn" but in invisible ink below, it must say "But you're a wimp if you do". Not a single person bothers & we just cling on to seats, children & bags until we reach our destination. I love island life with it's lack of health & safety and it's laid back timetables. Nobody ever seems to be in a rush, it's a different pace & we like it.
The bus stops right outside Bruichladdich distillery, I get the buggy out of the boot & hope I've closed the boot properly, as the bus departs without anyone checking. It struck me that it's alien to us that (as grown adults) we would be trusted to close a bus door properly, without the health & safety police insisting that the bus driver checked we had done it correctly. But again, this is the joy of island life. You get to be a grown up, take risks & accept the consequences. In fairness, had I not closed the door properly, the worst that would've happened would be an old woman's weekly co-op shopping would've dispersed itself all over the road to Portnahaven, hardly life & death.
We arrive at the distillery about 2:15 & about 2 minutes after the previous tour has started. But since we have to wait until 16:50 for the next bus back anyway, we decide to wait for the 3 o'clock tour. There's a lovely, big, well stocked, bar/shop/reception area & we're easily amused for 45 minutes until our tour starts.
Without doubt, this is the best distillery tour I've been on. Informal, yet comprehensive & we were allowed everywhere. From the still-in-operation grain weighing machine from the 1800's, to the storehouses & the bottling line. And all rounded off with a "just ask for a taste of whatever you fancy" tasting session at the end. They even plied the children with stickers & colouring in pages, while we tasted. Superb!
With the tour, you get a £5 off voucher, which of course Chris insisted we spent - it would be rude not to! I opted for a bottle of Botanist gin (this is where it's made) and Chris spent his bottling his own Bruichladdich single cask (only 400 bottles) "Prometheus"...as an investment I'm told.
If you visit Islay, this is one not to miss & they'll let you take the kids round on the tour, which some don't. I just hope the news that they're being bought over by Remy Cointreau won't change the ethos & charm of the place, it would be a terrible shame.
All full of Whisky & Gin, we catch the bus back to Port Ellen. By now we're all a bit hungry & the girls are a bit sleepy. We walk straight off the bus to the Cyber Bistro up the side street after the co-op (it's well signposted). Don't be put off by it's modest exterior & simple decor, the food is good, the staff are friendly & it's well worth a visit. Certainly beats The Islay Hotel for value for money! The kids had the usual sausages & chips and fish & chips and they hoovered it all up. I had scallops for starter, Chris had crab cakes. Both were fresh & tasty. Then we both had burgers for main, which for £5, were nothing to write home about, but tasty all the same.
Now beyond-full of food, we walked slowly back to Whisper, watched a couple of episodes of "Mike the Knight" & put the kids to bed. Chris is currently engaged in his latest hobby, reading reviews of Islay eating establishments on Tripadvisor.
The wind is picking up & it's getting cool up here in the cockpit. Time for another cuppa methinks...
This morning started with a very respectable 8:30 wake up call from Hannah. Then after a post-breakfast pyjama dance on the deck (the kids, not us), we got dressed, made sandwiches & headed for the 11am bus to Bowmore.
First stop is the Mactaggart Leisure centre. Hannah has been talking about the "distillery swimming pool" (it's beside Bowmore distillery, not a swimming pool full of whisky) for a number of months now, in fact, since we visited here last year. There's only us and one other family in the pool & after Rebekah's initial uncertainty, we have a lovely swim. It's a standard swimming pool, nothing special, except that it's heated with the waste steam from the distillery next door & it's owned by the community. It has just celebrated it's 21st Birthday & Dave Cam would be proud of this example of "the big society", although I'm not sure he'd have too many fans on Islay, so don't rush over for a dip Dave.
Splish, Splash, Splosh!
Shower, Dry, Dress!
Then it's off to catch the bus to Bruichladdich. Bus is perhaps an exaggeration, it's the post office minibus & it seats 8. There are 11 of us at the bus stop. We sit the kids on our knees & leave one poor soul behind. A sign states that "Seatbelts must always be worn" but in invisible ink below, it must say "But you're a wimp if you do". Not a single person bothers & we just cling on to seats, children & bags until we reach our destination. I love island life with it's lack of health & safety and it's laid back timetables. Nobody ever seems to be in a rush, it's a different pace & we like it.
The bus stops right outside Bruichladdich distillery, I get the buggy out of the boot & hope I've closed the boot properly, as the bus departs without anyone checking. It struck me that it's alien to us that (as grown adults) we would be trusted to close a bus door properly, without the health & safety police insisting that the bus driver checked we had done it correctly. But again, this is the joy of island life. You get to be a grown up, take risks & accept the consequences. In fairness, had I not closed the door properly, the worst that would've happened would be an old woman's weekly co-op shopping would've dispersed itself all over the road to Portnahaven, hardly life & death.
We arrive at the distillery about 2:15 & about 2 minutes after the previous tour has started. But since we have to wait until 16:50 for the next bus back anyway, we decide to wait for the 3 o'clock tour. There's a lovely, big, well stocked, bar/shop/reception area & we're easily amused for 45 minutes until our tour starts.
Without doubt, this is the best distillery tour I've been on. Informal, yet comprehensive & we were allowed everywhere. From the still-in-operation grain weighing machine from the 1800's, to the storehouses & the bottling line. And all rounded off with a "just ask for a taste of whatever you fancy" tasting session at the end. They even plied the children with stickers & colouring in pages, while we tasted. Superb!
With the tour, you get a £5 off voucher, which of course Chris insisted we spent - it would be rude not to! I opted for a bottle of Botanist gin (this is where it's made) and Chris spent his bottling his own Bruichladdich single cask (only 400 bottles) "Prometheus"...as an investment I'm told.
If you visit Islay, this is one not to miss & they'll let you take the kids round on the tour, which some don't. I just hope the news that they're being bought over by Remy Cointreau won't change the ethos & charm of the place, it would be a terrible shame.
All full of Whisky & Gin, we catch the bus back to Port Ellen. By now we're all a bit hungry & the girls are a bit sleepy. We walk straight off the bus to the Cyber Bistro up the side street after the co-op (it's well signposted). Don't be put off by it's modest exterior & simple decor, the food is good, the staff are friendly & it's well worth a visit. Certainly beats The Islay Hotel for value for money! The kids had the usual sausages & chips and fish & chips and they hoovered it all up. I had scallops for starter, Chris had crab cakes. Both were fresh & tasty. Then we both had burgers for main, which for £5, were nothing to write home about, but tasty all the same.
Now beyond-full of food, we walked slowly back to Whisper, watched a couple of episodes of "Mike the Knight" & put the kids to bed. Chris is currently engaged in his latest hobby, reading reviews of Islay eating establishments on Tripadvisor.
The wind is picking up & it's getting cool up here in the cockpit. Time for another cuppa methinks...
9 July 2012
Day 2: Glenarm to Port Ellen (Islay)
Leave Glenarm: 0310
Arrive Port Ellen: 0820
"Beep Beep! Beep Beep!" went the alarm at 0240. "Groan, Groan" went the crew. But up the skipper got, to assess the wind speed & give Larne port control (Warren on nightshift) a ring to get the latest weather info.
Meanwhile, I lie below hoping that a hurricane is imminent because:
1. My bed is cosy & I am exhausted.
2. I hate sailing in the dark, really hate it.
Let's face it, what's to like about sailing in the dark? You have no way of seeing pot buoys, logs, fridges (happened once)...or anything else lying in wait to sink a blind ship. On this occasion I'm disappointed, the wind is gentle & it's all hands on deck to make ready for slipping the lines & heading for Islay. I'm only slightly pacified by the fact that it should start getting light within an hour and a half & all potential hazards will at least be visible.
We cast off, avoid the rocks at the entrance to the marina & head out into the inky black sea at 2200rpm. My hate of night sailing is immediately justified by a near(ish) collision with an UNLIT fish farm boundary marker & several black pot buoys!! Not amused is an understatement.
The kids are oblivious to all of this, still out for the count below in their cosy warm bunks. They stick to the plan & don't surface until 0630, by which time the seas have started to calm, as we've headed out of the tide & into a fairly slack sea area at the far side of the north channel TSS, south of Islay.
We didn't see much traffic on the passage, mainly due to the constant drizzle & appalling visibility, but thanks to AIS we know there was one ship southbound in the TSS as we approached the corner & we spotted a motorboat who was in Glenarm the night before approaching from astern about 30 minutes out of Port Ellen. Presumably they left at a reasonable hour, I could almost smell their smugness as they passed.
Approaching Port Ellen, we see the new MV Finlaggan is berthed at the pier, we hope that it isn't about to leave, it doesn't & it dwarves us as we motor past to get to the marina. The smell of cooked breakfast, presumably from the staff restaurant on board, is torture!
There's no problem finding a berth, we take our pick & are soon tied up with the kettle on. After de-lifejacketing, de-waterproofing and de-fleecing, I set to work warming croissants & pouring coffee. Happy faces all round!:)
After breakfast we deploy the onboard auto-childminder facility (netbook with toy story 1-3) and Chris & I head off for a couple of hours sleep.
Post-sleep & after a quick shower we head to the beach, where there's a rowing regatta & tug-o-war taking place as part of Islay's "Festival of the sea". The kids build sandcastles, we watch the festivities & enjoy the amusing commentary.
Later we headed to The Islay Hotel, which Chris has raved about since his boys trip to Islay last October. It seriously disappointed:( Our crab cake starters had no crab in them, well not enough to actually taste any crab and the salad leaves it came with were soggy & brown and would've been better left off the plate. I had roast beef with veg, roast potatoes & yorkshire pudding for main. The 2 tiny slivers of beef were cooked well & tasted lovely, but the small number of roast potatoes were dry & chewy, not crispy. The yorkshire pudding (singular) was ok, but almost certainly frozen. The carrots & broccoli were cooked well, but there was next to no gravy on the plate & due to the wait between asking for more & receiving it, I had eaten most of the meagre offering & made little use of it the end anyway. Unsurprisingly, we decided not to bother with dessert.
Back to Whisper for a cuppa & a Tunnocks teacake (well we are in Scotland) & then it was an early night for all.
Zzzzzzz....
Arrive Port Ellen: 0820
"Beep Beep! Beep Beep!" went the alarm at 0240. "Groan, Groan" went the crew. But up the skipper got, to assess the wind speed & give Larne port control (Warren on nightshift) a ring to get the latest weather info.
Meanwhile, I lie below hoping that a hurricane is imminent because:
1. My bed is cosy & I am exhausted.
2. I hate sailing in the dark, really hate it.
Let's face it, what's to like about sailing in the dark? You have no way of seeing pot buoys, logs, fridges (happened once)...or anything else lying in wait to sink a blind ship. On this occasion I'm disappointed, the wind is gentle & it's all hands on deck to make ready for slipping the lines & heading for Islay. I'm only slightly pacified by the fact that it should start getting light within an hour and a half & all potential hazards will at least be visible.
We cast off, avoid the rocks at the entrance to the marina & head out into the inky black sea at 2200rpm. My hate of night sailing is immediately justified by a near(ish) collision with an UNLIT fish farm boundary marker & several black pot buoys!! Not amused is an understatement.
The kids are oblivious to all of this, still out for the count below in their cosy warm bunks. They stick to the plan & don't surface until 0630, by which time the seas have started to calm, as we've headed out of the tide & into a fairly slack sea area at the far side of the north channel TSS, south of Islay.
We didn't see much traffic on the passage, mainly due to the constant drizzle & appalling visibility, but thanks to AIS we know there was one ship southbound in the TSS as we approached the corner & we spotted a motorboat who was in Glenarm the night before approaching from astern about 30 minutes out of Port Ellen. Presumably they left at a reasonable hour, I could almost smell their smugness as they passed.
Approaching Port Ellen, we see the new MV Finlaggan is berthed at the pier, we hope that it isn't about to leave, it doesn't & it dwarves us as we motor past to get to the marina. The smell of cooked breakfast, presumably from the staff restaurant on board, is torture!
There's no problem finding a berth, we take our pick & are soon tied up with the kettle on. After de-lifejacketing, de-waterproofing and de-fleecing, I set to work warming croissants & pouring coffee. Happy faces all round!:)
After breakfast we deploy the onboard auto-childminder facility (netbook with toy story 1-3) and Chris & I head off for a couple of hours sleep.
Post-sleep & after a quick shower we head to the beach, where there's a rowing regatta & tug-o-war taking place as part of Islay's "Festival of the sea". The kids build sandcastles, we watch the festivities & enjoy the amusing commentary.
Later we headed to The Islay Hotel, which Chris has raved about since his boys trip to Islay last October. It seriously disappointed:( Our crab cake starters had no crab in them, well not enough to actually taste any crab and the salad leaves it came with were soggy & brown and would've been better left off the plate. I had roast beef with veg, roast potatoes & yorkshire pudding for main. The 2 tiny slivers of beef were cooked well & tasted lovely, but the small number of roast potatoes were dry & chewy, not crispy. The yorkshire pudding (singular) was ok, but almost certainly frozen. The carrots & broccoli were cooked well, but there was next to no gravy on the plate & due to the wait between asking for more & receiving it, I had eaten most of the meagre offering & made little use of it the end anyway. Unsurprisingly, we decided not to bother with dessert.
Back to Whisper for a cuppa & a Tunnocks teacake (well we are in Scotland) & then it was an early night for all.
Zzzzzzz....
A new home for whisper's blog
It's been so long since I logged into the old blog, that I have completely forgotten all the login details.
It's still there (withwhisper.blogspot.co.uk), so you can read the older posts, but this is the one to follow for current updates.
We're currently on Day 3 of this year's cruise up the west coast of Scotland.
We're in Port Ellen on Islay & I'm sitting in the cockpit listening to the relentless rain battering the roof of the cockpit tent. But twitter informs me that for a change, Scotland is not alone in it's dampness, the rest of the UK is pretty damp too, so that makes it ok. And anyway, we have waterproofs & as far as I'm aware, none of us are soluble.
We all slept really well last night, Hannah in particular, who only woke up at 9! Breakfast has been eaten & we're about to get waterproofed up for an excursion to Ardbeg distillery...
I'll update the blog later, with Day 1-3, including photos.
Drip drip drip drip...now where's my raincoat?...
It's still there (withwhisper.blogspot.co.uk), so you can read the older posts, but this is the one to follow for current updates.
We're currently on Day 3 of this year's cruise up the west coast of Scotland.
We're in Port Ellen on Islay & I'm sitting in the cockpit listening to the relentless rain battering the roof of the cockpit tent. But twitter informs me that for a change, Scotland is not alone in it's dampness, the rest of the UK is pretty damp too, so that makes it ok. And anyway, we have waterproofs & as far as I'm aware, none of us are soluble.
We all slept really well last night, Hannah in particular, who only woke up at 9! Breakfast has been eaten & we're about to get waterproofed up for an excursion to Ardbeg distillery...
I'll update the blog later, with Day 1-3, including photos.
Drip drip drip drip...now where's my raincoat?...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)