Robbie's Northern Exposures: Up Helly Aa and auroras

Last Thursday (1st March) was a rather nice day weather wise and the evening was set to be good also. In the late afternoon we had a friend come round who had walked along from Baltasound. Just as she got near to our house, a helicopter landed in the next field to the house and the pilot got out and ran up to the road to where Helen was - he was after directions ! At around 6.30pm I took her over to Haroldswick and on the way back it was one of those magical evenings that could have been mid summer (apart from the temperature). The sun was setting, there was no wind and down in the bay at Haroldswick an otter fished silhouetted against the orange reflection of the sky on the water. There was another aurora forecast, not a strong one, but one non the less. I missed the strongest part which was around 8pm, but managed to get out a bit later; the moon was shining but not too brightly. However, at the pier across from our shoreline, there was a fish-farm ship tied up with all its lights blazing. I decided to head off up north to try and get some shots from either Lamba Ness or Skaw. By the time I'd got there the aurora had subsided and was just faint glow, so I headed down to Skaw and try some moonlit beach pictures. In theory, digital makes taking this sort of picture much easier but I'm still not particularly good at it so it's a case of practicing when the opportunity arises....................

Skaw beach - 63 seconds @ f5.6, ISO800

Leaving Skaw sometime around half midnight, I headed home. Had I used my 'give it another 10 minutes' way of thinking, then I'd of had some better pictures; as, on arriving back at home, the 'light show' picked up again..................

1am looking north to the pier.

Saturday (3rd) was to be Norwick Up Helly Aa. During the day, the wind picked up, it poured with rain and it looked like it could be cancelled. Fortunately early evening the wind dropped very slightly and also the rain. Going on the forecast (and 'live' conditions) if Catriona hadn't been in a squad, I think I'd have given it a miss; however, in the end it wasn't too bad. A few pictures from the evening............

Sula and Rona - the shield Sula designed is on her left side

After the burning of the boat, most folk go to the hall for the acts etc and then the dance. We left at around 11.30 as Catriona was off away in the morning and had an early start, but many folk didn't leave until 3am!

Catriona left early on Sunday to go to Zimbabwe for a 2 day meeting ( + 2 days travel each way) so I was at home with the girls. I made most of the time by doing some work in the sheds and then later on going for a fish and chip supper in the village hall - very civilized as there's a bar there as well.

Yesterday (5th) was another of those sort of days when (if possible) you just have to get out. Now I've taken down the fence at the jetty, I thought I'd have a go at the Redbreasted Merganzers that often feed down there. Previously when the fence was there, they'd have to swim out and around it at high tide (which is when they are the closest) so now I hoped they'd stay nearer. Unfortunately on this occasion they stayed quite a long way away from the shore and all I had was a couple of Fulmars...................

Back in the garden, the almost resident Rock Doves ( they don't visit quite so much in the summer) were either sitting around waiting for some food or strutting their stuff trying to impress the females. Down south, folk would be complaining about the 'dirty, messy, pigeons' but here these are the 'real McCoy' wild birds from which all town, feral and racing pigeons have descended so I'm only too happy to have them in the garden.............

Rock Doves

Yet again, there was another aurora forecast, however the moon was now almost full so any show would be watered down somewhat - if it was visible at all. The two websites that I have been using for aurora alerts were not showing the aurora maps but one did have a link to another site that is in the testing stage which is here . I think the overall view is better than the others but I prefer the colour bar on the other ones as it is immediately obvious what strength the aurora is.................