6/1
We're off on the 7th leg of my adventure! Back under the Tower Bridge, backwards! Towed by tugs.
They opened the bridge for a short time to let the tugs through to get to us.
Quite a few people watching. Must have been interesting to see us going backwards.
Singing
Turning us around
Better views of Greenwich
Traveling out of the Thames in the Thames Estuary before the English Channel. I was at lunch by the window and a woman noticed these. She knew they were Maunsell Forts.
This is from Wiki about them.
This is from Wiki about them.
Shivering Sands Army Fort [U7] was a Maunsell army fort built near the Thames estuary for anti-aircraft defence. It is made up of several once interconnected towers north of Herne Bay and is 14.8 km (9.2 miles) from the nearest land. The Shivering Sands fort was the last of the Thames estuary forts to be constructed, and was grounded between 18 September and 13 December 1943.
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Lots of windmills in the water.
This afternoon we were lucky enough to see the White Cliffs of Dover. They stretch for 8 miles and are made up of coccoliths, a tiny algae bone and are chalky. Dover is the narrowest part of the English Channel and there are many ferries going back and forth to France.
6/2
We arrived at St. Peter Port, Guernsey. Another one of the Channel Islands, along where we were earlier at Jersey. Guernsey had been French, then English but has it's own government, like Jersey. If you're familiar with the book or movie The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Society that is the tour I took. None of the scenes were filmed in Guernsey, but based on spots. Our first stop was Calais Lane, the lane they cut down at night.
We stopped by a house name Le Bouvee, which was the name of the farm. Here it is a house and near a farm it was based on.
The slit in the wall is where Germans hid machine guns. Some Guernsey cows.
We went to the Little Chapel where Dawsey took Juliet. Gorgeous. The actor that played Dawsey was Dutch and spent time on the island learning the accent.
A walk around St. Peter Port. People on Guernsey are called donkeys because of their stubborn nature.
Castle Cornet in the harbor by the ship.
6/3
Today we were at Tresco, the 2nd largest island of the Isles of Scilly off the coast of England. We toured Tresco Gardens and were able to go around with our guest speaker, Alan Mason. He is a European garden designer. Some of you from the UK may know him from his TV show in the 80s/90s, Gardens Without Borders.
Eurasian oystercatcher
Song thrush
Red squirrel
Ring-necked pheasant
Young Eurasian blackbird
Male Lady Amherst's pheasant
Common chaffinch
When we were leaving there were Common murres
6/4
Today I was supposed to go to Culzean Castle in Girvan, Scotland, but the swells were too large to make it safely by zodiac. We are heading to a protected area to hopefully do a zodiac cruise before heading out into 3m waves for tonight. These first two views are of Ireland this morning. The next are of Girvan.
Plan B was a zodiac ride by Lamash, a village on the Isle of Arran. (if you weren't sure where I was in West Africa you will really need a map to know where I am in Scotland) We had rain and hail and a gorgeous double rainbow.
The island across is Holy Isle. A Buddhist Center for Wellness.
My photos of pretty blurry from the bouncing zodiac. Common Murre
Swans (there were babies)
Common Eiders
Gray Heron
We are back to parkas!
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I forgot to post that my Butler Ruth left in London and now I have Francis! He's been around so it's not a big change.
I was very pleased that Zak, expedition staff, asked me to join them for dinner tonight. Zak was on the first 10 days and then was off and returned in Dakar. This was our 4th try at dinner. It was so much fun with his girlfriend, Mila and Zak's mom who got on in London and gets off when I do. Tyrone and Manoj have been on since the start and are so much fun!
Ivan found out he missed the photo!
6/5
Today we were at Tobermory, Isle of Mull. A better weather day. In the morning I took a little tour of the town. A colorful little town. It is located on the craggy Scottish Inner Hebrides. We made a stop at the Isle of Mull museum. The Tobermory Distillery exports whiskey and is one of Scotland's oldest distilleries.
In the afternoon I did a zodiac tour. Better weather than yesterday.
Sheep and lambs and a gray heron
Hooded crow
Eurasian Oystercatchers
European shags
Waterfall near where the shags were nesting.
A seal kept popping up near the zodiac.
On the way back our motor cut out and Zak was towing us back. We did get started again to finish on our own power.
Everyday right now is weather permitting our operations. Tonight we sailed by Duart Castle, which we will hopefully be visiting tomorrow.
6/6
This morning some people went to the gardens at Arduaine. I took a hike from Craobh Haven, 5+ miles. Rain, sun, hail.
We stopped on the ridge for a moment of silence to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day.
Then the little bits of rain and hail came.
Then back to sunshine.
This afternoon we had a chance to visit Duart Castle on the Isle of Mull. The Chief of the Clan of MacClean greeted us and told us a little of the history of the castle that was a fortress. It was built in the 13th century. The views are marvelous.
Zodiac from the Wind to shore and Ben Nevis with snow on the top.
Another castle, one of 10 on Isle of Mull.
Duart and the Chief of the Clan.
There have been 3 movies filmed here. When Entrapment was filmed the director was going to pay 100 pounds for people to remove the leaves and berries from this tree. The Chief explained it was thought of as good luck and the director said never mind they would take them off in post production.
One of the dungeons. The lighthouse in the distance is a Stevenson lighthouse. Robert Louis Stevenson's ancestors were lighthouse makers.
6/7
Hopefully will post more later, but possibly it will be tomorrow. Here's a preview of my day today!!! This afternoon in Lunga, Scotland.
6/8
Yesterday morning I did a bird walk and then a tour to the Iona Abbey on Iona.
Cows
European goldfinch
Hooded crow
Rook
Greater Whitethroat
Eurasian wren
Sheep
Female and Male White Wagtail
House sparrow
European Robin
Barn swallow
Views of Iona
The Abbey
Former Nunnery
In the afternoon we went to Lunga. It was a tough zodiac landing, walking over rocks and then a bit of a climb so not everyone got off. It was spectacular. Similar to the feeling among the King penguins at South Georgia. Here is was a huge colony of guillemots (common murres), European shags, gulls and puffins! Magical!
I will start a new page- London to Reykjavik - Part 2
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