Last day on the Outer Hebrides

Well, this is it I suppose. Tomorrow we leave Lewis & Harris and set sail for Skye and work our way down home.

Yesterday, we camped at the most western point of Lewis, were the famous 12 th century Lewis Chess pieces were found in the 19th century. We visited the accompanying museum, quite impressive. Nobody can figure out why even the King of Lewis needed 4 sets of Chess pieces for at any given time.

Anyway, in the morning we tried to make some QSO’s from our tent (EU-010) but when the rain came in we decided to pack before everything got soaking wet. During the night it was mostly dry but very windy. Earlier that day we witnessed a fellow camper’s tent going completely flat in the gusts, we were warned! The west coast of Lewis has some dramatic scenery. When I’m home I’ll put pictures on the website (There is a different meaning for the word ‘broadband’ on the Hebrides as what we are used to in Belgium 🙂 ).

Today we visited the Butt of Lewis in pouring rain. A petty, our boatsman offered us a ride to the Shiants yesterday evening, obviously weather dependent. It did not materialize… unfortunately.

Well, we made the most of our objectives come true. We managed to get to St.Kilda, we spent two nights out of the four we planned on Hirta, the weather on Kilda was out-stan-ding, we made QSO’s from Kilda, in CW, in Phone and in PSK, we send- and received mail via Pactor, we sent out position reports, we updated our blog over the Pactor network. Gert activated a SOTA summit (GM/SI-098) and made 24 QSO’s from the highest point of Hirta. Gert even dared to take a swim in the Atlantic ice cold waters. We also managed to see some of the beautiful nature on- and around St.Kilda (e.g. pictures of stack Lee are forever in my memory…) and we managed to exchange some address data with newly acquired friendships!

We had some timeless moments, as Nick Crane would call them.

Thanks to all who worked and/or supported us, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll go to some exotic place again next year!

73, Jan MM/OS5A/P

The night before…

So this is it. My final post before our departure. Tomorrow morning we leave home, heading for a 3 day trip to Leverburg. I do not watch the weather reports anymore, they change faster than I can read them.. so we will take it as it comes I guess…

Meanwhile all the radio gear is packed. See picture. And indeed, our tents, underwear and toothbrushes are not even in there… My car is too small. Have to ask Angus whether he has a towing device on his boat, so I can bring the trailer 🙂

 

73, ON4CO