Home by the sea

Day one of the Highland Adventure was marked by its appaling winter weather in August. Despite that we got on with leadership tasks and
under the everwatchful eye of Rocky

and a 68,000 ton sperm whale called Moby

we had our own boat race where two teams prepared their rubber dinghy for launch, then once the bluffers Cockle Shell Heroes pic had been taken the boats were squared away and repacked. This seemingly pointless exercise proved useful in so far as one boat was missing a vital valve, either dropped during the race or lost in transit (hence strange attempt to stop air escaping going on in the pic)and helped those who were brave enough later in the week to prep their boat for a sea launch get familiar with the equipment.

several team building exercises later, mostly centered around crossing the chasm of doom we grabbed a bite to eat and set off on a short hike to Tarbert. Progress was noted by a sturdy highland pony.

Tarbert had not changed much since my last visit, save for the old man who lived in the cottage who always came out to greet anyone passing has passed on and has been replaced by a recluse who hides and avoids passersby like the plague.

Another change was this little cottage built by a stonemason from the Isle of Skye, he pops over now and then by boat and is intrinsic to the construction of a palace for theatre royalty around the corner. I suppose he threw this up in the odd break or lunch hour as a bolt hole.

Victims Volunteers took a few moments to contemplate life the universe and everything sat on the porch of stone shack before the weather closed in again which

then turned the trek back into a nightmare.

We all made it back in one peice to a full sunday roast cooked by yours truly along with a home made bread and butter pudding. Rocky had his share then spent the evening guarding the breakfast cereals.