Kate Carmichael

Kate Carmichael died peacefully at her home in Glasbheinn Cottages yesterday evening.  Our deepest sympathy to her family.  She will be dreadfully missed by all.

Many thanks to Ricky Clark for the photograph.

The MacLennans Remembered

From Rob Thompson:

Trixie and Peter MacLennan lived at The Kennels, above, in Pier Road.  It was not until Peter had died that Trixie found Peter's "Mentioned in Despatches" clasp - an award given for "gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy".

Apparently it was awarded for his actions at Monte Casino when he was a driver in the Royal Army Service Corps. A truck had fallen into a deep ravine, carrying a vital part for some important equipment and was under direct enemy fire. Peter volunteered to go down and rescue the part but was pinned down for 48 hours before returning with it successfully.

He was always a shy, modest man.

He was also the most courteous, friendly and helpful of neighbours. When we moved into his old house, next to The Kennels which he and Trixie had converted into their retirement home, we asked whether he felt that planting trees there was a realistic idea. After a short pause for consideration and not wanting to dampen enthusiasm, he replied, "Well, no one's done it - yet."

Whenever we came back from a trip south, we would find Trixie had prepared a two course supper for us.

Some of our abiding memories of them are many evenings of laughter over a dram and some fascinating memories and insights into Highland life - although Peter never talked about his war.

Many thanks to Rob for writing about his memories of the MacLennans.

Summer in Antarctica

From Trevor Potts in Antarctica:

We have just arrived back in Ushuaia this morning after our second trip to Antarctica. The passengers for our Christmas cruise arrive later today and we should be into the Drake Passage by 2am. The weather has been unseasonably warm with little wind - unlike Kilchoan I believe.

Hopefully we will be seeing the first penguin chicks this next cruise. I managed to get this shot of a Peal’s Dolphin as we approached to within 5 miles of Cape Horn yesterday morning.

We have had a lot of sunny days during the last two trips as you can see from the pictures. Picture of me at the top of short climb at Almirante Brown Station in Paradise Harbour, and....

....this is the Corinthian (ex Clelia II) at the same place, with an iceberg for scale.

The Corinthian is shown here at Port Lockroy (see their blog, here) with Big Momma and her seven sisters in the background.  We plan to be at Port Lockroy on Christmas Day. Port Lockroy is a museum and shop, originally set up to monitor radio traffic and studying the ionosphere in 1944, becoming the first permanent scientific base in Antarctica.

Happy Christmas to everyone.

Trevor Potts

Many thanks, Trevor, for sending this to the Diary.
Trevor, when he isn't in Antarctica, runs the Ardnamurchan Campsite, link here. 

Fourth Gale in a Week

Last night's gale came through as promised, and was every bit as powerful as forecast, but thankfully very little damage has been done around the peninsula - a caravan window blown in and a couple of boats overturned on their trailers.  The power died just before 2.00am, but Scottish Hydro-Electric had it back on again before nine.

We're now in a run of strong southwesterlies which are bringing in hail and sleet, and these are forecast to continue through tomorrow before building up to another gale by late afternoon.  Last night's was the fourth gale in a week, but at least the sky cleared enough this afternoon to allow a few minutes sunshine on Ben Hiant.

Remembering the MacLennans

After Trixie MacLennan died, her friends Rob and Joan Thompson arranged for a bench to be placed outside the house where the MacLennans used to live in Pier Road.  Sadly, that bench finally fell apart just in time for this year's Guy Fawkes bonfire, but....

....West Ardnamurchan Community Council arranged for the plaque to be moved to the bench which they provided at the viewpoint at the end of the Ormsaigbeg road.  The bench is in a very exposed position and has a nasty habit of being pushed over the edge of the slope both by the local sheep and by  the winter gales but, even at this time of year, it's a wonderful place....

 ....to sit for a few moments and watch the view, which includes the Raasay butting....

....and bouncing on her way across the Sound of Mull to Tobermory.

Many thanks to Tony Kidd for the pictures of the Raasay.