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Tuesday 27 July 2010

Scapa Flow Cruise (Part 2)


Here are some more photos from the "Scapa Flow Cruise". The picture above looks like a fairly nondescript subject - a skerry with a beacon on top. But to Graemsay this is a very important piece of rock - it's known as the "Barrel of Butter" and it has a weather beacon as part the navigation beacon on it, and that gives the all important wind speed during winter gales via the Orkney Harbours website! The history of the "Barrel of Butter" is slightly more interesting than that - it was so named as the seal colony here used to be hunted and locals had to pay the Laird a "barrel of butter" a year for the privilege.

Below are some rock stacks

A Martello Tower constructed during the Napoleonic Wars - used to guard against American Privateers.

The "Flotta Flare" - the island of Flotta is home to an oil terminal. Not the most picturesque of sights. The flare can be seen from miles around.

As there is a need to move away from fossil fuels, renewable energy is being embraced, particularly in Orkney. Though this is a controversial subject here! Below is a privately owned wind turbine on the island of Flotta.

Orkney is also a research centre for future renewable technology. Below is the Pelamis sea snake arriving back in Orkney waters for further testing at a site just outside Stromness at Billia Croo.

And below a closer view of the sea snake - presumably painted red and yellow so no boats bump into it?!

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