Friday was another day of test sailing, and although the sun wasn’t shining there was a good wind and for most of the crew it was an enjoyable day. With the wind picking up in the afternoon it was a chance to get some real sailing in. For James and I it was a chance for a rare day off and a visit to the Ardbeg distillery. As well as learning about whisky it was fascinating to hear about the changes that had occurred on Islay over the past few centuries. Once, the island had a population of around 20,000 people; today it’s fewer than 4000. Most of the depopulation occurred as a result of the highland clearances which must have radically changed the character of the island.
On Friday evening a gale arrived bringing with it rain and strong winds. With the rough weather set to continue, Carsten decided to abandon the test sailing planned for the weekend. Instead the crew had a chance to see some more of the island. First a trip to the town of Bowmore where the big draw was a heated swimming pool. This pool cleverly uses the hot water produced as a waste product by the nearby distillery. The facility provided a much needed chance to get clean and do some exercise, though the Danes were surprised at the need to keep their swimsuits on in the communal showers! The pool also has a sauna which was soon packed full of bodies.
The Finlaggan graveyard
Next was a visit to Finlaggan, an island in a remote loch that was the home of the MacDonald clan chiefs in the 12th to 16th centuries. Amidst the ruined buildings, there are some preserved gravestones thought to be where family members of the chiefs are buried. Carved onto some of the stones were images of ships, highland galleys that bear a striking resemblance to 'Sea Stallion'. The hulls curve up symmetrically at both ends and are equipped with a large square sail. Glenn was particularly interested in these carvings – he’d read about them but hadn’t seen these particular examples. Although they date from several hundred years after the Vikings visited the island, they show the clear influence they left. It is another striking link between the Viking ship project and the past.
Eating in the rain
Everyone was back at 'Sea Stallion' in time for dinner in the rain. Although a tarpaulin is pulled over part of the ship when its in port, there’s only room for a few people inside (usually whoever is on watch.) That meant most of the crew had to eat in the wet. 'It’s not too bad' said Triona. 'It would be nicer without the rain but we’re used to it, and at least on land you’ve got space to move around.'
Afterwards Martin, one of the crewmembers who joined in Scotland, gave a talk about his time in the Danish Navy. He served on board a submarine for a year and told stories of life underwater. At 30m long, the sub was about the same length as 'Sea Stallion', but the actual living space is even more limited – about half a square metre per person. On the other hand, at least on a submarine your bed is always warm and dry!
A ship engraving on a tombstone
The crew had another rainy night under canvas (most of the tents seem to have a leak somewhere – the trick is to make sure your sleeping bag isn’t under it) with no improvement in the weather Sunday. The sea conditions today are very bad for sailing – almost no wind but big waves – so it’s another day on land. The good news is the winds are looking favourable for next week so we’re hoping to set off tomorrow. By then we’ll have been on Islay for a week and the crew will be itching to get moving again (as well as itching from the midges and ticks).
