Thursday, August 28, 2014

shetland ~ a boat and other things

hello! thank you for your kindness and interest in these shetland posts. i think it's important to keep a record, but mostly i think it's important to share. if it were to help another in trip planning, that would be the best thing! and if it were to bring a bit of 'armchair travel' love to someone, that would be excellent too! this post is mostly about the boat trip we took while in shetland, but first a few more things that we saw and did...


...and wore! here are our 'bressay's!


and here we are with the darling talented designer of bressay, and one of the shetland trip leaders, gudrun johnston. nicole on the far left (coco knits) has made the dress. kathryn (north road purl) is still working on her's, but was persuaded to put it on for the photo. gudrun is in the middle, then me, and on the far right in her version of a bressay tunic is claire dupont (bouillesdecoton). if you would like to make this, the pattern can be found here: bressay
 i love them all! well done everyone!


swimming in the voe of vaila


seen around burrastow house


a pair of newly weds came for their photos




here we are touring the woollen mill of laurence odie (in hoswick). here i've fallen apart in blogging, so many photos to go through, and i've mixed things up. but, nevermind, i thought you might like to see these anyway, out of order as they are...


we did visit the jamieson mill, shetlands only commercial mill, hopefully i'll be able to find those photos to share as well. but today we are at laurence odie, a beautiful mill and shop with one of the most fantastic things i've ever seen a machine do! see the large green machine this young man is working at? he is feeding shetland sweaters (machine knit) through the roller, they would go in flat (ish) and come out fluffed up....


our guide retrieved from a box under the green machine a spiky looking dried plant. he told us (oh but it was not easy to understand everything said) it was a teasel



and look! dozens of them! when one wears out a new one replaces it (from the cardboard box below). incredible! amazing! 


this was the jumper stretcher steamer puller outer thing. this man would slip a sweater half the size on to this contraption and with carefully executed moves, would work his magic and voila! and perfectly shaped steamed and blocked garment. 


jumping around again (please forgive me, these posts have really thrown me. between computer issues, photo issues, too many cameras taken on the trip issues, eek) so here we are at the bod of gremista and shetland textile working museum. built in 1780, this is the only bod in shetland which has been renovated to its historical state.



maryjane and gudrun having a chat with one of the dedicated volunteers



displays include knitted shetland textiles from the 19th century to the present day (stunning)



wonderful examples of shetland knitting


there is a room for hands on activities. here is beautiful nicole spinning on a beautiful wheel



being here in this 18th century fishing bod (house) in gremista, lerwick was an experience i'll never forget


i think we all did a little of this at the end of each incredibly full day. a little time to reflect at the wonder of it all. 




~ on the boat ~ 
seen in lerwick


now we are all (almost all of us) going on an adventure cruise! we are going to bressay (yes! like the dress) and noss. noss is a national nature reserve with famous seabird cliffs, SO so exciting!


after our orientation, we headed out


we are on the dunter 3


our first sighting! a grey seal


many grey seals!



the first mate threw them a few fishes so we had quite a show!



at one point we made a stop for coffee and biscuits! it was cold and a bit rainy out
so this was a lovely treat!


soon we arrived at noss, where puffins were nesting!


we all ran outside (inside the saloon was heated and cozy) into the rain to better see. maryjane, claire and i climbed onto the top deck for a better look. i like this photo only because it included the shetland flag! oh and hey! my shwook hat!



here is a handy table map inside the boat


kathryn is enjoying a ginger biscuit from our crew member


a handy bird list 


meanwhile, outside...


there they are!! see the two puffin?!


the boat could not get any closer and we were moving around alot, so photos were difficult. but on these rocky cliffs were many many puffins!


and black guillemots


and one of the most incredible nature spectacles i've ever ever seen. on these sandstone cliffs up to 592 feet high (181 m) are a honeycomb of nesting ledges, and around 20,000 gannets


incredible


the sight and sounds of these migrating seabirds was astounding. we stood out in the misty rain, trying to capture some of the magic, whilst also trying to keep our cameras safe. and being completely awed.


here you can see the chicks, gannets nest just far enough apart from each other to avoid being poked by their neighbors sharp beak



i was especially moved because chuck and i made a trip to see the gannets, off the coast of south africa, in lambert's bay. these are the same birds. can you imagine their journey? 


linnea and liz keeping dry (and isn't linnea's valenzi cardi gorgeous!)




kittiwake

we watched the kittiwakes fishing, right off the stern of our boat!



maryjane and gundruns dad



bressay lighthouse


one of the stevenson's lighthouses!



back to lerwick






thank you very much crew and gudrun's dad and the dunter 3! 


and back at 'home', while the memory is still fresh, putting pen to paper. i think one more post will finally be it and i will have shared all there is to share with this one. i have another (much smaller) but very exciting adventure coming up soon!
thank you for reading, xxx lori

80 comments:

  1. Hello Lori,

    Yes, this is armchair travelling at its best!

    Shetland is a place of great mystery and intrigue to us as we have never been. So, we have enjoyed the next best thing, travelling along with you. The factories are so fascinating and the end results so attractive. You look to have had the most wonderful of times and, now, so have we!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you very much jane and lance,
      i'm so glad to know you've enjoyed reading about shetland! i think it's remote location makes it more difficult to get to. it is really worth the extra traveling involved though, shetland is one of the most astounding places i've ever been. i really love armchair traveling too, how fortunate we are to be living in a time of internet and blogging!

      Delete
  2. Your photos are amazing Lori …… thank you!!!!!!
    xxxxxx Ale

    ReplyDelete
  3. what a nice trip, thanks for sharing and making me dream ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you are very welcome, i'm so glad you've enjoyed!

      Delete
  4. Oh my, wonderful things in this post! I love your hat! Oh and the seals! Thanks so much for posting!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you so much! you should make the hat, the pattern is available on raverly right now!

      Delete
  5. waw ! What an interresting and very beautiful place ! And great pictures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you very much! i'm so glad you've enjoyed!

      Delete
  6. Such beautiful pictures, look at those seals.

    I can't believe this is all so close to me and yet I haven't been!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you sammi,
      i've heard that a lot from english and european friends. shetland is close (kind of) and at the same time, so far away..i hope you make it there someday!

      Delete
  7. i could sort of feel the sea breeze and misty rain...beautiful photos. Thank you so much for sharing!!!! Loved the photos of the puffins from the water....we never got that view. I lOVED it!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you steph! the little puffins on the cliffs were so cute, and so many. i hope you will go back someday, i know i want to!

      Delete
  8. Loving every single photo, all the words and stories from your trip, Lori! Wonderful :) xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you dear leigh , it's a lot of fun to share and i'm so glad you are enjoying xo :)

      Delete
  9. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures with us! Those gannets on the feathery-shaped rocks – amazing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you sylvia. i agree, gannets are amazing!

      Delete
  10. oh I love these posts Lori, your pictures are wonderful, I can almost smell the sea. LOVE that brown turtleneck smocky sweater - it's amazing. and everyone's "bressay" sweaters - just gorgeous. I can't wait until your next adventure!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks so much mim. that sweater was made by gudrun's mother. an emotional and lovely discovery on our adventure. so sweet.

      Delete
  11. LOVE the Viking ship - they are so well crafted and beautiful. It's truly amazing looking at your images that they are keeping an age old tradition alive and in business today- it gives me hope that there is room in the world for a "high touch" business too and not just "high tech".
    Lovely all of it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i loved it too camilla. i wished so much that i could have popped over to norway, it was so close. another trip. :) thank you

      Delete
  12. Thnak you so much for this great post !
    It is nice to see them from here, were is still hot :)
    I must say I'm liiiiiitlle jelause :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh lovely! so glad you've enjoyed, i hope you'll go someday, and at the moment i hope you have cooler weather!

      Delete
  13. Breath taking! This place is now on my list! Just lovely. I better get knitting!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lori, these photographs are spectacular. Your Shetland posts also really show the care taken by Gudrun and Maryjane in their planning of the tour.

    Of course, all the wool and knitting details are of huge interest to me, but seeing the natural beauty of the coast line, the seals, the birds...well, that just adds so much magic and wonder. I am lost for words to describe how glad I am that you and your cameras took this journey.

    (I do hope to be able to join a future tour.)

    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you dear frances. i hope we are on that tour together!

      Delete
  15. Oh it looks amazing and you are a fantastic virtual tour guide! I've been reading the Outlander books so I have felt like I've been in Scotland in 1754 with the castles and the stories of the seals and to see it all how you experienced it is just so exciting!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it felt like being in an 18 century novel, amazing!

      Delete
  16. amazing story! pleasure to follow your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  17. An incredible journey. Glorious pics!
    The spiky plant is a teasel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. that was the word i heard! thank you! amended!

      thank you for such kind words!

      Delete
  18. Lori thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. What a wonderful trip of a lifetime!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. aw thank you so much, i appreciate your comment very much!

      Delete
  19. oh so wonderful! your trip has inspired me, I have asked to be put on notification for the next trip. I have also warned my husband ;).
    is that a canon ae1 slr in the last photo? I have my old one still is why I ask...
    also, did you guys speak before the trip to knit the bressays?
    i also see a watercolor painting waiting to be tried of the gannets and those cliffs they were on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. how exciting! you will LOVE it.

      the camera is a pentax super ME. i do have an ae1 also (didn't come on this trip though), such a great camera! we did plan on knitting the bressay pattern beforehand, we had a kind of informal kal. gundrun and maryjane had set up a thread on raverly for discussing our pretrip plans/knits.

      i hope you'll share your gannet painting!

      Delete
  20. You make me want to go back. Lerwick was the highlight of our seven weeks in Britain. I miss it so. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh thank you for your comment, i'm so happy to know this post brought back such good memories for you. lerwick was an amazing city, one i hope to return to someday too.

      Delete
  21. Wonderful post, Lori....I just love reading about your trip to Shetland and seeing your fascinating pictures. I haven't been to Shetland, but would love to go there now. Love the knitwear you are all wearing in these pictures too...makes me want to get my needles out!
    Happy weekend.
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
  22. thank you for sharing some of your wonderful adventure lori.
    memories to last a lifetime.
    happy long weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  23. So happy to revisit such happy times (and to catch a glimpse of the beautiful sights I missed on the boat).

    Thanks Lori. I never want these posts to end (much like the trip).

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. aw, xxx, i know just how you feel nicole. i sometimes can't believe it's already now a month past. we'll just keep reliving, thank goodness for pictures and of course memories!

      Delete
  24. Ditto what Nicole said. You are amazing. Keep them coming!
    Love, Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  25. Simply amazing! and the birdies! I really liked all the birdies ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it's nirvana for birds, a migratory pit stop paradise, you would love it! (thank you)

      Delete
  26. Oh Lori, I always rely on you for a good "armchair travel" fix, and this post does not disappoint! What's not to love: the yokes, the puffins, the shots of the village, the seals! The seals, now really, you must enter that photo in a competition! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you lovely jo. and i've just sent a snail mail thank you as well. cof band is on continuous play, LOVE.

      Delete
  27. Just sitting here smiling, enjoying every word & photo. I love how well your Bressays match the landscape.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you so much gale, so happy you've enjoyed. it's so interesting the way shetland fair isle is influenced by the surrounding countryside.

      Delete
  28. All of those birds nesting in one place would be an amazing sight. Wow! I know you enjoyed every second of your journey. So much to see and do. When I got home from the States, the first thing I did was break all my photos up into all the towns and sights we saw and placed them in e-folders. That way, they were all in order and easy to locate when I want to post to my blog. It's the first time I have ever done it that way and boy does it make the job of keeping my thoughts in order easy. :) Have a great weekend. Tammy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you tammy, i appreciate your helpful comment. the problem i have is photos coming from many sources, iphone, film, 2 digital cameras, photos from friends on the trip. after i had made a post film was developed (out of order). need to simplify!

      Delete
  29. pics out of order or in order....they are wonderful. I am so appreciative of being able to "be" on this voyage w/ you. Mary in Cincinnati OH

    ReplyDelete
  30. I just caught up on all your Shetland posts and it seems just amazing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you inge! it really was, just the combination of everything, the place, friends, our lovely excellent tour leaders!

      Delete
  31. Well, I am truly grateful that you have shared your Shetland images and memories with us. I am now really toying with the idea of going there myself one day, but if I will not be able to do so, I have at least enjoyed these posts immensely. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you so much irene, i'm really glad you've enjoyed. i am sure you would love shetland! i do hope you and your husband go someday. and you must stay at burrastow house too. :)

      Delete
  32. amazing journey and images.......two questions:

    1) what was the beverage? (doesn't look like scotch :))
    2) swimming?? how cold was that water?!?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you amanda. it was wine (from south africa), though there was whisky on occasion ;)
      it was cold in the north atlantic, really cold! but the temperature was warm the day we arrived and jumping in the water is kind of a necessity. :) (we didn't stay in long).

      Delete
  33. WOW !!.. What stunning pics. Just beautiful

    ReplyDelete
  34. Beautifull, my dream !
    One day, i do that, i'm sure.
    Thanks for the pleasure
    Muriel

    ReplyDelete
  35. Ahhh, sweet Lori, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful trip! I came so close to joining, but had to back out when 'life as we know it', presented too many conflicts. I'm so happy to tag along vicariously with all you lovely ladies, and I love that you've shared so many of your wonderful photos --- keep 'em coming! ❤️❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
  36. how lovely this all is! stunning pictures, stunning knits (wow!), the puffins, the bird with fish in mouth, beautiful!!! So happy you had this most wonderful trip!

    ReplyDelete
  37. Lori, Again, thank you for sharing your trip, stunning photos. So glad you had a great time. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow Lori. Just Wow. Those gannet photos are just stunning. I'm assuming you were using a zoom lens? What an amazing trip. Can I also ask -- is this a trip that Gudrun or Mary Jane (or someone) offer each year? Or did a group of you just get together and organize it? Thank you SO much for sharing all your pictures -- I've loved reading every little bit!

    ReplyDelete
  39. You can try to use this service Evolution Writers . I have used it several times in college and was absolutely satisfied with the result.

    ReplyDelete
  40. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Booking Buddy is the best travel search engine, you could use to compare travel deals from the large travel booking sites.

    ReplyDelete

xoxo lori