Thursday 27 June 2013 – Fetlar to Out Skerries

After a quiet night at anchor the fine weather seemed to still be with us, so we went ashore again (without bikes).  Countryfile were due to film on the island and were supposed to film a game of Hnefatafl (a Viking board game) acted out on the beach by real Vikings.  We thought we might watch.  However there was no action so we walked along the island, eventually reaching the bird hide, where we met some proper bird watchers and saw the Red-Necked Phalaropes for which Fetlar is an important centre.  Returning to the beach we found that the Vikings were a man short, so Pat was dressed up as a Viking and joined them.  Eventually we left and sailed to Out Skerries, where we had a few tense minutes motoring in the North Mouth in no wind with the swell breaking on the rocks of both sides of what felt like a very narrow entrance.  Moored at the pier.

Follow the track of this day

The row of stone structures are planticrus –
shelters for raising young plants. Unused for many years

Planticrus close up

Les and Joanne shearing Shetland sheep.
They have 200 and shear about 10 a day

Les and Joanne’s Shetland cows

A bunch of scary Vikings

Hnefatafl – a Viking board game

The scary Vikings act out part of the game for Countryfile

Sunset just after our arrival in Out Skerries