Thursday 11 March

"You're the first birds this year" said Ian Richardson the boatbuilder. It's not the season, not yet, and now we're stormbound here, snow on Hoy, sleety squalls tunelling down the thin Stromness streets. 
 

Meanwhile, repairs to our water supply and heating system, and tonight a big music session. The only concertina maker in Scotland - and one of the few in the world - just happens to live here, he's a sailor and a singer too, and knows all the music makers, so the word's gone round and The Ferry, right by the
harbour, is the place to be tonight. We won't be able to stop Ian from trying a Stornoway strip the willow, but he'll be in trouble here, boy, where they make two long lines and nothing stops them, not even the furniture.
 

Listen to today's audio log from the El Vigo: