Interesting visitors

Normally Shetland roads are fairly quiet but earlier in the week I had to go into a layby as two helicopters came down the main road. Not that either could fly down , they were on heavy transporters going from Sumburgh to Lerwick and then Scotland via the ferry.

These Super Puma helicopters have been grounded as 13 people had been killed off the coast of Norway in June following a crash.

We have visited the harbour in Lerwick on a number of occasions recently( must be coming a Shetlander as they regularly check out the ships and boats)

This week the `Ernka' a former Shetland bus boat made a three day appearance in Lerwick. This 107 year old fishing vessel carried 60 Norwegian Refugees to Shetland in 1942.

In 1940 the German Kriegsmarine requisitioned the Alesund built boat but was stolen by the refugees and then sailed across the sea to land at Lerwick, this was the largest number to come over on one boat.

The Ernka made another three trips to Nazi occupied Norway before being retired as it had become too recognisable due to its steel hull. The owners father was part of the Shetland bus making 43 trips on the sub-chaser `Vigra'

A number of old Norwegian sailing ships also visited Shetland including the interesting `Framstig', which was built in 1914 and later ran a ground and was left to rot

Four people discovered the boat in the 1970's and started what was a 5 year project to restore the boat to sailing condition.

Once completed they set sail for a 2.5 year trip around the world and from there it has been travelling between Norway, Shetland, Orkney, Faroe and Greenland

A shinning light

Other visitors included Oil related vessels, Shetland tug and seabird tours as well as a Norwegian fishing boat Haugefisk which was built in Norway in 1978

                                                                                                          Time for a rest

Visiting the harbour is always interesting as you never know what is likely to turn up, its also great to see where the boats come from.

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