SIB Expedition 2003 - Orkney

[Allen]

Hi Keith,

Interesting thread. Thought you may like a pic taken from rib height.

The Old Man of Hoy is the one on the right. Er, I think.

Allen

[Keith Hart]

Now I know in theory I should be doing my coursework when in computing lessons, but I just can't do any programming or design work in a light room with no loud music!

Thanks Matt, just don't blame me if you fail your exams!!!

Keith (too tired for brackets) Hart

[narked]

Don't worry about that Keith, I'll blame the tutors for not forcing me to do the work!

With any luck I won't need my A levels anyway, as the career I'm going into asks only for GCSEs! So the A levels are just a backup for if I don't get through the Navy dive school, plus they keep me occupied till I'm 18.

Matt

[Keith Hart]

Great piccy Allen. So seeing as you already know the area....why aren't you on the expiditioneers mailing list. We need you local knowledge. Join up. You know you want to.

Keith ((couple of spare brackets there)) Hart

[Keith Hart]

Orkney Factoid Just another factoid in a series designed to whet the appetitie of our intrepid Orkney SIB expiditioneers

The formal end of the Royal Navy using Scapa Flow as a base came on the 29th of March 1957, on a typical Spring Scapa day. The White Ensign was hauled down for the last time.

It was a grey windswept day with a gusty wind tugging at the ensign. There were fewer than 200 people present to watch the ceremony. There was not even a flag officer present to pay respects to the sterling service that Scapa Flow had paid to the Royal Navy and the country for 150 years.

The only Navy ship present was the boom defense ship HMS Barleycorn.

Well folks, we expiditioneers will pay our respects to this venerable harbour. The Vikings came over 1,200 years ago....the RIBs and SIBs of RIBNET will be there in 2003. The new invasion starts here.

RIBNET needs YOU. Sign up NOW orkney@blackhart.co.uk

Keith (tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat) Hart

[Keith Hart]

Orkney Factoid
Just another factoid in a series designed to whet the appetitie of our intrepid Orkney SIB expiditioneers

The high latitude of Orkney (59 degrees north) means long hours of light in the summer but a winter of very short, grey days.

The Midsummer Solstice

At the midsummer solstice the sun rises in the north-east around 4 am, before setting again in the north-west at around 10.30 pm. As such the sun shines for six hours on north facing surfaces and is in the sky for some 18 hours.

But despite the long summer days, the altitude of the sun at noon is less than 60 degrees, so high temperatures are unusual.

When the summer sun finally sets, it remains just below the horizon so there is no true darkness - simply a period of extended twilight known in dialect as the "simmer dim".

The Midwinter Solstice

But there is a price to pay for the long hours of summer light.

By the time of the winter solstice in December, the sun is rising in the south-east after 9 am, setting around six hours later in the south-west.

During this "day" of weak, grey light, the sun barely reaches a midday altitude of 10 degrees. What sunshine there is is usually dependent on the cloud cover at the time, which can often make for days of near darkness.

Keith Hart

[Allen]

And there I was thinking that the only noticable difference between winterand summer in the Orkneys was that you can see the grey sky merging in to the grey sea for longer in summer .....

The White Ensign was lowered at the Lyness naval base, and I just happen to have a pic of my battleship tied up there on a grey, grey day.

Not a busy spot, but the museum is well worth a visit.

[Keith Hart]

Allen, I suppose like me, you had you photo taken standing 'under' the (one of) props from the 'Hampshire' that went down with Lord Kitchener off Marwick Head during WW1.

Keith (ohhh I can't wait) Hart

[Keith Hart]

Brian

Here is a useful link: http://www.onlineweather.com/v4/uk/sailing/SF04.html

And one for everyone else: http://www.scotsmagazine.com/smft1098photo.htm#top

Keith (at work but it's quiet) Hart

[Keith Hart]

U47, perhaps the most famous (or should that be infamous) U Boat of all time, sank The Royal Oak in Scapa Flow.

Read the details of U47 on this fascinating website dedicated to U Boats: http://uboat.net/boats/u47.htm

Keith (isn't the internet great) Hart