His next challenge will be to find the freight boat at 0300....he's bound to wind up in Stavanger or the like... 
M'off in the morning ... CT125 'Adventure Cub'
- Thread starter Micky
- Start date
Did you tie a tag on his jacket with his name and address on?His next challenge will be to find the freight boat at 0300....he's bound to wind up in Stavanger or the like...
In constant touch...its part of my care in the community responsibility....he's now on Orkney after a bumpy journey across the Pentland firth....got rubbish signal in the bus shelter he's using until the terminal opens at midnight for the 3 am boat...shipping forecast looking shite....tee hee...
I'm sure there's a hotel in Kirkwall you can get rooms by the hour, that would work and he might get a warm up
I'll take your word for hourly hotel rates....
His onward boat from Shetland to Fair Isle is cancelled tomorrow but probably OK Sunday....he has a niece on Shetland, so at least there is a responsible adult to take over responsibility.
His onward boat from Shetland to Fair Isle is cancelled tomorrow but probably OK Sunday....he has a niece on Shetland, so at least there is a responsible adult to take over responsibility.
She'll make sure he's on the Fair Isle ferry though it is a smaller boat they use. Hopefully not too bumpyI'll take your word for hourly hotel rates....
His onward boat from Shetland to Fair Isle is cancelled tomorrow but probably OK Sunday....he has a niece on Shetland, so at least there is a responsible adult to take over responsibility.
Very well considering BT ... down to 30mph but at least I wasn’t pushing it, or pedalling it
Going back to cover some of the comments, yes, indeed, the ferry companies won’t ‘squeeze’ you on even though there might be space. the bookings are computerised and vehicle allocation strict. Once reached they’re full, full stop period! Health and Safety at work I guess .... two ferries so far and neither noted the 2L plastic gerry can on the bracket by the engine
Extra fuel containers are not allowed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well it’s been a bit of a roller coaster what with the bloody ferries and the weather.
Down to the Pentland Ferries Terminal at Gills Bay to be told that I wasn’t in reserve any more but had a place on the ferry. “That will be Forty pounds please” I jumped for joy and did a reel and a tap dance for them
“There’s a boat coming in” ... must be a song in there somewhere
A ride up from the ferry terminal over the Churchill Barriers ... the waves were breaking over them.
In 1939 the HMS Royal Oak was moored up alone in Scapa Flow when at high tide a German U-Boat U 47 torpedoed and sank her with the loss of 835 lives. A great uncle of mine Able Seaman T Wheeler was amongst them! The wreck is a designated was grave. Winston Churchill immediately set to work and set the Italian Prisoners of War to work to construct the ‘Churchill Barriers’ as they became known to prevent it happening again. The Italian prisoners were allowed to also construct their own Chapel ... after all, they didn’t want to escape!
One of these is a real anchor .... answers on a ten pound note please.
The Northlinks Ferry Terminal at Kirkwall ...
I was booked on the 3am (Saturday) freight ship from Kirkwall to Lerwick. I had time in hand, but it was wet and blustery and I had a few hours to kill. The ladies at the terminal kept me fed and watered ... and went home at midnight!
The freight ship came in at 12.30am ish. I’d been told that they would come and tell me when it was time for me to board. Feck that, I’ll lead from the front, I was the only person waiting to board, so when I heard the vehicles coming off the ferry had ceased, I got on the ‘bike and rode round to await boarding, and to let THEM know I was there.
Now I didn’t have a boarding card, only my hand written piece of paper with a reference number on it, and £146.54, what it had cost. The Freight side is run differently to the Passenger side, by different people. No one asked me for a boarding card, I wasn’t given one .... I didn’t need one
I was ushered on board, spun round and parked up. There was very little traffic on board, and no one queuing to follow me on!. A foreign crew ... two guys descended on my bike and beavered away. Eat your hearts out P&O, you’re novices.
We sailed at 2am, not 3am. good job I went and found them ... would they have come for me? I wasn’t going to leave it to chance!
The boat was an old one, MV Hildasay. Mostly finished in wood fittings. The metal steps very steep up to my cabin, more like a ladder than steps. The bunk beds hand made in wood, permanent fixtures. Five cabins only for passengers I think, for this is a freight ship, not passenger, hence maybe the steep steps everywhere. If you tripped on these you would not stop until the bottom. You would not escape lightly
Ah, my cabin ...
It was clean, but the carpets threadbare. All hand made in wood ...
A big leather chair was very comfortable.
Even the windows opened
A great breakfast, all in with the price ... eat your heart out P&O, you have much to learn, you’re novices. Now where have I heard that before
So to my niece’s just a couple of mile from the ferry terminal at Lerwick, in rain and wind. The Good Shepherd should have sailed from Fairisle today, but the wind and swell were brutal. It’s sailing tomorrow, so I will be at my intended destination eventually. No other ‘adventure’ motorcycle, or even any other motorcycle has been ridden on Fairisle
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Loving this Micky
Enjoying this Micky. 
This is great .... love it !
Great to hear your stories Mick, you are a star, no matter what other folk tell you
Brilliant a proper adventure
Very well considering BT ... down to 30mph but at least I wasn’t pushing it, or pedalling it
Going back to cover some of the comments, yes, indeed, the ferry companies won’t ‘squeeze’ you on even though there might be space. the bookings are computerised and vehicle allocation strict. Once reached they’re full, full stop period! Health and Safety at work I guess .... two ferries so far and neither noted the 2L plastic gerry can on the bracket by the engine
Extra fuel containers are not allowed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well it’s been a bit of a roller coaster what with the bloody ferries and the weather.
Down to the Pentland Ferries Terminal at Gills Bay to be told that I wasn’t in reserve any more but had a place on the ferry. “That will be Forty pounds please” I jumped for joy and did a reel and a tap dance for them
“There’s a boat coming in” ... must be a song in there somewhere
A ride up from the ferry terminal over the Churchill Barriers ... the waves were breaking over them.
In 1939 the HMS Royal Oak was moored up alone in Scapa Flow when at high tide a German U-Boat U 47 torpedoed and sank her with the loss of 835 lives. A great uncle of mine Able Seaman T Wheeler was amongst them! The wreck is a designated was grave. Winston Churchill immediately set to work and set the Italian Prisoners of War to work to construct the ‘Churchill Barriers’ as they became known to prevent it happening again. The Italian prisoners were allowed to also construct their own Chapel ... after all, they didn’t want to escape!
One of these is a real anchor .... answers on a ten pound note please.
The Northlinks Ferry Terminal at Kirkwall ...
I was booked on the 3am (Saturday) freight ship from Kirkwall to Lerwick. I had time in hand, but it was wet and blustery and I had a few hours to kill. The ladies at the terminal kept me fed and watered ... and went home at midnight!
The freight ship came in at 12.30am ish. I’d been told that they would come and tell me when it was time for me to board. Feck that, I’ll lead from the front, I was the only person waiting to board, so when I heard the vehicles coming off the ferry had ceased, I got on the ‘bike and rode round to await boarding, and to let THEM know I was there.
Now I didn’t have a boarding card, only my hand written piece of paper with a reference number on it, and £146.54, what it had cost. The Freight side is run differently to the Passenger side, by different people. No one asked me for a boarding card, I wasn’t given one .... I didn’t need one
I was ushered on board, spun round and parked up. There was very little traffic on board, and no one queuing to follow me on!. A foreign crew ... two guys descended on my bike and beavered away. Eat your hearts out P&O, you’re novices.
We sailed at 2am, not 3am. good job I went and found them ... would they have come for me? I wasn’t going to leave it to chance!
The boat was an old one, MV Hildasay. Mostly finished in wood fittings. The metal steps very steep up to my cabin, more like a ladder than steps. The bunk beds hand made in wood, permanent fixtures. Five cabins only for passengers I think, for this is a freight ship, not passenger, hence maybe the steep steps everywhere. If you tripped on these you would not stop until the bottom. You would not escape lightly
Ah, my cabin ...
It was clean, but the carpets threadbare. All hand made in wood ...
A big leather chair was very comfortable.
Even the windows opened
A great breakfast, all in with the price ... eat your heart out P&O, you have much to learn, you’re novices. Now where have I heard that before
So to my niece’s just a couple of mile from the ferry terminal at Lerwick, in rain and wind. The Good Shepherd should have sailed from Fairisle today, but the wind and swell were brutal. It’s sailing tomorrow, so I will be at my intended destination eventually. No other ‘adventure’ motorcycle, or even any other motorcycle has been ridden on Fairisle
You are pioneering the all new motorcycle tours of Fairisle. Have you been in touch with the Tourist Board for publicity rights?
Excellent adventure Mickey, enjoying the write-up and photos
I’ve been on that freighter. I took an artic full of new gym equipment to Shetland. There were actually 3 of us. A very choppy crossing. I’d already had nearly 12 years of freight ferries in all conditions so I slept like a lamb. The other two were throwing up all night. Thankfully we all had our own cabins. Glad you got there ok.
Glad you got there ok.
Brilliant, first bike on the island, that’s something to be proud of. Enjoy the trip!Very well considering BT ... down to 30mph but at least I wasn’t pushing it, or pedalling it
Going back to cover some of the comments, yes, indeed, the ferry companies won’t ‘squeeze’ you on even though there might be space. the bookings are computerised and vehicle allocation strict. Once reached they’re full, full stop period! Health and Safety at work I guess .... two ferries so far and neither noted the 2L plastic gerry can on the bracket by the engine
Extra fuel containers are not allowed
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well it’s been a bit of a roller coaster what with the bloody ferries and the weather.
Down to the Pentland Ferries Terminal at Gills Bay to be told that I wasn’t in reserve any more but had a place on the ferry. “That will be Forty pounds please” I jumped for joy and did a reel and a tap dance for them
“There’s a boat coming in” ... must be a song in there somewhere
A ride up from the ferry terminal over the Churchill Barriers ... the waves were breaking over them.
In 1939 the HMS Royal Oak was moored up alone in Scapa Flow when at high tide a German U-Boat U 47 torpedoed and sank her with the loss of 835 lives. A great uncle of mine Able Seaman T Wheeler was amongst them! The wreck is a designated was grave. Winston Churchill immediately set to work and set the Italian Prisoners of War to work to construct the ‘Churchill Barriers’ as they became known to prevent it happening again. The Italian prisoners were allowed to also construct their own Chapel ... after all, they didn’t want to escape!
One of these is a real anchor .... answers on a ten pound note please.
The Northlinks Ferry Terminal at Kirkwall ...
I was booked on the 3am (Saturday) freight ship from Kirkwall to Lerwick. I had time in hand, but it was wet and blustery and I had a few hours to kill. The ladies at the terminal kept me fed and watered ... and went home at midnight!
The freight ship came in at 12.30am ish. I’d been told that they would come and tell me when it was time for me to board. Feck that, I’ll lead from the front, I was the only person waiting to board, so when I heard the vehicles coming off the ferry had ceased, I got on the ‘bike and rode round to await boarding, and to let THEM know I was there.
Now I didn’t have a boarding card, only my hand written piece of paper with a reference number on it, and £146.54, what it had cost. The Freight side is run differently to the Passenger side, by different people. No one asked me for a boarding card, I wasn’t given one .... I didn’t need one
I was ushered on board, spun round and parked up. There was very little traffic on board, and no one queuing to follow me on!. A foreign crew ... two guys descended on my bike and beavered away. Eat your hearts out P&O, you’re novices.
We sailed at 2am, not 3am. good job I went and found them ... would they have come for me? I wasn’t going to leave it to chance!
The boat was an old one, MV Hildasay. Mostly finished in wood fittings. The metal steps very steep up to my cabin, more like a ladder than steps. The bunk beds hand made in wood, permanent fixtures. Five cabins only for passengers I think, for this is a freight ship, not passenger, hence maybe the steep steps everywhere. If you tripped on these you would not stop until the bottom. You would not escape lightly
Ah, my cabin ...
It was clean, but the carpets threadbare. All hand made in wood ...
A big leather chair was very comfortable.
Even the windows opened
A great breakfast, all in with the price ... eat your heart out P&O, you have much to learn, you’re novices. Now where have I heard that before
So to my niece’s just a couple of mile from the ferry terminal at Lerwick, in rain and wind. The Good Shepherd should have sailed from Fairisle today, but the wind and swell were brutal. It’s sailing tomorrow, so I will be at my intended destination eventually. No other ‘adventure’ motorcycle, or even any other motorcycle has been ridden on Fairisle
Thank you darlin’
Brilliant Micky, yer an inspiration 
