Sunday October 3rd

Weather forecast for SUNDAY 3rd October: Rather cloudy at first across Shetland, with the chance of some longer spells of rain. However it will also brighten, with sunny spells and scattered showers for the afternoon. F5-6 S or SE’ly winds.
Sea state – Rough, with a 3 to 4 metre SSE’ly wind-swell. Later decreasing moderate to rough, with a 2 to 3 metre SSE’ly wind-swell.

This morning I set up the studio, covering the walls with plastic - look a bit like the preparation for an episode of Dexter. There is now a large white piece of paper stapled to the wall and it's looking at me accusingly… invitingly.



Instead I drove north out to the Hill of Neap and sat in the rain drawing sea, with charcoal in one hand and sausage sandwiches in the other. Perfect, although it was a pity I'd forgotten to buy the mayonnaise, and there wasn't quite the promised 'rough' sea swell or the 'fresh to strong southeasterly winds and 'sunny spells' ' that had made drawing so good yesterday. Though there were the showers (not so much 'scattered' as persistent), which made drawing more tricky. Still, I'm certain I saw a sea otter hunting in the breaking waves.


Back for a cup and a Skype chat with my son.

And the white paper now bears some large charcoal marks, so it doesn't look so smug.