Day 100 - Portree (Isle of Skye), Scotland

Friday we stopped in Scotland at the town of Portree on the Isle of Skye on the northwest coast. This was a tender port so we had to take the lifeboats from the ship anchored out in the bay to the dock.  The town only has a population of about 1500. Our excursion was called "Iconic Eilean Donan Castle and the West Highlands". The castle is located  on the mainland, just across a bridge that connects the Isle of Skye.  This is Scotland's most photographed castle. It's history dates back to the 13th century. It was a stronghold of the  Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan MacRae.  We drove  passed the Cullin mountains  and saw beautiful countryside. After getting back into Portree, I walked around some to view the buildings and harbor and to sample the local beer.

first view of the Isle of Skye

as we approach Portree

Tis was a tender port. This was the first boat taking equipment and crew to set up at the dock

The tender driver

Our ship waits in the distance

A drive through the countryside

There were many sheep, many with newborn lambs.

We wewe on the edge of the Cullin mountains

Yellow gorse (Ulex) flowers were everywhere

it was low tide

more Cullin mountains

I tasted some of the local beer.

There are some colorful buildings here.

It got rougher on the tender ride back to the ship

They are very cautious when getting quest on/off thye tenders

They had problems getting the last tender  back aboard and it had to wait out a squall that blew through

waves breaking gains the shores

They could not get the last tender hooked up so it sat away from the ship until the waves settled down some.

They finally got it hocked up.

They finally got it aboard a couple of hours later.