Moray Firth Autumn Survey: Wednesday Evening
Wednesday evening – looking towards the dawn.
Survey Leader Pine has been studying the three relevant weather charts on and off all day. It is over a week since we last got out to sea and we are running out of time. However, we also don’t want to spend money (mainly boat fuel) unnecessarily. In the later part of the afternoon (when the decision has to be made for the next day) she consults remotely with Mark (who is over at the wildlife centre). He consults with Alice (who is also there). Pine consults with Alice.
Minutes pass…. still not sure.
Pine calls skipper Davy and consults with him.
Still not sure.
The three weather websites all say slightly different things one from another.
Some time passes. More consultation later in the afternoon:
The three weather websites now say slightly different things to what they said earlier (but still slightly different to each other).
Pine talks to Mark. Mark talks to Alice. Alice and Pine confer. All stare at the websites. It doesn’t help. Several other people at the wildlife centre give an opinion as they pass. Pine talks to Davy again.
A little more time passes.
Pine makes a decision. ‘We go for it she says’ and she makes a number of calls and rallies her team who have wondered off all over Scotland.
‘We start at 7am.’ She says. Some team members rush off to disinter their thermals from the depths of their kit bags and try to remember where they left their waterproofs. Other team members remain missing.
Is it a good decision? Will everyone be there? Only dawn will tell.
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But kudos to the people who did their best to save him.