Sub-aqua sausages

In the midst of researching and writing 'The Sausage Trail' I do find time to do other things, sometimes this is necessary for my sanity as well as to try new and exciting activities. At the end of the month Will and I are travelling back to Shetland to try our hand at snorkelling. Why Shetland? Easy. Following my first visit in November last year I fell in love with the place and met some amazing people who proved to me that there are still places where community, kindness and consideration are still important traits. I went back a couple of months later at the insistence of Barbara Lines with Charlotte, Will and Beth for Up Helly Aa, what a fantastic experience. We all pledged to return as soon as we could, probably for the Folk festival in May, needless to say that due to circumstances in France we were unable to make it for this particular event. Time to reschedule and to rethink.

As mentioned in the book, I have always felt drawn to the idea of a frontier existing at the edges of the British Isles appeals to me. OK, frontier it may not be in reality, but compared to the soft, easy world of Gosport it is vastly different and a good different at that. I have always enjoyed the idea of diving and have tried both scuba and snorkelling during my time in the Navy. Remembering the fantastic visibility of the waters around the Shetland Islands I performed a little online research and decided that I would return to the Islands for a few days to try my hand at snorkelling at some of the best beaches in the world.

I emailed Barbara regarding my plans and received an update; it was all change with her. Erica, her 16 year old daughter, was off to Finland as an au-pair for a year, what a brave and exciting decision. It has been said that there are very few rights of passage to mark the change from child to adult, such as the time that I and many of my school mates spent in the armed forces, but it appears that the Shetlands breeds 'em tough. Best of luck Erica.

WIll and I leave for the Shetlands at the end of July, a day before the poxy Olympic nonsense is due to start, and we will be staying at a camping Bod.  A Bod is an ex-fishermans hut converted into a communal camping bunk-house with varying degrees of comfort depending on the individual Bod. Thankfully ours id in a really fantastic village with a Marina and close to some of the beaches we aim to swim from. Additionally, the Bod is round the corner from Barbara, awesome.

We have our kit, well most of it, and also an underwater camera, so feel prepared.

A great break prior to the next sausage event, La Pourcailhade in deepest darkest French France.