Stromness stands on the sheltered bay of Hamnavoe, and the town grew out of crewing, watering and provisioning the Hudson’s Bay Company ships, the Greenland whaling fleet (largely out of Hull) and the herring fishing industry in its heyday. The name /Hamnavoe /is now carried by the P&O RoRo ferry which plies between Stromness and Scrabster (by Thurso), making three return sailings each day. In harbour, it dwarfs the adjacent marina where we are berthed and the three loud blasts on its whistle as it moves astern from the pier never fail to startle us.