2011 Cullivoe Up Helly Aa - evening pics

The evening muster was at the Cullivoe Hall from 7pm onwards with the light-up at 7:30pm. The Procession and burning was an eventful one. A relatively strong breeze caused several of the torch heads to burn through at the shaft, with around 30 torch heads ending up alongside the road or around the beach of Culli Voe. In addition, the galley trailer steering failed just as the galley reached Culli Voe. This meant the galley had to be lifted off the trailer and manhandled across the beach and onto the sea across the voe from the burning site. As the tide was at ebb, three of the galley boys waded through the sea to the burning site dragging the floating galley behind them. 

Despite the problems the whole thing was extremely well handled and the burning proceeded on schedule and at the usual location alongside the Culli Voe breakwater. In addition, a very well-placed flare was ignited just alongside the burning galley allowing some excellent photos of the Jarl with his burning galley behind.After the excitement of the procession and burning the 146 guizers (including 20 bairn guizers), returned to the Hall and the School where they performed their acts into the early hours.