WEST WORD
Community paper for Glenfinnan, Lochailort, Glenuig, Arisaig, Morar,
Mallaig, Knoydart and the Small Isles
July 2000 Issue Contents of the online version: Moby on a Mission with his Whale Boat
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MOBY ON A MISSION
Tom McClean is off on another trip, and this time he wants to help draw attention to the plight of the whale.
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Members of the crew this year include two volunteers from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, and they will be working and helping on the boat while fundraising for the cause of whales and dolphins. The Trust is based in Tobermory, with another centre in Oban, and it undertakes research and protection and monitoring programmes. They are the people to get in touch with if you find a stranded whale or dolphin on the shore.
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Anyone interested in joining the tour, contact Jill McClean:
Telephone: 01687 462274
E-mail: invermorar@4unet.co.uk
Web: www.spiritofadventure.co.uk
WHALES AND DOLPHINS IN THE HEBRIDES
and the Marguerite Explorer
by Chris Swan ('Swanny')
There can be no one living in this area that needs to be told of the beauty of their surroundings, this is truly a magical place. A mosaic of scattered Islands each one magical and different to the others, provides a stunning playground for all of us that spend time here. Be it the shell white beaches, formed over aeons by the siliceous remains of eurydice pulcra and Rachel Carsons "Long Snowfall" or the volcanic hills and garnet encrusted shores of the mainland, this is truly an enchanted paradise.
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Besides these we do see large rorquals, probably Fin or Sei whales and have seen a sperm whale on one occasion. What you can see is dependent on all sorts of things, where to go and what to do is a matter of experience, ability, perseverance, knowledge and of course luck.
This year will be the last full time for the Marguerite. She has been loitering in Mallaig for the last few weeks getting herself a little more glamorous for the start of the season which begins this Thursday 15th June when she sets about her DNA sampling programme. She will then be chartering through until September before returning home to her mooring in Arisaig. One of the major reasons for the Marguerite Explorer ever coming to Mallaig in the first place was the need to have a base from where she could reach Cape Wrath in a weeks charter in order to survey that area. Having come and discovered Mallaig they have returned to make it home. Everyone is so friendly and helpful that we regard it as sort of coming home each year, wherever we go or whatever we need, help, a bath, chocolates or diesel (or baskets of prawns for our tea) there has ALWAYS been someone with a ready smile willing to share and help
Contact:
Seawatch Foundation |
Road to the Isles Agricultural Show
The Agricultural Show held its sixth successful event and the day stayed
fine on its lovely site at Camusdarach, Arisaig. on Saturday, 10th. June,
There were many excellent entries in all the categories from livestock to
flower arranging, and an impressive array of trophies were presented to
winners by Kath Cameron, who retired this year as Arisaig's District Nurse.
Show Chairman Bill Henderson, Andrew Simpson, and Alastair Fleming gave a
hand and Bill presented Kath with a bouquet.
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![]() Dorothy Simpson with the Handicraft Trophy
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Midsummer Night - halfway through the Millennium Year. What better time to have a celebratory bonfire and a bit of a party to place the time capsule in the roof cavity of the Astley Hall?
The day started off so grim it was touch and go whether the bonfire and party would go ahead, but we refused to think of cancelling. In the end the weather cleared and we had a fine if midgy evening.
The time capsule wasn't very posh - not for us a cylinder of gleaming stainless steel, or even the traditional whisky bottle, but a stout blue plastic box container with a sort of folding lid. Into it went photographs of members of the Youth Club, the WRI, the Whist Club, a Senior Citizens party and the design Team working on the Hall; a copy of the Telegraph dated 1st. January 2000, the January 2000 West Word which told how the communities celebrated their New Year, and the current June issue. We included the thick book which was the application to the Heritage Lottery (which we did not follow though in the end) which detailed all the community consultation on the Hall project - petition, interviews, drawings by Youth Club, and photos of the Hall as it was and pages on the history of the Hall. In went an empty token bottle of the Hall's Islay Mist DeLuxe (thanks Charles!). A sheet of signatures of those present and those concerned with the project was added.
(We will sneak back to present the contents in a better way. We need some commentary on the photos to say who is who, and we need to add photos of the Community Council, the Playgroups, the Hall Committee and the contractor's team.)
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THE ONLY ROCKING HORSE WORKSHOP IN SCOTLAND
TO OPEN ON THE ISLE OF EIGG
Tasha Fyffe and fiancée Brigg Lancaster are setting up their new business in the former tea-room at the island's pier. Brigg, having learnt his wood crafting skills from his father,
will make the rocking horses while Tasha will do the finishing work such as painting and making the tack. Tasha also intends to learn to carve the rocking horses for herself.
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Tasha and Brigg plan to make several exhibition horses during the first few months of their new venture for display in galleries, craft fairs and trade exhibitions in a bid to win orders.
The workshop on Eigg will become one of only six full-time rocking horse manufacturers in the UK, with the other five all based in England.
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NEWS from the ISLE OF EIGG
One of the first rules in the Army, I am told, is never to volunteer for anything but I didn't listen and am now Heather's successor as writer of this column. Sadly my first duty has to be to record as best I can, Angus MacKinnon's funeral.
The Small Isles Community Council AGM was held on Saturday June 3rd on the Lodge Terrace in scorching sunshine, it was far too good to be indoors. Ewen McEwen chaired the meeting which was considerably better attended than usual.
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The Barn continues to flourish, various groups have already held very successful courses there this year and others are due to take place in future weeks. In May, Jill Aldersley held a course in water colour painting and in June Stena Harris headed a "Painting and Print Making" course. Earlier two separate church retreat groups enjoyed the peace and stunning weather, in which we all basked at that time. There are still some vacancies in August for a "Hebridean Flora and Fauna" week so if you are interested in learning about the birds and flowers of Eigg ring Karen Helliwell on 482417. The accommodation is warm and comfortable and there is plenty of good, home cooked food, very necessary after long days, walking with our extremely informative Wildlife Warden John Chester. Vacancies are still available for a conference on Community Empowerment to take place in August but a Geology course in September is full.
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ISLE OF MUCK
The Open day on the 18th. June was for the first time in several years warm and calm even if sunshine was in short supply. We were ready for the rain however with a 'Berber' tent which bears a strong resemblance to a marquee.
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On the farm silage is well under way and early indications show a lighter crop than last year. 'Laga Bholla' field, which last year yielded 126 bales, only managed 73 cut on almost the same day. A wonderful week of weather has also allowed haymaking and as I write big bale hay is under way.
The stirks at last reached Oban on the Raasay on the 11th. And prices were much more encouraging than for the last two years. Today selling cattle is all to do with having the correct ear tags and passports - the quality of the cattle is a secondary consideration!
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KNOYDART
Our usual correspondent Anne Trussell is busy this month dishing out Tea and sympathy to Roger who has been in hospital, and is now recuperating at home. Everyone wishes you a speedy recovery Roger.
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ARISAIG
The end of the summer term marked the retirement of Arisaig Primary's Headmistress, Felicity Blackburn, after we-won't-tell-how-many years teaching here. The occasion was marked by a presentation at the school, when Felicity was presented with a matching set of luggage by Jennifer Campbell, Chair of the School Board, on behalf of children and parents past and present.
We hope Felicity will enjoy her retirement and that the luggage will get a lot of use!
'If during July, you are approached by a student bearing a clipboard, don't be alarmed. In several sites throughout the West Coast a research survey is being conducted by volunteers from the Mull-based Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust into the educational, financial and social benefits of whale watching to both local communities and visitors.
ARISAIG REGATTA PRIZE DRAW
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ISLE OF RUM
Rum dropped its name as the 'forbidden isle' many years ago but it is still true that many locals still have not visited the island to experience what makes Rum National Nature reserve (NNR) so special.
Vacancy for an Site Management Officer/Estate Worker on Rum
RUM WOODLAND GRANT SCHEME
The scheme aims to counterbalance the effects of overgrazing by sheep and deer and restore/improve the island's bio-diversity, a directive imposed by the EU (Natura 2000 programme) which has to be followed since the whole of Rum is an EU Site.
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This implies a deer management policy which will require a progressive but substantial reduction in numbers. The 1500 strong deer population on Rum has been extensively researched and studied: this study has revealed that hinds are strongly "hefted" to their territory so that the plan is to cull hinds in the areas where planting will begin, as stags will move on and other hinds are unlikely to move from their own territories. On-going deer management will therefore be an important element of the scheme, as any deer leaping back in the afforested area will need culling. This is a high risk strategy, but one which will be followed with interest by the Deer Commission as it may provide a management model for other areas if it is successful.
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