Thursday, 14 April 2011
Roadworks
I would imagine that you can all do without pictures of roadworks, but they're very unusual in this town, let alone this island. So, here goes.
Thursday 14 April
A bright if breezy day today, feeling warmer than yesterday. Went to Sandwick Cemetery, 15 minutes' walk away, to record the approximate locations of the 56 wargraves in that graveyard. The breeze was persistent, but not really a nuisance. It helps to wear a woolly hat, even if it is 14C / 59F.
Today, it will be 99 years ago since the Titanic hit an iceberg. At 11.55 pm local time, RMS Titanic struck a berg some 380 miles south southeast of Newfoundland. Two hours later, she sank, taking 1500 to the bottom with her. The last survivor died last year. A museum in Newfoundland will be tweeting the radio messages that the Titanic sent in real time, 99 years on, through the night from 11.55 pm AST (that's 4 hours behind BST or 2 hour ahead of EDT). You can follow it by searching for the hashtag #ns_mma on Twitter.com.
A number of the famous Lewis Chessmen will feature in an exhibition at the Museum of the Isles at Stornoway from today. The ivory figurines were found at Ardroil in 1831, but are being kept at the British Museum. Some islanders want to have the Chessmen returned to Lewis permanently.
Today, it will be 99 years ago since the Titanic hit an iceberg. At 11.55 pm local time, RMS Titanic struck a berg some 380 miles south southeast of Newfoundland. Two hours later, she sank, taking 1500 to the bottom with her. The last survivor died last year. A museum in Newfoundland will be tweeting the radio messages that the Titanic sent in real time, 99 years on, through the night from 11.55 pm AST (that's 4 hours behind BST or 2 hour ahead of EDT). You can follow it by searching for the hashtag #ns_mma on Twitter.com.
A number of the famous Lewis Chessmen will feature in an exhibition at the Museum of the Isles at Stornoway from today. The ivory figurines were found at Ardroil in 1831, but are being kept at the British Museum. Some islanders want to have the Chessmen returned to Lewis permanently.
Wednesday 13 April
An overcast and breezy day, with a cold wind blowing. I have continued the work on the Napier witnesses and a few other bits and pieces. The royal wedding is beginning to dominate the news; William Wales (or should that be Windsor) and Catherine Middleton will wed in Westminster Abbey on 29 April. On all the commemorative crockery &c, their initials are marked CW; not WC. You do detect the slight sarcasm, don't you? I wish them well, but wish the hype were a little less.
Two young people have been found dead in a small cottage south of Tomintoul in Morayshire. It appears now (Thursday) that an 18-year old trainee gamekeeper was cleaning his gun, when it went off by accident. The bullet hit his girlfriend, killing her instantly. Upon seeing that, he took the gun, took it outside and shot himself dead. The Press and Journal newspaper devoted four whole pages to the tragedy on Thursday.
Two young people have been found dead in a small cottage south of Tomintoul in Morayshire. It appears now (Thursday) that an 18-year old trainee gamekeeper was cleaning his gun, when it went off by accident. The bullet hit his girlfriend, killing her instantly. Upon seeing that, he took the gun, took it outside and shot himself dead. The Press and Journal newspaper devoted four whole pages to the tragedy on Thursday.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Tuesday 12 April
Nice and sunny, if a tad on the breezy side. After putting a parcel in the post, I diverted to Sandwick Road in order to view the roadworks, which are now well and truly in progress. The eastbound lane is closed, and diversions are signposted. This will remain in place for the next three months. However, it does not appear to be causing major problems in traffic around the town.
I have continued one or two of my current projects, including building a Google map of cemeteries and memorials to islanders from the Outer Hebrides around the world. This is in relation to those who fell in the First and Second World Wars. I am also still trying to piece together some information on the witnesses to the Napier Inquiry of 1883.
I have continued one or two of my current projects, including building a Google map of cemeteries and memorials to islanders from the Outer Hebrides around the world. This is in relation to those who fell in the First and Second World Wars. I am also still trying to piece together some information on the witnesses to the Napier Inquiry of 1883.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Monday 11 April
Quite a nice sunny day, interspersed however with the occasional shower. Went into town this afternoon, via Sandwick Road. That is a diversion, but I took the walk to check out a diversion. As of today, the east-bound lane on this road, the A866 Stornoway to Point road, is supposed to be closed for works. Nothing appeared to have changed though.
I went into the library to look at a newspaper from 1897, to check for the mention of a tragedy that happened near Mingulay that year. No word of it at all. To think that all the fencible men of nearby Pabbay were lost - and not a beep in the Highland News for May 1897. I also looked in the Stornoway Gazette of 1 May 1997, but the only thing of note in that paper was a word processing devil. Someone had taken a picture of the comet Hale-Bopp, which (to quote the Gazette): "was visible to the naked above Scotland". I wonder how many people undressed in the skies above Scotland in order to behold that comet.
By 6pm, a new roadsign appeared across the street from me.
It looks as if the roadworks will start in earnest tomorrow, so the diversions are now being signposted. It's a pity though that someone took the wrong sign out, which appears to direct drivers to turn right - into the Newton Basin. Putting two strips of black tape on to rectify the error doesn't really alleviate the confusion, so by 8pm another crew was there to put up a left-pointing sign.
It is really feeling like spring today, in spite of the lowish temperatures (10C / 50F). And the nights are really beginning to shorten: this was the northwestern sky at 9.30pm.
I went into the library to look at a newspaper from 1897, to check for the mention of a tragedy that happened near Mingulay that year. No word of it at all. To think that all the fencible men of nearby Pabbay were lost - and not a beep in the Highland News for May 1897. I also looked in the Stornoway Gazette of 1 May 1997, but the only thing of note in that paper was a word processing devil. Someone had taken a picture of the comet Hale-Bopp, which (to quote the Gazette): "was visible to the naked above Scotland". I wonder how many people undressed in the skies above Scotland in order to behold that comet.
By 6pm, a new roadsign appeared across the street from me.
It looks as if the roadworks will start in earnest tomorrow, so the diversions are now being signposted. It's a pity though that someone took the wrong sign out, which appears to direct drivers to turn right - into the Newton Basin. Putting two strips of black tape on to rectify the error doesn't really alleviate the confusion, so by 8pm another crew was there to put up a left-pointing sign.
It is really feeling like spring today, in spite of the lowish temperatures (10C / 50F). And the nights are really beginning to shorten: this was the northwestern sky at 9.30pm.
Sunday 10 April
A quiet Sunday, overcast and grey. It was a bit breezy and not terribly warm. Quite a contrast to points south, where the mercury rose to the mid 20s celsius. I think I prefer our lower teens. My activities were focused on preparing the garden chairs for putting out on the grass. And I also researched a little more on the witnesses to the Napier Commission, back in 1883.
As I said, a quiet Sunday.
As I said, a quiet Sunday.
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Bloodbath in Holland
A 25-year old man, Tristan van der Vlis, has caused a bloodbath at a shopping centre in the town of Alphen-aan-den-Rijn in western Holland yesterday. He walked into the mall just after midday and opened fire with an automatic weapon. Having killed six people, he turned the gun on himself. In a suicide note, the culprit had said that he had left bombs in the mall and elsewhere in Alphen, but that turned out to be a hoax. had faced police enquiries about weapons 8 years ago, but had not been convicted of any crime.
As much a hoax was the tweet from a youngster who had threatened to emulate Alphen in the town of Hoogvliet, west of Rotterdam. The teenager has been arrested by police and is being interrogated.
Mass shootings like this are virtually unheard of in Holland, where gun possession is strictly regulated, and automatic weapons banned.
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Saturday 9 April
Today started as shown in the picture above. People in and around Stornoway were awoken at around 7 am by the foghorns of the ferry, the cruiseliner Marco Polo, the pilot boat and the freight ferry Muirneag blasting away at regular intervals.
A few hours later, the fog was lifting, giving way to a bright and sunny day. The mercury rose to a respectable 16C / 61F, although the air felt cold due to the lingering high humidity. The passengers on the Marco Polo trooped through the town, and went on bustrips around the island.
I carried on with my piece of research on the Bishops Islands, posting about the smaller island of Sandray. Pabbay will follow later tonight or tomorrow. The biggest island, Mingulay, will take me a wee while to process. It had a population of between 120 and 160. The last person left in 1912.
The second subject, which is a long-running project, concerns the witnesses to the Napier Commission. I have now moved to those giving evidence at Miavaig here in Lewis.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Friday 8 April
An overcast day, but little wind and not too cold. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza has left Stornoway, and is headed for Londonderry - by going north. Londonderry is about 300 miles south of here. I went into town this morning to exchange an item of clothing which turned out to be oversized. And it also turned out to be very dark blue rather than black - but then I am known to be colourdeaf.
Around midnight last night, a man fell into the water at the harbour here. He was rescued a little while later by the lifeboat and other services, and taken to Western Isles hospital. Regrettably, he was found to be dead on arrival. The fisherman came from Aultbea in Wester Ross, across the water from here. Police are investigating, but are not treating the incident as suspicious.
This afternoon (I'm posting this around 1.30pm), I'll be transcribing the final part of the Bishops Isles census, for 1901. I'll then process the resulting data and post them on my local history blog Pentland Road.
Around midnight last night, a man fell into the water at the harbour here. He was rescued a little while later by the lifeboat and other services, and taken to Western Isles hospital. Regrettably, he was found to be dead on arrival. The fisherman came from Aultbea in Wester Ross, across the water from here. Police are investigating, but are not treating the incident as suspicious.
This afternoon (I'm posting this around 1.30pm), I'll be transcribing the final part of the Bishops Isles census, for 1901. I'll then process the resulting data and post them on my local history blog Pentland Road.
Thursday 7 April
Very breezy today, but not terribly cold. Went into town to buy more stamps (13% dearer than last week) to indulge my postcrossing hobby. A stamp to Europe now costs 68p, and to outside Europe 110p. Was 60p and 97p respectively. I also went to buy some new items of clothing, to replace what had been worn out. Happens. I have also continued my transcription of the censuses for the Bishops Isles (Sandray, Pabbay, Mingulay and Berneray). In case you are wondering: many of the names in the Hebrides have a Norse derivation, and the suffix -ay denotes an island. The Greenpeace ship Esperanza continues to be tied up at Arnish, awaiting a break in the weather.
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Culloden: apologies sought
I could not believe my eyes when this article appeared on the BBC News website. It says that members of a secret society, called A Circle of Gentlemen, aims to march from Derby to London to petition 10 Downing Street for a state apology for alleged war crimes, committed following the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
It is a matter of historical record that atrocities were committed by Hanoverian forces after Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s defeat at this battle, fought near Inverness, in April 1746.
In my personal opinion, I do not feel that it serves any useful purpose to hark back to an awful event, which occurred 265 years ago. Nothing that happened since will be changed by a state apology, and neither will any state policy towards the Highlands and Islands be altered as a result.
I think it is rather more pertinent that an apology be sought over the Battle of the Boyne, of 1689, the repercussions of which include the euphemistically called Troubles in Northern Ireland. Is anyone going to go to The Hague, Netherlands, to demand an apology from Queen Beatrix for the misdeeds resulting from the actions of one of her predecessors, 322 years ago? And is anyone going to go to Ankara to seek contrition from the Turkish government over the battle of Kosovo in 1389, as a result of which a bloody civil war was fought in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s?
In recent years, the government of Australia has apologised to the Aborigine population of that nation, for the way they had been treated until very recently. From now on, this should result in the Aborigines being treated in the same way as everybody else in Australia. That is a positive, constructive result from that apology. I see no constructive outcome of any apology for Culloden. It’s too long ago, and I have pointed out the two other historical examples to highlight the dangers of living in the past.
Furthermore, to really put the cat amongst the pigeons, I think that Bonnie Prince Charlie was ill advised to commence this campaign to claim the English throne. He did not have the full backing of all Highland clans, his military strategy were seriously flawed. Charles is responsible for the consequences of his actions. He gave Cumberland et al the pretext to commit the atrocities they had been itching to perpetrate.
It is a matter of historical record that atrocities were committed by Hanoverian forces after Prince Charles Edward Stuart’s defeat at this battle, fought near Inverness, in April 1746.
In my personal opinion, I do not feel that it serves any useful purpose to hark back to an awful event, which occurred 265 years ago. Nothing that happened since will be changed by a state apology, and neither will any state policy towards the Highlands and Islands be altered as a result.
I think it is rather more pertinent that an apology be sought over the Battle of the Boyne, of 1689, the repercussions of which include the euphemistically called Troubles in Northern Ireland. Is anyone going to go to The Hague, Netherlands, to demand an apology from Queen Beatrix for the misdeeds resulting from the actions of one of her predecessors, 322 years ago? And is anyone going to go to Ankara to seek contrition from the Turkish government over the battle of Kosovo in 1389, as a result of which a bloody civil war was fought in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s?
In recent years, the government of Australia has apologised to the Aborigine population of that nation, for the way they had been treated until very recently. From now on, this should result in the Aborigines being treated in the same way as everybody else in Australia. That is a positive, constructive result from that apology. I see no constructive outcome of any apology for Culloden. It’s too long ago, and I have pointed out the two other historical examples to highlight the dangers of living in the past.
Furthermore, to really put the cat amongst the pigeons, I think that Bonnie Prince Charlie was ill advised to commence this campaign to claim the English throne. He did not have the full backing of all Highland clans, his military strategy were seriously flawed. Charles is responsible for the consequences of his actions. He gave Cumberland et al the pretext to commit the atrocities they had been itching to perpetrate.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Wednesday 6 April
A thoroughly wet day, with quite strong winds at times. We managed 12C; Norfolk rose to 23.9C, with Aberdeenshire (northeastern Scotland) not far behind at 21C / 70F. Well, let's hope it dries up by tomorrow. Same temperatures, but a bit brighter, the forecast said.
Spent the day transcribing censuses for the Bishops Isles south of Barra, which is becoming increasingly complicated as the census transcription on Ancestry no longer differentiates between the four islands of Berneray, Mingulay, Pabbay and Sandray. Furthermore, there are some serious transcription errors which I need to double-check on another website. Bit troublesome.
The Eoropie Tearoom is reporting aurora borealis on the northern horizon. Unfortunately, it is raining here in Stornoway (25 miles to the south), so I can safely forget about the northern lights. The night will come that I can see them - keep believing :-)
Spent the day transcribing censuses for the Bishops Isles south of Barra, which is becoming increasingly complicated as the census transcription on Ancestry no longer differentiates between the four islands of Berneray, Mingulay, Pabbay and Sandray. Furthermore, there are some serious transcription errors which I need to double-check on another website. Bit troublesome.
The Eoropie Tearoom is reporting aurora borealis on the northern horizon. Unfortunately, it is raining here in Stornoway (25 miles to the south), so I can safely forget about the northern lights. The night will come that I can see them - keep believing :-)
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Tuesday 5 April
An overcast and cold day, with plenty of rain and wind. The overnight gales subsided well before daybreak, but otherwise, there was little temptation to venture out. I did go to the shop for a few bits and pieces. I spent most of today transcribing censuses for the islands of Berneray (Barra), Mingulay, Pabbay and Sandray. I have outlined the purpose for this exercise on my Pentland Road blog.
The typhoon season in the Pacific Ocean is trying to get off the ground, but the season has not advanced far enough. The northeast monsoon is still active near East Asia, which brings atmospheric conditions that are not conducive for tropical cyclones to form. But I will keep an eye open over the weeks and months to come. It is two months until the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, not that far away. Winter is over, spring is progressing. Be aware.
I heard on the grapevine that a selection of the Lewis Chessmen have arrived in the island, to be exhibited at Museum nan Eilean on Francis Street here in Stornoway. An opening night will be held on April 14th, with the exhibition running from 15th April until 12th September. The same source also advises that some of the chessmen could come to the Uig Museum, a mile or so from the location where they were first unearthed from the dunes at Ardroil, 35 miles west of Stornoway.
(Image courtesy National Museums for Scotland).
The typhoon season in the Pacific Ocean is trying to get off the ground, but the season has not advanced far enough. The northeast monsoon is still active near East Asia, which brings atmospheric conditions that are not conducive for tropical cyclones to form. But I will keep an eye open over the weeks and months to come. It is two months until the Atlantic hurricane season kicks off, not that far away. Winter is over, spring is progressing. Be aware.
(Image courtesy National Museums for Scotland).
Monday, 4 April 2011
Monday 4 April
Today was mainly overcast, and the morning saw some quite unpleasant weather. Persistent moderate rain, blown along by a strong easterly wind made it feel particularly cold. The Greenpeace vessel Esperanza came in to seek shelter from the poor weather, docking alongside no 3 pier until just before 6pm this evening.
I had to go to the post office to get 8p worth of stamps. A postcrossing card was ready with a 60p stamp to go to Germany, but the postal rates went up as of today, so the extra postage was required.
I am not a terribly political person, but one thing stood out in terms of the May 5th Scottish election campaign. One of the main political parties have announced that if they come into government, they will scrap the Road-Equivalent Tariff, which has led to a halving of ferry fares over the past few years - resulting in a 30% increase in tourism trade in the Outer Hebrides. I think that's a classical case of turkeys voting for an early Christmas.
I have now completed the research into the Harris witnesses, who gave evidence to the Napier Commission in 1883. You may wonder why an event from 128 years ago is so important in 2011. The findings by Lord Napier led to a fundamental change in laws and practices surrounding land ownership and land usage. Next, I shall have a look at the witnesses at St Kilda, thence on to Uig (Lewis).
I had to go to the post office to get 8p worth of stamps. A postcrossing card was ready with a 60p stamp to go to Germany, but the postal rates went up as of today, so the extra postage was required.
I am not a terribly political person, but one thing stood out in terms of the May 5th Scottish election campaign. One of the main political parties have announced that if they come into government, they will scrap the Road-Equivalent Tariff, which has led to a halving of ferry fares over the past few years - resulting in a 30% increase in tourism trade in the Outer Hebrides. I think that's a classical case of turkeys voting for an early Christmas.
I have now completed the research into the Harris witnesses, who gave evidence to the Napier Commission in 1883. You may wonder why an event from 128 years ago is so important in 2011. The findings by Lord Napier led to a fundamental change in laws and practices surrounding land ownership and land usage. Next, I shall have a look at the witnesses at St Kilda, thence on to Uig (Lewis).
Sunday 3 April
The day start off fairly sunny, but we got a healthy dose of April showers not long after midday. Rain, hail, snow, not to mention the kitchen-sink came down. It is supposed to be mild darn sarf [down south], but not so up here in the far north. I kept a quiet day, looking into the witnesses to the Napier Commission who hailed from Taransay. That island's reputation took a bit of a knock in 2000, when 35 people were boated out there for 12 months and told, upon punishment of public humiliation, to build a community there. Local people were not really amused, except by the antics of some of the participants. Castaway 2000 only has one of the living pods left in mainland Harris - it sits along the village road into Luskentyre, 10 miles southwest of Tarbert.
There is a tinge of sadness about the personal story of the two witnesses. Although nobody lived permanently in the island after the 1880s, they both died on Taransay, in 1909 and 1913. People had to move away after they had been banned from sowing seed or keeping livestock.
Paible, Taransay, from Horgabost
There is a tinge of sadness about the personal story of the two witnesses. Although nobody lived permanently in the island after the 1880s, they both died on Taransay, in 1909 and 1913. People had to move away after they had been banned from sowing seed or keeping livestock.
Paible, Taransay, from Horgabost
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Saturday 2 April
The day started nice and sunny, after yesterday's wall-to-wall rain. Apart from a few spits and spots in the afternoon, the weather remained quite acceptable. The only downside was the wind, which made it feel cool if not cold out of the sun. Went to Coll beach, about 7 miles north of Stornoway on the east coast. It is one of the few beaches in Lewis I had not previously explored (strangely enough). And even stranger, to digress, was to see a program on TV from 2006 about people seeking a home to buy in Lewis, where the presenter started by talking from the banks of the Coll River, only a few yards away.
Anyway, here are some of the pics from that little foray.
Anyway, here are some of the pics from that little foray.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Friday 1 April
April Fool's Day was a sopping wet and very windy affair. At one point, the wind rose to galeforce, with gusts to 70 mph at the Butt of Lewis. I spent this Friday collating information regarding the islands of Ensay and Killegray in the Sound of Harris, south of Leverburgh.
I am currently enjoying the Island Parish series on BBC2, which is featuring the islands of Barra, Eriskay and South Uist. These are the only Roman Catholic islands in this archipelago, with the boundary with Protestantism straddling Benbecula. The final episode will be on Friday 15 April. The series focuses on the life and times of three Roman Catholic priests, as well as some of the islanders. Tonight's instalment showed an American couple (named Macniel, after the predominant surname in Barra), who came looking for their roots. The gentleman found it rather hard to cope with the history of Kishmul Castle, in Barra's main town, Castlebay.
Another television series I am watching on Channel 5, is Ice Road Truckers, showing truck drivers on the Dalton Road in Alaska, which links Fairbanks to the oilfields at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. In last night's episode, one of them crashed off the carriageway after taking his eyes off the road to hang up his CB mike. Fortunately, he was uninjured and his rig basically unscathed. But he will be facing some form of disciplinary action.
I am currently enjoying the Island Parish series on BBC2, which is featuring the islands of Barra, Eriskay and South Uist. These are the only Roman Catholic islands in this archipelago, with the boundary with Protestantism straddling Benbecula. The final episode will be on Friday 15 April. The series focuses on the life and times of three Roman Catholic priests, as well as some of the islanders. Tonight's instalment showed an American couple (named Macniel, after the predominant surname in Barra), who came looking for their roots. The gentleman found it rather hard to cope with the history of Kishmul Castle, in Barra's main town, Castlebay.
Another television series I am watching on Channel 5, is Ice Road Truckers, showing truck drivers on the Dalton Road in Alaska, which links Fairbanks to the oilfields at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. In last night's episode, one of them crashed off the carriageway after taking his eyes off the road to hang up his CB mike. Fortunately, he was uninjured and his rig basically unscathed. But he will be facing some form of disciplinary action.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Thursday 31 March
The day started wet and overcast, but also with the unusual sight of a flock of 7 swans. They were sedately swimming in the basin across the road. Not long after this pic was taken, they had turned round and gone back to the main part of the harbour.
Spent the day with further research into the islands in the Sound of Harris, between North Uist and Berneray. Places like Boreray, Pabbay, Ensay and Killegray. I have not completed the work on the latter two islands, which lie close together, just south of Leverburgh. I also nipped up the road to have a look at the new sorting office, which will open on Rigs Road here in Stornoway on Monday.
The old sorting office burned out in November 2007.
The day ended sunny and quite pleasant, but increasingly windy.
Spent the day with further research into the islands in the Sound of Harris, between North Uist and Berneray. Places like Boreray, Pabbay, Ensay and Killegray. I have not completed the work on the latter two islands, which lie close together, just south of Leverburgh. I also nipped up the road to have a look at the new sorting office, which will open on Rigs Road here in Stornoway on Monday.
The old sorting office burned out in November 2007.
The day ended sunny and quite pleasant, but increasingly windy.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Wednesday 30 March
A grey, wet and increasingly windy day today. The overnight freight ferry has been cancelled due to adverse weather. That did not quite become clear from the forecast, but some weathermen give us force 7 winds at some point during Thursday.
Some good news regarding the campaign against cuts in the coastguard service. I quote from Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon:
In other words, the plans that were on the table from the beginning of this year appear to be dead in the water. These involve downgrading or closing five of the Scottish Coastguard stations (including the one here in Stornoway), as well as quite a few others south of the border.
Some good news regarding the campaign against cuts in the coastguard service. I quote from Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon:
Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth): From his visits to Cornwall, the Prime Minister will appreciate the high regard for the coastguard service there and around the UK. I am reassured that the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning), has said that the current modernisation proposals are not a done deal. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is very important to get the plans right?
The Prime Minister: I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. She is a Cornish MP, and I am sure that she and the whole of the House would want me to say how much we feel for our colleague, my hon. Friend the Member for South East Cornwall (Sheryll Murray), who lost her husband in a tragic fishing accident. That demonstrates the extraordinary risks that people in coastal communities take, and our hearts should go out to her and her family.
We want to make changes only if they improve the coastguard support that people in fishing communities and elsewhere get. That is what the reform is about: trying to ensure that the real impetus is on the front line. If that is not the case, we will obviously have to reconsider the reforms, and that is why they are being reviewed. What I would say to everyone who cares about this issue is: work with us to make sure we get the maximum amount in those lifeboats and other ways of helping our fishing and other communities.
In other words, the plans that were on the table from the beginning of this year appear to be dead in the water. These involve downgrading or closing five of the Scottish Coastguard stations (including the one here in Stornoway), as well as quite a few others south of the border.
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