Friday 17 February 2006

Transport arrangements

<![CDATA[ Now that we're in the last six weeks running up to the Dating Festival at the Fank, I would feel it incumbent upon myself to offer a few words of advice regarding secondary arrangements.

First of all, I wish to point out that the docking arrangements at Achmore Pier are primeval. I mean, if both the Isle of Lewis as well as the Muirneag are going to dock there, I am seriously concerned. Many years ago already, an appeal was issued to have this seen to. The stanchions under the pier are seriously corroded, and any vessel trying to dock there is in danger of bringing the entire structure down. Advice is sought from the committee looking after the Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt, how to preserve this, the Seventh Blunder of the world. Secondly, last week I received a Pan Pan message from the lighthouse keepers at Achmore that they had not been relieved for months, due to inclement weather in Loch Ganvich. They were apparently reduced to scraping limpets off the rocks to keep them alive.

I recently had occasion to browse through the brochure of Lews Castle College, and all sorts of useful, noble and local courses were lined up there. I would like to suggest that Caithris na h-Oidche be included in the curriculum. It is still alive by all accounts, but the finer points seem to be lost on the current generations. Whether it be going by tractor from Shawbost to Lionel, or on foot within the village - the old custom is to be preserved. Particularly if, heaven forbid, anybody is not successful at the Fank. ]]>

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