The lifeboat was called out late on Tuesday morning to attend a Penzance registered yacht that had lost control of it?s steering 19 miles NW of the Islands.
Conditions were clear and fine.
This is the third time the lifeboat has been called out in the last seven days, all incidents happening in clear weather.
On Saturday night, one of the most important races of the year, outside of the World Championships, took place. It was the Newquay race from Nut Rock.
A bottle of champaign was awarded as the nine-minute barrier was broken by the first Island gig this year: the Golden Eagle crew plus Joe Badcock in the Tregarthen?s won the race in 8 minutes 51 seconds. The fastest time this year for an Island gig before this race was 9 minutes 04 seconds.
The results were:
1. Tregarthen?s (Golden Eagle crew)
2. Islander (Bonnet crew + Nathan Woodcock)
3. Hope (Newquay)
4. Galatea
5. Golden Eagle (Serica crew)
6. Emperor
7. Nornour
8. Fly (Newquay)
9. Dolphin
10. Men-a-Vaur
On Wednesday, 18 September, in clear weather, the lifeboat was called out to a yacht that had lost it?s mainsail and was unable to manouver. The lifeboat departed at 7:00 pm and arrived back at 8:15 pm with the vessel, which was off Bishop Rock.
On Saturday, 21 September, again in clear weather, the lifeboat was called out to a fishing boat that was on fire. A rescue helicopter had already arrived on the scene and rescued the three crew. A Scottish vessel was standing-by.
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The lifeboat departed at 2:30 pm to attend the vessel 25 miles north of the Islands along with another lifeboat to deal with the fire.
Coastguards say that the “Congener” vessel is not a danger to shipping.
A potential new species for Europe: Results of DNA analyses on two controvercial skuas.
Two Catharacta skuas, one discovered at St. Agnes in the Isles of Scilly in October 2001, the other on Aberavon Beach in Glamorgan, South Wales in February 2002, have provoked considerable debate as to their identity. Both were unwell and taken into care allowing feather samples to be collected from which DNA was extracted. Results of these analyses show that both individuals belong to the Brown Skua group Catharacta antarctica (lonnbergi/hamiltoni/antarctica). Further, the measurements of the Glamorgan bird suggest that it may be a Falkland Skua C. a. antarctica. However no measurements were obtained from the Scilly bird.
As with all additions to the British list this record requires review by BOURC and BBRC. However the genetic analyses are conclusive. Therefore this is a sensational and unexpected result that could have enormous repercussions for the identification of large skuas in the north Atlantic, particularly since skua watchers in Europe have tended only to consider Great Catharacta skua and South Polar Skuas Catharacta maccormicki as serious options. It is for this reason that we are releasing the information into the public domain prior to any formal publication of these findings.
“/ms-brown-skua-2.jpg”
The reason that large skua identification is so difficult is that, apart from them all being closely related and that they are very variable, they are all pelagic between the times that they are juveniles and their return as much older birds to their breeding grounds. Thus young immature birds are seldom seen in collections nor are they photographed with a verifiable identification. These 2 birds provide a valuable yardstick against which further progress can be made.
Pictures of these birds can be seen here:
a href=”/out.php?url=http://www.magikcircle.com/birds/image.asp%3Ftitle_id=574″ target=”_blank”Magik Circle/a: ?Birds?
There is also a paper on the moult of the Scilly skua here:
a href=”/out.php?url=http://www.surfbirds.com/mb/Features/skua-identification.html” target=”_blank”Surfbirds.com/a: ?Skua Identification?
Acknowledgements
A number of people can take credit for providing discussion, caring for the birds, collecting samples and taking photographs:
Rick Barrowman, Dean Bolt, David Carrington, John Clare, Neil Donaghy, Lee Evans, Anne Hardeman, David Hatton, Fr?d?ric Jiguet, Tony Marr, Anthony McGeehan, Killian Mullarney, Kate Orr, Richard Porter, Richard Smith, Barry Stewart, Simon Stirrup and Gower Bird Hospital for nursing the Glamorgan bird to release.
There are lessons in this story for anyone who finds an odd-looking large skua. After the welfare of the bird has been assured, photograph it, measure it and take a DNA sample.
We would like to receive photographs of immature southern skuas, particularly Falkland Skuas, in order to corroborate these results further.
This release was assembled from contributions by:
Dick Newell, Steve Votier, Stuart Bearhop, Bob Furness, Martin Kennedy, Martin Scott, Paul Dukes, Steve Moon
People living on the Isles of Scilly will get the chance to find out more about the landscapes on their doorstep when the Countryside Agency combines the launch of a new booklet and website with a day-long celebration offering a fun-for-all range of explorer activities.
The Agency has chosen Thursday 26 September for the publication of its first detailed assessment of the geological, meteorological, marine, historic and human forces which have shaped the archipelago, and earned every part of it designation and protection as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
To mark the launch, there?s to be a seminar for around 50 agencies, companies and individuals with an interest in the future management of the Isles of Scilly AONB, at Tregarthens Hotel, The Garrison, St Mary?s. In addition, the day will see the switch-on of the AONB?s pioneering new website - explaining why the Islands deserve their designation and what it means, and offering the first internet gateway to existing and future documents and websites on Scillonian landscape issues.
To coincide with both launches, a community celebration is also being arranged. It will feature landscape-linked demonstrations and displays on Holgates Green, a programme of explorer events on St Mary?s and the off-islands, the first samplings of a new local beer, (named Natural Beauty in honour of the AONB), plus a web terminal at The Scillonian Club, for public viewings of the new site.
Countryside Agency spokeswoman, Sarah Manning, explained: ?Scilly is unique among England?s AONBs in that it is the only one where the landscape protection boundary totally coincides with the geographic and administrative ones. This means that everyone on Scilly lives within the AONB, and has a role to play in its future.?
She added: ?Elsewhere, we?ve tended to restrict our landscape assessment launches to invited guests. They are interesting documents, and the one for Scilly has the added advantage of wonderful photography and illustrations, a fascinating section on the islands? early history, and some terrific literary references and maps. But their main purpose is to inform planning and management strategies - not exactly bedside table reading. However, as the website is going live on the same day, and new opportunities are opening up for the AONB, we felt we?d like to make the publication launch into a much wider celebration, one which gives the community the chance to celebrate with us.?
Liz Davey, the Isles of Scilly AONB Officer, said: ?It?s often the case that people grow so used to the landscape assets on their doorstep that they overlook how fine and important they are. Celebration Scilly will give local people an opportunity to learn more about the AONB designation, the contribution they can make to future management plans, and to enjoy looking afresh at aspects of the landscape they may not have considered for a while.?
Among the explorer activities on offer through the Celebration Scilly community programme will be vintage bus tours of St Mary?s, a gardens tour on Tresco, a rocky shore ramble, plus a range of walks-with-talks looking at archaeology, history, island birds, farm life, and countryside management (including a visit to the ponies now grazing on Bryher).
Liz Davey said: ?The day will enable local people to explore their landscape in a range of ways - in print, in cyber-space and how it is celebrated creatively by artists and craftspeople, as well as on the ground. Our hope is to foster a new awareness of the importance of the islands? AONB status, and to show that it is a cause for pride and celebration.?
Celebration Scilly will start at Holgates Green at noon, with an official opening by Marian Spain, Principal Manager of the Countryside Agency?s Finest Landscapes section. Craft and produce displays and demonstrations will be on view in the marquee throughout the afternoon, with refreshments being served by the WI.. From early evening, there will be a community barbecue, in aid of the Air Ambulance.. The website will be on view at a terminal in the Scillonian Club all day, till late. From 9pm, terminal users will also be able to enjoy a live music night, hosted by the AONB team, featuring a local band, and with voluntary contributions invited for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.
Order forms for The Isles of Scilly: a landscape assessment of the AONB (Countryside Agency Publications, CA34, price ?8) will be available at the venues. Copies can also be obtained from Countryside Agency Publications, PO Box 125, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7EP, tel 0870 120 6466, or downloaded from the AONB?s website (see below).
Details of explorer event timings and booking arrangements will be available shortly, from the Tourist Information Centre, St Mary?s, and from off-island shops and pubs. Tours and walks will be free, but donations (of at least 50p a head) are being invited, to help the local Wildlife Trust. It is hoped the majority of tour places will be taken up by island residents, though visitors will be able to inquire about spare tickets on the day.
Links:
http://www.ios-aonb.info
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: ?Isles of Scilly?
Pam Beddard
The Isles of Scilly Council?s flag has now been used for a month. Raised at a council ceremony open to the public on 6 August, is has been flying above the Town Hall several days this month.
It?s use above the Town Hall is meant to correspond with Council meetings.
A vexiology web site [flag-interest] has picked up on the Islands? flags through Scilly News. Flags of the World recogises both the Council Flag and the Scillonian Cross as flags for the Islands.
Two major changes at the Five Islands? School?s Secondary School: tutor groups are mixed and timetables reorganised.
Tutor groups used to be the same as year groups, but now a new scheme has been introduced where a selection of students from different year are in the same tutor group.
Timetables have been rearranged into 50-minute periods. Lunchtimes have been moved forwards half-an-hour from 12:00 until 1:00 to 12:30 until 1:30. Also, one of the two breaks in the day has been removed.
Tresco bought Scilly it?s first beer festival in June, in August St Mary?s followed suit with one on Holgates Green, and now Tresco is having it?s second turn!
From 11 am on Friday 6 September to last orders on Monday 9, the New Inn will play host to the third ever beer festival on the Islands.
Local and Cornish brews will be nearby, accompanied by live music, from ?nationally acclaimed musicians? Andrew Fawcett and John Paul Gard to ?an eclectic mix of laid back house, chilled funk & progressive groove? played by Local DJ.
Local brewery iAles of Scilly/i will provide four brews including Maiden Voyage (4.0%), 3 Sheets (4.1%) and Scuppered (4.6%).
“small”The New Inn, Turks Head and Mermaid are leading our vote where you decide which pub is the best in Scilly. a href=”?s=scilly&a=scilly/facilityreview.php&ty=Pub”Vote here /a/span
Links:
a href=”/out.php?url= http://www.tresco.co.uk/holidays/new_inn/new_inn_real_ale_festival2.asp ” target=”_blank”Tresco.co.uk/a: ?New Inn: Real Ale Festival?