Politics, news and stuff.

[canUsmellthat]

Save the corncrake!!!

[Peter Connelly]

You’re quite right Eric, I should have said Arctic skuas. I didn’t notice the Great Skua stats until after I’d posted. As for your other points, yes, it could well be the case. I’ll try not to overlook the corncrakes in future, too…

Cheers.

P.

[longshanks]

Sorry Shankers - Wrong again - Mackerel are in fact present around the British Isles 12 months of the year.

Apology accepted Pieking. You do seem a tad keen to pick holes in my posts but your eagerness overlooks the simple fact that mackerel are a pelagic fish, spend their winters in the deep waters of the Atlantic and only migrate to shallower waters in the spring. Otherwise why would our resident waterman, RonnieC, comment that he thinks that the mackerel are early this year?

Blimey; seems like an offensive against Shankers is underway (with some cute sarcasm thrown in - my underlining):

ps Just for info Beaver old girl, Balvicar corner "floods" only after heavy rain. Nought to do with sea level rise, or not.

Err, not really. It flooded once or twice after heavy rain when BB filled in the drain. The only other times I have seen any serious flooding there is at high tide with a strong SW running. Then, the water is most certainly of a salty nature and indeed is a sign of sea level rise. Not in itself a sign of any great significance as this sea level rise is a local effect of tide and wind, but it is good to get at least some of your "facts" right from time to time. Got to be worth a try at least once, eh?

As any long term resident of Seil knows the very occassional "flooding" at Balvicar corner has absolutely nothing to do with warming, sea level rising etc. The warmists frequently discredit their spurious fanaticism by blaming absolutely every harmful natural occurance on global warming.
I'll try to put it very simply.
1. Clachandubh Lochan can receive a huge amount of rainwater from its large drainage basin.
2. Sometimes it can rain heavily here for a long period.
3. Clachandubh Lochan drains into Balvicar Bay through a very small culvert in the golfcourse causeway.
4. Once in a while a period of heavy rain coincides with a spring tide and a strong onshore wind.
5. The tide, given extra power by the wind, effectively blocks the culvert.
6. The runoff has nowhere to go so spreads across the low lieing ground until it reaches Balvicar corner.
This hasn't happened for a couple of years now but next time; taste the water and you'll find its fresh.
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Good to see you back Herby McDice, perhaps you or Nick McAdmin can let us all know what has happened to the Pollls. Its clear that they've all been deleted but why?
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Long McShanks (Ate all the pies by choice)

[canUsmellthat]

I guess we'll have to just wait a few decades to see if Teddys pond becomes part of the Atlantic and whether a bigger bridge'll be required to span the ever widening gap between us and the mainland...

[Herby Dice]

Not sure what your objete is here, Shankiepoos old bean. When we get a spring tide combined with a sustained period of strong southwesterlies, we get higher tides. Occasionally the water floods the corner at Balvicar Stores and the road down to the golf course at its lowest point. This is sea water, unless Balvicar Bay has recently become an inshore loch without anyone noticing, diluted to some extent of course by the runnoff from Teddy's pond. This notwithstanding, you made essentially the same point as I did, except with bullet points perhaps in an attempt to make it sound more authoritative.

If you read my post I make no claim that this has anything to do with global climate change, by the way. Do you not think perhaps that your increasingly strident crusade on behalf of the rapidly shrinking minority view that such change is an illusion is becoming slightly obsessive?

Perhaps this is also affecting your vision, reading phantom Mcs in front of every name you see. Unlike yourself, I have no great need to regularly restate my ethnic origin, whatever that may be. It is of perhaps convenient for you to believe that all those who disagree with you are one and the same person, but you really do need to rid yourself of this delusion, that way lies madness. For the record, I am not Admin, or NickB, merely a humble moderator.

[longshanks]

rid yourself of this delusion, that way lies madness

Blimey !

slightly obsessive

Cripes !
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Any news on the disappearing Polls?
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Can't think why I thought you and Nick McAdmin are one and the same. Doesn't really matter does it.

Long McShanks (actually probably a majority now, by choice)

[DonnieC]

I am aware that mackeral are present all year round but what I was referring to was the possibility that they are in shoals this early in the summer and as far north as the moorings south of Clachan Bridge!

On the subject of the more unusual, there was a school of what I think were 6/8 harbour porpoises in Oban Bay this morning between 8 and 11. I have never seen them in the bay before although I know they are common in the Firth of Lorne.

As for the flooding at Balvicar, it may have a very little to do with heavy rain but it is flooding from the sea caused by, usually winter spring tides accompanied by southwesterly/south/southeasterly gales, that causes the problem.

The wall at the golf course had in living memory an effective operational sluice which prevented the flooding of the land to the west of it.

A similar wall and sluice was built at Ardencaple where the oyster shed is and was effectively an early form of land reclaimation thought to have been built at the same time of the bridge.

I know that somewhere there is photographic evidence of Teddy's Pond as a puddle!

Before the sluice wall was built and before the road was built up to its present height at the telephone exchange this area would be under sea water especially at high springs and a narrow channel separated Seil into two parts from Balvicar Bay, through the Caithlinn and to the Ardencaple islands.

If you look across to Teddy's pond as you pass the exchange you'll see a mound with a BT pole on it. This was an island at that time - the name escapes me at the moment.

Here endeth the history lesson,

DonnieC - seemingly aka 'RonnieC' resident water expert - this type perhaps

[longshanks]

Apologies ConnieD for calling you RonnieC, big fingers old chap, but your conjecture puzzles me.

evidence of Teddy's Pond as a puddle......look across to Teddy's pond as you pass the exchange you'll see a mound with a BT pole on it. This was an island

Now that's a tad contradictary eh.

a narrow channel separated Seil into two parts from Balvicar Bay, through the Caithlinn and to the Ardencaple islands

I have many ancient maps of Seil and there is no evidence for this. Further try walking along Caithlin and you will agree that it would need one hell of a tide to cut Seil in two along this route.
Finally y'all why do you refer to Clachandubh lochan is "Teddy's Pond". Isn't it owned by Fred?
......................What news on the missing Polls section anyone.

Shankers (not pelagic, unlike mackerel, by choice)

[NickB]

What news on the missing Polls section anyone

The Open Polls section has been removed because it was too easy for people to manipulate the results by voting twice, once logged in and once not. It was also possible for them to vote a third time or more from another computer - eg at work, at a friend's etc. There is no easy way round this, so they had to go.

For what it is worth,the last poll closed with the SNP and the Tories neck and neck, sharing over 80% of the vote between them. The other parties came nowhere, with UKIP beating Labour and the Greens. One person was not going to vote, and no-one indicated an intention to spoil their ballot paper. Can't remember what happened to the Lib Dems, but who ever can?

So it's back to normal operations regarding polls - only registered members will be able to vote in polls in future. Anyone can start a poll with a new thread, so fill your boots. (Normal forum rules apply to choice of subject and options offered of course).

[DonnieC]

Longshanks and anybody else who is interested,

I first became interested in local history and old place names when the bridge celebrated its 200 year 'birthday.'

Various events took place around that time including a local history exhibition in the old hall. It fell to me and others to research maps, old names etc. Much information was gathered and stored so I have not direct access to it but have some rough notes to refer to.

A'Chaithleam was over 200 years ago a tidal river navigable only by small boats. One story I heard was that peats were taken from Ardencaple by small crafts to the quarriers around Easdale for burning as fuel. Apocryphal?

Not when you see an Ardencaple Estate map of 1826(?) where the 16(?) odd crofts are named and many have association with peat cutting.

Bellochnamona - the Pass of the Peats - is one such croft.

When the sluices fell into disrepair the crofter at Carnan complained that he had lost between 40 and 50 acres of ground as the channel had silted up and the ground had become boggy and unusable.

This was not a wide channel as being suggested but one which at high tide would be navigable by small shallow craft.

The Argyle Inventory in 1590 speaks of ....'lands of Kilbryde in Seile and Oban (Obanseil) in Seilebeg' being .... 'granted to John McDougall of Ragray'

Fordun speaks of Selu Major and Selu Minor in the 14th Century.

Not only have I walked this stretch but have dug straining posts in it and found all sorts of shell fragments. Also behind 'The Old Shop' presently Clachandhu House, when excavations were being done to see if the ground was suitable for foundations for a possible hall site, further shells were found which included a native oyster shell which was estimated to be over 2,500 years old.

The name of the island, mentioned earlier, was Eilean -an -Leabhar the island of the book. The story goes that a priest, who loved reading, used this island for meditation.

The word 'Clachan' has many meaning in Gaelic one of which is a ford or a channel that dries out.

Clachandhu, in this instance, is the black or dark ford!

Teddy's Puddle - I do not have that photograph .... but I know a woman who does!!

It's Teddy's Pond because it was Teddy's Croft. Edward Hill was the crofter at Cnoc Fennaig of which the pond was, at one time, a part.

I have seen no map with this channel on it but some do have some fanciful extensions to the pond. There is also another pond - badly silted up - on the other side of the island.

References for the above information and much, much more can be traced in the various Records Offices and Libraries in Edinburgh.

Thank goodness the subject of the potential sites for a new bridge, or the proposed narrow gauge railway from Seil to Oban or the extention of the Glasgow Tramway system into Argyll didn't rear their ugly heads!!!!

But they'll all be in the book..................

[Eric the Viking]

mackerel are a pelagic fish, spend their winters in the deep waters of the Atlantic and only migrate to shallower waters in the spring.

Obviously the mackerel I have caught in all 12 months of the year round these parts can't read!

Just because you shout the loudest Shankers - doesn't make you right!

[longshanks]

Guten morgen Pieking.
Often wondered who it was who fishes here in the depths of winter. This link (second paragraph most illuminating) may help you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_mackerel
or maybe a fish identification guide may be more useful.
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The Open Polls section has been removed because it was too easy for people to manipulate the results

Blimey !!!!
What made you suspicious?
Any suspects?
Tory or SNP supporters? Or both?
Out of interest how many votes did the SNP and the Tories get each?
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Thong Shanks (still heatwaving by choice)

[eagerbeaver]

DonnieC
"Longshanks and anybody else who is interested"

Fascinating stuff, many thanks for your input, I'm very interested to hear this kind of local history.
Eagerbeaver

[Eric the Viking]

If you were to be seen and not heard sometimes wrong shanks you may well just learn something from time to time - Suppose that's not in an ex teacher's nature though?

Often wondered who it was who fishes here in the depths of winter. This link (second paragraph most illuminating) may help you
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_mackerel
or maybe a fish identification guide may be more useful.

A mackerel fishery exists in the UK 12 months of the year (see below):

Large dense shoals may be found near the surface all round the UK in summer and autumn, but their occurrence is sporadic in the southern North Sea. The English summer mackerel fishery was traditionally from April to September; this has now been extended from February to October so that, coupled with the huge winter fishery now established in the south west from October to March, mackerel supplies are available throughout the year. The Scottish mackerel fishery from June to August could also possibly be extended.

source: http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/tan/x5938e/x5938e01.htm

I would suggest that FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) know a little more than Wickipedia.

In the Lorn area - you will normally expect them to be most abundant from May to September - but as Argyll is blessed with Fjordic geology where you find very deep water very close to shore, which replicates the deepwater over wintering grounds preferred by the fish. Indeed, couple this with a winter layer of freshwater on the surface and narrow, shallow inlets to deepwater sea lochs (eg Loch Etive) and you often find a 'captive', resident population of normally, migratory fish.

[Eric the Viking]

Donnie C -I know it's not Seil but do you know much on the 'Barn of the Bones' at Kilninver?

[longshanks]

Just because you shout the loudest Shankers - doesn't make you right!

I agree Pieman; its not because I shout the loudest (didn't think I did actually, pot/kettle).
And what's all this about an ex teacher ?
And you'd rather trust the U.N. !!! A totally corrupt and dysfunctional organisation which pontificates in its luxury New York offices while all sorts of horrors happen in the world. Why on earth has it not stopped the massacres in Darfur for one (of many) example? I'd trust peer reviewed and sourced Wiki any day.
(BTW the U.N. is highly placed in my list of top 100 dislikes, infront of, even, teachers)

Donnie
Why would our forbears transport peat from Ardencaple, via Balvicar Bay and Cuan (!), to Easdale? Was there not peat closer to hand? If not why not take the shorter and safer route down the west coast of Ardencaple estate? Or, even shorter and much safer, overland down the old Ardencaple to Dunmore road. Besides, according to Mary W, the slate workings used coal.
Dig deep enough anywhere low lieing here and you'll find sea shells. A reminder that sea levels were much higher here after the ice age ended. The shells found behind the old shop were a midden. Its totally unsurprising to find crofts with names linked to peat. You do so throughout the old crofting areas and virtually all crofts in Scotland used peat as a primary fuel source.

Moon Shanks (Banki by choice)

[longshanks]

Donnie C -I know it's not Seil but do you know much on the 'Barn of the Bones' at Kilninver?

You need to ask the Campbells about that little massacre!

Shankers (by choice)

[DonnieC]

Eric,

I can only feel offence that you should consider me in the same bracket as Noel Longshanks in your desription of 'an ex-teacher's nature!'

Yes Noel, we certianly copped it that day, circa 1644. All those inoffensive women, children, old men and captured prisoners with associations with clan Campbell from Scammsdale Glen, all herded together in that barn, the doors and windows barred and then set alight by those nasty MacDonalds!

Just your every day inter clan massacre typical of its day.

Still, we got our revenge 48 years later.

To be serious I have a couple of old books with reference to it. I'll pm you later with the info.

Noel,

I don't think I actually mentioned the sea route Balvicar-Cuan-Easdale. There is no reason why boats should not have gone out the northern route. I would assume they would select their route depending on tide and weather.

If you know of other old croft names refering to peat cutting and gathering do tell.

If there are other peat deposits around the district then so be it. I think the coal may be a much later imported fuel.

I am referring to a time probably more than 200/250 years ago when transport around the west coast was predominately by sea. There is no reason why there may have been haulage by horse and cart from Ardencaple to 'Easdale.' This, I imagine would only be small loads because of the terrain.

'Easdale' is a generic term used to describe the area of slate manufacture which would include Seil, Ellanabeach, Luing, Easdale Island, Belnahua, Glen Albyn, Kerrera etc and there is no reason why peat would not be carried to the quarriers in these parts by sea.

Remember that the golf course wall was not there. Neither was the wall at the Ardencaple end. This channel certainly existed.

The shells found behind the old shop were not from a shell midden but were liberally scattered throughout the area of investigation as they are all the way through to The Ardencaple Islands.

A question you could put your mind to is 'Why was Clachan Bridge built?'

I think we all know the who and the how.

Surely It wasn't built purely for the nasty Campbells to gain easy access to their lands in 'Seille Mhor?'

[khartoumteddy]

[quote="DonnieC"]Eric

Yes Noel, we certianly copped it that day, circa 1644. All those inoffensive women, children, old men and captured prisoners with associations with clan Campbell from Scammsdale Glen, all herded together in that barn, the doors and windows barred and then set alight by those nasty MacDonalds!

Just your every day inter clan massacre typical of its day.

Still, we got our revenge 48 years later,

lets be honest the English took the blame but it was just standard practice to settle any political dispute

in that way at that time

and are we any better now;
are we hell


TEDDY

[DonnieC]

Just for Interest!

Sorry to go back to the mackerel and the unusual but the screeching of the gulls, at about 1015 pm last night, drew me outside where Clachan Sound, just south of the bridge off my house, is heaving with mackerel and fry.

My B-in-Law caught some with a line from the shore. Also, there were so many that fry were all over the foreshore having been driven there by the mackerel - to be eaten by the gulls!

Anybody know of this in the past or is it all to do with Calmac's new Sunday ferry service