Buchan Ness was a tall tower with a single red band around the tower about half way up. The houses were built around a small courtyard, with the principal's house just separate on the landward side. The station stood on a little island, connected to the mainland by a small wooden bridge, which led directly into the village of Boddam on the Buchan coast.

My first impression of Buchan Ness was the Foghorn, which seemed to boom out day after day, and yet, as soon as you crossed the bridge you were in brilliant sunshine. I don't remember too much about the actual station, but I remember we had some strange visitors, like the Chow (a large Chinese dog), on whose back I remember riding. Weasels used to cross over on to the island, and the men were forever trying to smoke them out of the dykes.

I remember going shopping with mum, proudly pedalling a small car dad had made, and I gazed longingly at a large jar of toffee-apples on sticks on the counter of the shop we always visited.' When eventually, mum relented and bought me one, I discovered that they were more trouble than they were worth, and ended up with more toffee on my face than in my stomach, half my jersey adhering to the apple, and my hands stuck, one onto the stick, and the other in my trouser pocket!

There were pools around the station where we used to sail our boats, and we also used to find sticklebacks, tadpoles and on one occasion tiny green frog.

I remember a trip to Santa's Grotto in Woolies, where I got a hammer, with a feathered dart on top, and when fed with pistol caps and banged on a hard surface, the dart used to shoot an incredible

distance into the air. Dad and Archie MacEachran spent a considerable amount of time, not to mention quantity of caps, trying to land the dart on the balcony, and I think they actually managed it.

Lastly there was the old, retired fisherman whom we called Black Peter. He used to come down around -the shore whenever it was weather, and he always had a smile and a story for us, and then, when he was ready to leave, his hand would go to his pocket and out would come sticks of hard round liquorice which he would hand round.

Living at Buchan Ness wasn't really much different from living here, from the family aspect as dad was always at home, but the next shift flung us into an entirely different category.                      Quoy Stewart.

On Thursday Colin Webster came to the school. He is here on holiday from Canada. He used to live in Scotland but he now he lives in Fort Ware in Canada.

He moved there in 1974 to work for the Hudson Bay company and then for the Arctic Co-op. He owns the only shop in Fort Ware and it is 3 times the size of Stackhoull stores. The shop sells everything that people want such as groceries, quad bikes, clothes and snow mobiles etc. It is open every day from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Fort Ware had a road built to it seven years ago which is usually able to be open 10 months of the year. Most of the supplies come by boat. A 5 ton truck delivers supplies once a week from Prince George. It comes alot of the way on a boat. There is a freezer on the lorry but it cannot take ice-cream. Ice-cream is a luxury and has to come on the plane. It costs $15 in Fort Ware and only $3 in Prince George.

Before the new road was built the supplies had to come 200 miles up the lake by barge and then carried to the airstrip to fly the last 55 miles. This meant the cost of food was very high, a dozen eggs cost £3-50 and now they cost £2-99.

The nearest doctor is 300 miles away. There is a nurse who works in 3 different towns so Fort Ware has a nurse 2 weeks a month and there are also 2 nursing assistants employed. If there is a serious problem the patient is flown out. The Indians get free medical treatment and other people need good medical insurance. There is no policeman or Sheriff ! but there is a Canadian Mountie troupe.

There are two airlines who fly to Fort Ware. Northern Thunderbird flies twice a day Monday to Friday and once on a Saturday. Wilson Lake Air fly once a day. The Post Office charters the plane every Wednesday for mail. The plane takes 1 hour 45 mins and costs £120-00 one-way from Prince George.

The school has 6 teachers, a Head Teacher, 4 teaching aides and 120 pupils. The first school was built 25 years ago when it only needed one class. Next year they are having a gym and an adult education centre built. They have an outdoor, flood lit ice hockey rink outside. Like all the other buildings the school is made of wood and it is heated by a wood stove where the heat is blown under the floors.

They have one computer to every two children. More than 50% of the population of Fort Ware is under 15 years old.

There are only two cars in Fort Ware, everyone travels on quads, snow mobiles or 4 wheel drive trucks. People do not keep animals because there is very little grass. There are lots of trees and most people are employed in the logging industry.

In Summer it is very hot, it has been nearly 100°C. There is very little wind and in Winter it is extremely cold. They have two seasons - Summer and Winter! All the power in the area is supplied by four generators.

Thank you very much for the visit Colin. By the time you see this you should be at home unless you are still here on Saturday due to the fog.

The northerly winds finally lost their grip and a southerly breeze brought us all a little summer, so much so that I was persuaded to do a morning census. After the exciting influx of thrushes and finches just over a week ago things had quietened but the Song Thrushes and Blackbirds were still abundant and a few more Wheatear and Goldcrest had found their way to the isle. Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Curlew filled the air with their wonderful songs, calls and displays.

The crew of the Shetland Lifeboat joined us for Sunday lunch. Unfortunately, they were off before we all had chance to take a look at the boat, but they promised they would be back during the summer. Stuart and Pat Wilson came for lunch with Pat's son Murray. Pat read the daily bird record on the board and wondered what a Fibofinch was. We have had one in the Obs. garden for some time now and R did cause quite a bit of excitement when Steve first discovered ft. Fibofinch, Charlie's affectionate name for the bird, is a Chaffinch of dubious parentage. That's maybe a little unfair but he shows many of the plumage characters of the north African race of Chaffinch, with an almost all blue-grey head, green back, an orange-pink breast, and white belly. Paul managed to entrap the little beast with his 12 metre whoosh net one afternoon so that we could get a really good description to submit to the Rarities Committee, and unfortunately Fibofinch doesn't seem to be 100% African. He could be a hybrid between the European race (like our usual Chaffinch) and the African race, but we are not sure. The day ended with a gentle saunter to Roskilie to check the Puffins for colour rings (a busman's saunter). It was spellbinding just sitting near the little 'cheeky chappies' haloed by the evening sun, watching their bill-clapping display (reminiscent of albatross) and their scurrying around for nest material.

Charlie (Chas) Holt is the Assistant Warden, from Hove in Sussex and he graduated from UEA in 1997 having studied environmental sciences. While at UEA he was secretary of the East Anglia Bird Club, and before going to university was captain of Brighton College Soccer 2nd Xl. He lists his hobbies as birds, sport, travel and natural history.
Steve Turner is the Seabird Monitoring Officer, from Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke and graduated in the same class as Charlie at UEA. He was president of UEA Bird Club in 1995 and was runner up in the Young Ornithologist of the Year competition in 1993. He has a keen interest in general natural history and is also interested in sport, especially football, and music.

WEDNESDAY:
Ferocious weather greeted us this morning, but the bird staff still went out on census just in case the easterly winds had brought anything new. Only Blackcap and Grasshopper Warbler to add to the disappointing list of summer migrants so far this spring. After lunch I set about putting our new computer together. So far so good, R's so nice to get back to Windows 95.
The weather kept us all in, even the intrepid dyke-feeler known usually as Jane, and maintenance work around the Obs. kept all busy while Jane played with electronic gismos. Jane is studying Starling incubation routines and has all kinds of technical stuff to measure nest temperatures and film what the birds are doing, etc., now all she needs is her first finished nest, some birds are adding material now. At evening log R was revealed that the first Swallow and House Martins of the spring had indeed found the isle, but as they say 'one swallow a summer does not make' (or something like that).

THURSDAY:
As I said 'one swallow', the weather was even worse this morning, but yet again the intrepid bird staff ventured out. If I were a 10g warbler I would certainly seek refuge and not move anywhere on a day like today, in fact despite not being a tiny feathered thing that's exactly what I am going to do.
Tried to play a CD on our new computer and couldn't get any sound, no device recognised. After a little play to see if I could solve it I gave in and called Viking Computers for advice, 'make sure the speakers are plugged into the right hole' was the answer. What a difference it made and what an idiot. Next thing is to work out putting the phone and tax through the computer so that I am fully automated.
Wishing a happy St. George's Day to all the English persons on the isle (and anyone else who wants to celebrate the dying art of dragon slaying). Do we get the day off? (I think not). A horrid afternoon, but we did venture south in the old van to collect a few things. Did see my first Swallow at the plantation late in the afternoon.

FRIDAY:
Went down to the school to give each of the children one of the new postcards that they did the artwork for. They have turned out really well and are now available to buy at the Obs. (35p each), with profit divided between the Obs. and the school. Had a quick coffee at  Aesterhoull East and then back to the office for the rest of the day.
The daily census turned up a few more migrants: Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and Tree Pipit, but generally very quiet. Late afternoon Paul and I spent a few hours planning the layout of where the new trap will be positioned around the new plantation next to the Obs. After a lengthy debate we settled on an approximate shape and then set to planting the new bushes and trees that came in a while ago. We put in some large Rosa rugosa roots, that we had brought up from Cumbria with us, toward where the front of the trap will be and hopefully over the next few days we will plant the willows, more Rosa and other stuff we have. I was thinking of Stoneybreck Pat while I was planting today as last time we planted willows in the old plantation she helped out, but this time she will miss the fun. I hope you are well soon Pat, and then you can venture out to take a look at how things are coming along. And that was 'da week dats awa'.

At present there are eleven bairns aged between 4 and 11 years who attend, with the possibility of other younger bairns ready to join in after the summer holidays. This is tremendous, and we wish to think both parents and bairns for their support.

The youngsters are keen, and there is obvious potential for an exciting and dynamic future for the Sunday School, but we are in urgent need of additional teachers/helpers (including a replacement for Elizabeth who is currently retiring as one of the two regular volunteer teachers). It is very important to find additional teachers/helpers if Sunday School is to continue successfully, if at all.

Will you please give the above some thought. Whether you have practical help or ideas to offer, or you simply have an interest in supporting the future work of the Sunday School, please try and find time to come along to the meeting.

Please note: Unfortunately, there will not be a Sunday School this week. However, Stewart will be giving a children's address in the Kirk, after which parents can take children out of the service if they wish.            Elizabeth

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Kirk on Sunday, Stewart Wilson.

Challenge,
"And what of Judas - was even Hell too good for him?"