Carradale

[Thewetman]

A space hopper is nearer the mark than you think heedless, The football field at Muasdale used to double for turnips, often if the weans had no football or the owner of the ball had went off in the huff, as was more often the case (Smiler was very sore on the weans particularly in a 50 / 50 challenge) the game would go ahead using the best rounded turnip. that’s how Muasdale folk were so skilled at ball control - after a turnip a football is no problem, although there were high instances of concussion from corner kicks.

[Sanyanya]

I overheard someone in the Glen saying that they heard about the 'Big Tumshie' on 'Hoot FM'. I've been meaning to get an aerial for the tent for some time now!

I'll maybe go the whole hog, I wonder if Sky have brackets that attach to canvas and hazel?

[morenish]

brackets for hazel can be found in a wee shop in high st lochgilphead, im told they do sizes right upto and including 42 dd, now thats a fair pair oh turnips!

[Sanyanya]

Aye Morenish, sounds like a different kind of hazel right enough, but I suppose I could handle a pair of turnips like that. I must take a trot up to Lochgilphead for a bit of window shopping.

[The Tormhor Rock]

aye Sanyanya ye never window shopped in yer life - 5 finger discount more like - then bury yer booty behind yer tent doon the Tinker's Track

[Sanyanya]

Tormhor Rock? A big lump of schist more like!

As a new man, re-invented for the demands of the 21st Century, your stoneage use of the word booty caused me much hilarity as I tried to picture myself after backfilling.

Rather than casting unsubstantiated aspersions, perhaps you should try hanging your own booty out of an upstairs window, running downstairs and throwing chuckies at it?

[The Tormhor Rock]

Now now Old Sanyanya - keep yer hessian sack on

Re-invented for the 21st century?! - i always was a modern man

mibee ye should take a look at yersel and think aboot modernising - a beard trim an 'trendy' haircut might be a start

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The Tormhor Rock

[Bochan Mor]

Well Well, I wondered when the old rock was going to come and join the party?

Some things never change, you'll still be standing there with your clothes like tattered wings and unable to move with all the lead rings that you've gathered over the years.

Aye Sanyanya is bad enough, with his tarry fingers and liking for all things fowl, but you were aye partial to a bit of tarry netting and old sissal rope.

You must have had a good market for all Froonky's lead that you gathered over the years, not to mention Big Bob's.

Things will be gie lean with you now though, with the ring nets consigned to folklore. Time for you to move up to the 21st century and move down to the E&E for a go at the prawns. You'll be seeing them in your sleep, but that's jeest the way it is!

[The Tormhor Rock]

Easy noo Bochan ma friend - times might be hard but no hard enough tae try for a prawn - the cooncil are glad for a bit o lead for all the hooses they're building in the village so that lees me wi a touch now and again - some folk must see a future at something in the village.....prawns mibee??


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The Tormhor Rock

[Bochan Mor]

Aye, some say: 'The future's bright, the future's Orange'. That must be the prawns right enough.

Others would have you believe: 'The future's bright, the future's green' and that's the cod up the soond.

I think maself, that the future is in scrap metal, so you canny go far wrong with the lead.

Talking of lead, there's a few plumbers in the toon that swing the lead, and given half a chance, would put a tap on anything!

Organic eggs are the in thing at the moment. Maybe we should be looking to getting a hen house with a smert cockerel: Come back Bubbly Jock, all is forgiven!

[The Heidless Horseman]

That's me back up the road now

Wasted a couple of days at Saddell looking for the Black Hand but he wasn't in residence. Tried to get something kicked off with the Giants and Beasties at the Abbey, but they're all mooth and no troosers. To tell you the truth I don't think they have the stomach for anything outwith their cosy existence. The numbers of visitors to the Abbey are putting them right wrong and a couple of them have now given up the ghost (if that's the right expression?) and are reported to be heading for pastures new.

Back in the village the air is laden with expectation - rumours of an attempted takeover coup at both the hotel and the golf course prevail. If this is indeed true and the identity of the purchaser correct, it will be as welcome as Malcom Glazer in Manchester or Bob Geldof at the next meeting of the Lothian and Borders Constabulary. Of course it might just be more bochan mischief!

Speaking of the pink-eyed one, I wonder where he has reached now on his tour of the provinces? You can safely assume that by the time tomorrow comes he will have more than overstayed his welcome on the Largieside. He might even have reached Tarbert before the yachties disappeared - he could have mingled with them without looking out of place. There must be a few of them with the Bochan gene in them judging by the reports of high jeenks which were coming out the place (not to mention the pink eyes and ginger hair that was in abundance).

With a bit of luck he will have stowed away for one of the races and has now found himself in either Kip Marina or Strangford Lough. Who cares, as long as it takes him all his time to get back here.

Ready to enjoy the peace while I can.........

[GarySutherland]

some folk must see a future at something in the village.....prawns mibee??

Now there's a topic guaranteed to stir the pot...

What future does Carradale have besides becoming the Kintyre equivalent of Eastbourne?

My own views will no doubt stick in the craw of some people but I'm convinced the future lies with getting more tourists down to this end of Kintyre where they can then be relieved of their pocket money.

Let's face it, the UK doesn't actually make anything anymore, and the government seem dead-set on killing what remains of the fishing industry. (No more red diesel from 2006?)

Cheers
Gary

[The Scouder]

[/quote]

My own views will no doubt stick in the craw of some people but I'm convinced the future lies with getting more tourists down to this end of Kintyre where they can then be relieved of their pocket money.
[/quote]

Great idea! We could send them all down Sally's Walk at midnight, jump out and scare the bejesus out of them then pocket their wallets. If any were particularly obnoxious their names would go into the hat to see who ends up in the Wicker Man at the top of Tor Mhor on Midsummer Day.

The finalists could be kept in Bruce's Cave at Portrigh under the strictest security where they would be force-fed Chuckie Soup. Media rights would be sold and the world could vote for the most deserving case. The Grand Burning would become an annual event on the world broadcasting calendar and really put Trumpton on the map.

Woodside and Broomfield would have to be flattened in order to build more hotel accommodation - but hey! That's progress for you. As for the fishermen, we can do what they do with them in certain parts of Greece. Just tell them they will be relocated further up the coast where they won't interfere with the tourist product.

Personally I think Portavadie would be a perfect location for the crofters to be re-settled.The Loch Fyne area would still be familiar and they will be close by their Tarbert buddies. In time they will forget that the wee village even exists.

A perfect solution for all parties don't you think?

[Bochan Mor]

BIG BOB's Reply to Gary's suggestion of dredging the entrance to the burn and installing pontoons was from another thread was:

'Use of boats at Waterfoot at low tide. You could moor your boat at the ring for the salmon net at Salmon Rock (if the ring is still there, if not put another one in). Tie a rope from the stern to the ring and put your anchor out from the bow up one of the wee gullies. There used to be 3 or 4 boats moored there as the tide was going out for evening fishing at low tide.'



What Gary maybe doesn't realise is that the burn used to be one of the preferred anchorages for the fishing fleet before the harbour was built. Depending on the weather, the fleet would move between Port na Cuil, Portree, Waterfoot, Port Ban & Port na Sgadan.

Indeed Port Na Sgadan was being considered as an alternative location for the new harbour, but eventually Port Crannaig won through.

As any of the old fishermen could tell you, dredging a channel into Waterfoot would be a complete waste of time, as the sand bar at the mouth of the burn would quickly reform.

Anyway, the CN Lifeboat would never be done running up to rescue fair weather amateurs who would be getting stuck on the sand bar with the wind up their erse and a spate running doon from the stones.

Stick to dry land ma boy. You'll be much safer and so will the crew of the lifeboats.

P.S. Gary, contrary to what you have assumed, the pier isn't made of cast iron. There was a cast iron pier at one time, but this wasn't sheeted in to form the current harbour. As far as I know, the iron pier was owned by Colin Oman of Glen Lynn, but may stand corrected on this.

[GarySutherland]

Yes, I've seen old photos of the fishing boats crammed in at Waterfoot during the hey-day of the Carradale fleet. That must have been something to see.

I take what you say about the futility of dredging the river mouth. If enough money were to be put into the project then I'm sure it could be done. It'd need piles to hold back the sand bar and big money though.

Assuming nothing happens to perk-up the local economy how do you imagine Carradale will look in, say, ten years time? Will it still be able to support two shops/Post Offices, a petrol station, a village school, hotels, etc or will it have started to resemble a ghost town? And if the government succeed in killing-off the fishing will even the harbour remain viable?

Regards
Gary