+Simply Paul Posted July 5, 2007 Author Share Posted July 5, 2007 If anyone has a Memory Map track log image from the trip, I'd love to see it Quote Link to comment
+Dobunnis Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 If anyone has a Memory Map track log image from the trip, I'd love to see it Sorry it has taken so long... This is a track of the trip out to the island on 1:800K and 1:50K maps: Unfortunately I was too busy taking pictures out the back to set it off for the return, Helen Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Woohoo! My St Kilda Mail Boat letter has arrived! For those not in the know, we dropped a small wooden 'boat' with letters to ourselves overboard by Stac an Armin off Boreay. Paul (Golem) had brought it along. The idea being it would drift to Lewis or Harris and be found. In the past, the idea was used on St Kilda for emergency communication with the mainland/long island. It must have washed up somewhere as someone found it, dried out the contents and posted the letters out. Reading the enclosed letter, it landed on Baleshare, an island just north of Benbecula and was found on July 15th at NF788582 by Gwen Evans of North Uist. Here's a map: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=78...p=newsearch.srf I also got the envelope from Henry & Linda, which has no letter... Anyone else got theirs? Quote Link to comment
+L8HNB Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 (edited) Yep, the one we sent to our two nieces has arrived in Chorley, Lancs this am. No details as yet but will post later when/if have more info............. Would appreciate ours back Paul, will send sae if reqd. Oh, we couldnt think what to write to ourselves L&H Edited July 25, 2007 by L8HNB Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Would appreciate ours back Paul, will send sae if reqd. Oh, we couldnt think what to write to ourselves It's stamped and addressed already! I'll pop a little something in, and post it on. Quote Link to comment
+Dobunnis Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Ours arrived this morning in good condition far quicker than expected. Carolyn and Helen Quote Link to comment
+The Golem Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I was sitting at work having a brew first thing when someone told me the postcard had arrived - I was delighted, it's now on the notice board Just returned home to find another one among all my daughter's birthday cards The postmark is from Balinvalich on the isle of Benbecula - could you copy out the text of the letter from Gwen Edwards please Paul? Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 (edited) It's not that easy to read, so I've uploaded a photo for you to decode for yourself Edited July 26, 2007 by Simply Paul Quote Link to comment
+The Golem Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 "We found your mailboat on Baleshare on Sunday 15th July – a relatively quick passage from St Kilda – unfortunately your letters were not sealed well and all were stuck together. We did send them all on though, apart from the enclosed which had no associated letter. From the position on the beach my guess is that your mailboat had come ashore a few days earlier, but being at the bottom of Baleshare NF 788 582, few folk had passed by. I hope you are delighted with your mailboat being successful and so quick. Best Wishes, Gwen Evans" Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Yep, that's what I made it too. Quote Link to comment
+Bambi&Thumper Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 It's not that easy to read, so I've uploaded a photo for you to decode for yourself Perhaps you could post a copy of that on the page for the event as it's a really nice end to the story, only if you do, maybe you should edit out the lady's address first... Have you emailed her to say thank-you on behalf of us all BTW? A. Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 Yep, all done! I linked to the wrong version before - there is an edited copy online too, which I'll add to the event page. Quote Link to comment
+The Golem Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Have you emailed her to say thank-you on behalf of us all BTW? A. I have. I also added a link to the cache page - I thought she might like to see some pictures of the boat being launched. I also emailed Angus and told him, I asked him to let Seamus know too... I also googled Gwen Evans and she appears to be an RSPB warden, there's a video interview from a few years ago about the effect of mink on native species - I wonder if this is our lady...? As an aside, I think it was Benbecula where they were trying to get rid of hedgehogs for the same reason a few years ago. Quote Link to comment
+Pharisee Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 If we dump a 'Mailboat' over the side at next years proposed event.... Any guesses as to where it might make landfall? Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 Off the Bishop Rock, I'd assume somewhere along the south coast, but maybe Wales, or even France? Or back on St Agnes? Quote Link to comment
+Pharisee Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Off the Bishop Rock, I'd assume somewhere along the south coast, but maybe Wales, or even France? Or back on St Agnes? Guess we'll just have to try it and find out. Quote Link to comment
+Alibags Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 As an aside, I think it was Benbecula where they were trying to get rid of hedgehogs for the same reason a few years ago. I am pretty sure that was Rhum Quote Link to comment
+Pharisee Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 My St Kilda postcard arrived yesterday.... [] Quote Link to comment
+L8HNB Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Hedgehogs - interesting conunderum. Yes, they are cute but so are baby lapwings and the like! According to this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4163822.stm the cull is on benbecula and Uist but I believe its happening on the Outer Hebredies generally and may also be happening on some of the other Scottish Islands. It is a bit out of date though. I was also told by "a man who knows" that the ones that were caught and tranferred to a more suitable location nearly all died from the upheaval and the local population, hedgehogs that is, not wanting them there....... Quote Link to comment
+Team Incredible Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 (edited) From talking to the locals they are trying to rid the outer herbrides of hedgehog, mink and rabbits as all have been introduced over the last few years and all are causing problems killing and eating the natural wildlife. Didn't realise until last week that mink are actually really good swimmers and will swim long distances out to remote islands to kill birds. Over the last few years there has been a big reduction in the number of birds on the islands. Another piece of useless information with absolutely nothing to do with caching. While out on the islands though we did look out for your mailboxes in the hope of another cacher finding them, it wasn't to be. Edited July 27, 2007 by Team Incredible Quote Link to comment
markandlynn Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Cheers Paul from 1 of 7 Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Cheers Paul from 1 of 7 That's going to mean more to me than most forum users, so I'll explain. 7 people are watching the physical cache I left on St Kilda and they saw a note saying I've uploaded videos of the trip. Here's a link to my log. I'm also uploading the clips to YouTube Quote Link to comment
+The Golem Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Thanks for that Paul, it was good to relive the trip again... Quote Link to comment
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