
The Daily Thistle — News From Scotland
Saturday 1st September 2018
“Madainn Mhath” …Fellow Scot, I hope the day brings joy to you…. Bella and I rose at our normal time, leaving my wife who is still recovering from surgery, sound asleep, so out into the early darkness and down towards to Mediterranean, and the cool breeze that’s blowing this morning in from the Atlantic, Bella seemed as eager as me to see the ocean although it is only some 500 meters from the front door,, when we arrived at the sandy beach I slipped her off the leash and she bound off to examine the water spilling over the shore.. I sat as I have many times before and watched as she cavorted up and down the water line, ships far out to sea, fishermen close to the shore line and planes flying off to distant lands had no interest for me this morning, just Bella and her joy at being on the beach…..
US SUBMARINE HUNTERS TO OPERATE FROM RAF LOSSIEMOUTH…. Lossiemouth will be used by US submarine-hunting planes as well as their RAF counterparts, it has been announced. The base in Moray will receive $80m (£62m) of investment from the US armed forces to meet their needs on site. These upgrades are expected to be completed in 2020, to coincide with the initial operation of the UK’s new P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has welcomed the planned contribution to the base from the US, which is set to cover a number of works at the air station. These will include contributing towards refurbishment of the runway, additional aircraft parking and hangar space and accommodation to meet US requirements, it is understood. US forces have previously operated from RAF Lossiemouth, but it is understood the improvements do not mean there will be a permanent US basing at the site. Defence chiefs believe the RAF fleet and the US submarine-hunters will play a key role in keeping the UK and its allies safe.
An MoD spokeswoman said: “We are investing £3bn in our nine-strong, new P-8A Poseidon fleet over the next decade.
“The contribution of $80m from the US to the home of our submarine-hunters at RAF Lossiemouth will support our partnership with our closest ally and will help us be more efficient by sharing improved facilities, and will see us patrol the seas together to have more eyes and ears on any aggressors.” The MoD announced in April that RAF Lossiemouth was to be the future home of its new Poseidon fleet. The aircraft will play a key role in protecting the UK’s submarine-deployed nuclear deterrent and its two new aircraft carriers, defence bosses said.
PINEAPPLES FOUND WASHED UP ON SHETLAND BEACHES…. Pineapples washed up on beaches in Shetland could be from containers lost overboard in the Atlantic last year. Two containers filled with pineapples and bananas were lost from the cargo ship Lombok Strait last October. Experts said at the time they believed beaches in Shetland and the Western Isles could be the most likely destination for the cargo to wash up. Ten months later, Shetland islanders started sharing photos of their pineapple finds.
It was reported at the time that the ship was used by fruit giant Del Monte. Zoe Henry, who found pineapples at Meal Sand Beach in Burra, told the BBC Scotland news website: “I thought it was very strange — you would find them in a tropical island, not Shetland.
“I left them, they were a bit shrivelled up.” The vessel crew had been unsure exactly where in the mid Atlantic the containers were lost, during bad weather. The Lowestoft-based Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) had appealed last year for reports of fruit washing up.
DISTURBANCE OF 1,000 SEALS AT FORVIE NATURE RESERVE INVESTIGATED…. Police were called in after an estimated 1,000 seals disturbed at a nature reserve in Aberdeenshire stampeded towards the water. The incident happened at Forvie National Nature Reserve near Newburgh at the weekend. The seals did not return for some time. The nature reserve is a protected area, and signs warn people not to get too close to the mammals. Police Scotland said a man was spoken to and “suitable guidance provided”.
The Ythan Seal Watch group described it as a “very serious disturbance”. In a statement, the organisation said: “We work to prevent the seals being disturbed in the first place.”
NEW WHISKY BASE IN GLASGOW NAMED ‘CLUTHA DISTILLERY’…. Douglas Laing & Co’s new single malt distillery will pay tribute to the Clutha Bar. A new whisky distillery is Glasgow will be called the Clutha Distillery in honour of the city pub struck by tragedy five years ago. Whisky specialists Douglas Laing & Co made the announcement on Monday for the new single malt distillery and bottling complex. Planning has been submitted to Glasgow City Council for the £10.7m project, which aims to build the site on the banks of the River Clyde at Pacific Quay in Govan. This cash will also fund a new corporate head office, visitor centre, whisky archive and bar and bistro. The company claims the development will create 41 new jobs with the Douglas Laing workforce, almost trebling it from 24 to 65. Also bearing the name of Clutha will be the single malt Scotch whisky the distillery will start producing once it opens, as it is expected to, in autumn 2019. Ten people died and 11 were seriously injured when a police helicopter crashed into the Clutha Bar in November 2013. The Glasgow institution reopened in 2015, while a new music and arts-based charity the Clutha Trust was formed in the wake of the tragedy.
TWO CATS RESCUED AFTER BEING FOUND DUMPED IN LAY-BY…. The cats, named Lucy and Julius, were discovered in Larbert on Wednesday, August 22. The Scottish SPCA said they were found in a very distressed state. Scottish SPCA animal rescue officer Stephanie Kirk said: “We were called out to rescue two cats that were both very distressed but fortunately had not been injured.
“The cats were not close to any houses and were found on a quiet country road so we feel they may have been abandoned.
“The cats are a three-year-old black female named Lucy who is chipped but unfortunately these details are not up to date, along with a black entire male, who we have named Julius, who was wearing a blue collar. “Both cats are now in safe hands, and being cared for by the team at our centre in Lanarkshire. “They’ll stay in our care until we can find them a loving forever home.
“If anyone recognises Lucy and Julius we’d urge them to contact us as we are keen to identify the person responsible for abandoning them.”
On that note I will say that I hope you have enjoyed the news from Scotland today,
Our look at Scotland today is of the Forvie National Nature Reserve near Newburgh…..and if you look real hard you can even see a seal…..
A Sincere Thank You for your company and Thank You for your likes and comments I love them and always try to reply, so please keep them coming, it’s always good fun, As is my custom, I will go and get myself another mug of “Colombian” Coffee and wish you a safe Saturday 1st September 2018 from my home on the southern coast of Spain, where the blue waters of the Alboran Sea washes the coast of Africa and Europe and the smell of the night blooming Jasmine and Honeysuckle fills the air…and a crazy old guy and his dog Bella go out for a walk at 4:00 am…on the streets of Estepona…
All good stuff….But remember it’s a dangerous world we live in
Be safe out there…
Robert McAngus
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