The Lady Maris of Braye aground on Burhou. (Picture by James Adair, 0536626)
LAST week’s loss of the Lady Maris of Braye passenger vessel was not just a blow for skipper Darren Machon but for the whole island.
The boat had to be beached after it hit something west of Burhou and now has been damaged beyond repair.
Weather permitting, the Lady Maris ran to Guernsey and Cherbourg every week, giving people a chance to do shopping and other things which can’t be done in Alderney.
However, much more importantly, Darren would take the vessel between Alderney and Guernsey when thick fog prevented people from flying.
That was more as an emergency service than a business enterprise and helped a lot of people who found themselves in a tight spot.
Once he brought back a group of school children who had been kept off the island for days by fog.
A friend of mine who had been visiting last year and who at the time lived in the Sudan was fogged in in the island.
The day he was due to fly back to Southampton and start catching the first of six or seven complex connections – Alderney to Sudan is not an easy journey – the fog came down.
As it hung around the airport throughout the morning, his journey back started to look in jeopardy, but knowing there was fog, Darren organised a boat trip to Guernsey, allowing him to catch a flight from there to the UK.
There were only two other people on the boat at the time, making it hardly worth his while to go.
It’s at times like this that the island will miss the Lady Maris and Darren’s generous spirit when it came to putting to sea.
However, he plans to get another boat and run exactly the same service and with any luck it shouldn’t take too long.
THE Wildlife Trust has come up with a novel way of recording the island’s historical and natural heritage.
The Alderney Record Centre has been created between the trust and the Alderney Society and when it is launched at the beginning of next month will provide an interactive database of both natural and cultural history.
The centre will have live access so that people can record where they have spotted a type of butterfly or sea bird.
It will then be possible to look up the data on a website, www.alderneyrecordcentre.org, although this won’t be live until after the launch.
That means that if someone has a particular interest in a species or Ea certain aspect of history, they can check where they are most likely to encounter it.
The trust is launching this new initiative with a weekend of exploration on 1 and 2 March.
There will be geology walks, tree planting, pond dipping and historical walks as well as some evening partying.
CONGRATULATIONS to guitarist Eric Pye, who has been awarded the Ken Wilson Trophy for his significant contribution to the musical life of the community.
Mr Pye received the recognition during a concert given by John Bryne at the Georgian House.
It was presented to him by Roger Pierpoint, the chairman of the Alderney Music Society.
Article posted on 21st February, 2008 - 10.00am
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