Sark School head teacher Sarah Cottle signifying the end of an extended playtime in the snow on Monday. (0714877)

ACCORDING to our resident weatherman Roy Cook, the last appreciable snowfall in Sark fell on New Year’s Eve 1996, so there was little wonder island children made the most of this week’s three-inch fall as it was the first most of them had seen in their home island.

As I am constantly being reminded, Sark is different and on this occasion I tend to agree, but only because, unlike other places in which I have lived, normal life does not come to a standstill whenever the weather forecasters indicate that snow is a possibility.

True, it was a little slippery underfoot when first I ventured out on Monday morning, but only where the occasional tractor’s wheels had compacted the powdery stuff. Apart from that, and the fact that everything looked brighter and cleaner than usual, there was little difference to any other Monday.

People were making their way to the morning boat, virtually everyone greeted others they met – in larger places that tends to happen only when the community is faced with something unusual, like snow – the shops were all open and fully staffed and Sark School managed to muster its customary excellent attendance record, although there were fewer pupils’ bicycles in the bike park.

I passed the school while the pupils were enjoying an extended mid-morning break and there were several massive snowmen under construction – at least one for each of the three classes.

The teachers appeared to be joining in at least as enthusiastically as their charges and head teacher Sara Cottle was ensuring that all the pupils appeared in at least one of the photographs being taken by her husband Rob.

It was a pleasant interlude to my morning walk and one which evoked memories of more than just a few decades ago. That said, my recollections of similar romps of an hour or so in the snow relate more to about five minutes of bliss throwing snowballs at anyone within range and then 55 minutes of misery with freezing hands and feet. Without mentioning any names, I noticed a couple of kindred spirits among Sark School’s pupils.

However, the fact that life goes on pretty much as normal here when there’s a sizeable dollop of snow is not an accident. Several times during my own perambulations I’ve seen Public Works president Dave Melling clearing snow and hoping that the compacted stuff didn’t freeze over and cause havoc for tractors and trailers, not to mention pedestrians.

Meanwhile, the Sark Rumour Machine has been in overdrive and for once what was being put about did not concern our neighbours from Brecqhou, although I have to say that the news that Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay have bought the Woolworth name did cause a few comments, and some of them were funny.

This week’s rumour suggested that Manches Iles do not intend to run the direct service from Jersey this year – a suggestion that was not welcomed by island traders, many of whom are seriously worried about the Sark Shipping decision to hike fares and the effect that will have on visitor numbers.

All the information I have from Jersey indicates that Manches Iles will once again be operating to and from Sark and, given the rate of exchange between the pound and the euro, the prospect of our French cousins spending a nice few quid over here looks encouraging.

As to Sark Shipping, I am not as pessimistic as others and feel that if the trip to Sark is marketed properly – and particularly the family ticket, which, I’m told, works out cheaper than last year’s fares – then with some decent weather (always a bigger factor than cost) this small rock should be able to hold its own. I certainly hope so.

*The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.