A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor?

matnoo

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My girlfriend is from orkney. She hasnt been for years, and the way things are going for her, with being away from home, leaving uni and most of her friends she is in great need of seeing the place again, but hasnt the time or the money to go again for a while. She is having a very difficult time but has been managing brilliantly, as always.

A couple of weeks ago her cousin died off the Orkney coast, he was the man who was lost at sea, who still hasnt been found.

I think this has made her feel even more detached from the place, and very sad. I would very much like (and would be willing to pay!) for someone to send me about a pint of orkney sand and a group of say, 10 stones, from about the size of a grape up to the size of a small apple. If they could be collected as near as possible to 'Hoy Sound between the west light on Graemsay and Ness' which is where the RNLI report said her cousin went missing it would be perfect. But then again, simply *anything* from orkney would have a very soothing effect on her.


Please, if anyone could do this I would obviously cover all costs of you getting to the beach or anything that you need, postage and promise to return the stones with my girlfriend at the first possible opportunity.

I would ask her family, but I dont actually know any of the Orkney side (as theyre in Orkney and have never met them), and obviously could only get their details through her. Which would spoil the surprise. Her name is Lorna she is 20.

Please, any help from you or anyone you know living near a beach in Orkney would be very much appreciated.

either contact me through this site, im a regular, or:
07812 989 091
matnoo @ hotmail.com
m @ novacrylics.co.uk
Warwickshire, England


Also, does anyone have any advice on how to help her not to worry when Im at sea now her cousins died? She gets rather upset at the thought of me sailing, I was the same age as him.

/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Mat
 

KenMcCulloch

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Re: A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor

Dear Mat
I am sorry to hear about your girlfriend's cousin. With regard to her fears about you going to sea I would say tell her from me that it's much safer than mountaineering. I would also say that the more experience you get, especially sailing on different boats with different people, the more you will learn and the safer you will be.
I worked as a volunteer member of staff in sail training for many years and learned more some weeks than you could learn in a whole season just sailing your own boat.

Good luck with the sand and stones, nice idea.
Ken
 

matnoo

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Re: A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor

Cheers.

I thought about making her my weather watch person and point of contact. Like with climbing, I usually had someone at home watching the weather for me who I could ring every day or so for a detailed personal overview. Might help her see that I only go out in nice (safe?!?) weather. Also Id use her for a 'if i dont call you by this time call the coast guard with this information'

Dont know whether keeping her fully informed would help her see how safe I am because of the preperations I make or whether itd freak her out thinking that its so dangerous that I have to make those kind of preperations! As at the moment she doesnt know thats what I do!

hmm.
 

MoodySabre

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Re: A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor

I think that she should be re-assured that you are taking it all seriously and not just out there on a wing and a prayer. If she doesn't realise that you are prepared and aware of safety issues then perhaps she thinks that you are not.

Sorry I can't help with the request - lovely idea in such sad circumstances.
 

eberdave

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Re: A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor

hi mat i`m off to scapa flow in august and would love to help with your reqest on some sand and stones
 

tome

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Mat

Saw your post earlier and checked on whether we had any surveys in the area - sadly not at the moment else one of our crew would have surely run ashore to gather the stones and sand for you

Lovely idea and good luck with this

Cheers
Tom
 

matnoo

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Re: A request to anyone on Orkney. Maybe friends of the missing sailor

That would be great if you could help, Ill keep looking in the mean time. Ive had a few responses but none yet confirmed, so I may well still be looking in August. I shall keep you informed to whether I get some sent earlier or not.

Thankyou again.

Mat
 

Rowana

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You could try the Stromness Marina. They may know of someone who would be willing to help.

We were on holiday in Orkney a few years ago, and it's a lovely, lovely place. I'm going to sail Rowana up there sometime, but not this year I'm afraid, otherwise I would definately have done this wee request for you.

Here's the link to the Stromness Marina website -

http://www.orkneymarinas.co.uk/stromness.html

Sorry I can't be more help, but I hope you are successful in your quest.

Jim
 

CraigB

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Hi, I'm in Stromness at the moment. I've heard talk in the pub of the young man missing, obviously very sad. A memorial was held last weekend. Anyway, I'll email you at your hotmail address regarding your request. Cheers, Craig.
 
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