A peerie wird fae da editor

In Shetland, spring is the time for a large community spring clean – Da Voar Redd Up.   Thousands of volunteers equipped with gloves and rubbish bags gather up bruck from the coastline, beaches and countryside; much of the rubbish has been deposited by winter storms.    As well as being a wonderful way of caring for the environment it also gives Shetland a spruce up prior to the influx of summer visitors.   The Redd Up, organized by the Shetland Amenity Trust, has taken place for the last 18 years, for the last 5 years it has been sponsored by Sullom Voe Oil Terminal.    During the Redd Up’s lifetime 1000 tonnes of rubbish has been collected!   This year had the largest number of participants yet with 3500 volunteers involved.  This annual spring clean is the largest of its kind in the UK and The Shetland Times (25/3/05) reported that the event was recently nominated by the United Nations as “best practice to improve the living environment”!

With petrol prices going up and up, continuing unrest in the Middle East and Hurricane Katrina creating havoc with rigs and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil industry is much in the news!   This newsletter has an oil focus too, as we feature the development of the Sullom Voe oil terminal and the role played by a New Zealand ferry.   We also note a potential new industry which may emerge from decommissioning North Sea oil fields.    

Back in July as NZ bid farewell to the British & Irish Lions rugby team and supporters, Shetland was welcoming an influx of competitors, supporters and media for the Inter-Island games.   This was a large international event for Shetland to host, so although this is ‘old’ news, a report has been included.

We meet another member of the Management Committee, hear about Society events and catch up on Society news.

Mary Wood

Sullom Voe & Oil

Sullom Voe is located on the eastern side of the northern mainland of Shetland.   It is Shetland’s longest voe and is partly sheltered by the island of Yell.   The name Sullom derives from the Norse ‘Sol heimr’- a place in the sun.

The oil industry’s first contact with Shetland came in the mid 1960’s when oil companies made Shetland an advance base for North Sea oil exploration.   Substantial discoveries in the early 1970’s made it clear that pipelines would be needed to a land-based storage and shipping facilities.   Shetland was the nearest suitable spot.  

The Zetland County Council (now called the Shetland Islands Council) anticipated this development and was determined to protect Shetland; the environment, people and culture, from negative impacts of the oil industry.  It decided that all onshore development should be concentrated in one area.   The area of Calback Ness and surrounding land on the shores of Sullom Voe were identified as a suitable location.   Apart from activity during WW2 the area had experienced gradual depopulation over several decades and also it was of little interest to environmentalists. 

 The Zetland County Council Act, 1974, passed by the UK Government, gave the Council the power to buy the land, invest in commercial undertakings and act as Port Authority at Sullom Voe.  And so a unique co-operation developed between international oil companies and a local authority.

Constructing what was to become Europe’s largest oil and liquefied gas terminal was a massive project which involved thousands of workers.  Over 7,200 were on the pay roll at the peak of the construction, about 800 of these were local Shetlanders and the rest came from other parts of the UK.  Accommodation camps were built at Firth and Toft and additional accommodation was provided in two ships.

Installations at the terminal included roads, storage tanks, pipelines, flare stacks, a power station, fire station, control centres and so on.   Port facilities were built to accommodate supertankers, gas tankers, tugs, pilot boats and administration.  Sullom Voe is the largest port in Shetland.  The remains of the old WW2 airbase were upgraded and modernized to create Scatsta Airport which is located 3 miles from the terminal.   All and all it was a huge undertaking.

Constructing a project the size of the Sullom Voe terminal would be demanding anywhere but Shetland’s weather, remote location and terrain provided extra challenges.   For example “some 12 million cubic metres of peat and glacial moraine had to be removed to expose suitable foundations for the terminal’s heavy plant and access roads.   In places the peat was eight metres thick”!   

Today, oil supplies from the North Sea fields are starting to wane.   Some of the large early fields are being decommissioned, however, smaller newer fields continue to supply the terminal.   New technology means that oil fields in the North Atlantic are becoming viable.   In April 1997 production started from the Foinaven Field in an area known as the Atlantic Frontier, 120 miles west of Shetland.    Encouraging exploration continues to  the north and west of Shetland.   The Shetland Times (9/9/05) reported “A record 152 oil and gas production licences are on offer to 99 companies under the 23^rd oil and gas licensing round.   This is the highest number since licensing began in 1964, and indicates a vote of confidence in the future of oil and gas exploration in the UK.”   It seems likely that Sullom Voe terminal will be busy for many years yet!

Information gained from a publicity booklet published by Sullom Voe Terminal.

The Rangatira

 A proud vessel that has served both NZ and Shetland

New Zealand 1972-1976

The Rangatira was ordered by the Union Steam Ship Company to replace the Wahine which sunk inside the entrance to Wellington Harbour on April 10 1968.   She was launched at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on June 23 1971 and arrived in Wellington on March 18 1972; commencing service ten days later.   The original complement of the Rangatira was 768 single class passengers, 123 crew and 200 vehicles.

The Rangatira only served on the interisland route for four years making substantial losses.   Roll on roll off Picton rail ferries, which commenced in 1965, provided stiff competition.    Air travel had also become popular.

In July 1974 the government took over the running of the Rangatira for the next 26 months and carried the losses of around $15 million.   The vessel completed 2,096 crossings between Lyttleton and Wellington, carried 832,260 passengers and 139,656 vehicles before being withdrawn from service on September 15 1976.   The ship then returned to England.

Working for the oil industry: Scotland and Shetland 1976-1981

After a refit at Falmouth, the Rangatira commenced a career as an accommodation vessel.   Her first assignment was an 18 month charter at the oil production platform construction site on Loch Kishorn, Scotland.

With this charter completed the vessel then commenced a four year charter as an accommodation vessel at Sullom Voe the site of the large new oil terminal being constructed in Shetland.   Here the Rangatira was joined by another accommodation vessel, the Stena Baltica, between them they provided accommodation for 700 men.   The interior of the Rangatira was extensively altered to provide a high standard of comfort, all cabins being converted to single berths.   Additional TV rooms, snooker, table tennis facilities and a gymnasium were constructed on the old upper vehicle deck.  This refit took place on the Clyde.   The Rangatira docked at Sullom Voe on October 2 1978. 

 The vessel hosted Royalty while in Shetland.   The Queen officially opened the oil terminal at Sullom Voe on May 9 1981 and the Royal party dined aboard ship despite a bomb threat by the I.R.A.   

The Rangatira became part of the scenery at the oil terminal  but the charter was completed early and she arrived back in Falmouth in July 1981.

The Falklands war 1982-1983

The Rangatira’s role as an accommodation vessel was to continue.  She was inspected by the British Ministry of Defence and chartered to provide floating barracks during the Falklands conflict.    This time alterations were carried out at the Devonport Base near Plymouth.    She was fitted with four guns on her upper deck and a helicopter landing pad.  They increased the accommodation to 1200 bunks, built four mess decks, a lecture hall and on the lower car deck there were 14 frozen containers with provisions for six months.

The Rangatira arrived in Port Stanley on July 11 1982 and remained there for over a year, providing food and accommodation for the troops.   The vessel left the Falklands on September 26 1983 and the defence equipment was subsequently removed at Devonport.

The Rangatira’s role as an accommodation vessel was over.

A ferry again 1986-1995

After a refit in Belfast the vessel was laid up at Falmouth for 31 months before finding a Greek owner.   She was renamed the Queen M by the Marlines Ferries and placed on service for three years in the Adriatic and Aegean Seas.

In 1990 the vessel was sold to the Rodriquez group from Sicily, renamed the Carlos R and began carrying passengers between Italian resorts.   In 1994 a Greek firm chartered her for service between Italy and Turkey.   

Her declining years 1995-2005

During 1995 the Rodriquez group was in financial difficulties and subsequently the vessel was put up for sale.   She was laid up in Naples for 5 years under arrest because of the owner’s bankruptcy. 

In November 2001 she was finally sold to the Oberon Cruise Line, of Cyprus and acquired yet another name Alexander the Great.   Ferry duties continued, but financial concerns saw her again under arrest, this time at the Adriatic port of Bijela where she was towed in 2001.  

However, the career of the Rangatira came to an end when she was sold for scrap.   Late last year she was sold to a Turkish shipbreakers to be broken up in Aliaga, Turkey.   Whilst being towed to Aliaga she was sold again (with a handsome profit to the Turks) to Indian shipbreakers.    The Rangatira was finally broken up in Aliaga earlier this year. 

This article was adapted from an item in the May Newsletter of the Hawke’s Bay Shetland Society.  Thanks for the inspiration Hawke’s Bay!  And thanks to Trevor Fulton who also provided further information.   Content was originally sourced from NZ Maritime Record www.nzmaritime.co.nz

News fae Shetland

New possibilities from old rigs

“Shetland could be in the grip of another oil industry boom as the need to decommission ageing rigs increases”.   So said The Shetland Times  (21/1/05) as it reported that The Shetland Decommissioning Co. had won a contract to dismantle part of the Frigg field installations.   The work will commence at the end of 2005 and end by 2008.   Around 20,000 tonnes of steel is expected to be dismantled at Lerwick.   If this contract goes well there are possibilities for much more.   It is estimated that about 560 North Sea oil fields could be decommissioned by 2030!

Trials for innovator’s invention

As the world searches for sources for renewable energy, Shetland hopes to be at the fore-front of innovation with a machine designed to harness tidal power to create electricity.   Shetland born inventor George Leslie is soon to witness trials for his machine which is being built at the Malakoff in Lerwick.  The experiment is being partly backed by both the Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Enterprises, where Mr Leslie has lived for many years.   If the Leslie Pump proves to have the potential that its inventor hopes it will have, then Shetland & Orkney will again be at the centre of resourcing energy for the world.

Inter-island Games

11-16 July

The first inter-island games started in the Isle of Man in 1985 with members from 15 island communities participating; now there are 24 islands involved.    The concept underpinning these events is to bring together a number of small islands from different parts of the world in friendly competition.

So far Shetland is the smallest island community to host the games.    It involved a considerable amount of organization and planning but as we know, with the Up-Helly-Aa festivities, Shetlanders have a wealth of skill and experience in successfully staging events!

About 2,000 athletes from 24 island communities competing in 15 sports accompanied by hundreds of supporters and officials descended on Shetland.   Competitors from the Falkland Islands travelled the greatest distance to compete, but the team from the British overseas territory of St Helena found travelling the most challenging and had to leave in mid June to ensure they arrived in Shetland for the start of the games on the 11^th July!

Two cruise ships acted as floating hotels and a flotilla of around 47 motor cruisers from Faroe arrived.

With major sporting competitions it’s not just the sports activities that make the event but social activities too – another area where Shetland excels.   As well as the usual hospitality venues, the Victoria Pier in Lerwick was turned into an ‘entertainment extravaganza’ with a 20 square metre screen for live viewing of sports throughout the week, plenty of music and stalls selling Shetland arts, crafts and food.

The games were a big event for Shetland and with international media present, a chance to showcase Shetland as well as the sporting activities.  Although the weather wasn’t the best some days, it didn’t detract from the success of the event which was described as being a ‘momentous week’.   The Games Director, Gary Jakeman had this to say.    It’s been a great week of sport and competition, 24 islands from all over the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Baltic, have come here to Shetland to compete in the Island Games and I think they have been mightily  surprised at what has been achieved.   The population of Shetland has now seen what these Island Games are about and I think we will see a big increase in the participation in sports following the games.   But it goes further than that, it is the fact that a small island community like this can deliver a major international sporting event that will stay with people all their lives.   So whatever comes along in the future, they are ready for the challenge.

By the way, Shetland won 10 gold, 14 silver and 21 bronze medals.   Well done Shetland!

Meetin wir Members

Introducing Margaret Jenkins

Hello

My name is Margaret Jenkins (nee Manson) I have been on the Committee for more years than I care to remember and have been a member of the Society since I was 15 years old.  Prior to that I have many happy memories of attending functions over the years.  I am the only daughter of Frank and Betty Manson and had a brother Russell (new deceased).   I have three children, Irene, Bruce and Phillip.

My father was a son of Henry and Jessie Manson of Uphouse, Bressay, and he worked his passage to NZ in 1928.   This seems to be the way several mariners arrived here, by signing on for a single trip and paying off on arrival.   After working on building sites for a while, he saved enough to send for his betrothed to follow him out.   My mother was a daughter of James Russell Anderson and Robina Nicholson.   James was a grocer in Lerwick and when he died the business was taken over by Mum’s sister Chrissie and her brother Jimmy and eventually sold when they retired.   Mum left home (Lerwick) the day after the Napier earthquake and travelled on the NZ Shipping Co’s Rangitane.   They were married in March 1931 at St John’s Church in Willis Street, Wellington and lived in Brooklyn where myself and Russell was born.   They then moved to Miramar in 1939 where they lived until their deaths, Betty in 1973 and Frank in 1980.

After working on several coastal ships, Dad worked on the wharves (as did many Shetlanders at that time) until 1944 when he had an accident on the wharf.  He then went on to do many storemans jobs around Miramar.

I have visited Shetland twice, once in 1979, then again in 1982 for Up Helly Aa.   It was great to meet up with family and be taken everywhere by Uncle Bobby (Dad’s youngest brother, who had just retired from Town Clerk for the Shetland Islands Council).   Of course the main event at that time was the oil installation being built at Sullom Voe and not quite completed in 1979.   It was great to see the Lyttleton Ferry that was the Rangatira which was used as a hostel and entertainment area for the workers at Sullom.

I have really enjoyed the time I have spent on the Committee and being involved in so many varied activities over the years.

Society News

New Members

Welcome to new member, Mary-Anne Thomason from Takapau in Central Hawkes Bay.   Mary-Anne and her partner James have recently returned from their first (and hopefully not their last) trip to Shetland where Mary-Anne caught up with relatives who live on Fetlar.   As always, the hospitality was heart warming and Mary-Anne was amazed at the family resemblances even though three generations apart.   Even though we don’t expect to see Mary-Anne and James in Wellington very often, we look forward to stopping by at Kintail Honey the next time we make the trip to Hastings for the Blossom Festival (if not before).

Get Well Wishes

Our best wishes go to Bella Coutts and Marjory Priest who are both in Wellington Hospital, both in the same cubicle in the same ward!   We hope that it will not be too long before they both able to be back home.

Obituaries

Former Committee member Eunice Hill has also been in the UK recently, but her time away has been saddened by the death of her sister Marjorie in Dunedin whilst she was still away.   Part of the extended Inkster-Pottinger families, so well known in the early Island Bay fishing communities, a memorial service for Marjorie was held on Saturday 22 October so that her ashes could be placed with her mother’s as she wished.   Our deepest condolences go to Eunice, her sisters and all the members of their large extended family.

We were also saddened to hear of the death of Bill MacRae of Waikanae, who for many years acted as Honorary Auditor for our Society.   Always a very active member of the Association of Scots Societies in Wellington, Bill will be long remembered for his services and contribution to the Scots Ball and activities of the Association over many year.

Functions

Foy

Saturday 30 July

There were lots of surprises in store for those who came to our Foy at the end of July.   First we were delighted with the number of members, their children and grandchildren who tackled the wide variety of crafts carefully prepared for them by Ruth and Ross Mainland and Margaret and Russell Pitt.   The quality of the artwork as young and old designed, constructed and painted Viking shields, helmets and axes demonstrates that creativity and talent is alive and well in our members.   There was also plenty of enthusiasm for the dancing and a surprise in store as Margaret and Russell guided us through the Burra Reel.

Then there was the surprise winner of the entertaining “Harry Potter goes to Shetland” quiz.   We could have anticipated that Gibby Inkster would answer all the Shetland questions correctly but it was a big surprise to find that he was a Harry Potter fan as well!

Congratulations to the Rumbal team, expertly guided through Harry Potter questions by Daniel, who came a close second.

Pot luck teas always provide yummy surprises and the evening was rounded off with music and a surprise as a young Viking squad spontaneously paraded around the hall as we all sang the Up Helly Aa song.

All in all, a most enjoyable and surprising evening!

Annual General Meeting

Thursday 8 September, 2005

Annual General Meetings are not renowned for being entertaining and we know that people will often stay away fearful of being elected on the committee, or bored, or both!

The 30 or so members who braved the call to our AGM were greeted with a glass of bubbly (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic), a buffet of tempting gourmet food and the tinkle of a pianola in the background.   Add in the intriguing display of old movie memorabilia that provides a truly authentic atmosphere at the Time Cinema in Lyall Bay and boredom certainly wasn’t on the agenda!   President Jim promised a quick meeting and the business end was completed in just over half and hour, with subscriptions continuing at the same level and nobody being unexpectedly elected onto the committee.

Then it was movie time!   The evening began with a very short video clip of a Japanese current affairs item featuring Up Helly Aa.   The lack of video quality was certainly compensated for by the hugely expressive presentation, which resulted in tears of laughter rolling down most of our faces.   We then were treated to a rather dated 1970’s tour of Scottish distilleries and the countryside, which threatened to make an after-dinner nap rather tempting.   However, before that could happen the main feature of Whiskey Galore was rolled out.   Although more dated than the distillery tour, the sparkling dialogue and delightful humour soon had us all chuckling again.   Quality, timeless and beautifully photographed – a real classic gem as well as being exceedingly funny!   We came out of the theatre to find all the cleaning up (and washing up) done, a definite bonus for the night!

The following morning we received an email which we think sums up how the night went:  “I just want to say a special thank-you for such an enjoyable evening last night.   It

would certainly be the best Annual Meeting function (of any annual meeting) I have ever attended and the idea of holding it at the Time Cinema was a genius.”

Election of officers and Management Committee

Patron                 John Smith

President             Jim Coutts

Vice-President     Barbara Baker

Secretary             Margaret Jenkins

Treasurer             Rose Coutts

Committee: Gideon Anderson, Andrew Clark, Pat Dixon, Jane Dowson, Ross & Ruth Mainland, Margaret Pitt and Marie Warner.   Mary Christie as Immediate Past President also serves on the Management Committee.

Hon Solicitor       Ian Laurenson

Hon Auditor        Marc Warner

Diary Dates

Sunday 20 November 2005

Wellington Christmas Parade

Calling all Vikings, supporters and members!  See the enclosed notice.

Saturday 26 November 2005

Christmas Dinner

Once again at the Scots Hall, you will need to register your choice of main course with Mary Christie.   See the enclosed notice.

Sunday 4 December 2005

Children’s Christmas party

If you have a child or grandchild who would like to join us for our Christmas party, please make sure they are enrolled on Father Christmas’ gift list.   Again see enclosed notice.

Sunday 12 February 2006

Picnic

Saturday 20 May 2006

Viking Ball

Another trip planned

We are delighted to confirm that we are to host another tour from Shetland to NZ.   This group includes some Orcadians as well as Shetlanders and once again will be led by Maurice Mullay and Alex Johnson.

Some of the folk are making a return trip so we are looking forward to renewing friendships and making new ones.   This is a great opportunity to further strengthen bonds between NZ and Shetland.