Bullet holed boat found off Muck set to be another unfinished news story

While I have to be fair, and note that some stories seen in the news will never have a conclusion, it’s still unfortunate that many of them are never seen again or followed up.

One such story provides an example which I doubt will ever be heard of again, even if an answer is found, as the folk who though the original story will have forgotten all about by the time it is solved.

Last month, there was a story which was almost headline-grabbing, as it announced the discovery of a bullet-riddled boat somewhere off the island of Muck – the discovery was actually made back on July 3.

The RNLI said that the crew of the Tobermory has found the upturned 14-foot dinghy, and that it appeared to have bullet holes in it, and that an attached sticker indicated it was  a US Coastguard-certified boat.

In a statement, the MCA said: “It appears that the dinghy has a US Coastguard sticker on it and the level of marine growth suggests that it has been in the water for some time.

Via Owner sought for Muck’s ‘US boat with bullet holes’

I’m not complaining.

Rather, I’m seeking to make the point that it would nice if reporters were obliged to follow up all such stories, and find out if they were resolved in a reasonable time, or were closed out, and would never be heard of.

I read a lot of news articles, and over time, find it disappointing that I never learn of the outcome of most of them, even if they are vaguely intriguing, as in this case.

I could, and do, follow some of them up, but even with the capabilities of the various web search tools now available, all I usually come up with is confirmation that the most recent story on the subject is the original one, and nothing appears later, as a follow-up or answer.

Life on Muck – almost a modern electrical fable

It was fascinating to read the reality of life on the tiny island of Muck, which has just moved into the world of 24-hour mains electricity supply.

Previously, the islanders (numbering 38 at the time of writing) were limited to a schedule, determined by the fuel supply of the island’s diesel generators which first provided electricity in 1970, but could only provide power for 14 hours a day, from 11 am to 5 pm, and 11:30 pm to 7 :30 am. The population has fallen over the years, having peaked around 300 at the start of the 20th century.

This meant using candles or tilley lamps similar for lighting, missing the end of films, and problems with food stored in fridges and refrigerators, with the island’s tearoom having to organise things to make sure provisions were safely stored. The island’s generator was only rated at 10 kW, which meant that users had to arrange schedules for using appliances such as washing machines that drew large amounts of power when operating.

There’s a fair few outright lies being circulated by supporters of Donald Trump, posting comments after articles critical of the Dump to the effect that wind power doesn’t work, but Muck is benefiting from developments in this area (albeit I am not suggesting the island has suddenly grown a giant wind farm), and its new supply is built around a new installation combining six 5 kW wind turbines with a 30 kW solar panel installation.

Muck joins Eigg, where residents now get more than 90% of their electricity from hydro, solar and wind schemes, and micro hydro-electric schemes, wind turbines and photo-voltaic cells saw the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust named overall UK winner in the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy for 2011.

The new supply was made possible when Muck Community Enterprise Company received a grant of £978,840 last year,  to help introduce the system of wind turbines and solar panels.

The lack of a continuous electricity supply limited the opportunities for business and growth on the island, but the new supply is hoped to improve this, so the tearoom, hotel, and two B&Bs on the island should benefit from increased numbers of visitors who can also be better catered for.

Tea Room area – © Dr Julian Paren via geograph

The selected pic actually shows the parking area for the Tea Room, which is not  actually visible, and lies just off to the left in this view. It’s worth noting that there are no cars on Muck, and visitors get around on bicycles, or by tractor. (Our thanks to the photographer.)

I have to admit to being a little intrigued by the mix of renewables as used on Muck: 5 kW of wind plus 30 kW of solar. Considering the usual image of weather conjured up by thoughts of Scottish islands, and having been on one or two myself, I’d have thought the lion’s share would have gone to wind, with solar acting as the backup.

It will be interesting to see if there is a later story, reporting a change, or if this initial division proves to have been correct.

See Muck switches to 24-hour power supply for first time

And Muck celebrates as it gets electricity 24 hours a day for first time | Highlands & Islands | News | STV

Also Muck gets 24hr electricity supply for first time – Heritage – Scotsman.com