Gillian Burns, Navigation Ofcer
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Serving the Mariner since 1786 Journal Summer 2021 Butt of Lewis Refurbishment | Start Point Anniversary | Cadets | Orkney Lights StoryThree ofArtists a Buoy I Our | NLB Journey Stay atto HomeSustainability Lighthouse I Projects Competition I Spotlight | Maritime on our andStaff Me Journal Contents SUMMER 2021 | ISSUE NUMBER 118 1 Welcome from Mike Bullock 3 Message from the Chair 5-6 Alastair Beveridge 4 Mike Brew, Commissioner 5-9 9 Projects 10-13 Our Journey to Sustainability 14-19 Q&A - Spotlight on our Staf 11 to11 to15 15 8-9 20-21 4 Vessel Replacement Project 14 22-27 Three Artists 28 Museum of Scottish Lighthouses 14 29 30 Shetland’s Merchant Navy Memorial 12-15 30 12-15 22 Light the North 31 30-31 Salvage and Marine Operations 36 Appointments/Leavers/Retirements 20 © If you would like to reproduce any articles or photographs in the Journal, please contact the editor [email protected] or write to: Fiona Holmes, 84 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DA. Disclaimer: Published articles are not Front cover image: Painting of the Bell necessarily the views of the editor or Rock by former Keeper, Ian Longmuir the Northern Lighthouse Board. More than Lighthouses - www.nlb.org.uk In other news, many of you will be aware that NLB has been at the forefront of carbon reduction for more than 20 years. Solar power Welcome has long replaced acetylene gas in the buoy feet and has been progressively introduced across the from Mike fxed Aid to Navigation estate along with ever improving LED technology. But we are now moving into a new Bullock era where everything we do will be driven by the Climate Emergency CHIEF EXECUTIVE and the need for NLB to become Net Zero Carbon and our activities fully sustainable. The procurement of the new vessel, hat was unusual and taste of course! I wonder what replacing diesel vans with electric relatively novel this time historians will make of all this in a vehicles, making different choices Wlast year has now become hundred years’ time when they fick about the way we travel, eliminating entirely normal. Face coverings, through the manuscripts? single use plastics, introducing wind social distancing, virtual meetings, turbines and reducing waste are just lockdowns and travel restrictions The seemingly endless dark and cold some of the initiatives underway. are pretty much business as usual winter months have fnally given At the start of this Financial Year for all of us, with many also very way to very welcome sunshine and the Board of Commissioners set familiar with the good and bad of a little bit of warmth. Even better, as out their ambition to drive towards working from home. Whilst there is I write this, the country is beginning making NLB Net Zero Carbon and all absolutely no doubt that COVID-19 to open up with shops, hospitality of its activities sustainable as soon has been a constant theme and and gyms welcoming visitors once as practicable in our Strategic Goals. concern over the preceding months, again. But as far as working from 84 the record of our successes and George Street is concerned, we will I appreciate that for many of you achievements detailed within this continue our cautious approach and receiving the Journal through the latest Journal illustrates very clearly phase the return in line with Scottish post remains the best format. But if that NLB has adapted remarkably Government guidance. you are able to help us reduce our well. Put simply, the NLB team have impact on the environment, we can got the job done. The few times I have been in the email you a link to the Journal or offce to carry out tasks I can’t do you can download a copy from our Since the frst week of the initial from home have been an absolute website. See page 34 for details. lockdown, I have written a weekly treat. The walk through Edinburgh’s email to all staff members and New Town, the chance to have a At the end of March, Captain Mike Commissioners to help keep them socially distanced chat with a few Brew stepped down as NLB’s Chair informed about the latest NLB news colleagues, a refreshed appreciation after two years in post. I would like and to pass on key messages about of the amazing paintings and to thank him for his great work on our response to the pandemic. artefacts around the building and our behalf. I’d also like to welcome Although we have the six monthly even the simple pleasure of nipping Alastair Beveridge into his new role snapshot provided by the Journal out for a sandwich are all to be as Chair, and to Elaine Wilkinson as and the technical detail contained relished. What is missing, however, Vice Chair. within the minutes of various is the buzz of chance meetings in Boards, Committees and meetings, the corridors or the pleasure of It seems very unlikely any of to my knowledge we haven’t really unexpected visitors, particularly our us will be travelling abroad this had a record of this sort before. It retired community, popping in for a summer so if you are planning a has become almost a diary which chat. staycation please remember that brings together many aspects of NLB there are fabulous lighthouse life. The joyful news of a new baby, For offce based staff, we are themed places to visit. Just have a the sad news of a lost colleague, currently looking at how we look at the ‘Scotland’s Outstanding the triumph of clearing the latest will work in the future beyond Lighthouses’ area of our website for hurdle of approval process to build a the pandemic. This aims to fnd details www.nlb.org.uk/scotlands- new ship, the successful completion the sweet spot between the outstanding-lighthouses/ of Lighthouse refurbishments and fexibility of working from home the commissioning of new ones all and the innovation, cooperation, Whatever you choose to do, I hope feature. comradeship and mental stimulation the weather is kind and the midges of being alongside teammates. are even kinder! As do some of the frankly bizarre topics of conversation at the weekly Afterall, jokes cracked via Zoom virtual coffee break which literally really aren’t the same as being in the have no boundaries, except good same room as the audience! MIKE BULLOCK 1 Northern Lighthouse Board Journal Summer 2021 OUR MISSION: “To deliver, in the most sustainable way practicable, a reliable, efcient and cost-efective Aids to Navigation service for the beneft and safety of all Mariners” COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHERN LIGHTHOUSES (As at 1 April 2021) Captain Alastair Beveridge (Chair) Mike Brew Elected by the Commissioners Nominated by the Lieutenant-Governor of Isle of Man and appointed by the Secretary of State Elaine Wilkinson (Vice Chair) Appointed by Transport Scotland Brian Archibald Elected by the Commissioners Rt Hon James Wolffe QC Lord Advocate Hugh Shaw Elected by the Commissioners Alison Di Rollo QC Solicitor General of Scotland Rob Woodward Appointed by the Department for Transport Sheriff Principal Aisha Anwar Sheriff Principal of Councillor Frank Ross South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway The Rt Hon The Lord Provost of Edinburgh Sheriff Principal Marysia Lewis Councillor Philip Braat Sheriff Principal of Tayside, Central and Fife The Rt Hon The Lord Provost of Glasgow Sheriff Principal Duncan Murray WS Councillor Barney Crockett Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde Lord Provost of Aberdeen Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle Councillor Bill Lobban Sheriff Principal of Convenor of Highland Council Grampian, Highlands and Islands Councillor David Kinniburgh Sheriff Principal Mhairi Stephen QC Provost of the Council of Argyll and Bute Sheriff Principal of Lothian and Borders Sheriff Principal Craig Turnbull Sheriff Principal of Glasgow and Strathkelvin “In Salutem Omnium” For the Safety of All 2 More than Lighthouses - www.nlb.org.uk CHAIR’S MESSAGE Alastair Beveridge hen I joined NLB for the welfare and wellbeing of the I am full of admiration for the frst time as a relatively members of the NLB family. overwhelmingly positive approach Wyoung and ambitious taken by the NLB team in tackling 2nd Mate in the early 1980’s, “Therefore, when an opportunity the undoubted challenges it appeared to me to be a very came up to rejoin NLB as a achieving net zero presents. Look different organisation than the one Commissioner, I grabbed the no further than the formation of we know and recognise today. chance with indecent haste. And the Environmental Working Group I was delighted to fnd that while (see page 10), as an example of While a series of new lights were these core values remain, they do positive and creative thinking. being established on remote so within a modern organisation. islands such as North Rona and An organisation that is proud of Equally, the requirement to replace Sula Sgeir as part of efforts to the current POLE STAR with a but not bound by its heritage and encourage large deep draughted modern, effcient low emissions constantly seeking improvements vessels away from the NW Coast, vessel has been a major challenge there were serious doubts about to the delivery of our essential for the Vessel Replacement Project the future of the three tenders service to the maritime team. But the quality of the fnal in service at the time. These community of Scotland, Isle of Technical Specifcation and were PHAROS VIII, POLE STAR Man and beyond.” General Arrangement serve as III and FINGAL. All were of a convincing “proof of concept”, as certain vintage and would require The requirements of both the project moves forward to the replacement in the not too distant the maritime and the wider procurement stages.