Sometimes you have to stand up and be counted

Yesterday I was ‘inspired’ to locate this image. It was taken by a photographer for the Scotsman newspaper, I believe about 1985. As a foolish blowhard I had objected to the construction of more housing in the village of Newburgh, 15 miles North of Aberdeen. Wherein Talpa still lives, it was his post HERE that made me look into my archives; oddly, an Edinburgh based national newspaper made a lot of noise about an obscure environmental issue. .

The building company had offered to renew various bits of infrastructure such as the overcrowded primary school, non-existent library and a few other bits and pieces, in return for planning permission. My principle objection to the increase in population related to the sewage plant which poured untreated sewage from the village and various septic tanks into the River Ythan with only primary treatment. That meant that raw poo was allowed to flow from one settling pool, overflow into a second then it would be pumped down a pipe into the main stream of a tidal river which had been an acclaimed Salmon and Sea Trout fishery. 

The points that Talpa made yesterday were also the additional points I made about the flow of fertiliser run-off into the river, thus affecting the river bed, food sources for the bird population and weed growth. 

There was support for the plan from a group of people, mostly affiliated with the golf club. The club now has an impressive clubhouse, and another 9 holes of golf course. The village has changed little, especially the sewage plant, which now deposits more human waste directly into the river. Fishing was a major relaxation for me and others, it was our time to unwind and be in nature. That therapy takes a bit of a knock when somebody’s body waste bumps into your waders. I hope Talpa can update us on the effects on the sea bird colonies. 

The Yellow Labrador is Boots. I have never known such a dog, she worked hard, loved the river and beach and made me realise that life without a hound is not as rich. Every time I went fishing or shooting she went with me in an ancient Land Rover, head on my arm, making gear changing difficult and later would put her nose in my sandwiches, which made tea breaks fun.