Nonagenarian Felicity the bedrock of new book

NOT that long ago I reviewed Susan Synnott's admirably comprehensive book on Sark's wildflowers and am delighted that my enthusiasm for it – and particularly the colour coding of plants – has been shared by the family and friends to whom I have lent it.

Now, thanks to nonagenarian Felicity Belfield I will be able to despatch grandchildren (and their parents also) another publication that will no doubt enhance their knowledge and love of Sark.

Sark Rocks is Mrs Belfield's first book and while she boasts no formal scientific qualifications, the publication is an easy to read account – with lots of equally easy-to-understand pictures – of what she describes as the 'remarkably rich variety of rock types' in one small island.

The book's foreword has been written by Sir Barry Cunliffe, former professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford, who has been carrying out archaeological digs in Sark since 2004.

He writes: 'Felicity's beautiful book not only introduces us to the wonders of Sark's geology, it helps us approach the various stones as items of fascination and great beauty. In doing so it helps us understand the reverence our prehistoric ancestors felt for the remarkable rocks of their island.'

If I might add, this interesting and very informative book is yet another string to the island's tourism bow and may well encourage the day visitors who buy it to return for longer stays.

It is also appropriate that I write about Sark Rocks this week because of the weekend's mini Starfest coming up and the fact it was Mrs Belfield's idea that led to the First Dark Skies Island designation.

*

With that I move seamlessly, or so it feels, from someone in her 90s who is still actively encouraging people to take an interest in the very different things Sark has to offer to something which does precious little to enhance Sark's image as a welcoming tourist island.

During the winter months, Sark Shipping set aside several Saturdays for shopping trips, with a boat leaving Sark at 9am and returning at 3.45pm. The afternoon return is also handy for residents returning from holiday and visitors coming to the island for a few days.

Last Saturday I understand that the afternoon boat had about 60 or more passengers – the one I was meeting described it as fairly full – which means at least two and possibly three (given the shopping bags which travellers return with) fairly full toast rack trips up Harbour Hill.

The trouble is that, as I am given to understand, only one of the toast racks was allowed to operate last Saturday because the other has a 'tourist season only' contract with the Road Traffic Committee that prohibits it being used on a very fine Saturday in March when the incoming boat is 'fairly full'.

I didn't hang around to establish how many runs the single driver did, but it was at least one too many. It is this nonsensical adherence to jobsworth mentality pettiness that can destroy in a rain-sodden, wind-blown 20-minute wait on a harbour without shelter whatever those at the commercial end of the tourism stick have been trying to achieve for years.

Why on earth any Chief Pleas committee is involved to this sort of degree is itself extraordinary.

Governments and business don't mix and one can only imagine the reaction if the Tourism Committee decreed that hotels could use only half of their facilities in the winter – no matter what the demand.

*

The road maker/mender is back in Sark, with everyone hoping that whatever is done to roads given the treatment lasts longer than the first half-hour of heavy rain.

The road near my home has finally been done.

I am not holding my breath that it's going to be anything more than a mudbath come a heavy dew.

Far better, surely, to sort out the drainage first. But there again, I'm not the expert.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.