The new Longhope lifeboat, Helen Comrie, arrived in Hoy on Saturday afternoon - after delaying her journey so as not to risk bad luck by sailing home on a Friday - a maritime superstition.

The crew had traveled to Poole to collect the vessel.

The delivery of the new vessel, described as the most technologically-advanced lifeboat ever to be produced by the RNLI, means that the Longhope lifeboat station is the second in Scotland to operate a new all-weather rescue vessel.

For the first time in years, Eday had a pub at the weekend, with the opening of the new Roadside Inn.

Anne Cant, from Lincolnshire, England, bought the property last year, and opened the doors for the first time on Saturday.

The annual wreath laying ceremony to commemorate the men of HMS Royal Oak, which was sunk by a torpedo in Scapa Flow on October 14, 1939, took place on Saturday.

Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks, the Flag Officer for Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland (FOSNNI), accompanied by Commodore Charles Stevenson, the Naval Regional Officer for Scotland and Northern Ireland, sailed on the MV Colonel Templar for the ceremony in Scapa Flow.

There are big changes at Orkney's TA centre on Saturday, with the local infantryman formally re-rolling to become 10 (Orkney) Field Troop Royal Engineers.

The new troop of engineers (known as 'Sappers') will be under the command of 71 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers), which has its headquarters at RAF Leuchars in Fife.

According to a spokesman, the regiment - which has both men and women in its ranks – will offer women, as well as men, the opportunity to “gain new skills, and experience new challenges by serving in the Royal Engineers."

Passengers on the 3pm Loganair flight from Kirkwall to Edinburgh on Friday were evacuated from the aircraft after smoke was seen coming from an engine.

The Loganair SAAB 340 was on the main Kirkwall Airport apron, preparing to take off.

Local octopush and darts teams are now eligible to be included in the annual Orkney Sports Awards.

The door to the awards has been opened following consultation with sportscotland about the status of octopush and darts as recognised sports.

Sportscotland identified both as recognised sporting activities, but ones that don’t have a recognised governing body.

But as darts was recognised as a sport in 2005 and, given the high participation levels in Octopush, both nationally and internationally, it was decided that both should be recognised locally.

Voluntary Action Orkney has launched a new service offering support to volunteers with alcohol issues.

Funding has now become available through DASAT (Drugs Alcohol Smoking Action Team) for a two-year period to support those who wish to take up volunteering as part of their recovery and rehabilitation.

Air passengers are being warned to leave plenty of time to find a parking space at Kirkwall Airport.

Kirkwall airport manager, David Blackman said today: “For the last three weeks we have had a big problem, and we’re warning people to arrive in plenty of time to find a parking space.

The Stromness Lifeboat, Violet, Dorothy & Kathleen, has been taken out of service to have her starboard engine replaced.

Orkney Auction Mart was packed on Thursday morning, for the Orkney Sheep Breeders Association's show and sale of breeding rams.

Overall champion was a Texel shearling shown by Robert Rendall, of Longhouse, Westray, which had taken the Texel championship ahead of a ram lamb from A. & V. Copland of Overhouse, Harray.

Festival director Glenys Hughes, pictured with Flotta terminal manager, Mike Budge, at Wednesday night's award ceremony.

The partnership between the St Magnus Festival and Talisman Energy (UK), the operators of the Flotta oil terminal, has been commended by Arts & Business (A&B) Scotland.

The organisation, dedicated to encouraging new and sustainable arts and business relationships, announced the award at a ceremony in Edinburgh on Wednesday night.

A scheme to develop sustainable tourism in the North Sea region was launched on Thursday at a conference of Northern European tourism experts in Orkney. 

CREST (Creation of Sustainable Tourism Destinations) partners will discuss tourism strategies aimed at supporting communities in the North Sea region, who have experienced economic decline in traditional industries such as farming, fishing and oil. 

Rear Admiral Philip Wilcocks, the Flag Officer for Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland (FOSNNI), arrived in Orkney on Thursday afternoon, aboard the mine hunter HMS Shoreham.

On Saturday, the admiral and commodore participated in a wreath laying ceremony over HMS Royal Oak, which was sunk by a German U-boat in Scapa Flow on October 14, 1939.

A holidaymaker found in charge of a car while over four times the alcohol limit was fined £400 and banned for one year, at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Wednesday.

Christopher John Malczak, 40, of Ashton Under Lyne, Greater Manchester, was found in the car on Ferry Road, Stromness, on Monday.

Defence agent Mr Aly Bruce said his client had gone to the car to sleep and had no intention of driving it.

A works licence for a salmon farm off Fara was granted by councillors - but proposals for a shipment hub in Lyness have seen it was limited to a year's duration.

Members of the OIC's marine development sub-committee granted the licence to Mainstream Scotland Ltd on Wednesday but said they could only offer a 12 month renewal at this stage.

The committee were agreed that they could not grand a longer extension until they learn the likelihood of the potential hub.

Meanwhile, a renewal was granted to Mainstream for their site in Carness Bay, St Ola.

The Conservative candidate for Orkney in next year’s Scottish Parliament elections has been named as 37-year-old Helen Gardiner.

The Hatston ferry terminal is set to benefit from a £400,000 cash injection from HITRANS, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership.

HITRANS agreed the capital funding award at a board meeting last Friday.

The grant will be used for a project to ease congestion at the ferry terminal.It will double the size of the public waiting area and improve the flow of traffic at the existing terminal.

Almost £421,000 worth of grants were approved by Orkney Enterprise last month.

Among those making up the £420,824 total for September was a £240,000 grant to Heriot Watt University for a research partnership programme on marine renewable energy.

Meanwhile, the Eday Heritage Trust received £67,000 for the establishment of a heritage centre while Orkney College received £17,125 to establish a brick workshop. This project is also receiving £12,125 European funding.

SNP MSP Rob Gibson has laughed off claims that his party is about to adopt a policy to destroy Swona and Stroma, as ludicrous.

He stressed that the “scientific musing” on a theoretical maximisation of tidal streams in the Pentland Firth was not acceptable and would not become part of SNP policy.

Mr Gibson said: "Promoting tidal power is one key plank in SNP's renewable energy strategy, but the SNP conference meeting in Perth will not adopt the suggestions in the recently completed SNP energy review chaired by Prof Stephen Salter that would lead to any demolition of islands in the Pentland Firth."

Singer and broadcaster Angus Findlater will be remembered with a street name if Kirkwall Community Council gets its way.

At Monday night’s meeting, chairman Spencer Rosie suggested Findlater Crescent as a possible name for one of the new streets in the area off Wellington Street. Sutherland Park, Phoenix Terrace and Scollie Drive were also suggested for the area.

The development off The Meadows could include Flett Drive, Meadow Park and Meadow Drive.

SNP proposals to destroy the islands of Swona and Stroma go before party members for adoption at their conference this week.

This is according to Liam McArthur, the Lib Dem prospective Scottish parliamentary candidate, who has urged local SNP members to step in and halt the plans.

He said: “When the Energy Review was first published, the idea of blowing up Swona and Stroma was so far fetched that it did not seem likely to get beyond the wild gleam in their energy spokesman’s eye.

“The SNP’s London-based leader may well believe that Scotland is 'not short of lonely islands', but Alex Salmond’s Orwellian vision surely cannot be shared by his party colleagues in Orkney”.

Archive story: SNP propose destruction of islands
to increase Pentland Firth tidal potential

Orkney Ferries is to clamp down on people who don’t turn up for sailings.

From November 1, anyone who books a vehicle on a ferry and then does not turn up, or cancels at short notice, will be charged for the fare.

A spokesman said: “Over the last year we have been experiencing increasing problems of customers making bookings and then simply not turning-up, without giving the appropriate notice of cancellation.

NorthLink has reopened its left luggage facility in its Aberdeen terminal.

The service was withdrawn on the advice of Department for Transport security specialists. The new facility meets the latest security requirements.

Two incidents on Friday have prompted the Coastguard to issue a reminder on contacting the correct service in the event of an emergency.

The creel boat fire on Hoy was reported to SEPA, who informed the OIC Harbours Dept, who then had to contact the Coastguard before anything could be done.

Regarding the dog incident, the call went to the Fire Service before being routed through Inverness to Aberdeen and eventually passed to the Shetland Coastguard.

The OIC's kerbside recycling collections are continuing as normal, even though the listed collection dates on the leaflets have come to an end.

The collections are continuing on a fortnightly basis - if anyone is in doubt just have a look at the last date on your leaflet and the next collection will be a fortnightly thereafter.

Anyone with queries can contact OIC customer services on 873535.

A Kirkwall business is one of six finalists for the prestigious Restaurant Wine Supplier of the Year award.

The Longship, in Broad Street, will find out later this month if it has been successful, but according to Duncan McLean, they were delighted just to make it to the final stages.

He said: “Whether we win or not it has been great just to get to the final.