A look back at events of 2004

September

• A heroic effort by the Longhope lifeboat crew was praised by a yachtsman who was rescued during some of the worst weather conditions seen in the last ten years.
  In dangerous sea conditions east of Hunda Sound, the 11-metre yacht was being driven into Orkney's coastline by hurricane-force winds. The lifeboat was launched into winds of 86mph, in what was described as one of their most dangerous operations in years.
  
  One of the three crew rescued from the Dasher, Daniel Wilkinson, 30, described how the first anchor broke, and despite full engine power, they were literally being blown backwards.
  
  He said: "We were being driven on to the lee shore so we called out a lifeboat. They responded brilliantly and were very professional."
• It was announced in September that Scottish Ambulance Service cover for Orkney would change in 2006 regardless of who wins the contract.
  
  The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that proposals from Gama Aviation will be the preferred option in the tender submissions for the provision of air ambulance services in two years' time. Gama, which has bases at Aberdeen airport, Plymouth, Farnborough, Heathrow, and Luton, proposed to use two helicopters and two new fixed wing aircraft.
• Orkney was the only area in Scotland to ask to be considered for ring-fencing of farm entitlements. The NFUS national vice-president, Bob Howat, told an audience of almost 50 that Orkney farmers had to make sure that ring-fencing was what they wanted. He insisted that it would not operate like a quota, where they had to produce, in order to qualify for the money.
  The rural development minister, Ross Finnie, had promised that, if an overwhelming number of Orkney farmers wanted a ring-fence, they would get one.
• On the sporting front, Orkney track star Neil Gray grabbed a gold medal in the 400 metres final of the Scottish National Age Group championships in Glasgow.
  
  Neil's medal winning performance capped two days of excellent efforts from the travelling Orkney team. Neil competed in the under-20 competition where he controlled his heat, coming home first in a time of 52.18 seconds.
• The 85-year-old owner of Balfour Castle on Shapinsay said she was prepared to go to jail if NHS Orkney didn't provide full-time medical care for the island.
  
  Catherine Zawadski was refusing to pay a council tax bill until the OIC put pressure on the health board because she believes that "We are entitled to it and we paid for it."
  
  Mrs Zawadski's stance also came at a time when Shapinsay councillor Jim Sinclair branded NHS Orkney's recent consultation exercise as a "farce".
  It was announced that second home owners could face an increased council tax bill for an additional property.
• There are about 700 second home owners throughout Orkney, which are only liable for half the level of council tax - if the OIC reduced the discount to ten per cent, it would raise £190,000 additional revenue, councillors at this week's policy and resources committee meeting heard.
• The fifth Orkney Blues Festival also took place in September with top acts from around the world coming to entertain.
  
  The standard of musicianship was excellent and the 2004 festival proved to be the most successful so far. Kent DuChaine, the Allan Nimmo Band and the Spikedrivers were the pick of the bunch at this year's event.