Publishing and editing the Coll Magazine has proved one of the most e4njoyable enterprises I’ve ever tackled. As a result, I’ve learned a great deal about the island and made contact with a variety of people who share my enthusiasm for it. And I think I’ve confounded those Jeremiahs who, when I launched the idea six years ago, said there was nothing to put in it and nobody would buy it! In fact, sales have averaged well over a thousand copies per year and we’ve by no means exhausted all there is to write about Coll.

Nevertheless, I have decided to take a rest from the magazine because I have a lot of other commitments in the near future. Producing a publication of this standard requires a considerable amount of time and effort, plus a small outlay of capital (most of it recoverable eventually!) and a continuing flow of ideas. I have actually run out of only one of these commodities – the first.

Before bowing out of the editor’s chair I’m tempted to conclude with an honours list of all who’ve helped to make the magazine such a success, so far, but will settle for a special vote of thanks to the following: Mairi Hedderwick for lively illustration, layout and patient printing liaison (the printers were the patient ones, she says); Florence Russel for her Sterling efforts in the advertising sphere; Betty MacDougall, Hugh MacKinnon, Wendy McKechnie, and Bill MacKay who have made interesting and entertaining contributions to practically every issue; our vocal ‘salesmen’ on the MacBrayne’s steamers; our faithful band of regular advertisers; and by no means least, to numerous people who not only subscribed to the magazine but sent extra monetary donations to help keep us afloat.

Mairi will skipper the boat for ‘88/’89. Although travelling continuously through the Hebrides this summer, she will still be contactable through Inverness until her return in September.