Paul Rooney visits Barra and Vatersay

Dr Paul Rooney is an internationally esteemed environmental scientist whose central focus is sand dunes. He calls himself a sand dune nerd. He visited to offer the team and the community his views on the sand dunes of Barra and Vatersay and how we can best care for them. He spend time on site with groups of pupils from Castlebay and Eoligarry Primary Schools. They share their thoughts for the blog and you can read these below.

Amy

It was a boring Monday morning in school but it got way better… On Monday the 26th of January my P7 peers and I went to Vatersay west beach with the Muir is Tìr team to learn about costal erosion as part ongoing project on the islands.

First, we had assembly at 9:00am. We had lunch early at 11:30am but it was only the p7 got lunch early.

Next, we went on a bus to Vatersay Hall where these lovely people called Paul, Amanda, Heather and MaryAnn were waiting to tell us about what we were going to do. All the P7 split up into groups and each group got a Polaroid Camera. We had ten pictures to take and we had to take the pictures showing the journey of a piece of sand.

When we were ready we went over the machair to the west beach. We were a bit frozen but we had our cosy jackets and hats!

Once we got to the beach Paul talked to us for a while about sand and marram grass. I learned that marram grass roots can grow up to ten meters long.

Then we set off to take pictures! My team managed to get eight pictures.

After that we walked back over the machair and back to the hall where we talked for a little bit more and organised our pictures and post it notes. We waited for the bus to pick us up and we got back just in time for the of the day. We only had fifteen minutes left in class!

I really enjoyed the afternoon, it was great and I'm really grateful that we got that chance to go out. I hope we can do it again. I learned that a long time ago the ice was ground down and made sand. I also learned that the black dirt lines in the sand dunes tell us that there was less wind and a layer of dirt was able to be formed.

THANK YOU!!!! :)

Anna

Normally Mondays are extremely boring but not this Monday! This was not an average Monday at school! All primary 7s got the opportunity to go to Vatersay West beach for the Muir is Tìr coastal erosion project!

We had an early lunch at half past eleven. After lunch we lined up and walked to the bus. Nothing really happened on the bus and we just talked. Once we arrived at the hall, we walked in and met the people that were helping us with this project.

Next Paul, Heather, Amanda and Mary Anne told us what we had to do. Then we took off and walked across the beautiful machair to the wonderful windy beach.

Once we got to the beach we all sheltered under a sand dune and Paul talked to us about the process of a sand dune. It was an extremely windy day but we still made the most of it! We got into groups of three, we were given a polaroid camera and we had to take pictures of the things that are related to a sand dune. We could take ten photos. After we took the photos we had to write on sticky-notes about the photos that we took.

Once we had done that we went back to the hall and wrote about our photos in a sketchbook and stuck them into it. Then we got the bus back to school.

It was a great day out although it was cold and windy! I learned a lot of new things and my two favorite facts are that the marram grass roots grow outwards underground to hold the sand together and that there are lines in the dune and it shows when the dune was getting larger.

Anthony

On Monday the 26th of January my P7 peers and I went to Vatersay West Beach with the Muir is Tìr team to learn about coastal erosion as part of their ongoing project on the islands.

First, we had an assembly in the morning with Heather and Mary Ann. They told us about their windsock competition for Vatersay beach.

Then we had an early lunch at 11.30am so we were ready to get the bus on time. Shortly after that we boarded the bus to Vatersay Hall.

Once we got to Vatersay Hall we went inside and had a wee chat with Paul and Heather. After that we walked through the windy weather across the machair to the beach. We sheltered in a sand dune while Paul told us about the sand and dunes. We had Polaroid cameras to take photos of sand dunes and interesting things.

After a while we walked back to the hall and we started sticking in the pictures and writing facts about them in a scrapbook.

Finally, the bus arrived at 2.10pm and we headed back to the school.

Calum

On Monday the 25th of January my P7 peers and I went to Vatersay with Muir is Tìr team to learn about coastal erosion as part of their ongoing project on the islands.

First, we had an early lunch at 11:30am and we got a bus over to Vatersay at about 12:10pm.

The bus took around ten minutes to get to vatersay hall and when we got there we met Heather, Paul, Amanda and Marry Anne.

Heather talked to us for a while about what we were going to do.

After that we walked to Vatersay west beach and when we got there it was very windy and cold! Paul told us about sand and how it’s made and how sand dunes are made.

Then when Paul was finished talking we went off to take some pictures with polaroid cameras.

When we were all finished taking our pictures we walked back to the hall. We got to the hall and we stuck our pictures in a scrap book.

After a wee while the bus arrived and we got back to the school.

I enjoyed our trip because we got a while out of school! I learned that the sand starts in the sea and it is blown up the beach and also that the seaweed creates mini sand dunes.

Caragh

On Monday the 26th of January, my P7 peers and I went to Vatersay with the Muir is Tìr team to learn about coastal erosion as part of the ongoing project on the islands. We were so lucky to spend the afternoon out of school on a beautiful blustery beach.

Firstly, we got the bus over to Vatersay after lunch. When we arrived, we went inside the hall and Heather had a chat with us about what we were going to be doing on the beach.

After we had a chat in the hall, we walked across the machair and sheltered in a sand dune while Paul told us about sand and marram grass. We sat under a sand dune as it gave us good shelter from the very windy weather.

Once Paul told us what we had to do, we went into our groups and headed to the center of the beach. We took our mini polaroid cameras and took some photos.

Eventually we huddled up together as a group again and spoke about some of the pictures that each group took. We had to hold on tight to the photos so that they wouldn’t blow away!

Finally, we went back to the hall, and we sorted out our pictures and post it notes while we waited for the bus to come. We got the bus back to school and as soon as we got to school it was home time.

To conclude, I had a great time and learned a lot about sand.

Isla

Ask me 3 words to describe Monday... SANDY,WINDY, FREEZING!

On Monday the 26th of January, everyone in Primary 7 and I went to Vatersay West beach with the Muir is Tìr team. We learned all about coastal erosion as part of the project on the islands.

First, we had an assembly with MaryAnn and Heather and they told us about an art competition to design a windsock for Vatersay beach.

Then all the P7s had an early lunch and an early break time. We got our high vis vests on and piled into the bus (although 3 of us had to go in Mrs Maclean’s car since there weren't enough seats on the bus).

Once we arrived at the hall we went inside, where Heather, Mary-Anne, Paul and Amanda were waiting for us. Heather told us that we were going to be taking photos of sand. Then we split up into groups and were given Polaroid cameras.

After that we made the windy walk across the machair to a sheltered spot in the dunes on the beach. Here Paul gave us an inspiring speech about the worlds most exiting thing ... sand. Somehow Paul made something as boring as sand really really interesting.

Next, we took pictures of the marram grass, sand, dunes and the ocean. Our pictures told a story of how a tiny grain of sand makes its way from the ocean to the dunes. It was really fun because once you took the picture you could see it be printed out of the camera! It was so windy that some of the pictures blew away… My group lost one picture to the elements (it blew into the sea) though we did try to save it.

In the end, we had eight pictures to showcase in a special scrapbook all about the Vatersay Sand dunes.

To conclude, I really enjoyed our P7 beach trip and I’m very thankful to be part of this project. I loved this trip because I had the opportunity for a day out with my friends and teachers and I learned a lot. I learned that sand is made from rocks that were crushed up by the huge sheets of ice thousands of years ago in the ice age. I learned that marram grass roots can grow up to 10 metres long underground to find water. I also learned that the black lines in sand dunes show periods of time when there was less wind so dirt could settle there.

Thank you for this great opportunity for P7 to be involved with the Mir is Tìr project.

Roselia

It started as a boring Monday morning in class, but it ended up on the beach! On Monday the 26th of January my P7 peers and I went to Vatersay with the Muir is Tìr team to learn about coastal erosion as part of their ongoing project on the islands.

It went something like this...

First, at 9am we had an assembly. It was very interesting and we found out that we are going to design a windsock for Vatersay East beach. The point of the windsock is for people/tourists to take the right route to the beach and to stop climbing/playing on the sand dunes so that they stop breaking and destroying.

Then after that, we got the news that we were going to the west beach and we were so elated! Me and the P7 girls were delighted and squealing. In a flash it was already 11:30am and we were ready for an early lunch. We finished our lunch, got our high vis vests on and sat on the bus ready to go on a journey. We yapped for a while until we got there.

After awhile waiting for the others that were that were in the car to arrive, we went into Vatersay Hall. Amanda, Heather, Mary Anne and Paul were there with a box full of sharpies and polaroid cameras for us. We listened to Heather, Paul and Amanda talking and they explained what we were going to do. We had to take polaroid pictures of sand dunes and sand.

At that time, we had no idea about any of the facts about sand dunes. We walked across the machair to the west beach gate. Then we found a sheltered sitting spot close to the deck and Paul told us a lot of fun and interesting facts about sand dunes, like sand was made by ice and rock grinding together in the ice age, then it hardened and then seashells replaced ice and it made sand again. Another fun fact he told us about is that marram grass is the best grass for sand dunes, but when wind and sea meet, the sea splatters and the sea has salt which is very drying for the marram grass.

After awhile we were sent off for our missions in groups of 3 or 4 and had to take interesting photos of sand, building up the story of a sand dune. Every group took photos and we were also given post its to write on.

Eventually we got to Vatersay Hall with bright red hands from the freezing blowy wind! We organised the story and arranged the polaroids in order. Some groups glued their Polaroids into the scrapbook but my group didn't have time, but we did it when we got back to school.

Finally, the bus came and we set off back to school.

I enjoyed the workshop because we learnt lots about coastal erosion and I got to spend time with my P7 friends. It was a really good project to do and 2 fun facts I learned are; marram grass roots can go up to 10 metres long! And that the grey lines in the sand dunes you see is dirt!

Thank you, Amanda, Heather, Mary Anne and Paul, for coming to see us P7s!

Daisy

On Monday the 26th of January my P7 friends and I went to Vatersay beach with the Muir is Tìr team. It was so cool to learn about coastal erosion as part of the ongoing project on the islands.

First, we had an amazing assembly between 9:00am and 9:30am about the sand dunes and Vatersay getting a windsock.

After that, myself and all the other P7s had an early lunch at half eleven and when I was finished lunch I went upstairs to play.

Then when I got downstairs and because there was no space on the bus, I went in the head teacher's car some other people to Vatersay Hall.

When I got there, we were told what we had to do and how to use the cameras to take pictures. My friend Isla got the sharpie pen and post it notes.

After that we walked over the machair to the beach and it was so windy when I got there with my team!

Immediately after arriving at the beach, we were told some very interesting facts from Paul about super sand! It was so cool to learn!

Then me and my team went to take pretty pictures of sand and we wrote about what we took pictures of on our post it notes.

Finally, I got back into the head teacher’s car and went back to school with some of my friends.

To conclude, the afternoon was so fun! Two facts I learned:

• Sand is just tiny crushed up shells

• Desert sand and beach sand are very different things.

Thank you to the Muir is Tìr scientists!

Sandy

I thought it was going to be another boring Monday, but I was wrong…. It turned out that P7 got to go to the west beach in Vatersay as part of the Muir is Tìr coastal erosion project!

First, we had lunch early at about 12:15pm. Then we got onto a bus to Vatersay and once we got there, we started learning about sand dunes and how they form. Then Heather explained that we were going to take pictures of the life cycle of sand.

Once we got to the beach, we started. Everyone went on a rampage looking for the best pictures and the best facts about sand dunes and so the hunt was on! Once everybody got what they needed, we took some pictures and then we went back to Vatersay hall. We got the pictures and organized them, putting them in order with the post it notes.

Once we finished, we hopped back on the bus and we rode back to school. When we got back it was 2:30pm so we just did some small finishing off and then it was home time.

I really liked this trip! I think it was an amazing way to get to learn about sand and sand dunes and their life cycle! Now I will tell you two facts about sand;

·      sand dunes start when sand gets stuck on things like seaweed or grass

·      darker lines in sand dunes show that grass or other plants used to be there

James

Normally, Mondays are quite boring, but on Monday the 26^th of January all my P7 pals and I went to Vatersay west beach with the Muir is Tìr team for the coastal erosion project.

Firstly, we had an assembly first thing in the morning with people from the Muir is Tir project and they said that the P7s would go to Vatersay West beach for a trip. We had a nice early lunch alone and we had our playtime early as well. Then at 12:15pm, we went to the bus. But on the way to the bus my laces got caught together! I had thought that someone had tied my laces but I immediately got a nice healing plaster on the cut, and I went on my way to Vatersay!

After all of that, we finally got to our exhilarating destination, Vatersay! We went to a small meeting in Vatersay hall with the Muir is Tìr helpers where they explained the necessities and what we were going to do. We split up into teams of 3, my team was me, Calum and Sandy. We got sticky notes, a pen and a polaroid camara with 10 photos in it. We needed to take 10 pictures of the life cycle of a sand dune and write about what the pictures were.

Later, through the gusting winds and a couple of photos lost to the sea, we finished around 2:00pm and we went into the hall for a final chat and to look over our work.

During the last few minutes people stuck their polaroids into a scrap book, but my team didn’t have time. Finally, we went back on the bus and got to school just around home time. I don’t think I’ll ever have that good a Monday again!

To conclude, it was an amazing afternoon! I didn’t think sand could ever be so cool and interesting!

Paul also presented to the pupils of Castlebay High School.

Some of the pupils acted out the journey of sand grains showing how the move and build dunes. The image below is of sand creep.