THE LOCH OF ABOYNE     The Loch of Aboyne has a stunning location on Royal Deeside set against the background of the Cairngorm National Park. Despite the natural beauty of the location, the Loch is actually artificially formed. It was man-made by construction of an earth dam across a small valley at what is now the western bank. It was created around 1834 to enhance the policies of nearby Aboyne Castle. The Tarland Burn, which provided a water supply to the meal mill in the Castle grounds, tended to dry up in the summer. The Loch would then provide an alternative supply via a sluice gate which allowed water to be diverted past the mill. In winter the ice on the Loch was cut and carried to the Castle ice house to provide refrigeration. Also the frozen Loch was frequently the scene of curling bonspiels(1). Indeed, so popular were these bonspiels (as shown in the early photograph on the left) that in the late nineteenth century the railway ran special excursions from Aberdeen to a temporary stop beside the Loch.    Early photograph of curling on the Loch of Aboyne        (1) Bonspiel is a curling match or tournament traditionally held outdoors on a frozen freshwater lake. Etymology: Mid-sixteenth century word perhaps from Dutch ‘bond’ league + ‘spel’ game, or maybe from French ‘bon’ good + German ‘spiel’ play.           A Curling Bonspiel, Loch of Aboyne, by John M. Boyne   The Loch is first mentioned in the Statistical Account for Aboyne and Glentanar (1842) where there is the following statement, "Within the policies of Aboyne Castle, there is also a lake covering 32 acres, artificially formed, and interspersed with wooded islets". The Loch is only about 3 metres deep maximum and there still exists under the water the boundary dykes (stone walls) of fields that were flooded in order to create the Loch. Following a survey by Scottish Natural Heritage www.snh.org.uk and the identification of some interesting flora, the south-east sector of the Loch was designated a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in January 1984.                 By the late 1980’s the 150 year-old earth dam was in need of repair, without which the Loch would have drained away into the surrounding countryside. This of course would have been a major loss to the area, destroyed the SSSI, and would have had a tragic impact on the surrounding flora and fauna. The Aberdeen Water Ski Club, along with support from the British Water Ski Federation (the national governing body for the sport) and funding from the Scottish Sports Council (now called Sportscotland), were instrumental in the implementation of the repairs to the dam together with the owner of the Loch at the time.    Aerial view of the Loch of Aboyne looking south-west towards the Cairngorms                 The Loch now attracts many enthusiasts to watch the birds and waterfowl, and it is recommended by ‘Butterfly Conservation’ as a site to watch butterflies in the Cairngorms www.butterfly-conservation.org. Osprey that provide a spectacular sight when seizing fish from the water often visit the Loch. The RSPB have organised an Osprey Watch day during the summer in the hope that the bird of prey will ‘perform’ for the assembled audience www.rspb.org.uk.                 The footpaths around the Loch are popular with walkers and for exercising their dogs. Fishermen will try their luck with the pike and perch, and there are often canoes and rowing boats out on the water. On a sunny Sunday afternoon it can sometimes be quite busy. All the users are privileged in having access to such a beautiful location and we all have the joint responsibility to ensure that no harm comes to it or its natural inhabitants. The Club members regularly perform a clean-up exercise around the banks of the Loch, and sadly they frequently find and dispose of rubbish that would otherwise be harmful to the wildlife and the environment.                  The ski boat runs on environmentally friendly LPG fuel and we do not use any anti-fouling or chemicals on the hull. The Club has restricted access to the water only within specified times throughout the summer months. The sector of the Loch that has been designated an SSSI is of course completely out-of-bounds for the Club boat and the members. In appreciation of the role the Aberdeen Water Ski Club may play in environmental and conservation issues relating to water based recreational motorised sport we commit ourselves to the Environmental Policy of British Water Ski (the sport’s national governing body) www.britishwaterski.org.uk.