The fundraiser was launched in style on a cold but crisp January day with allthe volunteers who run Mary-Ann's Cottage, turning out to make a paper boat outside the the cottage.
Paper boats sailed in constantly for the next 7 months- hundreds of them! from 122 different boat yards in 25 different countries.
Quite exciting when the postie arrived each day! A fantastic response to our request for paper boats, I was really quite flabbergasted!
All the boats then went on display in Caithness Horizons, Thurso, and all boatswent on sale by secret silent auction. Bids came in from near and far, aseverything was also on a dedicated paper boat blog. At 6pm GMT Thursday 24thSeptember, the auction was closed and no more bids accepted. Now, you can imagine the excitement, wanting to know how many bids came in, did all boatsfinds a new home, and did we make any money for The Caithness Heritage Trust volunteers who run Mary-Ann's cottage!!?? And did I get the boats I bid on!!
Beki Pope, manager of Caithness Horizons, has the unenviable task of sorting all this out ! We helped to re-pack boats for their potential new owners. It was quite like a bizarre kind of bingo - Beki calling out numbers, while wecollected envelopes and boats from up a ladder on the wall or on the table -this was a very busy harbour!
Caithness Horizons are contacting the successful bidders over the next few days. We are going to wait until all boats have been collected and money in, before making our announcement of how much money was raised in total. The initial signs are good, as you've all been so generous, so again, I'm flabbergasted at what we've managed together - from just a paperboat.
A few pics taken on the opening night by Sheila Moir - Thanks Sheila.
Joanne,
My boat's travel.
Dear Joanne, love your paper boat project. I found it in the FiberArts magazine. Please find enclosed my contribution for your project. 
My boat is made from phone threads, glass beads. To tie the box, old paper thread. The “sea” is handmade felt. This paper is handmade – I made it. 
My name is Daisy Maciel. I’m from Porto Alegre, a city in Rio Grande du Sul, Brazil. All the best with wishes with your project fundraiser. Daisy
This little boat has had quite a journey…….starting in the snow in Helsinki, then a short stop with Roderick Wathen who lives in Mary Ann’s Cottage on the Isle of Skye………thanks Roderick for re-launching Tarja’s boat and sending it to me!! 
Dear Joanne, I hope my boat reaches you in time. I grew up in Wick. I knew Mary-Ann wnen she lived at the Seaview nursing home. I helped look after Mary-Ann when she was still a sprightly 90yr old. I now live in Southampton. My boat is made from George Mackay Brown’s poem, ‘The fishermans Bride’ and holds a cargo of fish. Good luck with the projectBecca
Francis Drake’s ‘Pirate’
Linda Cracknell
