At sea & in Eigg
It did not look particularly auspicious when we awoke still at the dock in Tobermory. The clouds glowered overhead and rain was spitting down now and then. So we left! Well, that had actually been the plan from the beginning, but perhaps originally not quite so early as we did. We had heard rumors the day before of interesting marine sightings on the outside Mull to the west, and so planned a detour in that direction on our way to the island of Eigg. Therefore the early start.
As the rain came down and the driblets spotted the windows, first Konia gave a presentation on lighthouses (frequently seen on the points and isles, their history unusual and important), and then Steve Blamires, our historian, gave a talk on the background of Eigg, our afternoon destination. This small island has the eye of the world fixed on it. It has an extraordinary history that has placed it in the books as a one-of-a-kind situation. After intense struggles over the last century, the people of Eigg finally became owners of their own homes in 1997 (only twelve years ago!), much to the incredulity of the world that this would ever happen because of ancient Scottish laws about land ownership giving the advantage to feudal lords (who still exist in 2009).
Originally, after breakfast the Lord of the Glens was to pop around the northwestern shore of Mull and have a look-see for marine life before heading north to Eigg, but just as the rain let up, the stars, sun, and moon aligned and the Captain offered a side-trip to the isle of Staffa!
Staffa is an exposed remnant of the basalt floods of Mull, isolated in the sea with spectacular columns and the home of “Fingal’s Cave” so well known to many. On the Lord of the Glens we rarely get to travel so far out of our way because the seas can be rough and uncomfortable. Today it was virtually flat, the sun had come out and the isles sparkled. Puffins, guillemots and razorbills followed by their young and skittered across the surface. Gannets flew overhead and we even spotted the dorsal and tail fins of at least two basking sharks on the way down (yes, and one of them in front of Fingal’s Cave!). Our hotel manager, Brian, arranged for Felix Mendelssohn’s “The Hebrides” to be playing in the lounge as we slowly circled the island, a composition inspired by his visit to the island in 1829.
As we finished our circumnavigation of Staffa and finally set our course north to Eigg, two Minke whales popped out briefly, as did several harbor porpoises, almost too quickly to call the attention of anyone inside.
Our arrival to Eigg was a celebratory affair with Donna and Pibroch piping the ship into her berth. Well, Pibroch didn’t exactly pipe being a dog without opposable thumbs, but he certainly paid close attention to his mistress. With the dog close by at all times, Donna later led a slow walk along the nearby roads and answered innumerable questions about life on Eigg. Others hiked further in, and some rode bikes – all eager to spend time ashore on a beautiful day like we have had. In this very special place, the inhabitants are striving their best to turn it into the best “green” community in Great Britain (they are close to being energy self-sufficient already) – a grand goal everyone on the island is determined to reach, from youngest child to oldest member of the community.
We will all be paying attention in the months and years ahead and if or when we hear the name of Eigg in the news, will cheer on the community; we have now a better understanding of what effort has been involved in their creation as a community, and how much is at stake for their future.
