How a broken ferry turned tourists into a community on my Scottish island |
While the country basks in blazing sunshine and blue skies, I’m in my waterproof trousers, waiting at the ferry pier in the hopes a boat will turn up to take some very wet passengers home.
The island is shrouded in the kind of mist that soaks you through the skin without you realising it; a dense drizzle that clings to your hair and seeps through what you thought was a waterproof jacket. My friends on the mainland sent me pictures of their tanned forearms and packed beer gardens. I’ve had to promise that when they come to visit Rum in a few weeks for the first time, the weather will have hopefully improved.
It’s a Bank Holiday weekend in England, and so our campsite and hostel are full. Volunteers visiting to work on the nature reserve; a team of guys here to conquer the hills and enjoy a dram or two; solo travellers over to take the island in in their own way. An eclectic group of people departed as friends as the weekend drew to a close. Because if there’s one thing that will bring people together, it’s the camaraderie that comes with ferry chaos.
We heard word on Saturday that our main ferry, the MV Lochnevis, was experiencing technical problems. An issue with her generator meant that she made it to Rum, but couldn’t make it to her next stop, Canna, and had to head straight back........