Today, Dave, Brian and I went down to the harbour to check out the boat again. On Sunday I had joined both men as they put the boat in the water for the first time in quite a while. I was allowed a turn around the bay with Dave but it didn’t last long. The oars are attached using ‘’humbly bands’’, which are basically just ropes, which pass through a wooden pin, which then slots into the side of the boat. The oars I am used to, are not attached using this method and whilst they don’t allow for feathering, they are much more stable. After rowing for a short time in the bay, the first humbly band broke, Dave was able to mend it to a fashion, just long enough for us to run aground…Dave, after some strenuous back rowing was able to free us from the sand and seaweed, but then broke the second humbly band and we were essentially marooned in the bay. Fortunately the water was like a millpond and Brian was close at hand with a very long rope to haul us in.
I like to think that I broke the humbly band as a result of my massive, newly acquired strength since training began, not the fact that the ropes were at least ten years old and completely rotten. The short trip highlighted a few small problems with the boat, all of which, Dave was able to fix, masterfully.
Today we gathered again at the harbour, for a test run with the new ropes and strengthened oar, but despite blue skies, the South Westerly wind was quite strong and it was decided that to go out on the water in that wind would diminish rather than bolster my confidence before the big day. I don’t think I had properly appreciated the effect the wind can have on rowing conditions and I just hope that Saturday is calm and has but a gentle breeze, fingers crossed.
Everything is in place for Saturday, I have my tent, lamps, all camera positions are manned and I am strangely calm about it all. On Friday evening there will be a ceilidh in Skerray Community Hall, with which, there is a lovely connection. The main performer on this occasion will be Karen Steven, whose grandmother, Mina Mac Kay Stevens, lived on the island and was featured in Timothy Neat’s book, ‘’When I was Young’’.
I have only recently found out that Mina’s sister, Nan MacKay, is the aunt of my Uncle’s partner. Sadly Mina died last year and as a result Nan has been spurred on to record her own stories and anecdotes from her time spent on the island. Nan visited the island last week whilst visiting the area, unfortunately I was in Glasgow at the time but we have arranged that I will visit her sometime in October to film her telling her stories. The material will of course be given to the MacKay Country archives.
I am excited about Saturday but as the time draws nearer, I am a little worried about staying overnight on the island alone. However, I draw comfort from Jon Holingdale’s assurances that I don’t need to worry too much about the overnight stay on the island, a) because by the time I get there and have that huge adrenalin buzz and then run around illuminating...I'll be completely knackered and will sleep like a baby, and b) in any case its very rare for the polar bears to arrive before mid-October…
I hope he’s right about the polar bears…
