Islands and Visions – 13 August 2011
David Buckland – Director of Cape Farewell
There is a sea view when travelling from Eigg to Mallaig where you have a 360° vision of the Small Isles, Skye, the mountains of Scotland, Mull and, far into the distance, the Outer Hebrides. At 6 am yesterday on the Song of the Whale the grey of the sea bled into the numerous blues of the mountains all dramatised by the unique Scottish light, a panorama so glorious it is forever etched onto my retina for instant recall. Eigg was a brilliant last night of 28 days of journeying, a feast of barbecued fish, wine, song and delicious whisky all shared on board the ‘Song of the Whale’ with islanders, scientists and artists. A great night of very little sleep.
On this year’s Cape Farewell 2011 Scottish Islands expedition Ruth Little had led the team heading out from Oban, meeting islanders, encountering basking sharks, sailing and sharing future visions. For each of the four weeks a new crew embarked and I first shared with Ruth the third ‘Gaelic’ week to far away St Kilda before leading the final week. Leaving Lewis to port we headed north to Rona for two days before night sailing on a glorious 30 mph northerly wind back to Harris, the Shiants, Skye and finally Eigg.
This was a new departure for Cape Farewell, not just to understand the realities of Climate but to see how solutions have been crafted among the islanders and understand the challenges of achieving a low carbon existence. Practical examples on Eigg and elegant solutions offered by the architectural practice of Mary Arnold-Forster show that this is not only doable but also desirable. All is not milk and honey, there is resistance and fear of change but what these islands have offered us is a focused lens on what is possible uncluttered by the complexity of our dense urban lives. That and the sheer pleasure of the wild, the marine, the teaming birdlife and sea animals.
Our onboard scientists probed the seas for temperature and salinity changes and ornithologists counted and observed the influx of new species; a lack of sand worms and changing sea temperatures indicating the effects of climate change here. The weather systems are becoming more pronounced and thankfully we avoided the storms of May and June and instead basked in hot sunshine and often windless days. It was also the first time we have sailed on the Song of the Whale and having such a brilliant safe and scientifically equipped vessel enabled us to fulfil all our ambitions, sailing between Islands reaching as far north as North Rona.
Some personal highlights: Julie Fowlis singing to seals in sea caverns; Ian Stephen’s stories told and retold often hanging from rock faces and his beautiful exhibition at the Taigh Chearsabhagh art centre on Uist run by Andy Mackinnon; Mary Smith’s historical knowledge of all things Gaelic; visiting Arne Vögler from the University of the Highlands and Islands in Stornaway; collecting Iain Finlay Macleod via zodiac and taking him to visit North Rona for the first time – and on his birthday; visiting the island home of Frank which Mary had so beautifully designed; night sailing and introducing the wild sea night to our onboard artists; taking Jo Shapcott to sea and the endless glow on her face as she relished life on the ocean waves; having the people of Eigg onboard for our last night barbecue; having Maggie tell the crazy and wonderful history of the Eigg buy-out: swapping endless stories; swimming in 12 degree water and the mile long swims of scientist Emily Venables; the scientists struggling to collect data and explain to us the intricacies of their knowledge. And mostly the exchange of each others worlds, how we work as artists, writers, musicians, how we can re-position our activity and art to engage, how the science feeds us and how the lives of those we met along the way added such a rich vane of what is possible.
This expedition has been two years in the planning and both Ruth and I and the whole Cape Farewell team had hopes and expectations. Briefly conferring last night with Ruth, the success of this venture has exceeded our aspirations almost on a logarithmic scale. Plans are already in place and new schemes being hatched to bring what we have seen and what we have learnt and the ambition to do what is needed towards visioning a shift towards a safer and more just and sustainable cultural future. In many ways the work has only just begun as it takes time to create, converse and bring art to new audiences, worldwide. It has reinforced for me the mantra that climate is indeed a cultural challenge.
It is also the beginning of a four-year program of activity in Scotland; we are now underway and want to continue building on brilliant new friendships and opportunities. All of us have worked to make this possible, the generosity of everyone we have met on the islands to share stories, food, song and knowledge, the creators and scientists who have joined us and applied effort and time, the brilliant crew of Song of the Whale, Richard, Jim, Matt and Jo who have kept us safe and joined in our curiosity and the Cape Farewell team, Natasha, Nina, Vicky, Lisa, Tawia, Kathy, Gorm and Siôn. Plus many others and more along the way. Thank you all.
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