St Kilda Sailing Trip - July 1999
The archipelago of St.
Kilda is situated in the North Atlantic 115 miles (185 kms) off the
mainland of Scotland at 57°49'N 8°31'W. The archipelago comprises the
four small islands of Hirta, Dun, Soay and Boreray and the sea stacs of
Stac an Armin, Stac Lee and Stac Levenish. The group is 41 miles (61 km)
west of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides.
St. Kilda contains magnificent sea
cliffs up to 1250ft high, teeming with sea bird colonies, and the
remains of past human settlement. The largest colony of gannets in
Europe breeds on Boreray and its nearby stacs and the sight and sound of
all these sea bird is quite amazing. There are also large numbers of
guillemots and kittiwakes and puffins, which are the most numerous.
A colony of primitive Soay sheep live on
Hirta, the largest island, these sheep take their name however from Soay which
is located near to Hirta. These sheep can be seen clinging to the sea cliffs in
some of the most precarious places, indeed I actually witness three of these mad
creatures on the sea cliffs, I'm still baffled as to how they got there, without
abseiling ! The Boreray sheep breed originated on the neighboring small isle of
Boreray.
The largest Gannet rookeries in the world
exist in the St. Kilda group. There a several other bird colonies, notably
puffins.The current population is seasonal. With the recent closure of the
military facility there is no permanent population. Access is restricted to
sponsored scientists and members of expeditions sponsored by the National Trust
and its related organizations.
Some buildings in the old village have been
rehabilitated. Archaeological investigations have revealed traces of Norse,
Celtic and pre-Celtic peoples. There are a number of ancient Christian and Druid
sites predating the Viking activity that began about 900 A.D.Hirta, the main
island, was nearly continuously inhabited by humans for approximately 2,000
years from the beginning of the Common Era until 1930. There is evidence of
Neolithic, Celtic and Norse habitation.
The old village still remains as do many of
the primitive 'Kliets' which were used for storing and drying puffins and fish
which were the staple diet of the native St Kildans. The men folk showed there
prowess by climbing down the sea cliffs of Hirta to harvest the birds and their
eggs.
For approximately 500 years the islands were
owned by a member of the MacLeod Clan based on the Isle of Skye. Because of
declining economic conditions little rent was actually paid to the laird in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1932 the isles were sold by the laird,
Sir Reginald MacLeod, to the Marquis of Bute. Upon his death the Marquis
bequeathed to the islands to The National Trust for Scotland. The National Trust
has leased the isles to the Nature Conservancy for a wildlife refuge. In 1957
the isles were designated a national wildlife refuge giving official protection
to the flora and fauna. More recently the island group has been designated a
United Nations World Heritage Site.
The population from 1697 onwards never
exceeded 200 persons. A smallpox outbreak in 1724 reduced the population to c.
30 from which it gradually recovered to roughly 100 through natural growth and
immigration from other Scottish isles. In 1851 and 1856 two groups of St.
Kildans emigrated to Australia reducing the population by approximately 30%. By
the late-middle 19th Century emigration and a high (80%-90%) infant mortality
rate reduced the number of residents to just under 80 in 1900.
Following World War I the population dropped
sharply due to emigration and a difficult economic situation until the
population was no longer self-sustaining. The remaining population of 36 persons
were evacuated to Scotland at their own request on August 29, 1930.During World
War I the Royal Navy maintained an observer post on Hirta from 1914 until it
closed in 1919. This position was attacked by the German Navy on May 18, 1918.
During World War II United Kingdom
forces used the islands as an anchorage, emergency airfield and made occasional
shore visits. Following World War II the islands were uninhabited again until
1957. In that year a small part of Hirta became a support site for a military
missile test range, modern buildings were built to house the base and the pier
extended to support larger ships.
During the summer of 1998 the military closed
its operations at Hirta. The Nature Conservancy has retained several of the
military buildings for its work while radar and other electronic equipment has
been removed.The current population is seasonal. With the recent closure of the
military facility there is no permanent population. Access is restricted to
sponsored scientists and members of expeditions sponsored by the National Trust
and its related organizations.
Some buildings in the old village have been
rehabilitated. Archaeological investigations have revealed traces of Norse,
Celtic and pre-Celtic peoples. There are a number of ancient Christian and Druid
sites predating the Viking activity that began about 900 A.D.
For many years read articles and watched
television programmes about these mystical islands and the history behind them.
This gave me a longing to visit the islands, however access is difficult as
there are no regular ferry services to the islands. The only ways to the island
are by sailing oneself, this involves chartering (or buying) a vessel and
finding help to sail there.
My opportunity arose in July 1999 when fellow
NCR club member Duncan Harvey who introduced me to the Bridgeton Yatch Club. The
members of the club were revisiting the islands, and had chartered two vessels
Bowen and Interval. I was warned that it was long sail, I would be sea sick and
there were no guarantees that we would land on the islands as the weather could
be bad.
The reality was different however, after a
pleasant 17 hour engine assisted sail from Skye we arrived at village bay Hirta,
without any seasickness may I add.. The next few days were spent in heat wave
like weather which was a real bonus. Walking the tops of Hirta, sailing round
the all the islands in the group. Making a very short and very difficult landing
on Boreray was a highlight I will never forget as will the scramble up the An-Garabh
Stac which sits near to Boreray. At the end of each day we also enjoyed a few
ales and nips in the PUFF INN on Hirta which is Britain's remotest pub. Leaving
the islands one is left with a feeling of privilege at having been allowed by to
explore such a wild and unsurreal landscape.
The Gallery was last updated 27th May 2002 - © Cameron Johnston 2002
