MV Eigg - Eilean Eige

The MV Eigg is a small car ferry running between Oban and the isle of Lismore. CalMac owned as almost all the ferries are round here, except for the really wee ones. She was built in the 1970's, based on the simple design of the WW2 landing craft, having a folding ramp,and open car deck with a small turntable. There's a tiny cabin for passengers and a wheelhouse above. As you might imagine there is only space for a very few cars, and if it happens to be a morning when builders or decorators are going over to Lismore for work, forget it unless you've booked in advance!

Lismore is a garden island, very fertile but with few facilities except for the fairly recent additon of a Heritage Centre with café. If you don't take your car, this is just the right distance for a leisurely walk from Achnacroish where the Oban ferry lands, lunch or tea, and back in time for the return boat.

The journey takes almost an hour and is very picturesque, coming out of Oban harbour, past Oban Marina, the Isle of Kerrera, Maiden Isle, Mull in the distance, Wee Ganavan and Ganavan Sands. If the tide is high, she goes the inshore side between Maiden Island and Wee Ganavan, otherwise she has to go behind. Here you can see Eigg leaving Kerrera behind, the red and white warning light marks the end of the rocks round the island [ it flashes in my bedroom window all night]. And if you look in large, in the distance you can just see one of the larger ferries, probably the Isle of Mull coming out of Mull Sound, and the Lismore Lighthouse which can be seen on Blipfolio under Argyll.

Eigg's sister ship, MV Lismore, plies between Port Appin and Point at the northern end of Lismore.

George Mackay Brown, the Orcadian poet, used to describe his day as sea-quartered. In addition to the tides, we have the passing ferries to portion out our day. She's a perky wee boat and perks up my day.