If Eriskay sounds even vaguely familiar, then maybe you have read Compton MacKenzie’s book, ‘Whisky Galore’ or seen the film based on it. For book and film were based on real events that happened on Eriskay.
The reality was that a ship called the SS Politician, carrying amongst its cargo, 24000 cases of whisky, ran aground off Eriskay in 1941. This, of course, was wartime when hardship and deprivation were the norm and it clearly seemed right to the locals to liberate as much of the cargo as possible. To the authorities, though, the alcohol tax had not been paid on the whisky and so people who gathered the drink and were caught were prosecuted and, in some cases imprisoned. From information we gathered, it seems that even those incarcerated thought that the whisky they salvaged and hid from the revenue men more than made up for their spell behind bars.
Well there’s a little bit of background – let’s look at the place.
It isn’t a big island. The grid lines on the map are just one kilometre apart so Eriskay is about 5km by 3km or 3 miles by 2.
Eriskay is now reached from South Uist over a causeway. We knew this to be the case but our old map showed no such route and offered us a ferry. With the coming of the causeway, a new ferry terminal was built for a service to Barra. We headed there because ferry terminals often have facilities (and this one did) for travellers who have drunk a few litres of tea that morning.
This view, from the new ferry terminal is looking back to South Uist.
A pair of travellers enjoy the bright sunshine.
Views of Eriskay from the terminal.
With needs met, it was time to explore.
