POV: When you miss the boat home from Tiree Music Festival but you have work on Monday

By Rita Campbell

July 11 2022, 5:00 pm

Taking the scenic route home from Tiree Music Festival.

Have you ever heard somebody come back from a music festival saying it was “epic?” Well for me, Tiree Music Festival really was.

After missing the only ferry home for the four-hour Sunday morning sailing, it was clear I had a problem.

Due to circumstances beyond my control (sort of) I was still fast asleep as the ferry rolled out of the bay towards Oban.

In the knowledge that the following day’s ferry would be “full to the gunnels” with Tiree Festival goers heading back to the mainland, it was time to rely on the kindness of strangers.

A quick ring round of charter services from Oban confirmed that it would cost around £1,000 to have someone come and fetch me.

Not a realistic prospect.

I decided it was time to seek help from some resourceful islanders.

The kindness of strangers

That is when I came across Frazer MacInnes of Tiree Sea Tours, who informed me that if I was quick, I could jump on his RIB.

It was set to sail from Scarinish jetty in about 20 minutes.

Destination was the uninhabited Lunga, largest of the Treshnish Isles, which has not been lived on for 150 years. Except by a colony of puffins.

However Frazer advised me to call Pal Grant of Staffa Tours, as they just might have a boat leaving Lunga for Tobermory. That would get me to public transport on the isle of Mull.

As luck would have it, Pal said it would be no problem for me to join his tour as it returned to Tobermory.

Frazer MacInnes of Tiree Sea Tours was happy to help.

I had been singing along the previous night at Tiree Music Festival to Gunna Sound about “Good old Tobermory”. Crofter’s Son is one of my favourite numbers.

Tiree – Lunga – Tobermory (dolphins)

So the friendly chef at Scarinish Beach Hotel made my pizza to go and I was on my way home.

Fortunately the sightseers heading to Lunga were happy to welcome a stowaway – I think the pizza helped.

A bracing 45-minute RIB ride, which slowed briefly when we were treated to a rare sighting of a Risso dolphin, and I was on Lunga for 3.10pm.

At this rate, I was set to beat the ferry home.

I was soon scrambling across rocks in my Birkenstocks before I was met by a guide from Staffa Tours and helped aboard.

As this bigger vessel sailed towards Tobermory I was handed a much appreciated caramel wafer while spotting yet more dolphins, this time of the common variety.

Having listened to Skippinish belting out powerful songs about heroes of the waves the night before, the suitability of the music wasn’t lost on me.