Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1970, Page 145

Gannet Catching in the Hebrides
153
Sulaisgeir, which lies north-east and south-west, is about half
a mile long by thirty or forty yards at the narrowest part,
where the landing-place is situated. The western end forms a
steep, rocky bluff, fairly level at the top. The skerry slopes
downward in the centre, and rises again into a rounded mass
of rock at the eastern end. The whole of the western end is
surrounded by steep cliffs, with the upper surface covered
with huge blocks and slabs of stone.
Towards the end of August the fowlers prepare to set out.
By that time the young gannets are in prime condition, well
feathered but — except for those birds that were hatched early
in the breeding season — still unable to fly. Up until about
twenty years ago, the journey to Sulaisgeir was undertaken in
sailing boats: these were open boats, usually with a twenty-
foot keel or thirty feet overall. Two boats, each with a comple-
ment of eight men, normally left Ness. Current practice, how-
ever, is to hire one motor-boat from the local fishing fleet to
carry all the fowlers and their supplies and fowling gear. Meal,
salt, potatoes, biscuits, and tea are basic items; to these may
be added whatever is regarded as desirable for variety of diet.
In the past, it is said, the fowlers lived to a great extent off
fresh gannet meat, but this is no longer the case. A supply of
salt is carried for salting the birds. Water has also to be trans-
ported, for there is no spring on Súlaisgeir, but only a seepage
well of brackish water which is used for washing. In addition,
rain-water is collected in sails.
The boat normally sets out very late in the evening —
variations depending, naturally, on weather and tide. The men
aim at arriving at the skerry early in the morning in order to
have the maximum time in which to unload the supplies and
fowling gear. This is by no means a simple task as there is no
proper landing stage on the skerry and everything has to be
manhandled by a human chain up the steep face of the rock.
Here again the current practice varies somewhat from what
obtained in the past.
In the days of sail not only supplies but the boats themselves
11 — Fróðskaparrit