In recent years The Herald has broken and covered the story of Scotland's ferry crisis, of rising costs, disputed contracts and cancelled sailings. The story spans the Clydeside yards, once the engine room of Scotland's shipbuilding industry, Holyrood in Edinburgh and most impacts on the island communities who have been cut adrift from the mainland and a steady flow of trade and tourism.
Today Sarah Campbell, The Herald's food and drink writer and an islander, talks to local people to hear about the impact of a crisis which increasingly presents an existential threat to their communities.
When Christina Morrison and her sister, Samantha, were made redundant just weeks apart during the first covid lockdown, they used the opportunity to realise a childhood dream of opening their own business together.
Croft and Cuan began as a mobile food van, with a menu that showcased the very best of local produce with a modern twist, from Barra Cod Tacos spiked with a heavy squeeze of citrus to Uist Venison Madras with Bombay Potatoes.
After extensive market research, a unit on the doorstep of the Lochboisdale Pier seemed the ideal choice for their first bricks and mortar takeaway shop in 2021, with a location that was easily accessible to the local community while also being perfectly positioned to capitalise on passing trade from a busy tourist season.
They had spent just months in their new home, however, when a series of complications with the South Uist ferry routes began to take their toll.
Christina, 31, said: “Because Croft and Cuan was started in covid, we had this mindset throughout that once things had opened up again, we would really be able to give it a decent shot.
“Easter in 2021 was supposed to be the start of a busy season which is so important to island businesses.
“It was our first big chance to make some cash that would keep us going throughout the winter, and be sure that we were able to pay our bills and staff during the quieter months.
“Then CalMac pulled the ferry on Easter Weekend.”
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Unfortunately, this was only the start of what would become a constant struggle for local business owners who had only just made it through the height of the pandemic, as services were regularly rerouted, delayed or cancelled entirely due to an ageing CalMac fleet.
Christina continued: “Uist people are very tolerant and can put up with a lot.
“Especially when sailings are cancelled due to the weather.
"I think only we had about six return sailings during that following winter, which was almost expected because of the season.
“But, the next Easter, when we were ready to go again, the same thing happened and the ferry service was taken away.
“At that point, we had nothing left. There were no more reserves.
"Businesses across the island knew if we didn't get a summer season, we would be scuppered.
“That’s when we decided to form the Lochbosidale Ferry Business Impact Group.”
Realising that actions will sometimes speak louder than words, the group has since worked hard to produce concrete examples of how the ferry crisis is having a crippling effect on the island with every cancelled sailing.
An independently commissioned study reportedly revealed that the island’s economy lost a staggering £50,000 for every day the Lochboisdale vessel failed to sail across a two-week period in Easter, 2022.
Hoping to complete another survey focusing on the peak of the summer season this year, Christina has estimated that Croft and Cuan have lost 50% of their daily takings in June, with the Lochboisdale ferry currently out of action until at least next month.
These crushing lows are made all the more difficult to accept thanks to brief periods when regular ferry services are resumed, giving islanders a fleeting glimpse of how life could, and should, be.
Christina said: “Our opening hours are heavily dictated by timetables, and during six days where when the Lochboisdale service was back to normal this May, after weeks of diversions, there was a queue out of the door.
“The place was rammed, and Lochboisdale as a whole was really busy.
“Then we started to hear rumours that there would be no sailings throughout June. No one could believe it at first.
“Having it all pulled away from us so soon and returning to a dead pier with no activity at all was heartbreaking.
“There’s such a fragile economy across the islands that all it takes is one little knock for a domino effect.
“We aim to use as much local produce as possible, so when we don’t have as many customers, we’re not able to order from our suppliers as often. We’ve also had to seriously cut back our staffing levels.
“Every sector, not just Food and Drink, is experiencing these issues.”
There’s no questioning that unless the current situation is remedied, it’s only a matter of time before irreparable damage is done to the businesses across the islands.
While the recent media attention gained from the Lochboisdale demonstration, planned by the impact group, and talks with CalMac bosses are a step in the right direction, it will take a serious effort from those in charge before positive changes are made.
Christina said: “There are so many different organisations who are involved in making decisions between CalMac, the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland, so it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why things aren’t being resolved.
“The blame seems to be passed around without anybody standing up to say ‘look, this is an issue that needs to be fixed now.’
“Nobody wants to take responsibility for the mess.
“We’re working to try and get everyone in the same room so there can be no passing the buck, but that’s very difficult.”
As not just a business owner, but a young mother who cares deeply for local community, perhaps the most devastating consequence of the ferry crisis is the sad realisation that island life, for Christina's family and others, could soon become unviable.
She said: “I’m so passionate about people moving back to Uist and growing a family here.
“This is where I want my children to grow up, but some point during the last five to six months was the first time I turned around and thought ‘Why are we doing this?’
“Every aspect of life would be so much easier if we lived on the mainland.
“They say there’s going to be another three years of disruption to the ferry services, but who knows how long it will really take.
"I never thought I would be in the position where I'm considering moving back to the mainland.
“This constant battle for basic transport infrastructure is basically all that it comes down to.
“It’s so difficult to explain to someone who hasn’t lived here, or has a connection to the islands, how much of a lifeline a working ferry service is.”
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