Last week my neighbor John asked if I wanted to go up to meet the ferry.
And well, since the ferry is at the north end of the island {and a bit of an uphill hike from where I’m staying} and I was hoping my package was on it, I said yes.
Getting supplies {or even on or off Fair Isle yourself} is quite the adventure as there are only two ways of getting here; by air or by sea.
The Good Shepherd ferry can hold 12 passengers and 1 car {the car being loaded onto the ferry by a crane} and I’m told getting to Fair Isle by air is a much more pleasant experience as the seas can be a bit rough at times. 😉
Off loading all the cargo is a big production, but luckily there are always a lot of people on hand to help out.
Some in an official capacity, and others who are just there because it’s what they choose to do each week or to simply pick up a package they were expecting.
Jimmy Stout {age 80} sorts the packages.
Breaking the crate down.
Supplies for Stackhoull Stores.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have pretty much all of your supplies, everything you need, everything you can’t carry on an 8 seater plane with you {food, clothing, furniture, coal, gas, materials for building projects!?} come via a small ferry?
Living on Fair Isle isn’t for the faint of heart, that’s for sure. I’ve always said I wanted to live on a small island, and now I’m finally getting to see what it’s really like.
I know I could do it and be content. But my husband? And his constant need to go to The Home Depot every 2 days…. Not so much. 😉
~Mavis
Kathy Wolfe says
So glad you are taking us along.
Tracey says
second that ^
Suzanne Shaw says
^ third that!
Stacie says
All of the photos and how life works on that little island is such a treat!
Cindy Goller says
^ Add my voice to the chorus – I’m enjoying this virtual trip immensely!
Linda says
Do they have any medical care there?
I
Mavis Butterfield says
There is a nurse.
Cindy Goller says
How are medical emergencies handled?
Mavis Butterfield says
There is a nurse on Fair Isle and a Coastguard helicopter if there is a true emergency.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
This is very interesting Mavis. Thanks for sharing your pictures. We live near and visit an island accessible only by ferry, though it is more populated. It has just under 1000 ppl compared to Fair Isle’s 60. The ferry we have will hold 50-60 cars so much larger and it runs daily, except in bad weather. It can accommodate an 18-wheeler, so supplies are trucked onto our island after being on the ferry. On a smaller scale, it sounds like the kind of ferry that is slated for Fair Isle in the future. Even on an island less remote than Fair Isle, it is still an experience to be beholden to a ferry for comings and goings. And in case of medical emergencies, one is helicoptered off the island.
Lynn from NC Outer Banks says
There is a primary doctor (GP) on our island.
Christina says
Your home island sounds beautiful too. I’m going to Google it to learn more about it.
Ashley Bananas says
I wonder if anyone on the island lives as subsistence farmers?
Mel says
I was wondering about gardening. They must have a pretty short warm growing season but maybe with extended daylight. Cool season crops must be pretty productive though.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes to the cool season crops. Lots of people have garden beds and there are a few greenhouses {in backyards} on Fair Isle as well.
Jillbert says
Are there many cars? You mentioned your neighbor has one. Does gas come via the ferry? Does the population increase in the summer? I’m fascinated by your time there. Love the details of the grocery store.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, most people have a car as it’s pretty hilly here. All supplies come via plane or ferry.
A fire destroyed the bird observatory in 2019 but it’s being re-built right now and should be ready to receive guests in late 2023 or early 2024.
I believe there will be 30 beds for visitors. There are also a few people {not many though} who offer B&B style accommodation on the island.
Mimi says
It must be wonderful to shut the noise of this crazy world out for a little while. There’s something very appealing about that!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes!!! I haven’t turned on the tv once!
Jeanine says
If you did live on an island, the home would have to be to your liking with no projects. Then maybe HH might like it.
How’s the rug hooking coming along? Will you have to ship your supplies back to the USA and wait again for customs?
I must say it sounds like your having a great time. What an adventure!!
About 15 years ago, my adventure was hiking 200 miles in the Sierra’s along a portion of the Pacific Coast Trail. It was hard work and sleeping in a tent and carrying all my supplies, but so rewarding. Beautiful scenery around each corner or over each mountain and I’ll never forget it. But, alias I’m too old for such a trip now. This trip is your rewarding experience and we are all loving every moment of it. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, I’ll be shipping a big box of supplies back, but also leaving a few things behind. So far I have hooked 4 pieces. 🙂
Jennifer G says
Have really enjoyed living on Fair Isle vicariously. Thanks for sharing!
Jill says
I second everything everyone has said about your trip. How exciting and adventurous!
I noticed that many of the items on the shelves of the little store have the prices marked right on the package. Is that typical in the UK? The manufacturer sets the prices instead of the store?
Dee Patterson says
It’s typical only in tiny shops.
We’re reasonably lucky with food prices despite the recent hikes .
It’s quite competitive in all supermarkets especially for fresh vegetables, fruit and basics like bread , eggs and cheese.
Cheapest cheddar cheese is around £5 a kilo, eggs are about £1 for 6 , sold in cardboard boxes , milk in glass bottles delivered to door is £1.40 a pint but around that for a litre in a plastic bottle .
There’s often roadside honesty boxes for cheap fresh flowers (£1-£3 , sometimes £5 for a huge bunch ).
If there’s a glut as there was of apples this year , there’s Facebook messages galore and roadside saying free .
The emphasis is on fresh food but slowly pre packaged ready meals are creeping in , especially with the energy prices being so high .
Thanks to lockdown, more are trying to grow something, even if just flowers for the bees.
Mavis Butterfield says
The prices on small things like candy, crisps and a few others are printed on the packaging, otherwise, most product prices are set by the shopkeeper/retailer.
Jenny Young says
It’s very interesting to see how people live in other parts of the world. What do they do with garbage? Does it have to be hauled away?
Norma says
That is a great question. I never thought of that.
Mavis Butterfield says
There are recycling bins up by the community center. Coal ash and regular garbage is collected every Saturday and then stored and taken off island.
Christina says
Mavis, do you think you’ll return to Fair Isle one day? Or is this one experience enough for you?
I think I would want to return. It seems the kind of place that burrows into your heart and stays there.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, I had a wonderful time and I’m looking forward to going back.
Patti says
So interesting! Thank you for showing the ferry and how all that works. My husband and I just visited an island off the coast of South Carolina where you can only go by ferry and only take what you carry. There are no cars on the island – just golf carts. It was just for the weekend and we had to eat out every meal except for the few snacks we brought. They have started doing Instacart for groceries: the people on the island can order their groceries online, the store takes them to the ferry and the person must be waiting for the ferry when the groceries arrive. Somehow they also can do this with food from restaurants!!! Amazing how our lives have changed in pandemic times.
Kay says
It’s no different than living in the bush of Alaska. Or out in a village beyond Bethel, Alaska…or up north in Kotzebue or on the island of Kivalina….or living on the Wulik River…. I lived like this for 15 years….. flying in supplies.. hauling water ..bathing out of a bucket of water (March until June)… (spring bear season) ….living and cooking in hip boots due to spring break up….constantly hauling water during springtime ….and in the fall and winter.. either way …all of your supplies must be flown in (via small aircraft) (otters or beavers ..206)….or the supplies are shipped by water…. that’s life in Alaska …and I was blessed to live and work all over the great state of Alaska for 15 years… including going to town shopping and packing up supplies and materials… and then flying out the materials and supplies …to our camps… or to the villages beyond Bethel… and this is how it was at all the places I worked…..and the last six years i spent working on the north slope of Alaska… where caribou have the right of way!!!! After that life …I moved to the jungle jungle of Costa Rica and we (my husband and I) we had to travel by our boat or by the ferry back to town for supplies …and now we live on a little barrier island surrounded by nature and state parks… the ocean and intracoastal waterway… where we grow our vegetables and herbs… it’s a quiet peaceful life …where one doesn’t need a car …because you can walk everywhere. And Publix ..Front Porch Picking (Organic) and Home Depot delivers… due to the fact that my husband doesn’t drive… and this is why we love our little barrier island… because one must think this way as we age… here ..we can age in place. Simplify as my momma would say.
Kim says
What an interesting life you’ve lived. May I ask what you did for a living that has brought you to live such a diversified life? May I also ask where it is that you live now, Kay?
Sue S. says
It must be an awesome community when everyone pitches in where needed, you know all of your neighbors, and you live rather simply. Still chuckling about John and amazon. Do they deliver by air?
Mavis Butterfield says
Mail is delivery via plane and ferry. 🙂
sandyf says
Wow! All these comments are fantastic and fascinating! Such interesting folk you all are.
Mavis-I am loving you journey and really love hearing all about it. I look forward to your posts daily.
Thank you for sharing.
Lynn Y says
Loving the name of the ferry, a boat that delivers what is needed to the people of the island. How appropriate. Thank you for sharing all of this.
Laurie Matzko says
Mavis –
It seems from your post that there are a fairly high percentage of older folks on the island. Would that be fair to say? Are there families? School?
Mary says
I want to thank for posting your adventure. So beautiful and peaceful.