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In July 2011 Cape Farewell embarked on a month-long expedition by boat across the Scottish Islands, bringing the notion and experience of expedition home to the UK, with an exploration of island ecologies and cultures, and of the strategies for sustainable and resilient futures being implemented across the Scottish Isles. More ›

The Crew

The expedition crew of 40 includes island artists, storytellers, film makers, playwrights, architects, designers, musicians, community leaders, social scientists, ecologists, marine biologists, oceanographers, poets, acclaimed Gaelic singers and a chef.
Meet the crew ›

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Video highlights

Watch video highlights from the expedition ›

Farewell and Ahoy: Log of a Voyage

Photo by Mary Smith
“Back in the kitchen.  A new group has joined Song of the Whale. There is an overlap of crew, Cape Farewell folk, and the artists and scientists who will sail together this coming week. They are planning to sail to North Rona, the Shiants and the coasts of Skye. But I’ve left the ship though... Read more ›

By Ian Stephen
7 August 2011, 11:16am
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Down the road

the Harris bus is short pensioners banter long in the tooth not a claw to be seen but my mother said you’d often see a goose on a seat as the gear got a grasp of the side of Clisham

By Ian Stephen
4 August 2011, 10:11am
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Tarasaigh

Abandoned Trimaran 1, Taransay
do dh’ Eoghann MacRath (nach maireann) the fraying loose ends of glass cloth dimples from lost fastenings extant stitching so copper holds delaminating ply our stainless technology is fast up this tidal creek – no evidence of propulsion lichens have a grip harmonic verdigris a weft of salt settled in terrain like feannagan* but songs... Read more ›

By Ian Stephen
3 August 2011, 3:33pm
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Blue Bonnets

Blue Bonnets
Shot by Matt Wainwright

By Ian Stephen
2 August 2011, 5:21pm
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Monachs

Lighthouse, Monach Islands
machair spills a rough greening to the sandline this is where sea gets eroded but it kicks back on the other side repels boarding boulders tosses them like pups a long way in the harling’s gone so you see the join – bricks over stone maybe one shift of scale was enough  – market, catch... Read more ›

By Ian Stephen
2 August 2011, 8:23am
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St Kilda archipelago

Chart St Kilda
it’ s a particular three individual spears dipping and trimming in nearly mutual response to airs and in present documented light two islands of a known group are bare to their midriff rock but you know they possess summits somewhere in the drizzle and a whole neighbour still concealed  

By Ian Stephen
1 August 2011, 5:21am
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Balranald

Ordnance Survey, North Uist
eyebright and kidney vetch but it’s ladies’s vetch that thickens milk by rye and bere and cousins of corn-buntings dulse dulls in dry warmth it will shine maroon in broth as residue of other seaweed tribes filters to ragworm and in turn to dunlin    

By Ian Stephen
30 July 2011, 4:13pm
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Lochmaddy

Abandoned House 1, Vallay, North Uist
local williewaws come quietly close spinning bangles of spray delicate until the punching pressure rocks us not like a baby  

By Ian Stephen
29 July 2011, 10:17pm
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Narrative as one member of a wee expedition

Taking off
I’ve put some kit in my rucksack. There’s a camera and a phone charged up but I don’t feel much  like  sorting the spaghetti of  leads in and out of video cameras and recording gear. There’s also no need to take the navigation box. Someone else is doing the driving this trip. i catch the... Read more ›

By Ian Stephen
29 July 2011, 1:36pm
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