I hope Mael Coluim would appreciate this one

**Mael Coluim** · 19th January 09, 07:07 PM

Afterwards we took the attendees out for boat rides. They really enjoyed being out on the Colmcille. Their smiles were as large as the evening sunset!

**Mael Coluim** · 19th January 09, 07:15 PM

It was time to leave Easdale and head for Iona. It was to be our longest row.

**Mael Coluim** · 23rd January 09, 09:24 PM

Several of the crew joined up being friends of Donald. Actually three of them were friends when they were only school pals. I believe, I’m correct Donald hadn’t seen them since childhood. They saw his name in the newspaper articles in Scotland about the planned vpoyage and joined the crew.

Roddy Lightbody as mentioned previously was our land support lorry driver. Many of the photos posted here are Roddy’s.

**Mael Coluim** · 23rd January 09, 09:26 PM

Kenneth Colville was instrumental in getting the logistics of the trip planned. Unfortunately, Kenneth had a heart attach before the trip. He was still recuperating when the trip started so could not be part of the crew. He met us a several of the parts. Here he is the plain clothes man in the line up.

**Mael Coluim** · 23rd January 09, 09:27 PM

John Martin from the Isle of Gigha was quite a fellow. He kept us in stitches. He was instrumental in raising money in getting the Isle of Gigha becoming a public owned island.

**Mael Coluim** · 23rd January 09, 09:28 PM

Emmanuel Gorres friendship doesn’t go back to Scotland or Donald’s boyhood. Nevertheless, it was his friendship through the church they both attended that caused Emmanuel to join up. One of our poignant times was the internment of Emmanuel’s girlfriend’s ashes on Gigha. Emmanuel was quite a shutterbug and several of the photos on this thread are his.

**Mael Coluim** · 26th January 09, 07:00 PM

Continuing introductions of the crew who were full time (rowed to Iona and back to Portrush).

Peter Macleod is from the Isle of Sky. Peter was our unofficial chanter. He would break into rowing song at a heartbeat and dispel the monotony of a long row. Donald had wanted us to be authentic in quite a few things including the food we ate while aboard; salted fish, wine, crusty bread and cheese. Peter in his quiet way revolted on that and soon had us eating Mars candy bars as well as other sweets. This earned him the nick name of Peter Bonbon.

**Mael Coluim** · 26th January 09, 07:49 PM

Allistair Chisholm is an organist with the Scottish Episcopal Church of the Argyll and Isles. He would lead us in our hymns at our worship services. He is an accomplished rower.