New Pier and Causeway

As many people may be aware the Isle of Eigg is to get a new pier and causeway to allow the Cal Mac ferry, Loch Nevis, to dock. This is the third of the new piers to be built for the ferry the first two on Muck and Rum have yet to be completed but work will commence anyway on the Eigg pier.

Anyway the day has finally dawned when the contractors moved in. This is just the first wave setting up the beachhead before the big guns come in.

Bit of a squeeze

For those of you who may not be fortunate enough to view Galmisdale Bay before the causeway forever changes its appearance here is it is on a 'dreich' day.

The causeway will extend from just right of the new pier centre in the picture to the furthest most point of the last skerry you can see before Castle Island. On this skerry, or at least where it is now, will be a concrete pier structure where the ferry will berth. All this is hoped to be completed by Autumn 2003.

Saturday the 27th April saw the first arrival of the 60metre barge that will be used to transport the bulk of the plant and rock required for the causeway.

The second barge load arrived on the 1st May carrying a further 1000 tonnes of aggregate.

A temporary pier for landing materials from the barge has now been built. The first load off onto this pier included larger rock for creating the causeway. Lets hope that they connect the new pier to the shore and don't leave it like this.

The first blast was on the 23rd May. After clearing boats from the area and ensuring people were a safe distance it was a bit of an anti climax.

Things are starting to take shape now with the creation of the coffer dam. Once this is complete work will start, inside it, on the concrete pier. These pictures were taken on the 25th June.

We'll keep this website up to date with pictures and progress reports so keep checking back if you're interested.