West of the coast of Ireland in the Atlantic Ocean is the island of Great Blasket. It is famous for its amazing nature, but it is cut off from the world - no one lives there. Well, almost no one. Until recently, there were James and Camille - a young family who chose to abandon the modern way of life and move to the uninhabited island of Great Blasket for a while.
The Guardians of Great Blasket
The two had to live there for six months. Not an easy task for several reasons. First, they were the only inhabitants of the island. And secondly, there is no stable electricity supply, no hot water, no internet.
"People react in two ways when they hear about our venture", says young Camille. "Some are adamant that they could never live like this. And others say: Of course, why not. We are one of the latter."
37-year-old James and 26-year-old Camille were selected through a competition from hundreds of candidates who wanted to become this year's guardians of the deserted island. The two do not just live on the island for half a year, but also take care of it. "The requirement for this job is simply to commit to taking care of this place every day for six months," explains James. "There are many challenges that one faces during this time - and that is why it is very important to react to them with a positive attitude."
Great Blasket Island is one of the most westerly points in Europe. The place is a special protected area - with white beaches and crystal blue waters. However, the weather conditions are harsh. That is why in the 1950s the island was abandoned. Its last inhabitants, who speak a Gaelic dialect, were forced to leave and move to the island of Ireland. Now every summer two people go there to look after the island - and the tourists who visit this remote place.
For six months, James and Camille were busy from dawn to dusk - welcoming tourists and taking care of everything they needed. They also maintained the holiday cottages where guests stay, as well as the small café, which runs on water that comes directly from a spring in the nearby rocks.
"I want to take these moments with me"
When it gets dark, the harsh conditions on the island are especially felt, says Camille. "When we first came here, I was constantly looking for the switches on the walls to turn on the lights. But gradually I got used to it and stopped looking for them. I just turned on my flashlight."
They both say that it takes a while to get used to it. Other things are a bit more difficult. "The shower is a really wonderful thing. I missed it so much that I tried to push it out of my mind so that I wouldn't think about it all the time. We tried to compensate for other things too - like the refrigerator. "We collected cold water and put things in it," Camille explains.
A question they often had to answer was whether they were worried that emergency services would have a hard time reaching them if they needed it. "Call it youthful naivety, but we just believed that everything would be fine," says Camille.
James and Camille's time on Great Blasket Island is up, and now they have to return to their daily routine in Ireland. The couple say that life on the island has taught them to enjoy every moment and not to have excessive expectations for the next day. "Just sitting on the beach, watching the seals and feeling the wind - these are the moments I want to remember and take with me," says Camille.
Author: Charlotte Peel