Writer discovers a city's history in the Kessock Ferry Swim story
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Highland writer Jennifer Morag Henderson didn’t know the fascinating world she was going to find herself diving into when commissioned to write The History Of The Kessock Ferry Swim (Aban, £5), our Star Read this week.
The outdoor charity Aban which revived the Kessock Ferry Swim last year and is bringing it back on Sunday, June 25, asked Jennifer to write a booklet to sell on the day of the event.
PICTURES: Kessock Ferry swim returns after 50 years
Handed a lot of material, the writer of historical biographies including her most recent Daughters Of The North – longlisted for the Highland Book Prize – ended up adding her own extensive research and interviews to the project.
Jennifer said: “I got so into it! I didn’t realise swimming was a way into discovering a slice of Inverness life.”
As well as chapters on the history of the Kessock Ferry Swim itself, there are short sections on the Inverness Corporation Pool, the LMS Amateur Swimming Club, and the swim’s story since 1946, though newspaper accounts date back to 1912.
And as well as records and times, there is a section on memories and also the up-to-date story of the challenge.
Throughout, the booklet has some atmospheric black and white archive photographs – including one of a young Ian Black – he went on to swim in the Olympics and won the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.
Jellyfish and the ferry boat itself were among obstacles swimmers faced over the years in what is really a history of the town and its strong tradition of swimming.
And there are lovely stories – the young Miss Duncan in 1912 crossing in 17 minutes.
The time wasn’t counted when four 11 and 12-year-olds including Rosemary MacGillivray swam across in 1947.
A thousand people lined the pier on the Inverness side – and a group of porpoises leapt out of the water around them without getting in the youngsters’ way!
Dip into a sparkling read. MC
The History Of The Kessock Ferry Swim (Aban, £5)
