Not only was he brave to be the first to kayak to St kilda he also took on an American warship in his kayak. Hamish Gow was an ardent anti polaris protester when they first started to create a base for the submarines at Holy loch in 1961,how strange it is that the debate about updating our current trident missiles rages on!
Hamish with a few other kayaks actually paddled out to an anchored warship to make their protest. He managed to clamber on to the mooring bouy and unfurl a CND banner then started to climb the anchor chain to get onto the ship.However it was heavily greased and it was proving difficult. He then spotted some bubbles in the water underneath him and suddenly two navy frogmen rose from the depths and wrestled him off the greasy chain and took him into custody on the ship.
Hamish appeared in court and pleaded guilty to breach of the peace but used the moment to make an impassioned speech to the sheriff about the absurdity of nuclear missiles.
The story goes that when he arrived at St Kilda in 1965,which was then occupied by the army, that he was again taken into custody as they thought he was embarking on another extreme protest. In fact the army staff were a bit surprised to find himself and his wife fast asleep in their tents but treated them with great hospitality and arranged for a boat to take them back to Uist after a couple of days recouperation.
Find out more about the first St Kilda trip in the guide book.
A recent photo of Hamish.
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