The Canna grafitti

The iconic graffiti on the cliff face at the pier on Canna has long caused much discussion amongst visitors. Some find it ugly and do not understand why the residents do not ‘clean it up’. Others find it creatively intriguing and interesting, a piece of local ‘colour’.

It has appeared in many films and images through the years, but most people are unaware of the significance of the vividly painted names and dates. The names are in fact names of the various fishing boats who visit Canna harbour on a regular basis. Those returning most frequently take it upon themselves to ‘freshen up’ their names, radio frequencies and skippers names etc, as is evidenced at times by the discarded aerosol paint cans left on the pier!

There is one piece of graffiti with an intriguing story, however. In 1952, a man called Robert Wallace Menzies bought an ex RAF Rescue launch which was renamed the Patrice. Whilst anchored in Canna harbour on holiday a couple of years later, (the Menzies) were awoken by John Campbell knocking on their boat asking for help, as he had just had news that his father, Duncan Campbell of Inverneill, had died.

Robert took John and Margaret to Mallaig leaving his wife and children in Canna House with Sheila Lockett, John’s secretary. The family continued to visit Canna almost every year after that, painting and repainting the dates on the cliff face. The name of the boat is painted on the cliffs behind the waiting room at the pier and the Patrice still berths in the harbour whenever the family can visit.

Contributed by Fiona Mackenzie, singer and archivist

More information on visiting the area can be found here.