Islanders turned out in force in a massive protest on South Uist after being cut off from the mainland for over a month in peak holiday season.
Around 500 residents, 200 cars, 40 vans and 20 lorries converged on Lochboisdale, which links the Outer Hebridean island to the the mainland on Sunday, in a protest over CalMac's decision to cancel almost every ferry service in June.
Around a third of the population turned out, with signs reading 'ferry is our oxygen', 'every cancelled ferry is killing our islands', and 'no ferry, no future' - while motorhomes were banned from a ferry to North Uist at the weekend.
Business leaders were told there will be no compensation from the Scottish Government for a month-long cancellation of services - although the saga of issues on the route was allegedly killing livelihoods worse than lockdown.
Islanders claimed they felt "depressed" and "expendable", and social media users compared it to the Tom Hanks film Cast Away.
CalMac blocked motorhomes travelling to and from North Uist from Saturday because of a problem with a mezzanine deck, with disruption continuing today.
The Lochboisdale Ferry Business Impact Group organised the protest as a "show of solidarity against the constant abuse of our ferry service and our community".
It said: "There are many people who have been doing all they can in their power to improve the ferry situation for Uist, with zero progress. In fact, things have got worse."
John Daniel Peteranna, from the business group, said: "People are leaving the island. The atmosphere is awful. People are depressed - the government think we are expendable.
"CalMac effectively decide which islands survive and which don't. I think there should be a management change at CalMac.
"The transport minister Kevin Stewart cannot control them and they are not listening to the customers. Our confidence in CalMac is zero.
"The attitude seems to be 'we will do what we want, what suits us as a company best and stuff everyone else'."
He runs a renewable energy company which supplies wind turbines to help make homes self-sufficient, on South Uist.
The businessman added: "I look at the news and see that the Scottish Government has plans to stop depopulation of the islands. I feel like someone is taking the mick."
South Uist is reliant on a daily lorry crossing to supply shops, and last August rationing was in use in order to deal with transport failings.
Last year Lochboisdale was out of action to ferries between September 24 and October 8 to allow for repairs to the linkspan used by the ferry.Other recent factors included ferries being put in service, and drafted onto other routes.
PhD student P druig Moireasdan said: "The route has been cancelled to the mainland for a month. They suggest going through other islands but the routes are fully booked.
"There's no chance of getting on other routes. It's terrible especially in holiday season."
Robert Morrison, operations director for CalMac, said of the motorhomes ban: "This was an extremely difficult decision and I understand that this will be disruptive for the local community and for customers who had planned to use this route.
"I apologise for the affect that this cancellation will have and can assure customers that we are working hard to get vessels back in service."
Minister for Transport, Kevin Stewart said: "It is important that communities are fully engaged when further disruption comes so soon after just having services restored.
"I have been very clear with CalMac that they must continue to explore all avenues as I am fully aware from my recent visit the direct impact the loss of service is having on the community."
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