HWDT BLOG

End of 2011 season

Published: 03/10/2011
Silurian has completed her last survey of 2011 and now sits in Kerrera where she awaits a winter spruce up. The crew and staff at the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in the research this year; we couldn't do it without you. There may not have been too much sunshine but I thoroughly enjoyed my first year on Silurian. From the people I met, to the animals we saw (fin whale and turtle included) and the spectacular Scottish scenery I cannot wait to see what next year brings.

Hope to see you all again in the near future, stay tuned to our website for updates on all things cetacean and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at biodiversityofficer@hwdt.org

Best wishes to all
Olivia Harries

Wednesday 28th September

Published: 29/09/2011
Anchorage: Tobermory
Distance travelled: 49.2NM

A long perfect sunny day started off at Mallaig. 12 porpoises were sighted and a lone grey seal was spotted cruising around the boat. Everyone got a taste for the Scottish sea today, literally. With waves breaking over the bow of the boat our observers on mast, relay and even our helmsmen were soaked within minutes of being on effort. None of us opted for extra salt on our dinner surprisingly enough. Rick got the worst of the waves and announced to us all after his stint on the mast “note to self, do not leave mouth agape when on mast”, a wise statement indeed…

At Moidart, our intended anchorage, the wind started gusting at over 30 knots; it had been between 25 and 30 knots for most of the day. We revised our plans and headed for Tobermory where we could hang off a mooring for the night. A 4 hour trek was made pleasant with a great sunset over Coll, a game of name a marine animal for every letter of the alphabet and some lemon cake, baked expertly by Emma. Tomorrow will be our last day surveying, this trip was very exciting.

Tuesday 27th September

Published: 29/09/2011
Anchorage: Mallaig
Distance travelled:28.5NM

Today we set off with an objective to survey Loch Hourn solely. The ADDs being used in this particular loch are different to those used elsewhere and Olivia was keen to get some recordings of these particular devices. We zig zagged up and down the loch which was beautiful; the clouds and mist hung over dramatic cliff tops, waterfalls fell from the very summits down into the loch itself and the green velvet mountains were speckled with heather. We saw 4 groups of porpoises and some seals. Success.
We went off effort at 2pm as we came around the headland in the direction of Mallaig. It took us just over two hours to reach our destination. We buried the bow a few times and altogether had quite a ride in the heavy swells. At Mallaig a number of us walked into the town and looked around: not a lot to see. Back to the boat where Olivia gave us a presentation about the state of the total survey and results from previous years. Very informative.

Monday 26th September

Published: 28/09/2011
Anchorage: Isle Ornsay
Distance travelled: 31.3NM

Today the sun shone and shone and shone. A beautiful day travelling under the Skye bridge and through Kyle Rhea. The sea was still persistent with whitecaps making the sighting of harbour porpoises difficult however the hydrophone picked up a great number of click trains. We did sight some seals giving us faith in our spotting abilities. We got through our tidal gate in the nick of time and proceeded to Isle Ornsay where we had clung on to a mooring last Wednesday. This time we managed to get ashore and some of us even did some Christmas shopping. We sampled some whitebait and tonka bean pannacotta at the bar and then headed back to the boat for our main course; pasta and bolognaise, yum! Tomorrow we are heading out with a specific survey aim but we won’t give the game away just yet…

Sunday 25th September

Published: 28/09/2011
Anchorage: Portree
Distance travelled: 16.5NM

We left Portree in the sunshine this morning however this did not last long and the rain soon closed in. We were surveying the sound of Raasay, where the Sperm Whale was spotted last week but the wind picked up so much that in the end we had no choice to turn around and head back to Portree. Gale warnings, force 9/ and 10 were predicted as “soon” so it was decided as a wise choice. More activities were arranged back on the mooring with a competition of “which animal would you like to be”… Rick won with his sea slug egg stream; we were mightily impressed with the skills of this particular being. The activities then became a lot more physical with knot tying competitions, tricks with sticks and compasses and even some contortionist demonstrations by Emma that some of us then attempted to recreate. We listened to the weather forecast with eager ears hoping for a break in the rain and wind as our time on board Silurian slowly disappears and discussions at dinner involved what we would do with some more favourable survey conditions.

Saturday 24th September

Published: 28/09/2011
We awoke to a weather forecast that suggested the sea conditions were to be less than favourable for surveying so with the group decision made we decided to take a shore day. We were in Portree and after a slow breakfast we headed ashore and made our way to the sea eagle exhibition. We learnt about the reintroduction of sea eagles and watched videos of the Skye scenery taken from a helicopter. We then had lunch, some of us opting for the traditional fish and chips and others going to the bakery. The time flew by and it was soon time to head back to the boat where Olivia had prepared some entertainment for us. It was a much needed break for us (and for our oilies to dry out) but we are keen to get back out surveying tomorrow; the weather is meant to be better tomorrow… we shall hold our breath!

Friday 23rd September 2011

Published: 24/09/2011
Anchorage: Portree harbour
Distance travelled: 23.6NM

We set off this morning from Plockton, once again battling the west coast elements as the cold westerly wind whistled around our ears and the rain stung our faces. Some shelter in the lee of the Crawlin Islands was most welcomed and seven hyperactive porpoises passed us by at great speeds giving us a flash of their light coloured flanks. This was one of today’s 4 porpoise sightings our friendly mini-marine mammals. Having bashed across some more exposed water a few seals showed their faces in the Raasay narrows, one happily munching a fish. 23 miles after leaving Plockton we arrived in Portree where skipper John used his good charm and connections to get u a secure RNLI mooring for the night. Olivia’s scrumptious coffee cake was a well-earned treat, how showers a highlight, although we do believe that Emma had fixed the water meter as she apparently only used 2 litres of water to shower with. After some card games and some dinner we dispersed to the pub for some live music.

Wednesday 21st September 2011

Published: 23/09/2011
Anchorage: Isle Ornsay
Distance travelled: 45.5NM

May the force (gale 8) be with you-- with waves up 6 meters, the Silurian was dancing in the water just like a groom at his wedding. A few times the boat even heeled over enough to submerge the windows of the deck cabin on that side. The day passed by with lots of the bow looking at the sky, only to be followed by the plunge down the other side of the swell. The birds were out now and then, in between waves, but not much else was spotted (given the conditions this was hardly surprising). However we made our moorage and we are now positioned for some sheltered surveying over the next few days, hopeful that the bad weather passes through.
After dinner tonight, we played an educational card game where we practised our identification of species.

Tuesday 20th September 2011

Published: 23/09/2011
Anchorage: Tobermory
Distance travelled: 30.6NM

With a rainy windy day, day one started with getting the boat ready; filling it with fresh water, stocking up food and getting introduced to boat safety, it ended with dinner and getting to know one another after a trip up Loch Sunart and back to Tobermory for the night. In summary, we set a sail of 30 miles surveying areas and we saw three seals and one lucky harbour porpoise and many birds.

Thursday 15th September 2011

Published: 16/09/2011
Anchorage: Tobermory Bay

Today Silurian became a floating classroom once again to welcome the students of Tobermory Primary School onboard for marine environmental education workshops. The crew included Skipper John (the lion's mane jellyfish), First Mate Emma (the Eider duck), Education Officer Gemma (the grey seal) and Education Assistant Andy (the angler fish). Sitting comfortably alongside the pontoon in Tobermory harbour, we saw a total of 18 P6&7 children who eagerly jumped onboard to find out about the marine life of western Scotland and the work of HWDT. Here's what they had to say about their experience onboard Silurian:

'My favourite part was when we had the hydrophone in the water and we were listening to the sounds' – William
'My favourite thing was finding out all the facts because they were very interesting' – Abbey
'I really enjoyed learning about the binoculars and how to look for wildlife' – Fraser
'I enjoyed doing the treasure hunt. I learned that whales don’t squirt water through their blowhole' – Graeme
'My favourite part of the day was standing on the deck looking for sightings with the binoculars' – Anna
'I enjoyed John’s impression of the lion’s mane jellyfish and also looking through the binoculars with Andy' – Alexander
'My favourite activity was when we were using the binoculars. We had to look for animals; when we spotted some we had to shout ‘sighting’!' – Asha
'Today I learned all about the marine life of Tobermory. It made me laugh when Gemma the grey seal made her very off noise. I thought that the life-size bottlenose dolphin called Duncan was very interesting!' – Eilidh the eel
'Today I learnt how to track animals in the waters. I enjoyed doing the treasure hunt and it made me laugh when we were making nicknames and actions for our names' – Molly
'Today I learnt about what to shout when you saw an animal onboard. I enjoyed working with everyone. It made me laugh when Gemma did her seal impression. One thing I found interesting was listening to everyone’s animal name. I will remember Gemma’s seal impression. One surprising thing was seeing Duncan again' – Bekah the basking shark
'It made me laugh when Gemma the grey seal made a really funny snorting noise. I really liked trying to find the animals and I liked seeing Duncan. I also liked my noise because I was an Irrawaddy dolphin so I had to squeak' – Isabel the Irrawaddy dolphin
'Today I learnt what to say if you spot an animal and I enjoyed learning what to do if we were going to work onboard Silurian. It made me laugh when Izzy made a noise of an animal. One thing I found interesting was how to get the sounds. I will remember to always wear a lifejacket. One surprising thing was going on the boat. I thought the best bit was seeing Duncan' – Sophie the seahorse
'Today I learnt how to tie a sheet bend and Silurian is a lovely boat. I would love to work on the boat. Gemma makes odd seal noises!' – Lee the limpet
'Today I learnt about the Silurian and what’s onboard. I enjoyed spotting a seal on Calve Island. It made me laugh when we were thinking of animal names for us. One thing I found interesting was the software for the hydrophone. I will remember looking for animals. One surprising thing was Gemma’s grey seal impression' – Fergus the flying fish
'Today it made me laugh when everyone had to come up with their animal names and actions. Gemma the grey seal was really funny. I will remember looking for any animal in the bay and seeing one of my friends get clipped on to the mast' – Vicki the velvet crab
'Today I learnt that a flying fish makes a vroom noise! I enjoyed looking for birds. I found Emma’s cheese and I realised that it’s actually a rope. I will remember Gemma’s grey seal impression. One surprising thing was the size of the beds onboard. I thought the best bit was finally understanding what we were talking about!' - Tommy the turtle
'I really enjoyed looking through the binoculars' – Gosia
'The thing that I enjoyed the most was listening to all the noises that whales and dolphins make' - Corrie

Thanks to all of the children for making today such a great day - we really enjoyed meeting you all! Silurian then hosted an open boat event where members of the public were invited to join us onboat to find out about our research work. All that remained for us to do was to get our touch tank ready for Friday, thanks to our fantastic local fishermen who provided us with some marine animals to teach with.

Thursday 8th September 2011

Published: 09/09/2011
Anchorage: Loch Moidart
Distance travelled: 49.2NM

Today we had a great day exploring remote and beautiful Scotland by boat and foot. Eugene and Max started the day with a swim in the cold water of Loch Aline. We then headed out of the Sound of Mull and towards the Cairns of Coll in the hope of spotting some minke whale but there did not appear to be any whales about, just plenty of harbour porpoise to keep our visual observers busy. Tom had a great experience up in the crows nest and particularly enjoyed having a bacon buttie brought up to him shortly followed by spotting his very first fulmar. Our day ended nearby an amazing castle, with steps up to the top towers that gave stupendous views of the surroundings. We scampered around the ruins and found old fireplaces, stoves and deep, dark, chambers. When we got back to the boat we discussed past results from data collected onboard Silurian and finished up with a game of cards or two.

Wednesday 7th September 2011

Published: 08/09/2011
Anchorage: Loch Aline
Distance travelled: 43.9NM
We woke up to sunshine this morning however as we set off up Loch Linnhe the weather changed to yesterday’s heavy rain and wind, although this time we were determined to stay on visual effort. We spent about one and a half hours on the mast with both rain and wind in our faces. It was a pretty amazing feeling that our Russian’s had definitely not experienced before. Megan started the sightings off with a grey seal spotted bobbing around in the waves. Then two harbour porpoises, three common seals followed and a few more porpoises to end the day. Evgeny and Max cooked for the first time: baked potatoes with beans, cheese and tomatoes. It was so good that the whisky didn’t need to be cooked. We are hoping to leave the Sound of Mull tomorrow but as always we shall wait and see what the weather and the mornings inshore waters forecast brings us, good night all.

Tuesday 6th September 2011

Published: 08/09/2011
Anchorage: Loch Creran
Distance travelled: 24NM
Today we left Loch Spelve in the rain and wind and ventured out into the Sound of Mull. The wind was a little too strong for surveying so we left the hydrophone do the work whilst we dried out in the saloon. The hydrophone detected 7 harbour porpoises and some fish farm seal scarers were played to us. Between the wind and the rain we went outside and practised our birds and then watched the HWDT dvd. The day swiftly passed and soon enough it was time to retreat to our cabins. We dreamed of blue skies and sunshine in anticipation of another day like Monday. Keen eyes tomorrow…

Monday 5th September 2011

Published: 06/09/2011
Anchorage: Loch Spelve
Distance travelled: 47.9NM

Today we left Bunessan and travelled west circling around Iona and the Torran Rocks. At the northern tip of Iona, and relatively soon after we had set off, we encountered some basking sharks; 10 in total. We played slalom around the sharks trying to get photo ID shots of each of their fins and got to see some of them very close up. After successfully capturing all 10 individuals we moved on. We did not get too far however before we encountered another feeding group of basking sharks, this time 15! There was an incredibly large shark amongst these individuals and the crew estimated at least 9m in length. We even got to see inside its mouth. The day continued on with some more basking shark sightings (28 in total) and even a porpoise or 3! Even with all these basking shark sightings our identification still may need some work… a sighting of marine litter, specifically a white piece of plastic, turned out to be a basking shark with its mouth open….
We anchored in Loch Spelve and for dinner had bangers and mash cooked by Tom and Megan. Tom even mashed the potatoes for 9 people by hand. We then got given a presentation on birds after dinner and soon retired to our beds.

Sunday 28th August 2011

Published: 29/08/2011
Anchorage: Loch Nan Uamh
Distance travelled: 40.5NM
We started in the Sound of Sleat and surveyed one of the mainland lochs. The wind was increasing in force however we still had sightings of porpoises and seals. Their presence above/between the waves was quite brief. On the way out of the loch we realised that we had in fact been sheltered from the brunt of the wind and soon we were looking at force 8 gales. The sails were up and we were healing onto our port side however those at the mast were quite miffed when Olivia shouted “off effort”. We all headed for the saloon apart from Stefan who was strapped to the mast and intent on scanning for marine mammals. It paid off and although we were off effort we still recorded the sleeping common seal that Stefan managed to spot. Meanwhile Nicki and Britt were practising their skiing in the saloon much to Caroline’s amusement. We anchored around 5pm had a lovely walk ashore and came back to again a wonderful dinner this time cooked by Nancy. After a round or two of cards we headed to our cabins to get a good sleep for our last full day of surveying tomorrow.

Saturday 27th August 2011

Published: 28/08/2011
Anchorage: Sound of Sandaig
Distance travelled: 42.7NM

The weather started off a bit greyish and threatening of rain but after an hour or so it changed to sunny. One of the best days we’ve had. In the afternoon skipper Brian put the sails up and we sailed for the rest of the day. It took us a while to get used to but once we got used to the healing we had a great time. Emma told us that we did well for our first time sailing. We saw lots of seals again today and although we only had 3 harbour porpoise sightings today the hydrophone detected 46! When we anchored in Sandaig some of us went ashore; beautiful landscape and even a haunted house. Dinner was cooked by Jonathan and Britt this evening and after we had cleared our plates we played games. It was a great day.

Friday 26th August 2011

Published: 27/08/2011
Anchorage: Canna
Distance travelled: 54.1NM

Today we left Tiree in the beautiful sunshine. Soon after we left Caroline and Britt at the mast spotted a basking shark. Our first one! Just ten minutes later four more were spotted. We were all very happy to be seeing these amazing animals. Another sighting a few hours later this time of the marine mammal kind: 2 minke whales. Although these whales were very focused on feeding they gave us some very good close up shots of their back and dorsal fin; coming close to the beam of the boat. Everyone worked on the computer today and Britt discovered some dolphin whistling much to her excitement. We looked far into the distance but they never appeared. Still, it was great hearing them.
Added to this today was the first time we got to go up the crow’s nest, the view from up there was just phenomenal. The weather remained sunny all day it was definitely a “good day for surveying” as Olivia always says.
We attempted to anchor in a stunning sheltered spot on the south side of Canna but unfortunately the sea bed seemed to be a rocky bottom and the anchor would not hold so we had dinner on the flat calm sea as the skipper and mate steamed round to the north harbour. A peaceful evening and a spectacular sunset was finished off nicely with Olivia’s excellent presentation on research findings to date, most inspiring indeed. Keen eyes all round tomorrow…

Thursday 25th August 2011

Published: 26/08/2011
Anchorage: Gott Bay, Tiree
Distance travelled: 44.3NM

Today was a beautiful, sunny day and on our hours off we all remained upon deck and basked in the sunshine. Our bird spotting skills had a good workout, with gannets plunge diving in the distance and fulmars that circled the boat for most of the day. Although we didn’t see any marine mammals today the hydrophone detected a couple of porpoises and the creels kept us busy. When we anchored in Gott Bay we had a stroll around the island and eventually ended up at the hotel where some of us took showers. Nicki and Nancy later added a wonderful dinner to the list of fantastic food we enjoy on this trip.

Wednesday 24th August 2011

Published: 25/08/2011
Anchorage: Vatersay
Distance travelled: 40.5NM

We left at 9am this morning with both rain and swells however by the time Britt and Stefan were relieved at the mast the weather had changed dramatically. With a blink of an eye the rain had stopped the sun came out and the sea dropped. It was a beautiful sail to Vatersay passing natural arches, stunning wee islands and one in particular called “The Red Boy”. Even with group deliberation we couldn’t work out how it got his name. On Vatersay we took a walk across both beaches; the one on the Atlantic side and the one on the Sea of the Hebrides. The crew had an impromptu swim in the Atlantic sea and even Stefan and Nicki waded up to their waist whilst Emma, Brian and Olivia body-surfed the tumbling waves. We managed to tear ourselves away from Vatersay with the promise of dinner and showers. We are still positive about seeing basking sharks and although they have evaded us thus far we are keeping our fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Monday 22nd August 2011

Published: 23/08/2011
Anchorage: Loch Skipport, South Uist
Distance travelled: 47.5NM

What a day. Not too much wind, SUNSHINE for most of the day, not too much swell (or one could say no swell) and the first sighting happened soon after we set off. A group of 16 common dolphins passed and gave us the chance to take a closer look at their fast moves. Great!! Then we headed to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, sighting a couple of Harbour Porpoises and some more common dolphins including a baby. Some of us took the chance to go ashore where we saw beautiful wildflowers, the remains of an old stone house, traces of wildlife, the odd bird and views over silvery blue seas. We’re looking forward to tomorrow as we head south. The weather is just great.

Sunday 21st August 2011

Published: 23/08/2011
Anchorage: Loch Scresort, Isle of Rum
Distance travelled: 28.8NM

Hi out there, we are Earthwatch team 7; Britt, Caroline, Jonathan, Nancy, Nicky and Stefan. We met on the 20th August and got directly onboard Silurian. After presentations and safety instructions we left Tobermory on Sunday morning and headed North towards the Small Isles. Scotland showed off its beauty with some stunning landscapes, albeit with some rain and wind. Nicky and Stefan were caught out on the mast with a quick downpour but thankfully that was the first and last of the rain we saw (Scottish weather changes quickly we learnt). When we reached Rum and a picture was taken not everyone truly smiled for the camera, the majority of our team had had a tough day finding their sea legs but after a trip ashore for showers and drinks full health was definitely restored. Olivia told us that there were 25 harbour porpoise detections on the hydrophone and even some dolphin whistles and clicks, somehow all of these animals evaded our spotters on the mast. Our crew, Brian, Emma and Olivia kept us fed all day (thanks for that) and after dinner we all retired to bed.

Tuesday 16th August 2011

Published: 17/08/2011
Anchorage: Tobermory, Isle of Mull
Distance travelled: 29.1NM
Well we all woke up to a flashback from the beginning of the week- howling wind and driving rain had returned. The rain lashed down but our sturdy waterproofs and many layers just about passed the test. There was relief from the rolling and pitching of the rest of the week and the flat(ish) seas rewarded us with a sighting of a grey seal! Emma was on hand to provide hot chocolate and Tim our BLs (the tomatoes having run out). When Olivia shouted ‘off effort’ we all pitched in to scrub and polish our trusty vessel after malt loaf and tea. Leanne valiantly tackled the galley and Rachael scrubbed the decks. After cleaning Hazel climbed the crow’s nest in Tobermory harbour.
We packed our bags and we went ashore for dinner at Café Fish where everyone enjoyed lovely dishes, even Hazel! Then, on to the Mishnish for drinks and an impromptu gathering of past and present Silurian first mates. With some uncommon breaks in the cloud we sat up on deck and gazed at the stars, catching glimpses of the last of the Perseid meteors. And so to bed for our last night on Silurian.

Despite some rather soggy weather, mountainous sea climbing, and beasties few and far between, the crew thoroughly enjoyed the trip; cake, pirates, dragonflies and most of all a superb bunch of volunteers, a huge thanks to you lovely people!

Monday 15th August 2011

Published: 16/08/2011
Anchorage: Loch Scresort, Isle of Rum
Distance travelled: 55.2NM
The good ship Silurian left Lunga with the crew suitably attired for Pirate Day, aaarrrrhh we looked a fearsome bunch, with eye patches, scars and bandannas. The Cap’n was even sporting the finest cardboard parrot. The weather that greeted us as we headed across to Tiree was somewhat out of the ordinary for this trip so far, the sun was shining! The sea was however up to the previous days’ tricks as we rolled and pitched about. The sea calmed down as we rounded the east tip of Coll and we got our first sighting of the day, a large basking shark, shortly followed by a second. Some of the crew then had the briefest of glimpses of a Minke whale in amongst the swell and as we circled trying to see a better view we saw a porpoise and another (or possibly the same!) basking shark, which Emma up the crow’s nest judged to be half the length of the boat, 9m!
As we left the shelter of Coll we resumed our rolling ride up to Rum. We had fleeting snatches of a couple of porpoises, a seal and another basking shark. Rachael heard the distinctive whistles of dolphins on the hydrophone but none were seen. The sea flattened out and the sun shone as we circled Rum, getting spectacular views of the island. We had one last porpoise sighting before we entered Loch Scresort, another beautiful spot to spend the night. Another marvel of Rum was showers, and a pre-dinner run ashore guaranteed clean volunteers (well Rachael and Hazel) after which we enjoyed another hearty meal. Emma even managed to get Hazel to eat cheese! After dinner we left our skipper behind and went ashore once again. Emma and Olivia cleaned up as the rest of us went for a look around the island. We walked around Kinloch castle which was gorgeous and peeked in the windows to see magnificent Victorian furniture and architecture. There was even a lion skin rug! We had the bar of the hostel to ourselves and enjoyed a quick drink before heading back to Silurian for Leanne’s bread and butter pudding, after a few card games it was soon time for bed.

Sunday 14th August 2011

Published: 15/08/2011
Anchorage:Lunga, Treshnish Isles
Distance travelled: 43.6NM
Once again we woke up to sunny skies in Bunessan, after breakfast we set off towards Tiree through some mighty swells which made certain people think Emma was soaking them on purpose. Unfortunately we only saw one porpoise today but keeping our fingers crossed for more sightings in the last few days. Skipper announced that we have all to dress up for national pirate day tomorrow and he demonstrated by crafting a captains hat and eyepatch out of cardboard. We were warned that inappropriately dressed members of the crew would be flogged!
After anchoring at Lunga we took a trip ashore to explore this gorgeous historic island. We saw many sea birds including Kittiwake chicks, Shags and even a very up-close puffin in its burrow. We stopped to take in the scenery with 360 degree sea views for those of us who climbed all the way to the top. We visited the ruins left by the ancient inhabitants of the island and Mono told us the story of the man imprisoned here with the ‘ugliest woman on Mull’. Once we made our way back to shore we ran into a slight hitch, the tide was coming in very fast and we had to leap over some rocks in order to keep our feet dry. Rounding the corner we found another problem, a small mound of bright yellow told us that we had left our lifejackets too close to the shore and they had all inflated! Along with this, the water had soaked our oilies and Leanne’s welly boots were in danger of floating away. We ran to retrieve them and had to walk back across the rocks to get to the dinghy. Using Mono as a climbing frame, and three soaking feet later (Hazel had a hole in one welly) we reached the dinghy.
Rescue mission completed we had a lovely Thai green curry cooked by the crew, Olivia deciding that the best way to test the readiness of rice was by tapping it onto the worktop(!) We played some more cards and began to start work on the pirate costumes! Leanne’s just away to whittle her cutlass…

Saturday 13th August 2011

Published: 15/08/2011
Anchorage: Bunessan, Isle of Mull
Distance travelled: 27.1NM
Today to the surprise of all on board Silurian we woke up to see a large chunk of blue sky! This followed a pretty relaxing morning playing cards and steadily eating our way through a tub of biscuits while Emma ventured off to nurse our dinghy back to full health. Thanks to the skilled hands of Emma’s Dad our Dinghy returned good as new and when he came aboard we offered him tea and cake as a thank you.
As the sun was still showing its face all were excited to get started. These new high spirits resulted in a resounding chorus of the ‘bare necessities’ led by Rachael and Hazel. We set off to round Staffa, getting great views of Fingal’s Cave. As we rounded the top off the island Mono spotted a fin in the water and to the joy of everyone on board shouted ‘basking shark’ however it soon became clear as it turned onto its back and its head even cleared the water that it was in fact a sunfish! That sighting was followed by another, a blue plastic toilet seat!

We came into calmer waters of Loch Scridian and the crew disappeared down below to prepare dinner, with the skipper peeling carrots on deck. Once we came off effort Emma had a lovely cottage pie ready for us which we scoffed down before we went ashore in our now sprightly dinghy.

Once in Bunessan we went to the Argyll Arms Hotel for a drink where we all got caught up in a game of killer pool. This resulted in a never ending final between Hazel and Mono. Rachael was threatened with computer duty for the rest of the trip if she potted Olivia’s ball. We pootled back to Silurian in the last light of the sunset being quiet as mice not to wake the sleeping skipper.

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