Boat Trip - Sunk

Tuesday May 10

Plenty of time before our 12.00 boat trip for a comfortable breakfast, drive to Tobermory and a Co-op shop. Stugeron was on the list too, just in case it was a rough ride. We were then fully prepared. I had trouser inners on as well as the regular pair, we both took Stugeron and parked as near to the jetty as we could. Pam went off to the booking office and came back with Tim from there and Richard from Sealife Surveys in tow.

Despite me producing  a confirmation Email, booking number and payment receipt from the original booking, plus confirmation email from last week, Explore Mull had no record of our booking. The Sealife boat had been cancelled - low numbers - and they hadn't got room for us on the other. Richard was embarrassed. We were offered a free trip to-morrow but we refused - too near the drive to Skye and journey to Uist, we're tired. 
The sea's been perfectly calm with little wind to-day, also overcast all day with occasional slight spits of rain on the windshield. Much less tiring on the eyes.

We've had great views of all the raptors and many other birds + cake and a drink at Calgary cafe to-day - despite both feeling snoozy after the Stugeron and being trussed up in too many clothes !
We met Arthur and his group at the Golden Eagle spot and were able to show him a Buzzard's nest which he immediately showed to his group.


Two adult Goldies then gave us a flying display over a nearby mountainside. I counted five Great Northern Divers in the bay, there were probably more.
Campervans, especially the large ones,  
are a real nuisance on these narrow, very steep and twisty roads with very few passing places. The locals think they should be banned from the ferry and we sympathise. To boot, they are mostly hired, so the drivers are inexperienced, nervous and incapable of reversing. On we met yesterday had a woman walking in front, waving imperiously at oncoming traffic. An impasse was reached when they  met a large 4x4 which eventually had to do an appallingly, slow zigzag reverse. It was a woman.
We lunched high on a moorland with views over to the Treshnish Isles. Better yesterday in the sun.

Lunga, the Nature Reserve and Puffin sanctuary is the large one in the centre, Dutchman's Hat beyond.
Calgary has one of the few cafes on the island, adjoining an Art Gallery. We had a drink and a slice of rather good chocolate cake at about 2.00. Very welcome. What diet ?

We spent some time sea watching at Cailliach, seeing several Guillemots and Shags but little else in the bird lin. Mammal wise, they have a herd of black Highland Cattle down here, the youngsters are delightful 

.
 Most of the herd had wandered into the distance. The Island Highlands are traditionally black, the brown ones were originally on the mainland.
Croig is an attractive, small fishing harbour not far from Dervaig. Sometimes, it's good for Otters. Not to-day.





 Would the Dervaig White-tailed Eagles be at home? Yes, one adult on the nest rim, one in a nearby tree. We waited for ages, hoping one would fly,  Siskin and Redpoll flying over. The eagles stayed put. They out-waited us easily. 
The local shop is very well stocked, the servers helpful and friendly. Stocked up, we returned to Loch Cuin parking spot to view the tide  rushing in whilst we ate our ice-creams.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Early Concern, Later Euphoria

Image
Sunday May 14 Last year, my case moth trap was new, so I heeded the advice not to put it out in the rain. It has a rain guard, why should I be so limited? We only used it twice on this island last year. It wasn't raining when we went to bed, there had obviously been a heavy shower during the night. The actinic tube was still hooked up but not alight. No moths either. We emptied the trap, left the egg boxes to dry out and left for Balranald. A lovely sunny morning with a stiff breeze, Skylarks singing, Lapwings Peeweeing, Redshanks whistling and at least two Corncrakes craking. None in our garden so far. Straight out to Ard an Runair beach, the area around the Reserve centre ( a small stone shed) and the loos was full of people, a coachload had arrived. The metal road soon descends to a very rough stone and sand track through the machair. Very few vehicles at the beach, half a dozen at the most. Parking where we could see the bay, scanning brought a host of Sanderling wit...
Read more

Not Uist But Lewis. Puzzling.

Image
Thursday May 18 Our latest start yet, for no apparent reason. Weather was good, as was our humour, we (I in particular) loafed about. My snail pace was because the WiFi worked for a while and I made use of it. The moth trap was sodden again. When does it rain?  At night obviously, about which we should be pleased. I’d really like a few moths before leaving and, to-night is the last night possible. We met BB a few days ago.he’d trapped very few but, at least he’d had something in his two weeks here. I wonder if he’ll be in Norfolk again this year. To-day’s aim was the island of Berneray The Isle lies at the northern end of the Uists, but historically was part of South Harris. It was joined to North Uist by a causeway in 1999. It’s only 2 miles by 3 in area and well worth a visit. Last year we had non stop heavy rain and determined to visit it again. In the very north of Uist shortly before the causeway, there is a ruin on an island in a loch. Luckily, there is a good information ...
Read more

Tiree Experience

Image
Monday May 15 Not much to write about to-day - except to express the British obsession with the weather. Hebrideans say that when the wind stops blowing on Tiree, all the inhabitants fall over. We had to struggle to stay upright IN the wind.  It's been blowing a real gale here to-day with intermittent rain. Not cold, peculiarly, due to the southerly wind. I had to hold the car door  open so that Pam could get in. It was lunchtime before  we left the cottage with several chores in mind. Stamps for the postcards and a battery for my watch. I must be able to get one somewhere. A shop assistant at Bayhead, down the road, said that their post office was shut as it only opened on Monday and Friday mornings until noon. The main Post Office was in Lochmaddy. I should be able to get a battery in Benbecula. And..... having driven the 20 miles there especially, the Lochmaddy Post Office also closed at noon every day and it was now 1 p.m. How helpful !!! There's a large RAF...
Read more