Minke Whales

Well we did get low clouds on Saturday but it stayed dry and we went on our boat trip on the Shearwater. We could see the mountains and islands around us in monochrome beauty as we travelled out to the Summer Isles. We were lucky to see two of the Loch Broom sea eagles at one of the islands, and a company of gannets who were circling around and then suddenly turning themselves into the shape of a spear and diving very fast, vertically into the water to catch a fish.

We slowly approached a pod of about twenty dolphins who were leaping out of the water and diving back in, and they swam alongside the boat, weaving around under the water and then rising up to the surface again. The bonus feature of the trip was that on our way back to Ullapool we saw a couple of minke whales! They were quite far up the loch, near the lighthouse, and they breached the surface to breathe before arching their backs and diving down into the loch again. 

On Sunday the sun came out again and James and Russ climbed Beinn Breac while Jennifer and I strolled around the village and visited Tea by the Sea. We had a tasty dinner at the Arch Inn and then had more drinks and chat back at the cottage. Today it was time to pack up and say our farewells, after one last swim at the estuary. I was so sad to see Jenn and Russ leave, it has been a perfect six days in great company. 

I’m now in bed in Cambuslang with Flora curled up beside me.