It was set up to be a great last full day on our “Skye and the Small Isles Explorer” 6-night cruise. Calm seas lay in front of us on our route to Tobermory from our anchorage at the Isle of Eigg. This patch of sea is famous for its abundance of wildlife. Already at the start of our crossing we sighted several harbour porpoises and east of Muck a small pod of common dolphins took advantage of our powerful wake for a bit of bow riding. Knowing that the waters north of the Cairns of Coll tend to attract Minke whales, we decided on a short detour.
The calm seas provided excellent viewing conditions and already at a distance of a mile, we could see rafts of Manx shearwaters which is a good indicator that there is feeding going on underneath the surface. As we crept closer, I spotted a dark back breaking the surface about 300 meters off our bow – dorsal fin placed two thirds down the back meant that this is not a dolphin even though it is not much larger than a bottlenose dolphin. “Minke whale”, I called and pointed in which direction to watch. Several minutes passed without anything surfacing. Then suddenly it reappeared and disappeared again. After another couple of minutes, I hear Pip, the cook, shouting “It’s here, it’s here!” – the whale surfaced right next to our port side and then dived again.
From top deck I could see the white marking on its pectoral fins as the whale glided underneath the surface and dived under the ship and then resurfacing only about three meters off our starboard side. Camera shutters clicked and people cheered as this small juvenile Minke whale kept exploring the hull, doing several dives underneath the ship. Maybe our white stabilisers projecting out the sides make us look a bit like its mother? After fifteen minutes, the Minke seemed to have lost interest as we watched surface in the distance so we resumed our track to Tobermory. Some of the guests where so overwhelmed by the experience that I watched them drying their tears. But little did they know the little whale would reappear a little later for a second inspection.
It is hard not to start reading in human emotions into the behaviour of whales and dolphins. It would not have been long since this juvenile was left by its mother to fend for itself. Maybe it was lonely? We left feeling thankful to this remarkable little whale for giving us an experience of a lifetime. This was the closest a Minke has ever come to Elizabeth G.
Back in Tobermory, as we sat in the wheelhouse with a cup of tea recollecting the day, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a bottlenose dolphin surface in the wake of a yacht only five meters off the pontoons. Am I going mad? No, there it is again! The bottlenose dolphins are in Tobermory Bay! We watched as 6 of these big, acrobatic animals cruised in and out between moored boats, some of them even doing full body leaps out of the water. Then, as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared back into the sound. I feel blessed that some places are still wild and full of fantastic wildlife, with the wild waters of the Hebrides standing out as one of the best in its league!
Vivi Bolin, Wildlife Guide
“We had The BEST holiday ever. The trip , weather, food, scenery, the crew, everything was superb”.
Alan Avery & Jenny Thurston, Skye and the Small Isles Explorer 6-night cruise, July 4th 2015
Our trip to the Outer Hebrides was exceptional in every way; the talented staff; the comfortable accommodations; the little details (a refreshing glass of Prosecco on the return of each day's trip); the always-full cookie jar; the welcoming and beautifully decorated table spread with good food; the post-dinner discussions and chart-reading with Captain James and our naturalist, Will; the frolicking Bottlenose dolphins "bow riding" upside down next to the "Emma Jane"; the seals lazily lounging on the rocky ledges; the Minke whales; the diving gannets, nesting puffins, and Great Skua (nicknamed "Bonzies" by the Scots.....Will photographed one Bonxie trying to grab a mackerel away from a shearwater); the while fulmars flitting in and out the rocky crevices; and our wonderful trip companions. It was a trip to treasure and relive many times in future years! Every new adventure offered the chance to read and to learn about the many marine birds, the "beasties" (ocean mammals), and the fascinating stories and history of the Outer Hebrides. All experiences were unique; hiking in the Isle of Eigg to the "Massacre Cave"; viewing habitats of nesting puffins, guillemots, shags, fulmars on the cliffs of the "Shiants" and St. Kilda's; seeing the aquaculture salmon rafts stretched in a row off the coast of Skye; steaming across the water to the archipelago of St. Kilda's and experiencing the view of Hirta, St. Kilda's main island, mysteriously rising out of the fog as we approached the island All were memorable experiences. And we were lucky! The weather was perfect for our trip....some light drizzle off and on, some wind but no strong "houlies" (very strong winds)! This is a trip of a lifetime. We recommend it with enthusiasm and with joyful memories! Sally and Alan Gayer June 2019 Private Cruise to the Outer Hebrides and St. Kilda's
Sally and Alan Gayer: 8 June 2019Private Charter 10 Nights