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NEWS FROM NORTHERN LIGHT CHARTERS :: JANUARY - APRIL 2007 Mon 1 Jan | Happy New Year Wishing all our previous and prospective guests a Happy & Healthy New Year. If you haven't yet experienced one of our cruises check them out and see what we have on offer. Hope to see you soon! Wed 3 Jan | A Saga saga! When Wendy and Steve posted their Booking Form to us on 15 December they expected it to arrive with us, allowing for Christmas post, within a few days. But no...it finally arrived with us today having been kindly diverted by Royal Mail to Saga Holidays. Quite how "Northern Light Charters" was misread as "Saga Holidays", never mind the fact they are based at the other end of the country - Kent, to be precise - is a mystery to us. Saga kindly returned the form to Wendy and Steve in Gloucestershire and, then, as if that wasn't enough for this well travelled document to go through it arrived here in a plastic cover with apologies for being damaged whilst in Royal Mail's care. It's almost sliced into quarters...but at least it is here!!! Mon 8 Jan | Man with van Mark, engineer Mike and all round useful person Big John are doing some work refurbishing the main engines (2 x Detroit Diesel 12V71 365hp) on Hjalmar Bjorge. Last week Mark and John took some big heavy bits (not the technical term, obviously!) off one of the engines and we ordered some replacement parts from a supplier in Norfolk. The supplier quoted us £200 carriage to deliver the new stuff and for the driver to collect the old stuff at the same time. When they actually phoned round their local courier companies the cheapest delivery estimate they could get was £435. Each way!!! Did Argyll get relocated to the moon when I wasn't paying attention?! At this juncture I will say that an internet banking company once refused to let me open an account because they stated, quite categorically, that the Isle of Mull was not in the UK, so...maybe it did and I just didn't notice. Anyway Mark decided the "easiest" option to enable him to take delivery of the goods most quickly was to drive to Norfolk yesterday, swap over the engine parts first thing, and drive back up to Argyll today. At around 500 miles each way, taking about 22 hours in total, this was no mean feat but he arrived back this evening, job done. Well done that man with a little white van. Fri 12 Jan | Wot?! No parcel?! If you read the story above and think it is mad to drive 1000 miles to safely collect vital parts for a boat engine check out this tale of woe to see why sometimes that option is not so ridiculous after all. The engine parts supplier in Norfolk dispatched a small parcel of essential "stuff" on Wednesday for overnight delivery with a carrier. It didn't arrive yesterday and as the weather was terrible that was understandable. We phoned and were told it had left the depot at 0745 and would arrive today before midday. It didn't. We phoned. Again. They told us our postcode didn't exist. (Gosh, I wonder how the post lady finds us every day?) They rang us back about 1215 and asked for directions in the local area. They were duly given. Nothing arrived. We phoned. Again. They said the van driver couldn't find us, wasn't able to phone us as he had the wrong number (despite his depot calling us), had subsequently carried on his circular route and was now unable to deliver the package because he had driven on too far. Eventually I selected a destination on his route where the depot agreed the driver would leave the package. They promised to call when it had been dropped off. They didn't. I phoned - again - and confirmed it was there. That just left a 50 mile round trip to collect it. So, sometimes, it's just easier to do it yourself... Wed 24 Jan | Mystery Diver January is a slow month for news so we thought we'd share some news from "the other side"...by that we mean the world of diving. Thanks to Susie who alerted us to the following write up in the February issue of DIVER magazine. A regular feature called "Mystery Diver" (MD) involves the writer phoning or visiting various establishments connected with diving and asking them tricky questions to see how they respond. Some weeks ago we got a call from a diver asking about a possible charter...nothing new there except one of his friends was paraplegic and he wanted to know if we could accommodate him. The write up explains our response. MD starts by providing some background information: "Organising a diving holiday for six in the UK or abroad shouldn't present too great a problem. But I wanted to see how well prepared the diving industry is for divers with disabilities, so the six became four, plus a paraplegic divers and his diving partner. The Disability Discrimination Act states that businesses must make "reasonable adjustments" for disabilities. It was this test of reasonableness that I was looking for." MD spoke to a couple of boats down south then onto "Mark from Oban-based Northern Light," who, "admitted that it might be difficult to provide for my friend's needs, but this didn't seem to put him off. After asking several questions about disability level, he went through every aspect of the boat and how he could manage the trip for us. From the angle of the steps leading to the accommodation to how he could use the crane to lift a diver, it was obvious he was putting much thought into how he could adapt his facilities. He also offered to change the pick-up point to one where it would be easier to park and get onboard." The article explains that Mark said, ""I don't want to plan for something, then find we can't manage it. It might be better if you came and visited us - there might be things you could point out, such as places we could put handles." This thoughtful offer made perfect sense. Mark ended by promising, "to do everything I can to support your trip."" MD concludes that "this is the essence of what the Disability Discrimination Act expects, as it would be impractical to expect a small diving business to completely convert its shore base or boat." He finishes by saying, "All the operators impressed me with their attitude." Wed 31 Jan | A sorry whale tale A sad story that has just emerged from the other side of the planet involving a fast moving cruise ship that caused the death of a pregnant humpback whale. Princess Cruise Lines pled guilty to a charge of knowingly failing to operate its vessel, the Dawn Princess, at a slow, safe speed while near two humpback whales in the area of Glacier Bay, Alaska (in July 2001). Princess was recently sentenced in a federal court in Anchorage, Alaska, to pay a $200,000 fine and the sum of $550,000 to the National Park Foundation as a form of community service. Positive aspects of the case include the fact that this type of wildlife crime is taken seriously and that the cruise ship company have, since this incident, made significant, voluntary operational changes that protect whales and the marine environment. Read the full story on the Wildlife Extra website. Thu 1 Feb | Chalice checklist And what a long list it is...internally anyway. Rubbish weather has prevented Chris from getting any work done externally but hopefully this will change soon when the Geordie joiners turn up to finish off the bits they couldn't complete in December (due to, um, rubbish weather!). The list of improvements is still impressively long...(1) Every cabin has had its bunks raised or lowered and modified to generally improve access and further brighten the cabins, (2) all the old metal bed bases have now been removed to offer better support, (3) new energy-saving reading lights are being fitted to each bunk. Moving out of the cabins (4) the old "rod and chain" steering has been cut out and is being replaced with hydraulics. Note to guests: this is a modification that you won't ever notice but it resolves a few maintenance issues and should make the boat easier to steer so do feel free to show your appreciation!!! Seriously, lots of modifications take place on the boats (some costing a lot of money and others costing an awful lot of money) that guests are never aware of but we hope you are assured that your comfort and safety are always our first consideration. On down the list to (5) which is the heating system. This has been replaced with a new rapid-heat system that is more akin to domestic oil-fired central heating. The old system was difficult to control and lighting it in the first place was tricky. Firelighters? Check. Meths? Check. Nerves of steel? Check. Chris was very aware that sometimes guests complained their cabins got too warm so now he should be able to switch the heating off overnight and then quickly warm the boat and generate hot water at the flick of a switch in the morning. That's the theory...and it will be thoroughly tested before his first charter at Easter! So, (6) the affectionately named "suicide stairs" to the forward accommodation have been replaced with a new wooden staircase without the "trick step" at the bottom. Space dictates it is still steep but the new staircase has beautifully equally spaced steps with anti-slip treads that are also carpeted. (7) Forward cabins 1, 2 and 3 have been decorated and new carpet laid. (8) All of the toilets have been replaced with more substantial full-size units which are of the silent-one-button-wonder-flush type and (9) the aft bathroom has a new ceiling and wall panels. (10) The galley has been decorated, (11) all of the glassware has been moved out of the galley into a new cabinet in the saloon and (12) the crockery that was in the saloon servery has now been moved into the new space in the galley so that shelves can be fitted into the space where the crockery used to be... Phew...I only typed that list and I think I need to go for a lie down... Fri 16 Feb | Sea life stamps Royal Mail have introduced a set of 10 First Class stamps, featuring photos of sea creatures, to coincide with half term. The presentation pack includes a child-goes-free ticket to a Sea Life Centre - a great family day out during half-term.
It's long been a tradition in my family to frame sets of stamps as they make inexpensive, eye-catching works of art...these would look great in a bathroom! Mon 19 Feb | Tobermory treasure? Ever wondered what charter boat skippers get up to when they're not skippering charter boats? Well Rob, who owns Elizabeth G, is also a qualified commercial diver and he's currently working on a potentially exciting project. A large boat that sank in Tobermory harbour in 1588 was said to be a Spanish galleon called "Duque de Florencia". A rumour started shortly thereafter that it sank with £30m of gold onboard and needless to say various salvage attempts have since been made. The latest is being supported by the 13th Duke of Argyll, Torquhil Campbell. He is adamant his motive is not the lure of treasure but that he wants to create an unusual tourist attraction - the "Scottish equivalent of the Mary Rose." Surveys from 14 months ago by a Portsmouth based company suggested there may be something of interest about five metres under the surface of the sea bed...so quite a bit of digging through dirty silt required. Rob's contract forbids him to discuss details of what the dives have revealed but rumour around Tobermory says, to date, it is nothing more than "the usual" - bits of coal, rubbish, wood and rope. If Rob gets his paws on any gold bullion I daresay we'll find out at some point!!!
Sun 25 Feb | Ship mates We know that guests who meet aboard our boats often stay in touch with each other after they have left us and it's always great to hear news of new friendships made because of Northern Light Charters. Judith emailed today to say her fellow passengers who travelled to St Kilda in summer 2005 aboard Elizabeth G had had a reunion last year although she couldn't make that one. This year, however, the group are meeting for a week on the Faeroes! I wonder if I could wangle an invite for the company who brought them together...
Wed 28 Feb | Whale hunt stops Some more news from around the world as we don't have a lot to report ourselves just now. Japan has decided to abandon this year's Antarctic whale hunt after a deadly fire crippled the main processing ship of the whaling fleet. All six ships of the fleet have been ordered to pull out of the region and return to port. The fire aboard the "Nisshin Maru" two weeks ago killed one crewman and disabled the ship for 10 days. A Greenpeace vessel, in the area to protest against the hunts, offered to tow the crippled ship into calmer seas, but the whalers declined the offer. This is the first time in 20 years that Japan has had to cancel its whaling, an activity it claims is vital for research purposes. Let's hope it is not the last! Read more here. Sun 11 Mar | Seal hunt petition On 22 February we received a phone call from Global Action Network, a nationally incorporated non-profit organisation, dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and action. Based in Canada they were calling to see if we could provide an ice class boat to enable their staff to film the annual east coast seal hunt, in a bid to bring the slaughter to an end. They normally use a helicopter but as the ice was going to be thin by the end of March when the cull begins they were looking for a boat instead. Unfortunately due to prior commitments none of our three vessels could get there and back without disrupting existing charters. We also tried several old contacts and sought a couple of new ones in a bid to assist but we were not successful. Today, Laura-Jane, who worked for us last summer, forwarded a petition which you can sign if you think it is wrong that the Canadian government has given the go-ahead for hunters to kill 335,000 baby harp seals this year. Click here to add your name to the 50,000 signatures required by PETA so that they may petition Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change the government's decision.
Send your used stamps to the Greyhounds In Need shop, 952 Wimborne Road, Moordown, Bournemouth BH9 2DG where they will be gratefully received. Click here for the website of Greyhounds In Need. If the poor persecuted prickly 'pigs of Uist are more your thing then send your stamps to hedgehog hospital Tiggywinkles at Aston Road, Haddenham, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP17 8AF. Click here for more details. Fri 16 Mar | Shrinking sheep? The Times published an article today suggesting that whilst heat usually makes objects expand it appears to be having the opposite effect on St Kilda's Soay sheep. Apparently scientific observation of these much-studied creatures indicates that warmer temperatures, possibly associated with global warming, allow greater numbers of smaller individual animals to survive the winter thus the overall average size of the animals falls. Researchers said the change "could be linked to climate change" although respondents on the Times online newspage weren't much impressed by this theory saying the link was "tenable to say the least". Fri 23 Mar | Biodiesel blog As a company endeavouring to offer environmentally friendly holidays we are conscious of the fact that our vessels use fairly large amounts of marine diesel. We have spent this winter investigating ways to reduce our environmental impact and, as outlined below, have addressed some of these issues. You might be surprised to know that many (financial) incentives exist to enable land based accommodation providers and transport companies to reduce the carbon footprint of their properties and vehicles but for some reason this issue has not been addressed within the marine market. One obvious solution was to convert our vessel to run some sort of biofuel. After much research we discovered that a similar project existed in Canada where a passenger fleet runs using biodiesel. The main barrier in the UK at present is availability but we decided to go ahead anyway and prepare the plant on Hjalmar Bjorge for using biodiesel. Initially this will probably be a B5 blend which will become more pure as the demand and supply becomes established. If you are interested in reading our research on biofuel and its implications for marine use click here for a five page 496kb pdf file. Both main engines on Hjalmar Bjorge have been completely mechanically overhauled and also have new fuel and oil filtration systems. A new silent run main generator has also been installed. Although it is more powerful that its predecessor it is more economic to run and was manufactured for use with biodiesel. Mark, ably assisted by Big John, and with a couple of visits from engineer Mike, has additionally undertaken lots of other work in the engine room this winter adding new systems for driving the main dive compressor and the bow thruster. Izzy returned to redecorate the guests cabins and the vessel is currently awaiting slipping and further cosmetic exterior work. Tue 27 Mar | Sea trial success We took Hjalmar Bjorge out for an overnight sea trial yesterday, going from Corpach to Tobermory then back again today. This short pre-season trip served two purposes. Firstly, following the huge amount of work undertaken on the vessel's engines, it was a chance to try them out under normal load. We are happy to report the trial was 99.9% successful with just one small outstanding task coming to light. Secondly, we have two new crew working for us this year so it was an opportunity to gently introduce them to the boat and skipper before any scary guests come onboard!!! Ylva (right below, right) will be cooking for us this year and Lindsay will be crewing (right below, left).
The weather was amazing. The sea was flat calm and it was really warm and sunny with picturesque snow on top of Ben Nevis in the distance. We only discovered on Monday itself that Big John's son Joe was 18 that day so we had a little celebration at dinner time in Tobermory. Congratulations must also be bestowed upon Joe's twin Josh who was elsewhere. Following Ylva's lovely dinner on Tuesday the evening was rounded off by Lindsay playing some lively tunes on her fiddle. And, yes, the fiddle will be in residence this year! Photos: Hannah Thompson
Fri 30 Mar | Ciao Chalice! Chris departed the Caledonian Canal today to head south in preparation for the start of the season. He'll be alongside in a marina outside Oban for a few days and will be ready to pick up the first guests of the year next Thursday for an Easter Extravaganza cruise. Mon 2 Apr | Delightful dolphins Elizabeth G came off the slip at Mallaig today after a week of amazingly good weather - perfect for painting. The sun was all the more appreciated by Rob and his team because the date to get on the slip had to be postponed for a week due to gale after gale and, at one point, a Hurricane warning forecast! Luckily the turnaround in conditions meant Rob and his helpers got the hull blasted, undercoated and painted with top coat and got some paint on the top sides too. The staff at Mallaig Boatyard said they has been watching bottle-nosed dolphins in Mallaig harbour for a few days just prior to Elizabeth G being slipped. There was no sign of them while the boat was out of the water but, as she was put back in the water around 0700 this morning, a pod of five dolphins appeared and escorted Elizabeth G out of the harbour as she headed south for Tobermory. Dan, who was helping Rob to paint, said he had seen lots of guillemots and even some puffins. General wisdom would indicate it is a bit early for puffins but Dan should know...he is an ex RSPB warden! Thu 5 Apr | First foray for...? Well that would be Chalice, the first boat of the "fleet" to set sail with guests onboard this year. Chris picked up his guests in Oban this afternoon, almost a full complement, and, as we haven’t got the benefit of long summer evenings just yet, they decided to spend the first night in Lochaline which is a relaxing two hours sail from Oban. A very still and starry evening was enjoyed by all onboard plus sailors from a yacht which was anchored nearby. Mon 9 Apr | Easter sightings Chris returned Chalice to Oban today following his first cruise of the year. The emphasis of this early season cruise is not to cover as many miles as possible in the four nights at sea, but to enjoy some of the scenery and wildlife around Mull and Loch Sunart. This was mostly done in beautiful, calm, sunny weather which only deteriorated a little on the last full day's sailing. Following the first night anchored in Lochaline the next morning was bright and calm and most of the guests went ashore to explore the area around the head of the loch including the gardens. All were back onboard for Jane's lunch and then Chalice sailed up to the mouth of Loch Sunart and the quiet sheltered waters of Loch Drum na Bhuidhe for the second night. With Jane's generous evening meal looming a shore party was dispatched for more exercise and consequent calorie-loss before dinner. Red deer and a golden eagle were seen along with stunning views of Loch Sunart and the Ardnamurchan peninsula. "Tobermory please!" was the next day's early morning cry so Chalice sailed across to a glass-smooth and uncharacteristically quiet harbour where the vessel moored alongside the new pontoons for easy access ashore. The guests all returned with newspapers and assorted goodies and, sated by retail therapy, the boat set off for the Treshnish Isles, and Staffa, to see Fingal’s Cave in the late afternoon light. That evening Chalice anchored in the natural harbour between Gometra and Ulva on the west coast of Mull. Sunday morning (Easter Sunday) was overcast with a strengthening wind and rain forecast. Chris and the guests agreed to abandon "Plan A" (sailing along the Ross of Mull to Loch Buie and into Loch Spelve) in favour of "Plan B", a more sheltered days cruising back down the sound of Mull. They stopped for lunch in the shelter of Ardtornish Bay where the Zodiac was launched and everyone went ashore including our intrepid 91 year old passenger! Some opted for beachcombing while the more energetic climbed to the top of the cliffs which gave them superb views over the Sound of Mull. Then it was on to Loch Spelve for the final night before arriving in Oban today.
Tue 10 Apr | Double trouble Do we mean boats or guests?! Both Hjalmar Bjorge and Elizabeth G were tied up on the Railway Pier in Oban today, wedged between the original pier and the new structure which is being built. Both vessels were picking up for their first trip of the year and both boats have been chartered by the same dive group from West Cumbria! Looking forward to a long weekend of excellent weather, according to the forecasts, and some relaxed diving in the Sound of Mull.
Thu 19 Apr | Blue sky high Guests joined Hjalmar Bjorge in Oban today for our first Scenic Seabirds cruise of the year so hopefully some of those earlier seen sea eagles will be seen again. And soon. We'll admit that climbing down the ladder, set into the pier, and setting foot on to the boat can seem a little daunting. Depending on the state of the tide it can look quite scary and today the boat had only just risen above low tide when we began boarding our guests from about 1530. Top marks to Mary who didn't think she could climb down the ladder but after a little encouragement from daughter Gilly and the crew she sprinted down there like a woman half her age!
The weather this morning was grey, cold and grim but it definitely perked up after lunch. As you can see from the photo the sky was blue and the sun was shining when everyone turned up to join us. Long may it last. Sun 22 Apr | Scenic seabirds Appropriately enough, during this "Scenic Seabirds" cruise, some good sightings of birds have been had. Today a golden eagle was seen from Hjalmar Bjorge at the mouth of Loch Spelve. After anchoring in the loch some guests went ashore for a walk and were rewarded with a sighting of another goldie. Yesterday a walk on Canna rewarded with sea eagles and an otter. Whilst cruising to Canna from Loch Drumbuie puffins and great skuas, aka "Bonxies", were seen. And last, but by no means least, Mary admitted she was 93 !!! This cruise finishes in Oban tomorrow. Mon 23 Apr | Perfect paint... or at least, perfect painting conditions, with Chalice being slipped undercover for the first time in many years. Not that the painting project was incident free! Following a near-catastrophe when the boat was "bombed" with huge logs, Chalice emerged from the covered work area at the Corpach Slipway today sporting (several) smart coats of paint. In the picture below, left, you'll see Chalice is minus her top mast and radar array, which had to be removed so that the launching trolley could be pulled inside. These bits had to be quickly reattached just prior to re-launching as the tide at Corpach takes no prisoners! Photos: Chris Jackson
The pre-slip log-bomb drama began while Chalice was quietly waiting alongside coaster "Scot Carrier" at the quayside at Corpach early last week. A steel restraining bar broke and ten logs launched themselves at Chalice. Fortunately no-one was hurt and after a visit by a marine surveyor she was pronounced "intact and fit for sea." The boys at Corpach Slip made an excellent job of the cosmetic repairs although there may be some remedial work to do next winter. Preparing and painting Chalice took owner Chris and his helpers three days, but, as the next vessel couldn’t be brought onto the slip until today Chalice was allowed to stay indoors over the weekend which conveniently allowed the paint to fully harden. Indoor boat painting is quite a novelty for any of us at Northern Light Charters and makes a pleasant change from trying to paint between showers of rain and, yes, even snow! Chalice was lowered out of the shed into the Fort William rain which followed the boat, in ever thickening sheets, back down to Chris' mooring in Oban Bay. Oh well, at least Chalice adds a dash of colour to the harbour, amongst the dreich weather conditions.
Talking of somewhat grey weather conditions above is a photo of Hjalmar Bjorge coming back into Oban today. The photo appeared unexpectedly in our inbox so big thanks to Cliff for sending it - great shot, even if the background appears a little grim, honestly reflecting the weather of the day. Photo: Cliff Crone
Bill, who was onboard for something like his tenth cruise commented via email upon his return home, "Although the weather was mixed it doesn’t spoil the enjoyment for most people, and I am sure many of the guests on this trip will be back again for more punishment!" Thu 26 Apr | Scenic sea survival Whilst Chris was boarding a full complement of 12 passengers in Oban today for another Scenic Seabirds cruise, Hannah, Ylva and Lindsay were shivering beside a swimming pool in Glasgow. We decided to send Hjalmar Bjorge crew Ylva and Lindsay on a one day Sea Survival course (now known as "Personal Survival Techniques") at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies (GCNS) and, for reasons she is not quite sure of, Hannah allowed herself to be talked into joining them. Hannah considers herself a non-swimmer and lists activities such as "swimming" and "getting wet" somewhat further down her list of "enjoyable stuff to do" than "ironing" and "banging her head against a brick wall." An 0600 departure got the girls to GCNS in good time for the 0900 start. In the morning a classroom theory session covered subjects such as types of life-jackets, life-rafts and how to launch them, what to find in the onboard survival pack, life-raft maintenance, emergency signals onboard the ship, different types of SAR (search and rescue) equipment and techniques and the effects of hypothermia. After lunch it was time for the swimming pool based practical session. Donned in boiler suits and life-jackets the first task was to jump off a 3m deck into the deep end of the swimming pool. Ylva jumped, alongside another participant, without so much as a backwards glance...one down, two to go. Hannah, who hates water, and Lindsay, who has a fear of falling, were not quite so forthcoming but after a little encouragement they jumped too! (Hannah adds that it is possible we got a round of applause for this but by the time I had snorted all the water out of my nose, cleared my ears and my contact lenses had made their way back round to the front of my eyes the moment was gone...) After that challenging start, rescuing an unconscious casualty, individually uprighting an upside-down life-raft and even floating for 30 seconds without a life-jacket were easy peasy!!! Photo: Mark Henrys
After finishing around 1630 the fifteen participants were asked for feedback. This is ours... What was the best thing about the Personal Survival Techniques course? ...Hannah - lunch-time ...Lindsay - the practical session in the pool (apart from the jump) ...Ylva - the whole session in the pool What was the worst thing about the Personal Survival Techniques course? ...Ylva - nothing ...Lindsay - the jump! ...Hannah - the jump! All joking aside it was a very valuable day and we would thoroughly recommend the PST course to anyone who intends to go to sea...especially people who are afraid of water, who cannot swim or are not confident about their swimming abilities. The RYA states that most sailors will never require the use of their life-rafts but of those that do, it is a proven fact that the ones who have received some training are more likely to survive in an emergency situation. Click here to see a list of RYA Training Centres across the globe that offer this course. Sun 29 Apr | Mull music festival All three boats are at sea this weekend, Chalice with cruise guests, Hjalmar Bjorge and Elizabeth G with divers. The guys on Hjalmar Bjorge have been making the pilgrimage to Mull this same weekend for a number of years on the pretence of diving but, really, they are going for the Music Festival. Not much diving done so far and pretty much the only wildlife they have seen has been in The Mishnish in Tobermory!!! Rob's divers aboard Elizabeth G have gone further afield and been rewarded with some good sightings during an unseasonably hot weekend - 20oC one day. A number of harbour porpoise were seen on the way out to Canna. There have been high tides this last week and the porpoise are probably feeding on the fry fish in the tidal races. The hot weather has been matched with excellent visibility and as soon as Elizabeth G got round Ardnamurchan Point everyone could clearly see the Cuillins on Skye and right out to North Uist. The seals in Canna harbour were enjoying the sun with lots of them basking on the rocks as the boat sailed in to the pier. Rob stayed out at the Small Isles last night and this morning a sea eagle was seen flying from Canna to Rum whilst being harassed by two ravens. Puffins were also seen. All three boats finish up in Oban tomorrow with Chalice and Hjalmar Bjorge back out on Wednesday for the first St Kilda cruise of the year. The good weather looks set to last until the weekend so hopefully both trips will be successful. Mon 30 Apr | Feathers 'n' fossils Chalice arrived in Oban today just ahead of Hjalmar Bjorge and Elizabeth G with all three vessels finishing their weekend trips today. Chris' guests saw harbour porpoise on the way into the bay which rounded off a varied weekend of feathers, flora, fauna, funghi and fossils! Photos: Steve Watts
After picking up his guests on Thursday Chris took Chalice straight down to "Pig Bay" on the north west of Jura which can only accessed in flat waters on a high tide. The boat made its way through the Corryvreckan whirlpool on the last of the ebb before anchoring in the bay. Red deer were seen on the skyline that first evening. The next morning Chalice cruised through the Sound of Iona arriving at Lunga, one of the Treshnish Isles, for lunch. Guests went ashore to commune with the puffins who had arrived three days previously. Chalice and some of the puffins were photographed by guest Sallie (below). Harry's limited mobility prevented him from exploring Lunga on foot but Chris took him and wife Ruth out in the Zodiac so they could see the plethora of puffins flying in and around the cliffs. Shags and guillemots were also seen. Photos: Sallie Jack
Once back onboard the guests inspected Fingal's Cave on Staffa from the boat ("still there") before anchoring at Gometra where a golden eagle conveniently appeared! On Saturday morning guests took a walk on Gometra and saw more deer before cruising round the north of Mull, past Caliach Point, Ardnamurchan, Kilchoan and into Loch Drumbuie in Loch Sunart.
The last evening's anchorage in Lochaline provided sightings of a sea eagle and a couple of other very large raptors which were just a bit too far off to identify with certainty. |
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Northern Light Charters, Achnacraig, Achindarroch, Duror of Appin, Argyll PA38 4BS | Tel: +44 (0)1631 740595 |
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Wed
21 Feb | Wildlife WiSe
Mon
26 Feb | Altogether now... aah...
Wed
14 Mar | Save your stamps
Although
it is too early in the season for sightings of whales or basking sharks,
our Easter guests did see several porpoise very close to the boat not far
from Tobermory. In addition to the golden eagle there were a variety of
sea bird sightings - guillemot including one bridled guillemot (well
spotted Bill!), Manx shearwater, fulmar, razorbill (right), gannets and
puffins. Several herons were seen around Loch Drum na Bhuidhe and
woodpeckers were heard in Lochaline. 
Thu
12 Apr | Seeing sea eagles
At
least we don't make our guests climb the mast like Mark (right) who had to
change a bulb in the very top navigation light today. Now that's a long
way up! 
And,
yes, it was a bit grim for some of the cruise. Thankfully our guests don't
expect wall to wall sunshine in April. Come to think of it they don't
expect non stop sunshine in July or August either! If the sea is a bit
lumpy often the best place to sit is on deck breathing in fresh air and
looking at the horizon. The back of the boat is a good option unless you
like being drenched in seawater every now and again. Here's a great photo
of Mary sitting on the aft bench wearing a TPA (thermal protection aid) to
keep warm in the chilly conditions. One might have expected Mary, aged 93,
to have preferred the warm saloon but no, she was happier on deck, in the
middle of the action. Go Mary! 
Time
for a walk after breakfast on Sunday morning on the island of Oronsay in
Sunart. Later in the year this little island is just too overgrown with
bracken for decent exploration but it is lovely in the spring with
abundant wild flowers, including bluebells, and funghi. Lunch was eaten
near Lochaline and all but two went ashore afterwards for a walk. Fresh
mussels had been collected that morning and the guests who stayed aboard
helped to prepare them for the starter of that evening's three course
meal. The wanderers returned with treasure! Hugh, who was guiding this
trip, had found everyone a fossil known as "Devil's Toenails"
(or Gryphaea, a type of extinct oyster shell).