Whale watching, bird watching and Scottish island cruises from Northern Light Charters

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NEWS FROM NORTHERN LIGHT CHARTERS :: OCTOBER 2011 - MARCH 2012 :: NEWEST NEWS FIRST

Fri 20 Jan | Bushy-tailed visitor Mark noticed a cute little red-haired visitor on the bird table at Achnacraig a few weeks ago. Here he is helping himself to the birds' food. Altogether now...aaaaaaaw... Photo: Mark Henrys

Sun 1 January 2012 | Happy New Year We are delighted to start the new year with confirmation that, once again, Zuza will be expertly crewed by Tim Wear and Heather McNeill this year. Nobody who travelled with Heather and Tim failed to be impressed by their skill, good humour and patience in assisting guests who wished to have a wee shot of sailing the yacht. We've got some repeat bookings already so Tim and Heather will be seeing a few old friends aboard as well as welcoming some new faces, most likely among them some talented sailors as well as absolute beginners. You certainly don't have to have a go at steering the boat but we did find that, with the crew's encouragement and kindness, many were tempted to give it a go.

Sun 25 Dec | Merry Christmas one and all Hannah Thompson and Mark Henrys would like to wish all our customers (those who we know and those who we've yet to meet) a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. Thank you to everyone who has sent personal and/or business Christmas cards - they are all appreciated.

Fri 16 Dec | Quadruple cruises! Well, that's got to be some kind of record. Our friend, and regular guest aboard, Eva from Sweden, has confirmed she will be joining Northern Light Charters for four, yes FOUR, cruises this summer! Fabulous news! Good to know we are clearly doing something right!!!

Tue 13 Dec | Sea eagle chicks down Three fewer sea eagle chicks fledged in 2011 than the previous year according to RSPB Scotland. They are blaming bad weather in May which caused some nest sites to be damaged. 43 chicks fledged this year as opposed to 46 in 2010. The good news, however, is that this year spawned an extra five pairs of territorial birds. More on the BBC Scotland website.

Thu 8 Dec | Stormy seas High tides and strong winds affecting lots of places today. We're glad that Hjalmar Bjorge is safely tied up under the watchful eye of British Waterways staff at Corpach Sea Lock. Someone has posted a video on youtube today of recent blustery goings on at Corpach. You can see the sea blowing up over the side of the lock. Click here to watch the footage. Brrr!!!

Wed 7 Dec | Special skills Wow! The "condition of the sea and wind can change upon discretion of the captain". If only Mark were so omnipotent... we'd be millionaires for sure!!! Thank you Gaynor for sending this funny fail photo below.

Omnipotent captain fail

Sat 3 Dec | Work underway on Zuza A couple of photos from owner Charlie to show the new improved and extended pilot house aboard Zuza. The painters were mid-brushstroke when the images were taken so ignore the mess! Very exciting to see progress on the yacht. Photos (left and right below) Zuza's new pilot house by Charlie Erasmus

Photo of Zuza's new pilot house

Tue 29 Nov | Zuza is back!!! Northern Light Charters is delighted to announce that once again yacht Zuza will be offering cruises in addition to Hjalmar Bjorge during the forthcoming season. We delivered many successful cruises on Zuza throughout the summers of 2008 and 2009 before her owner Charlie took her back home to South Africa. The motor yacht has undergone an impressive refurbishment (photos to follow) and will be back with us next year.

In addition to attracting new guests who particularly wanted a sailing holiday (with sails) we were delighted to discover that many of our "diehard" motorboat customers tried, and enjoyed, cruises aboard Zuza too. We're very much looking forward to delivering another year of interesting and varied boat-based holidays so please come and join us. Cruises are listed here - we hope to see you onboard in 2012. Don't forget repeat guests receive 5% discount.

Fri 25 Nov | Photographers charged with disturbing sea eagles Reports in the press today of two photographers being found guilty of disturbing a pair of nesting sea eagles on the Isle of Mull. They were charged, at Oban Sheriff Court, with disturbing the breeding birds near Killechronan last May and were fined a total of £1100. Yuli Panayotov from London and Ivaylo Takev from Norwich had previously ignored warnings, from Mull's RSPB warden Dave Sexton and local holidaymakers, to stay away from the birds. Consequently the police were alerted to the photographers after a number of witnesses had spotted both the adult birds circling over the nest and alarm-calling.

The white-tailed sea eagles are a significant tourist attraction on Mull contributing an estimated £5 million to the local economy every year. The species is afforded the highest level of protection of any British bird, due to both its rarity and also its sensitivity to disturbance, particularly during the breeding season.

Mon 31 Oct | Charity cheques Northern Light Charters has now dispatched its annual charity cheques. Some years ago Hannah and Mark decided to make a £5 donation to one of two local charities for every cruise guest who booked on our boats. Guests can choose whom they'd like to donate "their" £5 to and are also given the option of doubling this by paying an additional £5 themselves.

Cheques have been posted to Argyll Animal Aid for £445 and to Glencoe Mountain Rescue Team for £651.25. Of the total donation (£1096.25) £230.75 came from our very generous guests who opted to pay an extra £5 per head to the charities. As usual big thanks go to...

Elizabeth Blackburn	Patty Maguire
Tony and Ben Burgess	Joann McLaughlin
John Bulman	Denise Melling
Marc Calhoun	Norman and Gill Mitchell
Aileen Clucas	Diana Neil
Mike Coupe	Roy and Heather Owen
Ronnie Cramond	Isabel Plant
Pete Dale	Robin Rawson
Phil and Lyn Drake	Anne Rayner
Graham Farrant	Normand and Valerie Robb
Reuben and Chris Freemantle	Malcolm and Denny Robinson
Chris and José Gibbs	Michelle Sinclair
Ted Hallworth	Archie Smith
Heather Horton	Julie and Patrick Solly
Sandra Jones	John Wakley
Pauline Johnson	Paul Watts
Mike King	Tony and Fran Yates
Bob Kitchen	Erica and Bill Young
Lindley MacLeod

Wed 19 Oct | Viking boat uncovered in west Highlands The UK mainland's first fully intact Viking boat burial site has been uncovered in Ardnamurchan on the west Highlands, archaeologists said today. The site is thought to be more than 1000 years old. Archaeologist Dr Hannah Cobb, from the University of Manchester, said the artefacts at the site suggest the burial of a high-ranking individual and that it is one of the most important Norse graves ever excavated in Britain.

Remains of the body along with objects buried alongside plus evidence of the boat were all found and recovered. The Ardnamurchan Viking was found buried with an axe, a knife, a sword with a decorated hilt, a spear, a shield boss, a bronze ring pin from Ireland and a whetstone from Norway. About 200 rivets, all that remain of the boat itself, were also found as well as some Viking pottery and quantities of iron, as yet unidentified.

Boat burials in a similarly well preserved state have previously always been excavated on island sites such as those on Orkney.

Thu 6 Oct | Rare fish found on Mull The discovery of a washed up bluefin tuna on Laggan Sands, south Mull, caused some excitement on the island today (photo, right). When described over the phone to HWDT staff, it was thought the person who first saw the carcass might have mistakenly identified a decomposed porpoise. At 1.8 metres long, and around 150lbs, an Atlantic bluefin tuna was not the first creature to spring to mind. They spawn in the Mediterranean Sea and these days very rarely turn up in Scottish waters. In September 1989 a large 400lb tuna was caught near the Isle of Lewis. The remains of the "Mull tuna" were in a fairly poor state but the fish's ear bones (otoliths) are believed to have been removed by HWDT volunteers in order to try and determine its age.

Mon 3 Oct | Summer ceases, winterising begins Another early start this, last, morning with breakfast taken alongside the North Pier before the last guests of the season departed. Feet in the wheelhouse by Virginia Fraser

Guest Virginia sent us a photo of these feet resting in the window of the wheelhouse at some point during the cruise. She realised that when she took the photo, skipper Mark was diving, so we must assume these toes belong to Gog, who was onboard as crew! Right: mystery feet in the wheelhouse by Virginia Fraser

After saying good-byes to the last guests of the season Kirsty and Mark sailed Hjalmar Bjorge from Oban to our winter mooring in the Caledonian Canal at Corpach. The passage was quite memorable; approaching the Corran Narrows the weather had deteriorated rapidly and Hjalmar Bjorge surfed along in very large waves in a south-westerly storm. At Corpach the boat was met by Marky Mark and Gog who had driven up from Oban. The process of winterising the boat will be completed over the next couple of days. Last year Corpach experienced temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Ship's Dog Fatty was delighted to return to one of her favourite spots, Ratty Bank, where Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil converge, by the entrance to the sea lock. Below: Hjalmar Bjorge is now back at Corpach, photos by Mark Henrys

Hjalmar Bjorge back in Corpach by Mark Henrys

It's been a most enjoyable season and Mark and Hannah would like to thank each and every guest who travelled with Northern Light Charters as well as the wonderful crew – Marky Mark, Kirsty, skipper Tim, Anna and Tiree. Who will we have crewing next year? Well, that's a good question! Marky Mark is now engaged to girlfriend Emma (congratulations!!!) with a possible wedding in August 2012 so in theory he's cooked up his last storm aboard Hjalmar Bjorge. And conscientious Kirsty, who has been us since the early days, recently signed up for a course in childcare and will be back in full-time education. Watch this space!

Sun 2 Oct | Iona, Arches and eagles A bright and clear start to the day with Hjalmar Bjorge underway by 0700. Breakfast was served whilst everyone enjoyed the views of Staffa and Fingal's Cave. A short while later the anchor was dropped in the Sound of Iona and the guests spent the rest of the morning on Iona. Lunch was taken on anchor before the vessel set sail again, heading east along the Ross of Mull. At Carsaig Arches there were wonderful views of two pairs of golden eagles soaring above the cliffs. After passing the entrance to Loch Buie the boat headed for the overnight anchorage at Puilladobhrain near Ardencaple Bay on Seil Island. The guests enjoyed a lovely supper on the last night of the season. Above: Carsaig Arches on the Ross of Mull by Mark Henrys

Sat 1 Oct | Eagles and falcons And so to our news-page spanning the quieter winter months running from October through to the following March. This year we start with news from the last cruise of the season.

After a careful briefing this morning the guests aboard Hjalmar Bjorge were landed by the ruins of the black houses at Soriby Bay, their aim to walk along the north shore of Ulva to Gometra harbour. Golden eagles and a pair of peregrine falcons were seen. Whilst they were walking, the crew raised the anchor and sailed the boat round to meet everyone at Gometra. Lunch was taken onboard and afterwards guests went ashore again, this time for a walk west, along the south shore of Gometra.

With the guests ashore, Kirsty, Tiree (onboard once again following her work experience in the summer) and Mark took the inflatable into the entrance to the harbour where Mark dived for scallops. Once everyone was back aboard, a short cruise was taken to Cragard where a spectacular sunset accompanied dinner.

:: news from the previous month [ Sep '11 ]