Position: The Lotus position-always a favourite; and on a sailing theme, we’re anchored in Loch Moidart.
Weather: Pretty jolly fabulous-blue skies, sunshine and cute white clouds. Some crazy wind and waves on the way. Currently calm as a millpond, flat as a pancake and all that jazz….
Distance travelled: On or off the boat?! Read on for more…


Righty, to the logging to the logging…. Day 2 has been exciting once again, with its fair share of thrills and spills… Not enough sea-sickness pills maybe, judging from the spills?!

We set off in a beautiful morning, with little wavy business but a lot of wind, which picked up once we headed out of the loch. Colour drained from peoples’ faces as we bounced up and down the waves, which were made all the worse by the crazy coming together of different tides and strong winds. Nine common seals on the rocks bode well for a good day of sighting…

Commanded to the stern of the boat, due to the rolling on the waves, everyone tried to hide the real sea sickness feelings, and hold down their breakfast…More or less successfully-50% of the volunteers won the fight against the food… Once we were out and round Ardnamurchan point (most Westerly point of the British mainland, don’t ya know?!) and on course for the Small Isles (Rhum, Eigg and Muck) in the North we were treated to the excitement of 7 common dolphin-a welcome distraction from the queasiness. Good spotting Skipper, but you were the only on deck still paying attention to the waves of the sea and not the waves of sea-sickness gripping us all… Matt (our resident photographing cattle vet) got stuck in with the camera, while Marcus tried to get some ID shots. While they looked all serious and professional, the rest of us squealed and got very excited. Hanging off the bowsprit we were inches away from the bow riding beauties, as they torpedoed through the waves, and around the boat, chasing each other and occasionally looking up to see us. They were Speedy Gonzales; out -racing us as we motored with the sails at a steady 6 knots, surfing down the waves. After 20 minutes of playful companionship they scooted off to join a nearby fishing boat, and the waves of sea sickness returned.

Bacon sandwiches were not quite as popular as the day before, and even those who had held up until now had to succumb after the munchies… And up it came….

We finally returned to ‘on effort’ observations, and were soon joined by another group of about 7 common dolphins-maybe the same crew. They put on another fantastic display for us, bowriding, circling the boat and jumping clear of the water, often in unison. Smiles replaced sea-sickness once more…

We headed on a North-eastward tack toward Moidart, where we entered a beautiful loch under clear blue skies. Thankfully the water was calmer, and everyone returned to a healthy colour…Good work Skip’.

After lunch volunteers circumnavigated the island on foot and clocked up about a thousand miles (exaggeration for effect!) as they ventured over hill and dale, through bog etc…. 3 hours later, after death defying pioneering adventurous ramblings and a little bit of lostness, we finally found the beauty that is the Silurian. Phew!

A quick change into the lycra and a few of the braver (or stupider?) ones went swimming-led by the adventurous (or crazy?!) Iris, who had made three circuits before we were even changed. Feeling safer that she hadn’t been munched by the Moidart monster we soon followed. Chris circled the boat nine times in just his swimmers-champeen of the swimming tonight, and actually had to be called out (kicking and screaming) for dinner. “I was thinking about doing ten..”

Finally, following a delicious cacophany of Asian flavours and a riveting conversation about the finer details of cow dung acoustics, courtesy of our resident bovine lover, most went off to hunt mussels , which they did with great success. ‘Catch them from behind’ seems to be the trick, approaching quietly from downwind…


Log by: Another international collaboration of logging activity brought to you by ‘ Skipper the Swede’ Martin, ‘Iris the Bikini Brave’, Chris the ‘I’m going to shower in the middle of the storm’, Eilidh