Position: 56 33 683N 00642 918
Weather: calm but cloudy
Distance travelled: 56 nautical miles

With a tank full of diesel and bellies full of porridge and Tetley we nudged out of our anchorage in Erraid in the Ross of Mull and headed to open seas west of Mull and Tiree. After a gruelling and relatively quiet day yesterday everyone was chomping at the bit for a bit of mammal action. We’d barely gone 50 metres before Tracy shouted that she’d spotted a basking shark but was in fact a couple of birds. But 10 minutes we spotted 12 porpoises, still shy as ever, and headed to Skerryvore lighthouse which loomed on the horizon through slate grey skies. Conditions were calm though, and visibility good, the light extremely good for spotting the slightest hint of fin.

For the first two hours we spotted several harbour porpoises as we sailed west of Tiree. Then something very exciting happened. Duncan came round with bacon sandwiches. The last mouthful had barely gone down before Claire shouted that she’d seen some splashes about 500m off and cetaceans could be seen, although at that point we weren’t sure whether they were porpoises or mermaids, but on closer examination we saw the fin shapes were different, more hooked and pointy than a porpoise. Looking through the bins, we all saw a group of between nine to ten common dolphins leaping from the water.

The cry of dolphin screamed across the deck, and the hysteria that had been brewing aboard since our Risso spotting a couple of days before reached exploding point. A minute later the dolphins had surrounded the boat and headed to the bow, where they swam, dived and leaped, entertaining us for 40 minutes. We were treated to an amazing acrobatic display by the entire group with a rather frisky fella leaping and twisting over and over again, showing off to the girls. The excitement was too much for Becky whose jaw dropped along with her camera case into the drink.

Health and safety guidelines and fear of going overboard evaporated as everyone clambered and swung over the rigging and decks like apes to get the best shots. After they posed for photos, they got bored and swam off leaving everyone on a high and wanting more. After tasting a sip of adrenaline we were desperate for another shot – this time minke whales. Would we get lucky?

Well no, because the boat’s engine then promptly conked out. So what do you do when you’re adrift with no wind for sail and no engine in mid sea? Put the kettle on and send Duncan down a hole with his spanners. The man is not only a marvel with a flaked almond, he knows his way around a diesel boat engine, and we were on our way after 45 minutes. Juliet hiked up to the crows nest and within minutes we’d spotted a basking shark. Then another. And another…and another. In total we saw 17 basking sharks, some large some small on our way to Gunna Sound, but none were the size of Big Burt the Basking Shark we’d seen the day before. He was a whopper and I’m sure he’d be pleased to hear us say that. Many a portion to be had with mushy peas there.

But by far the most exciting part of the day was the serving of Duncan’s famous fish pie, which had been scuppered the previous day by high winds and swell. Basking sharks could come and go toward the end of the day as far as were were concerned, bring on the potato topped haddock!
Just before we go, we must put a big shout out to the various seals that popped up to say hello. Very cute. And apologies to the one who almost jumped out of his seal skin as it basked on a rock at Gunna bent backwards in a poseurish ‘V’ shape.

What’s for pud?

Log by: Jo and Kathryn