Location: Canna Harbour

Position: 57’ 03.3 N 006’ 29.7 W

Today was a good day (for me at least). I saw and learnt many things, which most of the other crew did not. When I was on bird observation, Laura was talking to me and saw a splash so I turned round and saw two massive orcas breaching high out of the water. No-one else apart from me and her saw them. HA! I also saw a basking shark, lots of porpoises and a beautiful little island that we were moored at one night. There have only really been two bad things about the trip so far, mainly sea sickness. Today I felt ridiculously ill because some of the swells were so big so I decided to take some hydrobromide to try to stop it. Needless to say, the tablets were crap and didn’t work, so I just had to line my stomach and get on with it. The other bad thing is the speed at which Graham, Phil, Glenn, Steve and I are plowing through the single malt, red wine and beer (doesn’t make for a happy start in the morning on a rocky boat!). But was it really likely to ever be a dry boat??? Don’t think so!

Madeline made a lovely tea as well, involving roast veg, taters and chicken and after that, much to the men’s delight, I got my Nuts magazine out and there were boobs galore (Laura seemed surprisingly interested as well, I think she’s got something to tell her boyfriend!). After that we indulged in another few wee drams which, truth be told, knocked us out and it was off to bed for everyone except me, as I couldn’t sleep so I went outside to star gaze. After around ten – fifteen minutes there was a small window in the clouds through which I could see a lot of stars. It was amazing to see what the lack of pollution does to the brightness of them. After that it was beddy bies, although it took me a while as the skippers snoring seemed to penetrate through my cabin door from the other side of the boat.

Mike (HWDT volunteer)

# posted by HWDT @ 4:48 AM