Location: Tobermory Bay

We had gone to bed under a perfect night sky, the kind that makes you want to quit the city and turn off sodium lighting for ever…but inevitably the morning was grey and overcast…not a day for filming, so Andy and Simon abandoned day two of their filming. Instead, we set off for Eorsa on the Cuvier Whale skeleton hunt. We had the head and now needed to find the body, location unknown.

We anchored at the eastern end of the island, and on the basis of the Skippers’ sound opinion that the poor whale could only have made it onto the southern shore; the First Mate led an amphibious assault, landing two search parties to comb the southern shoreline. Matt then pootled off in the inflatable, and while we were yomping over treacherous moorland, slippery rocks and cliff paths, and found it within minutes on the NORTHERN shore. Well, the skipper redeemed himself by preparing hot dog rolls and playing a lament for a dead whale on his penny whistle.

Laura led the skeleton retrieval party, and soon the mortal remains of ?????? [The whale needs a name] were collected ceremoniously into black bags and returned to ship, and for us to devour the hot dogs.

Then time to head home…up the western coast of Mull, past Laura’s caravan, and back to Tobermory. Could we manage another tour of duty? No question and Laura kept us at it by climbing aloft to the crows nest and calling many sightings of “unidentified seals” and harbour porpoise to keep us on our toes. The sea was flat calm and glassy, so sightings, real and imaginary, flowed thick and fast., until we rounded the north west cape and then enthusiasm flagged as we sank into quiet contemplation of the trip coming to an end, and new friends soon to be parted.

Contemplation was soon ruptured by the Quartermasters Mandelberg [mother and daughter] whipping us into shape to clean the ship and leave it spotless for the next team. A final supper of leftovers conjured into a feast by Madeleine, and so to the pub, and at last to sleep.

Stephen (HWDT volunteer)