Location: Loch Sween
Position: 56’01’.785 N 005’35’.498 W
Distance surveyed: 55 nm

What a SAGA!
Well today has felt rather like a wild goose….um I mean …dolphin chase. We set off this morning with all the elements against us it seemed. The breeze soon turned into gusty winds and the showers rapidly turned into rain. However, there was some respite in one of the most unlikely places. As we came up to the entrance of the Gulf of Corryvreckan, the usually confused and turbulent surface waters were flattened out by the slack tide. So in we went following yesterdays track line, interested to investigate whether there was still as much bird and porpoise activity taking place today. And sure enough, the Corryvreckan did not disappoint, the acoustic software was displaying plenty of porpoise detections and the birds appeared to be in the same places they were feeding the day before. On our second circuit of this teeming spot, we learnt that a group of bottlenose dolphins were seen the night before not far away in the Cuan Sound. And so the wild chase began. Phone calls were made to local boat operators, the navigation charts came out and the latest weather updates were jotted down. After some careful re-structuring of the day’s survey, we found a window in the tides, and ventured back up the Sound of Luing. But as I said earlier, the elements were against us this day and our once willing volunteers experienced a real west coast June downpour. Remembering that these poor souls were meant to be enjoying themselves, I finally shouted ‘off effort’ and they gleefully came down and reunited with the teapot. After a long day looking for marine mammals in the rain, the gentle passage up a very calm Loch Sween felt rewarding to all. Still there was a further reward waiting for us when we arrived at our secluded anchorage. An osprey was watching us from its nest only a few hundred metres away from the boat

Location: Kinuachdrachd Harbour, Jura
Position: 56 deg 07’.34N 005 deg 41’.44W
Distance surveyed: 57nm

A stiff north-north-westerly has blown all day, setting up a rough sea and swell. No cetacean sightings, but we managed to hone our birdwatching skills, following a briefing from Laura as we left Loch Spelve. We can now tell our gulls from our guillemots. Just.
We saw quite a lot of kittiwakes as we left Mull, and during the day saw shearwaters, razorbills, gannets, terns and even, towards the end of the day, a couple of black guillemots. The most intense bird activity was in the Corrievreckan whirlpool, where they congregated in massive numbers around one of the most disturbed patches of water in Britain, where fish are stirred up by the turbulence of the tides.
Back to the sailing: we covered about 57 miles today, crossing Loch Buie and turning towards the Garvellachs. It got very lumpy, and I’m sorry to say that this blogger got horribly sick and had to retire from the fray until revived about an hour later by some lovely leek and potato soup.
We crossed the Sound of Luing and crossed the side of the Corrievrecken before sailing down the coast of Jura and anchoring for the night at Kinuachdrachd, a harbour on the north-east side.
Some of us went for a walk ashore. This is the wildest island of the Inner Hebrides, covered with heath and woodland. We saw lesser spotted orchids, foxglove, tormentil, and mouse ear, plus one definite golden eagle, one possible, and three red deer.
Although there were no cetacean observations, the hydrophone has been working well and we have detected around 33 porpoise events with the acoustic equipment.
Back on board tonight there were sausages for supper, and a seal observation game is going on, which sounds fun….

Location: 56 deg 23'N 005 deg 42'W
Distance surveyed: 32 nautical miles
Not an early start this morning, a few trots into town wondering what was needed especially if we aren’t going near any shops for a few days! Then we cast off and set off down the sound of Mull. There was a NE blowing with Mull providing shelter from any swell or serious chop. Then after briefing we were organized into teams to take on the tasks of observing, inputting data and lounging around. The sea settled down and the visibility improved and soon two to three porpoises were seen on the starboard side hugging the coast and traveling in an easterly direction. Soon two or three other groups of Harbour Porpoises were seen far on the port side. Now the sea became more disturbed and choppy as the wind shifted onto the bow of Silurian. Another hour of observation and we turned back to Loch Spelve to anchor up for the night. All afternoon a pan of meat and vegetables had been slowly roasting in the oven and the now the scent of herbs and a rich gravy filled the cabin. We motored slowly into the loch after first trying to identify a Sea Eagles nest on the cliff face. Lots of cries of : ‘where is it?’ ‘Is that it?’ at last two big piles of twigs were identified as being nests and we turned to make our way into the Loch. Then suddenly there was a yell; ‘Sea Eagle, Sea Eagle!” and there was a mad scramble to find binoculars and get up on deck, and yes, there overhead, a Sea Eagle powered above us as it made its way to a small hillock on the shore, all the time being dive bombed by sea gulls. Then we saw that the rocky kelp covered shore was dotted with seals. We identified two mothers with a young pup each; Laura said there were Grey and Common present, I wasn’t sure, I hadn’t checked the book! The Seals splashed and gamboled in the shallow water. Over on the other shore a heron stood still and unperturbed and coming towards us across the still calm water two swans, and still the Sea Eagle stood on his rocky hillock just above us! Now a gentle rain began to fall and our thoughts turned to our meal. Its not going to get really dark tonight, it’s a pale grey out through the deck house windows of Silurian, and it is absolutely still and quiet, whilst inside the sounds of people preparing for bed: toothbrushing, showering and clambering into bed. Tomorrow another day, who knows what we’ll see!

We welcome on board our 6 new recruits to help us carry out the next 10-day stint of monitoring in the Hebrides. The team members are: Charmain, Wendy, Chris (who has returned from last year), Peter, Shelia and Tim