Our 10-night epic St Kilda and Outer Hebrides cruise with Chris Gomersall, which departed on July 16th, was an outstanding success in terms of wildlife seen, anchorages and stopovers. It was an excellent cruise for spotting cetaceans, with 9 minke whale sightings, three pods of common dolphins, bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, white-beaked dolphin and harbour porpoise. In addition, 2 basking sharks were seen and close views of an otter cub at an anchorage in Loch Nevis late one evening. It was also an amazing success in terms of bird life, with a total of 83 species of birds seen. Bird highlights included both golden and white-tailed eagles, and sooty shearwaters at sea.
Anchorages on this cruise started out on Tobermory, Mull; and included Vatersay (linked by a causeway to Barra); then Fladday, off Skye; the St Kilda Archipelago (2 nights); Leverburgh, Isle of Harris; Loch Rodal, Isle of Harris; the Shiant Isles; Loch Seaforth (the boundary between Harris and Lewis); Portree, Isle of Skye; Loch Nevis, Lochaber; Canna, the Small Isles; Loch Scresort, Rum, the Small Isles; Fishnish, the Sound of Mull
Nothing was too much trouble for the crew and all needs were catered for. The food was very good with fresh scallops delivered when requested by the crew the same day still alive - Excellant
John Oxborough: 10 June 2017Skye and the Small Isles: Hebridean horizons