&
It’s all hands to the pump on board, but the only sea-life sightings on this trip are of the common seal
Alter breakl'ast it‘s time to try out some of my poop deck stances (I don‘t know what a poop deck is btit I like the sound of the word). while pretending to search the wave crests for endangered species. So I stumble out onto the outside front deck and try out my Titanic. convincing my travelling partner Dr .loanna Babel to take part. Then I try out my ()m'diun Line stance before settling on a rugged l'ace-
into-the-wind Perfect Storm kind of
pose. Then I decide to go through the kit I haye brought: we were all advised to bring binoculars. cameras and gloyes. l haye brought a l‘)72 (‘anon Super 8 camera with a three—year-old film in it. and a pair of three-lingered woollen gloyes. James and Lewis watch me rather ctrriously out of the corner of their eyes while occasionally shouting ‘porpoisel‘ and pointing at a stretch ol‘ empty water.
By lunchtime on the Saturday. the
sun is out and we are anchored oil the (‘airns ot~ Coll. an outcrop of
rocks housing a seal colony. Lewis takes us all on a dinghy to the island. Here we see the most sea life we are going to see all weekend. Those canines ol‘ the sea — common and grey seals — are
1 18 THE LIST 18 Noy —3 Dec. 200-1
TRAVEL
O
everywhere on this remote place: barking. staring and sleeping in the weed. It is glorious. If nothing else happens. we can go home happy to haye sat five feet from a baby seal as it snores under the ebbing. pock- marked surl'.
What follows this seminal
moment is more food and a spot of
unsuccessful fishing. all the time moving around Carma. Muck and linally stopping for the night just off liigg.
By the Sunday the weather is
beginning to turn. Any hope of
seeing whales slips away as we move through the white squall around the Ardnamurchan lighthouse (Britain's most westerly point) and back to 'l‘obermory. But James and Lewis. eyer hopel’ul. keep one eye on the choppy waters.
Disappointed for us. James apologises for the lack ol yisible cetaceans on the trip before letting us leave the boat. ()ne of the other guests points out that ‘it hardly matters: nature. after all. is exquisite and precious and will always do its own thing.‘ We nod wisely and stroke Sula‘s belly. Strangely qtriet for most ol‘the trip. Dr Babel finally pipes tip: ‘I think I would haye started crying it' I‘d seen a plutonium leyiathan. That's a whale to you. son.’ Embarrassed. I stare across the bay at the coloured houses of Bularrrorjy‘.
Whale watch
Here’s what you stand a chance of seeing off the coasts of Scotland if - unlike us — you are very lucky. Minke whales ‘I lit: smallest of tlrr: baleen whales ll)r(:(l£ll()li; that s
tiny crustaceans. srnall frslr and other tiny organisms \xrrt'n illftll harry cornl; like toctlrl. Mrnko .vlralot. arr; (lrstrngurslrablo l)‘; tlrurr dark grey tor) colour and can grow up to "ill foct. llrr: ones; you ml! f.f;-t: rn Scottish .‘JEllfrff; are more lrktzl‘, to lrr: f,ll‘.£ll|ftf. Harbour Porpoises lnra f;ll‘-£ill(:‘;’. «,r’ the cotacoanf; and trcrrucntl, nrcknarr‘orl puffrnq orrrfr. tlroso’; fill, creatures; can tic- obscrxco frrrgrlls'rr; and (I(I(I(lf$l()ll£lll‘,’ surfing} rr‘. tnr: .'.’a.~',- ,. Trrr, calves arr; often soon accornpanyrnri tuclr (contort). Common and Rissos Dolphins Often encountcrcrl throughout for: summer. althouqlt lrotticnosr; aru‘ n'rhrte-beaked rlclp'nrns arr: also ()(XIélSlOlléilly’ sc—cn. Dxlplrrrrs arr; particularly playful '.'.’!lli roars, r’ ’llll’l the bow to glut: you a closeup .’l'T:.'.' 0‘ lll(:lf streamlined beam,
Killer whales These :grrxlatcr .-.lraies arr;- a rare but spectre. rla' fit/1'" '.'.’rtl‘r tnerr black and .‘.'r:l~:; rr‘girk'rrfg‘;. Basking Sharks A5) thick a7. “kn/3:. these huge planktOra feeder“. a“; t'v:
second biggies. r" trrr; .mrrr. reacting rc'gtl s 2- r' cares, rrr szzrrr rr‘ are Mia C.‘_.fft:l .s. $.-
agape. T:‘t(;rznr_r cat lnéi'lflfC'L
Skippy, Pisa and five-star opulence
I Head Down Under with STA’s seasonal offers this month. Flights to 02 are going for as little as £543 return, while round-the-world packages with Oz stopovers start at 2850. While there, the adventure-hungry can opt for one of STA’s Get Back to Nature packages, including the Epic Journey: a road trip taking in the Great Ocean Road and offering stunning views of the rugged Victoria coastline or Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), one of the most sacred areas for Australian Aborigines. Skippy fans can enjoy the wonders of Kangaroo Island. Just off the coast of Adelaide, it’s deemed a mini taste of all that 02 has to offer: amazing scenery, koalas in trees, white beaches with sea lions and, of course, plenty of kangaroo action. Look out for The List’s top Hogmanay picks from around the world in coming issues.
I Ryanair is celebrating the first successful year of its Glasgow Prestwick to Gothenburg City route. It's a beautiful city to see in the winter. and a weekend flight is going for as little as $25—$40 return. Book now at wwwryanaircom. While you're logged on. have a sneaky peak at the latest destination offerings. including Pisa. Murcia and Hamburg, some of which are going for as little as £2.99 one way, without tax.
I Closer to home, VisitScotland is following up on its impressive Autumn Gold offerings, with a new range of special deals. The website is showcasing an array of bargains for the winter season, from quiet retreats up north to five-star opulence in the Borders. See www.visitscotland.com.
I Website find of the fortnight goes to www.cheapflights.co.uk. Normally we're a little dubious but the site is well organised and there are bargains to be had at a fraction of the cost of some of the main flight front-runners. Good accommodation and shon city breaks are also available.