60 images Created 31 May 2014
From the Isle of Mull to the Small Isles via Coll and Lunga
My kayaking trip in the Inner Hebrides Islands off the West Coast of Scotland took me to the Islands of Mull, Lunga in the Treshnish Isles, Coll, and the Small Isles comprising Muck, Eigg, Rhum and Canna. In terms of kayaking it proved to be consistently more challenging than the sea conditions that I was familiar with in Southeast Alaska, because the West Coast of Scotland is so exposed to the powerful winds and ocean swells generated by the North Atlantic. I was even caught in the tail end of the infamous Hurricane Katrina, but fortunately I just managed to get to the Isle of Rhum in time, but my tent was unable to withstand the prolonged battering of the wind and rain, and I had to seek shelter in the village hall. I was told that it was the most rainfall that they had experienced in living memory, so I was glad to be there for such a memorable occasion! Although it’s part of the UK it felt just as wild as anywhere else that I’ve been to and provided some of the most dramatic, panoramic seascapes that I’ve ever seen. There is little or no forest cover on the islands so the hiking was particularly good over the rugged moorland and mountainous terrain, and provided amazing open views with a great sense of space and perspective, similar to what I had experienced in the Sea of Cortez, but the sea was much more animated in the Inner Hebrides.
It may not have rivalled Alaska in terms of wildlife, apart from the seabirds, but I still had some memorable encounters including a very unexpected one with a sunfish, and without a doubt the highlight was being able to see basking sharks for the very first time. There were also seals everywhere, but unfortunately I didn’t get any good photos because I had a problem with my telephoto lens, which I didn’t know about at the time because this was my very last trip using film. It was the same with my previous long trip to Madagascar, and not being able to check the success rate of my photos until the end of the trip months later.
It may not have rivalled Alaska in terms of wildlife, apart from the seabirds, but I still had some memorable encounters including a very unexpected one with a sunfish, and without a doubt the highlight was being able to see basking sharks for the very first time. There were also seals everywhere, but unfortunately I didn’t get any good photos because I had a problem with my telephoto lens, which I didn’t know about at the time because this was my very last trip using film. It was the same with my previous long trip to Madagascar, and not being able to check the success rate of my photos until the end of the trip months later.
