Mull Adventure Blog - Part 3
It has to be said, that with utmost certainty and complete confidence, this portion of my life is turning out to be rather incredible! I say this not to make any of my dear readers envious but rather at astonishment in my own fortune! There’s something just DIFFERENT about this place but I am so glad that I’m experiencing it. There are moments of overwhelming joy, often when I’m sat on the boat, the sun shining, the wildlife abundant and the passengers enthusiastic and I think that I am being paid to do this incredible and different thing. But most of the time I have this calm contentedness about my life here which I love. Alas I know it can’t last but that’s another thing about this island – I don’t have enough time to take it for granted therefore I can be exhausted from a days’ work and yet still find the energy to climb a mountain, it’s beyond words, it truly is!
I do apologise though, I digress, I’m sure you’re wondering where the ADVENTURE part to this adventure blog as disappeared off to. Fear not dear reader, it shall return! We start this blog with the arrival of Helen (the sister) and Andrea (the friend of the sister and myself). After much anticipation and a few too many fruitless phone calls (mobile signal is not Mulls’ strong point!) we were finally united and it was fantastic to see them. We went out to eat (with Natalie from the office) and after much conversation and some spoon antics I headed back to the campsite Helen and Andrea would be staying at. Seen as it was Mull it was raining which, prepared for the inevitable, Andrea and Helen took to quite cheerfully. The fact that their tent was leaking heavily was not taken with such joy!
The next morning brought two soggy, disgruntled and sleepy individuals into the office by the names of Helen and Andrea. Their tent situation had worsened but they were going to enjoy Mull even if the Island did seem to be trying to drown them! I spent the day in the office whilst they explored.
The next day was the day of THE boat trip. I emphasise this particular boat trip in that it was the one that Helen and Andrea were coming on and it was rather an eventful one at that! One of our 7 hour Whalewatch Explorers was due to depart at 9:30am. This it did with my two intrepid traveller friends aboard. This was after having been told that the people in the office that met Helen described her as “exploding into the room.” This description I found to be rather accurate! And so it was that the bow and stern lines were cast, the fenders taken up and the boat set sail for the Cairns of Coll. Little did we realise that once past the Sound of Mull alongside Ardnamurchan point we would see Common Dolphins! Someone aboard had alerted us and I calmly explained that they were most probably porpoise knowing how rare sightings of were and the common mistake of a porpoise for a dolphin. Dear reader I was wrong! They were indeed dolphins and soon they were bow riding with the boat! All my professionalism went out of the window as I searched desperately for something knowledgeable to say about the species. In the end I gave up trying and just marvelled at the sight. They were stunning. Some views of sharks, sea birds and actual porpoise later we arrived on the Cairns to glorious sunshine and seals aplenty. Popz (our skipper) said I could go on land with Helen and Andrea, which I did and we spent half an hour enjoying the white sands, turquoise seas and goose poo aplenty! At the time some of our passengers were wondering from what animal these faeces had come from and the only suggestion I could come up with was Island hopping Red Deer. Eventually it was discovered that it originated from a member of the goose family but not after samples were collected and examined enthusiastically by me! The inner biologist was smiling with glee!
Many photos later it was time to jump aboard Sula Beag again which was anchored a little way out to sea. We take our passengers along on the rib (or as Popz calls it; “The Rubber Duck”) and I was given some training with using the outboard motor on it. The first challenge of which was to start the contraption! Three attempts later it started and our little collection of passengers applauded!
It turned out to be a wonderful trip (as all our trips are of course!) and Helen told me she felt proud of me. I didn’t feel so proud of myself after several panics with the blasted clove hitch knot and fenders shredded my nerves a little but I did manage to do the bow line correctly and I even drove Greenie after our 2 hour Ecocruz! After which we joined Ewan (another guide) for tea in the MacDonald Arms and chatted excitedly about the events of the day.
The next morning dawned and with it...pony trekking! After a mad panic in which we realised we didn’t have enough cash and cash machines are somewhat scarce on Mull we arrived at Killiechronan Trekking Centre and met our soon-to-be faithful steeds! Helen was given a beautiful arab cross (with not much arab in him) called “Caspian”. Andrea was given a sturdy highland pony named “Oak” and I had his half brother “Smokey” whom, I was assured would look after me, nervous rider as I am. The trek began...
I shall leave you all in suspense to await the next part of the Mull Adventure Blog!
Disclaimer: Leaving my dear readers in suspense is not done out of some vindictive aspect of my character, rather that I need to go to bed as we’ve got an early trip heading out tomorrow for which I will need to be awake!
Hugs to you all!
Sarah
Guide
I do apologise though, I digress, I’m sure you’re wondering where the ADVENTURE part to this adventure blog as disappeared off to. Fear not dear reader, it shall return! We start this blog with the arrival of Helen (the sister) and Andrea (the friend of the sister and myself). After much anticipation and a few too many fruitless phone calls (mobile signal is not Mulls’ strong point!) we were finally united and it was fantastic to see them. We went out to eat (with Natalie from the office) and after much conversation and some spoon antics I headed back to the campsite Helen and Andrea would be staying at. Seen as it was Mull it was raining which, prepared for the inevitable, Andrea and Helen took to quite cheerfully. The fact that their tent was leaking heavily was not taken with such joy!
The next morning brought two soggy, disgruntled and sleepy individuals into the office by the names of Helen and Andrea. Their tent situation had worsened but they were going to enjoy Mull even if the Island did seem to be trying to drown them! I spent the day in the office whilst they explored.
The next day was the day of THE boat trip. I emphasise this particular boat trip in that it was the one that Helen and Andrea were coming on and it was rather an eventful one at that! One of our 7 hour Whalewatch Explorers was due to depart at 9:30am. This it did with my two intrepid traveller friends aboard. This was after having been told that the people in the office that met Helen described her as “exploding into the room.” This description I found to be rather accurate! And so it was that the bow and stern lines were cast, the fenders taken up and the boat set sail for the Cairns of Coll. Little did we realise that once past the Sound of Mull alongside Ardnamurchan point we would see Common Dolphins! Someone aboard had alerted us and I calmly explained that they were most probably porpoise knowing how rare sightings of were and the common mistake of a porpoise for a dolphin. Dear reader I was wrong! They were indeed dolphins and soon they were bow riding with the boat! All my professionalism went out of the window as I searched desperately for something knowledgeable to say about the species. In the end I gave up trying and just marvelled at the sight. They were stunning. Some views of sharks, sea birds and actual porpoise later we arrived on the Cairns to glorious sunshine and seals aplenty. Popz (our skipper) said I could go on land with Helen and Andrea, which I did and we spent half an hour enjoying the white sands, turquoise seas and goose poo aplenty! At the time some of our passengers were wondering from what animal these faeces had come from and the only suggestion I could come up with was Island hopping Red Deer. Eventually it was discovered that it originated from a member of the goose family but not after samples were collected and examined enthusiastically by me! The inner biologist was smiling with glee!
Many photos later it was time to jump aboard Sula Beag again which was anchored a little way out to sea. We take our passengers along on the rib (or as Popz calls it; “The Rubber Duck”) and I was given some training with using the outboard motor on it. The first challenge of which was to start the contraption! Three attempts later it started and our little collection of passengers applauded!
It turned out to be a wonderful trip (as all our trips are of course!) and Helen told me she felt proud of me. I didn’t feel so proud of myself after several panics with the blasted clove hitch knot and fenders shredded my nerves a little but I did manage to do the bow line correctly and I even drove Greenie after our 2 hour Ecocruz! After which we joined Ewan (another guide) for tea in the MacDonald Arms and chatted excitedly about the events of the day.
The next morning dawned and with it...pony trekking! After a mad panic in which we realised we didn’t have enough cash and cash machines are somewhat scarce on Mull we arrived at Killiechronan Trekking Centre and met our soon-to-be faithful steeds! Helen was given a beautiful arab cross (with not much arab in him) called “Caspian”. Andrea was given a sturdy highland pony named “Oak” and I had his half brother “Smokey” whom, I was assured would look after me, nervous rider as I am. The trek began...
I shall leave you all in suspense to await the next part of the Mull Adventure Blog!
Disclaimer: Leaving my dear readers in suspense is not done out of some vindictive aspect of my character, rather that I need to go to bed as we’ve got an early trip heading out tomorrow for which I will need to be awake!
Hugs to you all!
Sarah
Guide
posted by Sea Life Surveys at
9:30 am
Return to Captain's Log homepage