Yesterday around 1100 hrs I suddenly noticed that there was a pod of orcas out in the Minch around the mouth of the Bay about ¾ mile (1.2 km) from the house. Unfortunately the sun was not out and it was quite dull (the sun came out about 30 minutes after the orcas had departed). A bit of sun would have made photography much easier. Ho hum. At least we saw the orcas. It was a wonderful parting gift from the Island to CJ and Jo.
A superb swim past.
ReplyDeleteYes Adrian it was quite a sight. Last year when I wasn't here they chased some seals into the Bay and slaughtered them turning the Bay red with the blood. Some people were upset but that's nature. I was upset too. I missed a wonderful photo opportunity.
DeleteThose are gorgeous creatures, and you have them right in your backyard so to speak....be very thankful for that.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a final salute or adieu to CJ and Jo to wish them safe travels. Animals are very instinctive.
A lovely parting gift indeed.
We don't see sharks, dolphins and whales very often but when we do it's very special. I was out in a 16' clinker once when a Basking Shark paid us a visit. they may be plankton eaters but they are the second largest living fish and larger than the boat so a playful rub was a potential disaster.
Delete"A pod of orcas" sounds like a terrible disease. Which shows how much I know about wildlife in your part of the world...
ReplyDeleteAre you feeling better, GB? I do hope so.
Well you certainly wouldn't want a pod of orcas on your left foot without a good fungicide handy. I'm good thank you Frances. These things are always momentary.
DeleteI think I was thinking of a fit of the vapours (but people don't have those any more...). Glad you're feeling better.
DeleteA great parting gift indeed!
ReplyDeleteYes, Meike, a very special one
DeleteWhat a salute! (I had to use Wikipedia as dictionary again, as so often with "living things"...)
ReplyDeleteIt couldn't have been a better salute Monica.
DeleteOH, OH, OH!!!! How lucky are you all!!! Wow, I would have been jumping up and down for the next hour or so! Absolutely beautiful! So jealous, but happy that you three got to see them. Almost the same thing. :)
ReplyDeleteWe were jumping up and down for the next hour Lisa.
DeleteAnd a skua?
ReplyDeleteAs far as I can tell from the largest I can blow that and other photos up (it was 3/4 mile away after all) the wing and flying style would seem to indicate that it's a Black Backed Gull rather than an Bonxie.
DeleteWowee! And a basking shark encounter sounds wonderful too!
ReplyDeleteIt was in a way, Katherine, but it was much bigger than the boat and having it rub against the boat was very scary. One rub too friendly and we'd have been capsized. We were a long way from land and a Lewis fisherman having a lifejacket the 1970s would have been considered unmanly in the extreme.
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