Shaaaarrrrk! (In Scotland!)

Mr-d · 01 September 2004, 01:28

In addition to Keith Hart's thread... I've been out on a trip today, with my father on an friends new motoryacht. (yes, i suddenly want one of them to, Go Twin Volvo Penta!) We went from Salen Jetty (Ardnamurchan) up towards The Isle Of Rum,where we visited Kinloch castle

On the way up, about level with Tobermory/Kilchoan a Minke Whale popped up, so he slowed right down, killed the engine, and it appeared that there were two or more of them, circling around a piece of high ground (according to the GPS chart) feeding. We then zoomed up, (With zoomed i MEAN zoomed. ~25Knots on a fairly large motorboat which will shortly be up for charter (has bedroom and toilet and stuff) )

So, we arrived at The Isle Of Rum, and visited Kinloch Castle, which was BEAUTIFULL!, had a quick lunch and took off again, went round the (i think) north side of Rum, up to canna, went to see the church there.. (tearoom was closed) and started heading back.
Suddenly, i saw a black object, YES! SHARK!!!!! Oooh, aaaaah etc.
slowed down, and they came right up to the boat.
Approx 3-4 Meters in lenth, two of them. They are so Elegant...
Some pictures:
Basking Shark 1
Basking Shark 2
Basking Shark 3
Basking Shark 4
Basking Shark 5

I even got some film! (with digital camera.... dont expect to much)
It's about 5MB and should stream of the host.
Film 15 seconds

Went up past the north side of Rum after leaving Canna, and went to Muck (took about 20 min.... nice cruise with engine deafening sound)
Grabbed a nice cup of tea on Muck, (they appearently opened the new pier there today, with Scottish ministers and all) the slipway is about.... 10M wide? enough to park 6 cars next to eachother i think... and the pier can probably take an oil tanker, for a tiny community!

LOVELY place.

Im hosting all these images myself, to keep John Kennett happy!

They are quite large, so watch out if your on a modem, might take a wee while.

Anyway, there you go... small trip.. lovely weather, see basking sharks, seals (so common i rarely take pics, or never have cam ready) Minke whales, a castle.. nice cup of tea.. Great trip, loads of fuel burnt, but it's worth it.. and i think it might be more fun with a RIB, because you can decide to stop somewhere suddenly, with a big boat its not as easy...
The end.

Keith Hart · 01 September 2004, 05:56

Thank you very much for posting the pictures.

I certainly found it a truly amazing experience to see these wonderful creatures in their own wild habitat. You have certainly captured the joys or ribbing and sibbing in your post. Well done.

Sure beats the hell out of the Solent!

Keith Hart

Louise · 01 September 2004, 06:47

Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, Mr-d. Your photos and description are great!

codprawn · 01 September 2004, 09:51

Oh god now I will have to trailer my 8.5m from Swansea to Scotland next year - and find guest houses with room to park!!!

Mr-d · 01 September 2004, 14:05

We rent out a caravan, can fit anything up to 3,5M wide through the gate, and park anything up to.... say... 20M on our small grass field, but hoping to make a second parking space... we have had visitors with a 6M RIB with twin 90's on the back park here, it went fine (Only that they decided to turn around on our little grass "relax" area with their big jap 4x4 and did not take the hardened bit up it, but went across a small drainage ditch, it made a mess.....

Yep, it's all out there, best of it all is... it's free and unlimited!

Manos · 01 September 2004, 20:11

Very nice photos Mr D

Mr-d · 01 September 2004, 22:11

Thank you

So, i become popular if i take nice pictures? hahaha

No dolphins seen here though.. i bet you have plenty of them...
Appearently there have been sightings of a Humpback whale off Mallaig.
Still waiting for spares for my boat, but i doubt i'll risk going that far out.

Manos · 02 September 2004, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr-d

So, i become popular if i take nice pictures? hahaha No dolphins seen here though.. i bet you have plenty of them...

How did you guesss that

Yes we do have dolphins here and have posted a few photos here http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5827

Rupert Bear · 10 September 2004, 22:24

Two pods of dolphins in and around the Firth of Lorne last month. One of Lochaline and the other at Lismore light.
Basking sharks are fairly common, even managed to get into the water with them now and again by predicting which way they are swimming and getting in ahead.
In fact one surfaced unexpectedly about three weeks ago right beside the boat, we had no idea it was there till it appeared

Mr-d · 10 September 2004, 23:10

Rupert, how do they react to people being in the water close to them? do they just suddenly dive away and re emerge about 50 metres further away?

Haven't seen dolphins for a while now, appearently there were some coming up the sound of Mull the other day, and swiming alongside the Tobermory - Kilchoan ferry.

How far out do you go with Tickle? Do you ever go into Loch sunart? If so, i might see you one day! And I'll wave!

Keith Hart · 11 September 2004, 03:05

Basking Sharks may not EAT you but they can be dangerous, also YOU can be dangerous to THEM. Under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) it is illegal to intentionally capture or disturb a basking shark in British waters.

Please check out the 'Basking Shark Code here:

http://www.mcsuk.org/baskingsharks/code.htm

Keith Hart

Mr-d · 11 September 2004, 12:47

Somehow i think those rules are a bit extreme/foolish....

Restrict speed to below 6 knots and avoid sudden speed changes.
DUH!!! how else do you think you would see them?
Do not approach closer than 100m.
Again, how else would you see them? usually they appear out of nothing!
If closer than 100m switch the engine to neutral.
The sharks are not stupid, and wont try and assault your propellor... (they stay about 2M from your boat at all times)

As for the swimming with them, appearently they have very very course skin, and can rip the outer layer of your skin off, like sandpaper... however every time you get to close, they go under and re appear 50M away...

i think these rules are a bit to extreme...

Rupert Bear · 11 September 2004, 15:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr-d

Rupert, how do they react to people being in the water close to them? do they just suddenly dive away and re emerge about 50 metres further away?

Haven't seen dolphins for a while now, appearently there were some coming up the sound of Mull the other day, and swiming alongside the Tobermory - Kilchoan ferry.

How far out do you go with Tickle? Do you ever go into Loch sunart? If so, i might see you one day! And I'll wave!

They tend to dive and reappear some distance away. You can sometimes get way out in front and get in the water so they swim by close. A few metres away is the closest they have ever came as long as the boat is some distance away.
Was out as far as West side of Coll three weeks ago and am regularly up as far as Tobermory, never been to Sunart except passing by. I saw two complete pods in the Sound about a month ago but none since.
It may seem odd but you aren't at Ardtoe by any chance?
Having read the code I see nothing incompatible with what we do, the only time the sharks are really close to the boat is when we are unaware of them being there, generally they are easy to stop froma distance as the feed on the surface.

Mr-d · 11 September 2004, 15:39

Ardtoe is about a mile up the road yes, why do you ask?

I have to go past it to go out to sea... Boat stays on the shore at Kentra bay however, not been there for a while... still waiting for !*#&*!#&!* spares.