Channory Point

Today we left North Ledig and headed north through Fort William and St Augustus. Thinking we would do a coffee stop at the Caladonian Canal flight of locks (Neptune Steps) – having seen the number of coaches in the car park, we pressed on and had our coffee in a quieter spot alongside Loch Ness. Eventually arriving at Rossmarkie, about 10 miles north of Inverness.
This evening we went to Channory Point (10 minutes cycle but a good walk along the beach for D and R).  Channony Point is one of the best places in the world to watch bottlenose dolphins from the shore. The spit of sand and gravel running out into the Inverness Firth means they are literally metres away. The incoming tide bring up the salmon, which in turn attracts the dolphins.  Apparently, Scotland’s coast is home to nearly 200 bottlenosed and the only resident population living in the North Sea – and also can be up to 4 metres long. Having stood and froze for about an hour and half, we are both convinced there was only one making his appearance. When we left there must have been 150+ people looking for them – the size of the lenses attached to the cameras were very impressive!  Despite the number of us all were still and quiet and the sence of anticipation in the air incrediable.
I’ll be back tomorrow evening when the tide is coming in to watch them again.