Columns & caves

We woke up to very hazy morning, with very little visibility. Even the famous cliff of Burg was totally hidden from view. This was not a good omen - we'd booked on the 10am sailing from Fionnphort (pronounced something like 'Finnafert) to the island of Staffa and we really wanted a good day! It was becoming slightly brighter as we set off on the 'Iolaire of Iona' ('Iolaire' being Gaelic for eagle) and it got progressively sunnier. Fortunately it was very calm - so different from my recent boat trip - and as we neared the island we saw a variety of birds both flying and swimming - guillemots, puffins, shags, a gannet and others. 

A pod of dolphins then began to play around and although not that close I got a few pictures. It's impossible to know when they're going to leap out of the water - I put my best picture on as an extra. The skipper then called out that he's spotted a young Minke Whale, but all we saw of that was a black shape as he dived and didn't re-emerge!

It's always amazing to see the island close-up, even though I've been more than once before. Once ashore we walked along the basalt columns into Fingal's Cave, the inspiration for Mendelssohn's overture 'The Hebrides'. A few years ago we visited Staffa on a celebratory visit organised by the National Trust for Scotland and were able to listen to an orchestra playing the piece in Fingal's Cave itself! Not today though.

We then walked up to the higher ground to see the puffins though many of them were off swimming! They must have had enough of tourists for one day!

Not long after we left the sun went in and the sky clouded over - we were so lucky to have the best of the day on the island!

On the way back we left the boat on Iona and after lunch in the Argyll Hotel garden enjoyed a leisurely wander about the ruined Nunnery and the hotel's huge vegetable gardens. All round a very good day and a lot of photographs taken!