Friday 3 September 2010

A Basking Shark Summer

The seas off West Ardnamurchan have seen an unusual number of basking sharks this year. Davie Ferguson reported the most off the Lighthouse - nine at one time - and they've been spotted off Ardnamurchan Point almost every day, much to the joy of visitors to the Visitors' Centre. These photos were taken three days ago, by Trevor Potts, who runs the excellent little campsite in Ormsaigbeg.

There were six in all, moving gently across an area just below Glengorm Castle. When he spotted them, Trevor cut the engine and allowed his boat to drift, with the result that he came remarkably close without disturbing them.

It isn't only basking sharks that seem to be having a good year. On Wednesday, one fisherman reported hauling no fewer than 105 mackerel out of the sea just to the west of Ormsaigbeg. These were distributed round the village, the Diary receiving ten beautiful fish.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jon,thanks for a great site ! !, we are coming up next week could you tell us the best place to go on land to look at whales please ?
    thank you

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  2. Probably the best place is the Lighthouse, though the chances of seeing whales from the land is low. They are out there, but they tend not to come close in. So a trip in a boat, such as one of Andy Jackson's expeditions out of Laga, would probably give you the best chance of seeing one.

    JOn

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