Laying a Creel

Yesterday dawned fine but cold - overnight the temperature dropped to 1C, and struggled to reach 6C all day, but at least the rain held off.

The older members of the family took their exercise climbing the slopes of Druim na Gearr Leacainn, taking breaks to admire the slate-grey waters of a calm Kilchoan Bay. The puddles towards the top of the ridge were covered in ice.

Meanwhile, the younger generation, determined to use our one creel to land a lobster, had laid it off the coast the previous day. Since our only forms of sea transport are three kayaks, the creel had been taken out perched on the back of one of them.

Considering we know nothing about laying creels, the first attempt was a resounding success - they managed to land three crabs, sadly all far too small to be taken. At least this proved that the system worked.

One of them was an extremely irate female laden with eggs. She and her two male companions were gently returned to the water while the creel was taken out a little further and, primed with bait which is distinctly riper than the piece of frozen fish used the first time, is now 'soaking' out in the Sound.

We are confident of a large lobster for tonight's supper.