...stolen day in late November!

The natural world never fails to shock and amaze and David Attenborough’s current series of Blue Planet 2 is a perfect example. Discovering new species or new behaviour's of familiar marine life is truly fascinating. Closer to home nature tells its own amazing story with an image in this week’s Oban Times of a golden eagle attacking a deer on Mull this autumn. The noble predator successfully separated a young deer (fawn) from the herd and with outstretched talons try’s to bring it down.

A week last Sunday we circumnavigated Mull on the MARFIN. Seeing the white-tailed and golden eagles perched or patrolling the coastline never fails to fills you with awe - they are huge. Not to be outdone the marine life has the capacity to compete for your attention and this day was no exception. Firstly, while crossing the Firth Of Lorn from Dunstaffnage a couple of porpoises broke the surface then a minke whale at the mouth of Loch Buie. As we entered the Sound Of Iona a pod of dolphins came along side and performed a wonderful aerial display, demonstrating their agility and keen sense of fun. They were in no hurry to leave spending over 20 minutes in our company leaving us smiling from ear to ear. We stopped at Gometra, a small island off Ulva where Ian’s grandmother was brought up. During our short visit we were lucky enough to meet Rhoda Munro the only permanent inhabitant today from a population that once exceeded over 100. From Gometra, Hugh Ruttledge the english mountaineer led 2 British Everest Expeditions in 1933 and 1936 after retiring from the Indian Civil Service.