The Weekly, every Sunday: one place worth going and one thing worth reading.
Interesting news · Monday 27 July
Twenty minke whales in a day off the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides · from hwdt.org
Photograph · hwdt.org
A week-long survey by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust logged 129 sightings of six marine species, working from the Sea of the Hebrides out past Barra, Vatersay and Mingulay. Around 20 minke whales turned up in a single day.
Silurian is the Trust's research yacht, crewed by staff and a group of citizen scientists who learn to spot and record marine mammals and seabirds as they sail. Settled weather gave them 32 hours of survey time across 376 km. Some minkes surfaced close enough to show the pale markings on their flippers, the minke mittens, and close enough to photograph for the Trust's photo-ID catalogue.
Common dolphins raced over to bow-ride. Bottlenose dolphins appeared three times, once before breakfast. There was also a barbecue on the beach at Pabbay and a swim every day, which sounds like the better end of fieldwork.
Kisimul Castle is open again. The Macneil stronghold sits on a rock in Castlebay and getting out to it means a boat from the jetty, which is half the appeal.
