Crossing the Minch on Loch Seaforth

A great crossing of the Minch today on the Ullapool to Stornaway ferry and back produced at least 10 sooty shearwaters, 30 storm petrels, 10 great skuas, 20 arctic skuas, possible long-tailed skua and 500 Manx shearwaters. It was my best trip ever on this ferry for cetaceans, with at least 3 minke whales seen together, 2 Risso's dolphins, around 40 common dolphins and 5 harbour porpoise, but it was the blows off Tiumpan head which really took the breath away, two, three, four blows in quick succession, I didn't see the animals but clearly large whales, fin or humpback. An exhilarating experience from a ferry in UK waters.

Common dolphins.

At least five sooty shearwaters in with these Manxies.

Bonxie or great skua.

Pale phase arctic skua.

Dark phase arctic skua.

Gannet

Juvenile kittiwake. Really smart birds these juveniles and there are plenty around at the moment.

Hooded crow.

Ben mor Coigach with the Summer Isles in the foreground. 

Some of the Summer Isles.

Tiumpan Head, Isle of Lewis.

A large whale blow, possibly fin because it's tall and slim?

...and this one is possibly humpback because it's a a bit less tall and more spread out. I'm not certain of either of these though, the wind and other factors obviously effect the shape of the blow, and I'm just not expert enough to know for sure. But does that matter? To see whale blows like this from a ferry is just an awesome experience.

Loch Seaforth loading up

I love these ferries, no holiday to Ullapool is complete without a day trip to Stornoway. I don't even get off at the other end, I just find a comfortable seat, chill out for an hour while they offload / load up the ferry, maybe have a nap and then get outside for the return journey. Best £20.50 I spend all week.